PINA

The French president won’t be able to avoid the legacies of nuclear testing when he visits Tahiti this week By Nic Maclellan When French president Emmanuel Macron makes a long-delayed trip to Tahiti this week, he will be highlighting twenty-first-century issues: climate change, reef ecology and his proposed India–Australia–France axis to contain China in the Indo-Pacific region. But he won’t...

Australia’s Minister for the Pacific Zed Seselja said that losing Micronesia nations will weaken the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), as the Australian government continues to engage with the leaders to keep the region united. Speaking virtually to the Pacific journalists Monday, he said that it is the position of Australia that Micronesia stays in the Forum. The Australian government’s position is...

Fiji has recorded 1,054 new cases of COVID-19 and 12 deaths reported Tuesday. Permanent secretary of health, Dr James Fong said the 12 new COVID-19 deaths for the period of 13 – 19 July. “The first COVID-19 death to report is a 70-year-old woman from Tamavua. She presented to the CMW hospital in severe respiratory distress. Her family reported that she...

Samoa is pushing its vaccination roll out to cover 99% of the population as the vicinity to Fiji poses a high Covid 19 risk as active cases rise to 1000 per day and 96 deaths so far. The Director General of Health, Leausa Dr Take Naseri told a press conference this week that the situation in Fiji is of concern...

Papua New Guinea has recorded four new COVID-19 deaths on Saturday 17 July, increasing the total number of deaths to 191. All four deaths were recorded in the Western Highlands Province. Also 48 new COVID-19 cases were reported within the same period in seven provinces, increasing the total number of cases to 17,515. New Ireland province reported 31 of the 48...

To date, over 10,758 people have received their second AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination on Tongatapu. The Ministry of Health said the daily vaccination average has steadily increased to 633 people per day Over 72% of Tonga's front liners have received their second dose (1,412 out of the total 1,955 workers). The Ministry also confirmed that there have been no extreme allergic reactions reported. The...

External investors can now apply to do business in Bougainville under an amended Inward Investment Act. ABG Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry Patrick Nisira made this announcement Tuesday saying that Bougainville is ‘open for business’. “We are looking to deliver on the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s ambition for a strong local economy which will be recognized both nationally and internationally as...

Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific says Australia will want to see COVID cases under control in Fiji before any commitment can be made on a travel bubble. When Fiji’s Minister for Economy delivered government’s 2021-2022 budget on Friday night, it painted an optimistic vision of a Fiji open to some tourists by Christmas. “I want us to all...

By Chloé Farand Nearly 100 developing countries have come together to define what success means at Cop26, raising the stakes for donor countries to step up their finance pledges Developing countries have called on rich nations to provide at least $100 billion a year in public finance to help them tackle climate change, ahead of discussions on the next global finance...

Tokelau has received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines, with a 5000 nautical mile trip to transport Pfizer vaccines now complete. HMNZS Wellington has successfully delivered the vaccine consignment to the Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu atolls of Tokelau. Transporting the vaccines on behalf of the Ministry of Health, HMNZS Wellington and her 76 crew utilised a Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat and...