PINA

Decisive Government action will be critical to bringing Fiji's debt back to pre-pandemic levels, a new World Bank report has found. The global COVID-19 pandemic, multiple severe tropical cyclones, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine had resulted in an economic crisis of unprecedented scale in Fiji, with debt reaching 90 percent of GDP in 2022, exacerbating the lower economic growth trends...

Australia has topped up its aid contribution to Vanuatu’s government, with another $8 million (US$5.36 million) to help the Pacific Islands neighbour respond to two devastating tropical cyclones. The aid boost brings Australia’s total humanitarian response package to the nation to AUD$12.5 million (US$8.37 billion). Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for international development and the Pacific, made the funding announcement while visiting...

By Patrick Kaiku Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare recently affirmed his country’s adherence to the “friend to all, enemy to none” foreign policy ideal. He, like other Melanesian leaders, in aligning their interests within the great power competition between the United States and China, will walk a fine line – not wanting to be seen favouring one over...

French Polynesia's pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira party has come out on top in the first round of the territorial elections. The party, led by Oscar Temaru, won almost 35 percent of the votes, beating the ruling Tapura Huiraatira party of Edouard Fritch, which obtained 30 percent. The recently formed A Here Ia Porinetia was the only other party to clear the 12.5...

There’s growing concern from Pacific leaders over a nuclear submarine agreement between Australia, the UK and U.S to counter China’s growing presence in the region. Several island nations feel like there’s a lack of consultation on geopolitical deals in their own region. Professor Steven Ratuva from Canterbury University says AUKUS Is being seen as an “Anglo Fear Alliance” and the Pacific...

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare Monday received a courtesy visit from the New Zealand deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Carmel Sepuloni. In the brief courtesy call, Prime Minister Sogavare acknowledged the deep and meaningful relationship between Solomon Islands and New Zealand which dated way back to before the country’s independence in 1978. PM Sogavare assured the...

A senior New Caledonian politician has ruled out any further cooperation with the president of the French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet on the question of New Caledonia's future. Nicolas Metzdorf, who holds one of New Caledonia's two Assembly seats in Paris, was reacting after being asked not to attend a reception last week held for New Caledonia's pro-independence delegates. Metzdorf, who...

The United Nations and Fiji Government have renewed their commitment in creating a better and brighter future for every child in Fiji. This was conveyed Monday during a meeting held between the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Cooperatives Manoa Kamikamica and the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Violence Against Children (VAC), Dr Najat Maalla...

A broad group of low and middle-income countries has called for governments to give more money to the World Bank, in an effort to ramp up climate finance. As governments and bank staff discussed green reforms this week, China, India and others welcomed accounting tweaks which would allow the bank to take more risk and invest more of its money. But...

By Michael Sheldrick As Finance Ministers and Government Leaders gathered for the World Bank's spring meetings last week in DC, the atmosphere was thick with buzzwords like “resilience,” MDB reform,” “SDRs,” “liquidity,” and the all too often repeated catchphrase, “turning billions into trillions”. While these terms may sound impressive, it's easy to lose sight of the real impact they...