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Pacific Regional Climate Centre Coordination Committee urged to find solutions for “climate emergency”

Pita Ligaiula
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Pacific Regional Climate Centre Coordination Committee urged to find solutions for “climate emergency”

The first physical meeting of the Pacific Island Regional Climate Centre (RCC) was commissioned in Apia with a call on delegates to work together in the Pacific Way to find solutions to help the region overcome the “climate emergency.”
The call came from the Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Sefanaia Nawadra, during the opening of the three-day Pacific Regional Climate Centre (RCC) Network Coordination Committee meeting held at SPREP’s Headquarters at Vailima, Samoa.

The meeting for the Pacific RCC-Network to update its work plan, and consolidate the governance arrangements so they could serve the Pacific region better, is the first physical meeting of the Network since its designation to be in a demonstration phase in 2017.

Although there were ad-hoc virtual meetings in between to bring together RCC-Network Node Leads and consortium members to facilitate a common understanding of the RCC functions and discuss the progress of the Implementation Plan, the meeting in Samoa has brought together Met Services Directors to provide feedback and inputs relevant to some of the objectives of the RCC.

The SPREP Director General said the meeting not only fulfils the decisions made by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) but also calls from members of the Pacific Met Council (PMC) and Pacific ministers.

“I know challenges will be faced by the RCC as you sort effective ways of operating as a network servicing our blue Pacific continent. Our region appreciates your commitment and you are a key part of the response in a region where our Leaders have declared a climate emergency,” said Nawadra. “As your Secretariat to the PMC with WMO, I ask that you work together in the Pacific Way; it has worked well for us in the past – we always get through it together. When we continue to work together as a family, we can address all things.”

Dr Luteru Tauvale, of Samoa, representing the Chair of the PMC, echoed Nawadra’s sentiments, noting that the Pacific RCC is now in a demonstration phase for five years.

“We have come a long way over the past years, and we will continue to grow. Partnerships have been a key part of our progress, we are thankful for these and the opportunities we have to grow even stronger,” Dr Tauvale said. “I hope that with this project, working together with existing projects and technical partners of the RCC, we will be able to move from a demonstration phase to being fully operational.”

The WMO representative for the South-West Pacific, Henry Taiki, on behalf of the WMO Secretary-General, Professor Petteri Taalas welcomed the participants to the Pacific RCC-Network Coordination Committee meeting, reaffirmed the importance of the meeting and WMO support to the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in the region.

“We must remember to always reach our people who in need of climate services. We must ask ourselves – how can climate services help put food on the table of a Pacific family? How can climate services support the future of Pacific children? We don’t focus and spend too much time on technical coordination and language, we remember always how our work in the areas of climate services reaches and helps our people to improve their livelihoods,” Taiki said.

Regional Climate Centres (RCC) are Centres of Excellence that assist WMO Members in a given region to deliver better climate services and products, including regional long-range forecasts, climate monitoring and climate data services, and to strengthen the capacity of NMHSs to meet national climate information needs.

The primary ‘clients’ of an RCC are NMHSs in the region and in neighbouring areas. RCC responsibilities are regional in nature and do not duplicate or replace services provided by NMHSs. RCCs serve the regional level of a three-level infrastructure represented by the Climate Services Information System (CSIS) pillar of the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS): Global Producing Centres (GPCs, global level), Regional Climate Centres (RCCs, regional level), NMHSs, national level.

The meeting is supported by the Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Application (ClimSA) Programme. ClimSA is funded by the European Union’s 11th European Development Fund (EDF-11) and takes place within the framework of an existing Financing Agreement between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States Secretariat (OACPS Secretariat). The programme has been approved for a total of EUR 85 million and distributed in the various ACP regions and aims to strengthen the implementation of the Global Framework of Climate Services (GFCS).

The main implementation partners of the Programme are WMO and the Joint Research Centre (JRC).

SPREP is the lead for the Pacific region to implement activities under the ClimSA programme. One of the main deliverables of the project is to support the Pacific RCC Network to move from its demonstration phase to a formally designated WMO RCC Network.

Director General Nawadra said SPREP is pleased to host the Secretariat of the PMC and WMO within the Pacific Climate Change Centre.

“I want to especially thank Professor Taalas for being such a wonderful friend of the Pacific. The WMO’s commitment to the Pacific and Professor Taalas ongoing support and continuing to stand by us as we address our climate emergencies is vital to the survival and well being of our communities. SPREP and the PCCC is committed to supporting the ongoing development and work of the RCC,” he said.

SOURCE: SPREP/PACNEWS

Pacific Islands backed a partnership with the U.S, but China unlikely to be deterred in push for influence

Pita Ligaiula
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Pacific Islands backed a partnership with the U.S, but China unlikely to be deterred in push for influence

-Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says respect for their sovereignty was likely among the reasons why Pacific leaders accepted an offer of partnership from the U.S, after earlier shelving China’s.

“For many Pacific countries emerging from COVID, fighting climate change and with increased debt, we would be looking for support from all corners,” Brown told the ABC’s Pacific Beat programme.

“But the Chinese have a different approach to engaging with the Pacific, very much controlled by their agenda.”

Last week, Cook Islands was among the 14 Pacific Island states that endorsed the historic joint declaration with the US, in an attempt by Washington to counter China’s increasing influence in the region.

In May, China attempted to push through its own sweeping regional economic and security deal during Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s marathon tour of the region, but was unsuccessful.

The 11-point pact signed with the US includes commitments to address climate change, advance economic growth, improve peace and security, and bolster Pacific regionalism.

It had been intensely negotiated and also got the backing of Solomon Islands, which had initially refused to get on board.

