PINA

The prime minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, says he is willing to personally intervene in New Caledonia's push for independence as the impasse over the way forward for the conflict-ridden French territory continues. The comments came after the Fijian leader completed a three-day mission in the French territory with the Tongan and Cook Islands prime ministers on behalf of the...

The Flying Fijians tour report for the July Test series confirms serious financial issues within the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU), which led to some of the team's luggage being off-loaded and the tour manager left behind in England. RNZ Pacific has obtained a copy of the tour report authored by the team manager, Eleina McDonald. McDonald, who resigned after the tour,...

Justice Filimoni Jitoko is the proposed Fijian Speaker of Parliament. This was confirmed by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka following the appointment of the Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu as the country’s new President elect. Ratu Naiqama won the Presidency by a landslide vote of 37 to 16 today. The new Speaker of Parliament will be elected by the august house on 02...

Fiji's Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, has been elected the country’s next President in a special parliamentary session in Suva today, securing 37 votes to claim the position. Ratu Naiqama, nominated by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, emerged victorious over opposition candidate Ratu Meli Natalatu Tora Taivaiqia, who received 16 votes. “Pursuant to section 84 of the Constitution of the Republic...

As COP29 approaches, the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Fatumanava-o-Upolu III Dr Pa’olelei Luteru, sent a powerful message to climate negotiators, calling for unity and unwavering resolve among small island developing states. “Our small island developing states are strong and unified in our positions,” he said, following a year of intensive efforts capped by recent high-level...

Australia to increase missile defence and long-range strike capability as the Asia Pacific region enters the ‘missile age’. Australia will increase its missile defence capability after China’s test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in the South Pacific raised “significant concerns” and as the Asia Pacific region enters a “missile age”. Australia plans to increase its missile defence and long-range strike...

Voters in the U.S territory of Guam will be the country’s first to cast their choice for president on 05 November, but it will be a symbolic and democratically meaningless exercise. As the mainland gets to have its say on who will be president, an anomaly in U.S law means Guamanians are among the four million disenfranchised Americans living in...

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts Tuesday pledged robust support for Pacific digital infrastructure at the Telstra Pacific Islands Telecommunications Strategy Forum in Sydney, highlighting Australia’s multi-million-dollar investment in undersea cables as a lifeline for Pacific connectivity. Addressing regional leaders and industry representatives, Watts acknowledged the crucial need for secure, resilient digital networks across the Blue Pacific, emphasising...

Acting Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Desna Solofa this week urged Forum Island Countries (FICs) to embrace investment opportunities from Japan as critical drivers for post-COVID economic recovery. “The Pacific is open for business, and this partnership with Japan is a cornerstone for our shared future.” With trade, investment, and tourism high on the agenda, Solofa highlighted that...

Japan's Director-General for Trade Policy and Economic Cooperation, Yasuji Komiyama has laid out an ambitious vision for the Pacific, promising that Japan is ready to be a strong partner in the region's economic development. Japan sees the Pacific as a critical partner for sustainable development and economic growth. Komiyama highlighted the Pacific’s “rich natural resources, diverse cultures, and tremendous economic potential”...