PINA

The AUKUS trilateral security pact will be on the agenda for discussions between the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week. Henry Puna, who flew into Samoa on Thursday last week for talks with Samoa's Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa and her Government will be in the Australian capital Canberra this week where he intends...

The United Nations multi-country office in Fiji is refusing to confirm or deny reports it has sacked up to 40 local employees and is replacing them with overseas interns. This week, several claims surfaced online from development workers in the country, claiming the UN office sent home local staff without prior notice. In a response to RNZ Pacific the office said...

A Member of Papua New Guinea Parliament found guilty under the Leadership Code and dismissed from office will stay out for five years before taking up a public office and not three years as it is under the current law. Head of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) that have not been subject to the Leadership Code like the managing director of...

National science academies from across Europe have become the latest group to announce their support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, a proposed but disputed activity that would extract minerals like copper, zinc and manganese from the seabed for commercial purposes. In a report released 08 June, the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) challenges the widespread claim that seabed...

The global community is one step closer towards a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, with the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) in the romantic city of Paris concluding with a mandate for the INC Chair to prepare a zero draft of the agreement. A zero draft is referred to as the...

AS Academy Féminine have come from behind to beat Koloale FC 4-1 and deservedly win the inaugural OFC Women's Champions League title in Port Moresby. The New Caledonian side, who needed at least a draw to clinch the title, fell behind late in the first half but showed terrific composure first to level proceedings within a couple of minutes, before...

The ACT Brumbies will fly the flag for Australian Rugby in the semi-finals of the 2023 Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific. On the back of their thrilling quarter-final victory over the Hurricanes, the Brumbies will head to Hamilton to face the Chiefs, 5.05pm AEST (7.05pm NZST) Saturday 17 June. The other semi-final clash will see the defending champion Crusaders host the...

The Fijian Drua had to sail through rough seas in Christchurch as they were outdone 49-8 by the Crusaders in the Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinals on Saturday night. The visitors took the field under less than desired weather - a nippy 8 degrees - to front up to the Super Rugby serial winners at Orange Theory Stadium, failing to replicate...

Samoa’s Prime minister has urged her fellow Pacific leaders to stop paying lip service to regionalism and walk the talk when making collective decisions. Fiame Naomi Mataafa made the remarks last night as she welcomed the secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, to Apia. Mata'afa said Samoa strongly believes in being part of the Blue Pacific that is free...

On 01 June, a video conference on ALPS treated water at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) was held with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat and its experts. Officials from Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), and staff from TEPCO, on the Japanese side; Deputy Secretary General...