PINA

By Lopeti Senituli Early last week, the Secretary of Tonga’s Privy Council wrote to the Chief Secretary (Secretary to Cabinet and to the Prime Minister), saying “I have the honour to inform you that His Majesty in Council’s Decision PC17/2024, approved by circulation of 02 Feb 2024, was … pleased by and with the advice of the Privy Council...

Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa has reassured her Pacific counterparts the discharge of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean last year followed international safety standards. The commitment includes continued collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). She appreciated the science-based discussions between Pacific Island Countries, Japan, and the IAEA. The Ministers...

Cook Islands foreign affairs minister Tingika Elikana Monday highlighted the need to drive discussions on regional priorities and forge inter-regional cooperation essential for global acknowledgment of these priorities. He acknowledged the presence of Yoko Kamikawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan in attending 5th PALM Ministerial interim meeting - a first in the Pacific. Kamikawa comes face to face with her...

The PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting (MIM) for PALM10 was held in Suva, Fiji, on 12 February 2024 in order to follow up on the outcomes of the Ninth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM9) as well as to prepare for PALM10. This was the first time for MIM to be held in the Pacific Islands Region. 2. The Meeting was attended...

Unprecedented threats facing the Indian Ocean are just as serious as those confronting Pacific nations, with regional security, climate change, and humanitarian issues causing major concern, Australia’s foreign minister says. Penny Wong put a spotlight on issues in the vast waters to Australia’s west during a speech at the Indian Ocean Conference in Perth on Friday. Some 400 delegates from 34...

Joseph Lelang has resigned as Papua New Guinea Leader of the Opposition and also as a member of the People’s National Congress party. This shocking announcement comes after Lelang received huge backlash from the public through social media for not attending media conferences staged by the members of the Opposition. The member for Kandrian-Gloucester made the announcement in a media conference...

Japan on Saturday promised 2.4 billion yen(US$6,701,111) in grant aid to Samoa to help improve a national university's facilities, as Japan's foreign minister met the Pacific island nation's prime minister in an effort to strengthen the bilateral relationship. During their talks in the Samoan capital of Apia, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, who also serves as...

Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Kamikawa Yoko has met with Kalani Kaneko, the Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of the Marshall Islands, ahead of the PALM 5th Ministerial Interim Meeting in Suva, Fiji. She congratulated him on his new role and offered support for the Marshall Islands, which had suffered from drought and high waves. Kaneko expressed gratitude for Japan's assistance and...

Going to university in Australia could become simpler for Pacific Islanders if they are considered domestic students. The high commissioner for Samoa, Hinauri Petana, told federal politicians the crippling cost of international student fees in Australia was curbing educational outcomes in her nation. “Our appeal is that, by all means, international rates should stay for who can afford it, but for...

The Global Environment Facility’s 186 member governments have agreed to invest US$1.1 billion for international action on biodiversity, climate change, nature renewal, and pollution control, and met for the first time as Council of the new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF). The GEF Council, meeting in Washington, DC, approved US$918 million for 45 projects and programed from the Global Environment...