PINA

Pacific Island nations hope the climate change case they’ve brought to the UN court will help overcome the shortcomings of international negotiations and spur greater action, Vanuatu’s attorney-general said in an interview as governments prepared for the public hearings. The case at the International Court of Justice, or ICJ, is not about assigning blame or instigating punitive measures, but aims...

By Tony Hiriasia Jnr Students at the regional university in Suva have been given a choice to join the staff union strike but the student body will not be involved. The University of the South Pacific Students Association (USPSA) released a statement, in response to the planned strike by the Fiji-based staff Union at the Laucala Bay campus in Suva today. The...

The Commonwealth Women’s Forum opened in Samoa today with a call for renewed action on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls in the 56 member countries, representing one-third of humanity. The forum, being held ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), brings together hundreds of delegates to examine the gains and gaping holes in progress...

Fiji has reaffirmed its commitment to decolonisation but raised concerns over the new United Nations resolution, calling for a more focused approach. Fiji is one of two Pacific countries who are members of the Special Committee on Decolonisation or C-24 and has been a consistent voice in addressing the issue of decolonisation. Through the C-24 and the Fourth Committee, Fiji aligns...

New Caledonia's President Louis Mapou confirmed on Sunday a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) fact-finding mission will finally take place next week. The much-awaited travel has now been agreed to take place from 27 to 29 October, Mapou confirmed during an interview with local public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la 1ère. The timeframe of October had already been mentioned on the French part late...

Fiji's deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad has issued a clear mandate to the nation's COP29 delegation – fight for climate finance and recognition of the Pacific's special circumstances at the upcoming global summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. Addressing ministers, senior officials, and support teams in Suva Friday ahead of the conference, Prasad emphasised the uphill battle ahead and stressed the need...

More than 4,000 delegates and leaders from 56 Commonwealth countries, representing 2.7 billion people, will gather in Apia, this week for the bi-annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Samoa is the first Small Island Developing State from the Blue Pacific to host CHOGM. Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Feleti Teo and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland are among the high-level delegates who...

By Nic Maclellan, in Noumea, New Caledonia France’s newly appointed Overseas Minister François-Noël Buffet has travelled to New Caledonia for a four-day visit, pledging that “the time has come for the return of dialogue, of discussion, of exchange, after these terrible, even appalling, events.” Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Buffet as Minister for Overseas Affairs. He will be responsible...

The large ocean state of Samoa is currently in the final stages of getting ready to receive over 4,000 delegates for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) being held in Apia this week. Samoa will host the Executive Sessions, where Heads of Government will assess the progress made since the last CHOGM in Rwanda two years ago and chart...

Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa views the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) as a unique opportunity for the small island nation to highlight its rich culture, traditions, and the tranquillity of its community. In response to queries from the Samoa Observer newspaper, Mata'afa expressed her excitement about welcoming global leaders to Samoa, stating, “There's no measure to the...