PINA

Outspoken Madang MP Bryan Kramer has been stripped of the Papua New Guinea Justice and Attorney General ministry and given the Immigration and Border Security portfolio in a move seen as a demotion. Prime Minister James Marape announced the change along with four others in a mini-reshuffle Wednesday, only a fortnight out from the start of the 2022 National General...

The Fiji Police Force has seized the US$325 million (FJD$466 million) superyacht, Amadea, belonging to Russian billionaire Suleiman Kerimov. Crew members are being questioned in Police custody. Commissioner of Police, Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho confirmed this Wednesday. It is understood that the yacht had travelled from Mexico or South America to Fiji and arrived at the Lautoka Port on Tuesday. Brigadier-General Qiliho said the...

Tuvalu's government has rescinded its support to explore deep sea mining in the country's waters. The government had sponsored mining firm Circular Metals Tuvalu last December to apply for an exploration permit with the International Seabed Authority. But Foreign Minister Simon Kofe said the government has now reversed the sponsorship. “After concerns by the by the government as well as within particularly...

The Solomon Islands government has confirmed the armed personnel requested by China to provide security at the Chinese Embassy in Honiara never entered the country. “I can use this occasion to say, no, we don’t have any embassy security personnel. None had actually entered the country. “We also want to say that no arms have been shipped other than the training...

“We don’t do Russians.” This was the response from Fijian Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete when asked about the arrival on Tuesday of Russian superyacht Amadea. “We’ll need clarification on that then we can comment on that,” he said. “We don’t do Russians.” While the Prime Minister’s office did not respond to queries on the subject, the United States Embassy in Suva...

Tonga's Prime Minister has told the Our Ocean Conference in Palau that island communities encounter several multifaceted ocean challenges. Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni told 500 delegates from more that 80 nations “that we are small island communities with small economies and capacities and managing our ocean alone.” The prime minister quoted renowned Pacific academic and ocean champion, the late Epeli Hauʻofa: ‘Oceania is...

The New Zealand government is committing US$3 million towards climate change assessment. The Minister for Pacific Peoples and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aupito William Sio, made the announcement at the Oour Ocean conference in Palau. He said the funds would go to the University of the South Pacific and the University of Canterbury. Aupito said the framework for the fund is...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today launched the world’s first Blue Bond Incubator to support ocean-related projects in Asia and the Pacific, an investment vital for combating the impact of climate change and protecting the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. The launch was held at the 7th Our Ocean Conference in Palau, which gathered government officials, civil society...

The Pacific Parliamentarians' Alliance on Deep Sea Mining (PPADSM) also release 'Our Ocean Call' The Pacific Parliamentarians' Alliance on Deep Sea Mining (PPADSM) has been officially launched as a high-level political voice that will advocate for the protection of the Pacific Ocean from exploitation. The launch of the regional group coincided with the 7th Our Ocean Conference, which started Wednesday in...

An Australian minister met with the leader of the Solomon Islands on Wednesday and asked him not to sign a proposed security agreement between the Pacific island nation and China that Australia opposes. Despite a national election campaign putting the Australian government in “caretaker” mode, when ministers traditionally avoid diplomatic engagement with other governments, Minister for International Development and the...