PINA

The Japanese government has begun final arrangements to host the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) in mid-July, inviting the leaders of all 18 Pacific Island Forum (PIF) members to Tokyo. At the summit, Japan plans to launch support measures based on the needs of Pacific island countries, such as climate change countermeasures, aiming to counter China’s growing influence in the...

This year in October, Samoa will make history by becoming the first small island developing state from the Pacific to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM). One of its attendees will be the British High Commissioner to Australia and Head of Oceania network, Vicki Treadell, who is looking to amplify Pacific voices to fight climate change. “How do we...

By Jess Marinaccio On Friday 26 January 2024, Tuvalu went to the polls for its general election. After voting results were announced over the subsequent 24 hours, Tuvalu emerged with a somewhat altered political landscape. In Tuvalu elections, candidates run for two parliamentary positions on each of Tuvalu’s eight islands of Nukulaelae, Funafuti, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Nui, Niutao, Nanumaga, and Nanumea....

Eight of Tuvalu's 16-member parliament are newcomers following the 2024 general election which saw former Prime Minister Kausea Natano ousted. The country went to the polls on Friday to elect a new 16-member parliament, with 6000 people registered to cast their votes in eight constituencies in the island nation. There are no political parties in Tuvalu, which means that all candidates...

The pro-Taiwan leader of the Pacific islands nation of Tuvalu, Kausea Natano, has lost his seat according to partial election results. The vote is being closely watched by Taiwan, China and the United States, amid speculation the micronation could be poised to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing. Tuvalu, with a population of about 11,200 spread across nine islands, is one of...

Thirteen people charged in relation to the seizure of more than four tons of methamphetamine in Nadi worth more than $2billion (US$1 billion) will be produced at the Nadi Magistrates Court today. The accused persons face charges of unlawful importation of illicit drugs, unlawful possession of illicit drugs, possession of property suspected of being proceeds of crime relating to the...

The reinstatement of Fiji's ousted minister for education Aseri Radrodro may take six months, a year or the end of the four-year Coalition Government term, says Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. In an interview with the Fiji Times, Rabuka said there was no time frame as he reiterated that he does not tolerate nor condone such behaviour from Cabinet Ministers in...

The independent senator David Pocock says the Australian government is failing to listen to its “Pacific family” and must stop approving new fossil fuel projects that fuel “an existential threat for those nations”. In a new podcast to be released on Monday, the ACT senator also described the “really sobering” experiencing of entering parliament and “seeing the influence of the...

NZ fisheries Minister Shane Jones' close links to the fishing industry are under scrutiny once again, after New Zealand diplomats made an abrupt about-turn on a deep-sea conservation measure. The inter-government body in charge of regulating high-seas fishing in the South Pacific, SPRFMO, convenes its annual meeting on Monday in Manta, Ecuador. At last year’s gathering, the Cook Islands, backed by...

Te Poutoko is one of seven new research centres at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. Co-directors Sir Collin Tukuitonga, Professor Judith McCool, and Dr Roannie Ng Shiu invited individuals to join the council that could offer guidance around delivering solutions for the Pacific regions most pressing challenges. These include non-communicable diseases (cancer, diabetes etc.) the health impact of...