PINA

Leaders of the Smaller Island States (SIS) met in Tonga last week on 27 August to discuss priorities for this group within the Pacific Islands Forum. The group consists of the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia(FSM), Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Tuvalu. The SIS grouping, established more than three decades ago in...

Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have endorsed a major review of the region's governance structure, aiming to align the framework with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific continent. At the Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga last week, leaders took significant steps towards redefining the region’s governance by endorsing the Review of the Regional Architecture (RRA) to meet the evolving needs...

The Taiwanese Foreign Ministry has accused China of an “arbitrary intervention” after a joint declaration by Pacific leaders was altered to remove mentions of Taiwan. “Taiwan issued the strongest condemnation on China's arbitrary intervention and unreasonable actions that undermine regional peace and stability,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Self-ruled Taiwan — which Beijing claims as its own territory —...

The leaders of 56 member countries in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) have indicated their attendance at October's conference including three monarchs. Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa gave a rundown on the details and current preparations from the Government for the conference in a press conference on Tuesday. Chairing the CHOGM Taskforce, the Prime Minister fronted the media with...

-Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni underscored the role of police to provide “freedom from fear” in democracies in a speech to Pacific Islands police chiefs on Tuesday, noting the rising global focus on the region by major powers. A top U.S counter-narcotics official will travel on Wednesday to Tonga, where the first U.S- Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police dialogue will...

The United States insists it is not steamrolling and divvying up Pacific security with Australia but is working with partners to see where it best fits. Pacific nations ticked off a policing co-operation agreement spearheaded by Australia during the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in Tonga in late August. But it was overshadowed by a hot mic moment when U.S deputy...

Fiji’s Ocean of Peace initiative is timely and relevant given the intense geo-political posturing by the big powers for influence leading to increased militarisation of our region, says the Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat, Leonard Louma. DG Louma made the comments during his opening remarks at the MSG Leader’s Caucus meeting in Nukualofa, while clarifying issues...

By Nic Maclellan As French diplomats worked the corridors at last week’s 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Nuku’alofa, President of French Polynesia Moetai Brotherson has criticised decisions taken by President Emmanuel Macron that have led to the current explosion of conflict In New Caledonia. “Unfortunately, all the events since 13 May were easy to foresee,” Brotherson said. “I’ve been telling...

Rugby Australia has confirmed an Australia A women's side will travel to Samoa to face their national side on September 16 at Apia Park. The match comes in partnership with Lakapi Samoa and the Australian government along with PacificAus Sports as the Australians get the chance to impress against the 18th-ranked Samoans, the first time Australia A will face them. It's...

Cook Islands Prime Minister and former chair of the Forum, Mark Brown is urging Pacific Island leaders to come together on a collective stance on deep-sea mining, ahead of a key talanoa session set for next month. The meeting, which will bring together leaders and ministers from across the Pacific, aims to address the contentious issue of seabed mineral extraction...