PINA

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has tested negative for Covid-19 after being deemed a close contact of a positive case on a flight. Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and a staff member in the prime minister's office who were on the flight with her have also had negative results. Ardern and Dame Cindy Kiro have been self-isolating and took PCR tests...

Princess Anne will visit Papua New Guinea in April to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae said in a statement last week that he welcomed plans to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years since Queen Elizabeth II ascended the British throne in 1952. “We look forward to receiving Her Royal Highness Princess Anne,”...

Vanuatu has had its voting rights reinstated at the United Nations after recently being denied the right over unpaid fees. Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Yvon Basil, confirmed that the Government has paid USD$192 to re-establish its right to vote. An amount of USD$74,562 was also paid to settle outstanding arrears, he said. “We’ve paid out our right to vote...

The Vanuatu Government has acknowledged the demands by the European Union (EU) for amendments to the Governance of the Vanuatu Citizenship Program. The Prime Minister convened a meeting last week with the Leaders of the Coalition Government in an attempt to take steps to address the concerns of the European Union. The EU Visa Waiver arrangements are a vital element in...

China and the United States could end up in a military conflict if the U.S encourages Taiwan's independence, Beijing's ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, has said in a U.S radio interview broadcast. China considers the neighbouring, democratically ruled island of Taiwan its "sacred" territory and has never renounced the use of force to ensure eventual unification. "Let me emphasise this. The...

Negotiating from a position of strength Pacific Island nations facing the reality of climate change-induced land loss are using their diplomatic strength to ensure their sovereignty and economic future are protected, Jess Marinaccio writes. Climate change is a central issue throughout the Pacific Island region. The dire effects of sea level rise are already being felt, and Pacific nations...

By Giff Johnson Effective Pacific fisheries monitoring and surveillance coupled with improved data reporting are among reasons cited by a recently released fisheries study that says the problem of illegal fishing in the Pacific is far less than a 2016 report that estimated losses of over US$600 million a year. The new study, by the Australia-based fisheries consulting firm MRAG Asia...

Cook Islands has earned a direct entry into the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament in Qatar in March after Tonga pulled out following the large volcanic eruption and tsunami which struck the island nation on 15 January. The national team was scheduled to play Tonga in the qualifiers match for a place in the group stage of the competition...

Current and former WHO staff are seeking an investigation and decision from WHO's executive board, raising fundamental questions over the leadership of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) director, Dr Takeshi Kasai. They claim his leadership style has impacted the work culture of the regional office so much that it has affected COVID-19 delivery to the...

Humanitarian aid to Tonga is ramping up after the airport was cleared of ash, making it safe for planes to land, the Red Cross said on Wednesday, days after a volcanic eruption and tsunami devastated the South Pacific archipelago. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said that with the extra supplies, its staff and volunteers...