PINA

The Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent envisions a peaceful, harmonious and secure Pacific region. A war breaking out due to geopolitics would not exactly align with those goals. If push comes to shove, Baron Waqa, the new Forum secretary general, would rather the combatants spare the Pacific. “We don't want them to fight in our backyard...

Tonga will dedicate a week to host the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting from 26 - 30 August, chaired by Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni with the emphasis on going beyond policy deliberation to more action– to achieve transformation by building better now. The theme, “Transformative Resilient Pasifika: Build Better Now,” (Lakai ha Pasifiki Tu’uloa: Langa ke Tu’utai) reflects...

Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, secretary Tepaeru Herrmann, Monday opened the Smaller Island States (SIS) Officials Meeting with a call for unity and strategic action. “At the outset, allow me to acknowledge and welcome Secretary General Baron Waqa to this – his first engagement as Secretary General with the Smaller Island States Officials Meeting. “The region is at...

Cook Islands foreign secretary, Tepaeru Herrmann and Chair of the 2024 Pacific ACP (PACP) Officials Meeting Monday highlighted the urgent issues facing the region, from climate change and natural disasters to a growing debt crisis and intensifying geopolitical competition. “As we meet today, our region continues to struggle with the impact of climate change, frequency of natural disasters, and a...

Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have held formal talks Monday in Wellington. “New Zealand and Vanuatu have a long-standing friendship, underpinned by the New Zealand-Vanuatu Mauri Statement of Partnership,” PM Luxon said. “Prime Minister Salwai and I talked about how our two countries can build this relationship even further, and I reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment as...

The Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has proudly announced its achievement of the ISO 27001 certification, an international standard for managing information security. This milestone emphasised the agency’s commitment to safeguarding the data and information of its Secretariat and member states. “We are pleased to share that Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has achieved the ISO 27001 certification,” the FFA said. “This marks a...

Officials and delegates at the Fourth Clean Pacific Roundtable (4CPRT) have been urged to develop tailor-made waste disposal and management measures that are of practical use and application to circumstances in Pacific countries. The call came from Feleti Teo, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, when he opened the Fourth Clean Pacific Roundtable (4CPRT) at the Rt. Hon. Dr Sir Tomasi Puapua...

Following the much-discussed switch of Solomon Islands long-distance runner Sharon Firisua from her marathon event to the Women’s 100m Sprint at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI) President Martin Rara has provided clarity and addressed concerns surrounding the decision. Rara emphasised that the change was driven by procedural necessities and not by arbitrary decisions. “Sharon...

The Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) hosted a lunch reception in Paris to celebrate sport and sustainable development as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games get underway. The reception was hosted at New Zealand House at the Paris Mariott Champs Elysees in partnership with the New Zealand Olympic Committee on Saturday 27th July 2024, just one day after the Opening Ceremony...

Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) last week considered an update on Pacific Strengthening Correspondent Banking Relationship (CBR) Project, developed by the World Bank and other development partners. They emphasised the importance of integrating Pacific knowledge and context into the project. The ministers voiced serious concerns over the negative socioeconomic impacts of derisking and debanking in the region. They highlighted the...