Brown offered a few reasons as to what could have persuaded Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

“It wasn’t just rhetoric. It wasn’t sugar-coating,” he said.

“We had full-on, face-to-face meetings with a very focused view on what the U.S needs to do to re-engage with the Pacific.”

He also noted that the statement was backed up by a “significant package” of resourcing and funds.

Prior to unveiling the declaration, US President Joe Biden’s administration announced it was ploughing more than US$810 million into a slew of new programmes across the region.

“Full credit to the U.S. They recognised that their absence over decades resulted in a vacuum in the Pacific that has been filled by countries like China and others that have assisted,” Brown said.

Sogavare is in Australia today and will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“Our relationship with Solomon Islands is incredibly important,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.

Australia has been Solomon Islands’ largest development partner in several areas, including education, health and infrastructure.

However, an offer by Canberra last month to fund its next election led Solomon Islands to accuse Australia of “interference”.

Australia and the US have expressed growing concerns about China’s influence in the region after Solomon Islands signed a controversial security pact with Beijing earlier in the year.

Ahead of Sogavare’s visit, Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele broke the country’s silence on the U.S partnership backflip, saying the government endorsed the deal after references to China were removed.

“In the initial draft, there [were] some references that we were not comfortable with … but we were able to find common ground,” he told journalists in New Zealand on Tuesday.

“There were some references that put us in a position that we will have to choose sides, and we don’t want to be placed in a position that we have to choose sides.”

Manele said Solomon Islands welcomed “the U.S re-engagement with the Pacific” but he also reiterated the nation’s support for China.

“Our security framework cooperation with China — and I think I have made this clear on a number of occasions — is basically based on a national security strategy that is domestically focused,” Manele said.

“Of course, we are guided by the existing regional security arrangements that we have in place … I can assure you, as I’ve assured others, that there is no provision for a military base in that agreement.”

He added that Solomon Islands looks forward to “working with all our partners”

“My belief and my hope is this: that the Indo-Pacific should be a region of peace, of cooperation and of collaboration,” he said.

“It should not be seen as a region of confrontation, of conflict and of war,” Manele said.

Tarcisius Kabutaulaka — an associate professor at the Centre for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaii — said he believed the Pacific nations had been in discussions with the U.S long before last week’s leaders’ summit in Washington.

“Some of these negotiations and discussions have probably been going on for a while behind the scenes, with officials talking about it,” he said.

“That’s different to China, who came to the talks trying to push its development and security pact with Pacific Island countries without that background work.

“”I would assume that some of that had been taking place not only when the leaders were in New York for the UN General Assembly, but perhaps even before that.”

Dr Kabutaulaka said the agreement signalled Washington’s return to working broadly with Pacific nations, but he was not sure it was “a success in the competition with China”.

“What I am certain about is that it is a success in terms of the U.S projecting itself and its multilateral relationship with the Pacific Islands,” he said.

“Pacific island countries and governments were successful in including in the declaration things that weren’t in earlier versions, like the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.”

Dr Kabutaulaka said the new U.S declaration was unlikely to deter China, but Beijing would have to revise its pitch because “its diplomacy sometimes backfires”.

“I think China is going to come back,” he said.

“A lot of China’s past engagements have been bilateral and, recently, we’ve seen China ramping up its multilateral engagements through the Pacific Island foreign ministers’ meeting and the Pacific Islands Forum.

“China is learning very quickly how to deal with Pacific Island countries, multilaterally.”

While the final version of last week’s U.S-Pacific declaration was ambitious, Dr Kabutaulaka said it remained “promised money”.

“It’s not as though there’s money waiting to be used for these things. This has to go through processes in Washington, so we’ll have to wait and see whether that money will become actually available for Pacific,” he said.

“It’s good to see that it’s put out there. And let’s hope that the U.S will be able to deliver on its promises.”

Whether or not the U.S followed through depended on the outcome of the U.S House and Senate midterm elections in November, Dr Kabutaulaka added.

“I am concerned that, if we have a Republican majority in Congress and if the Republicans were to take over [the] presidency in 2024, whether they will be able to or willing to commit the same political will,” he said.

SOURCE: ABC/PACNEWS

Major UN powers question Pacific islanders’ call for nuclear legacy help

Pita Ligaiula
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Major UN powers question Pacific islanders’ call for nuclear legacy help

Nuclear powers have criticized an effort led by the Marshall Islands at the United Nations to seek help on dealing with the consequences of nuclear testing, sources following the talks involving countries including the United States, Britain, Russia, India and China told Reuters.

Pacific islanders, who are particularly threatened by rising sea levels from climate change, are becoming more vocal in seeking redress from former colonial powers and wealthy countries on environmental and climate issues which they say affect their human rights.

This motion brought to the Human Rights Council on Monday by the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Samoa and Vanuatu and backed by Australia requests assistance from the UN rights office; seeks a report from its boss; and calls for a future debate at the council.

“The nuclear legacy is a lived reality for us that must be addressed,” Samuel Lanwi, deputy permanent representative of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) in Geneva told Reuters.

The United States conducted 67 nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958 including “Castle Bravo” at Bikini Atoll in 1954 – the largest U.S bomb ever detonated. Islanders still suffer the health and environmental effects such as high cancer rates and enduring displacement from contaminated areas.

The Marshall Islands Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Doreen de Brum could not join the talks because she is on leave following her daughter’s death from cancer. “My fight for nuclear justice is personal,” she said on Twitter.

While the motion does not mention the United States by name, some see it as an attempt to wield leverage over Washington in ongoing negotiations on a Compact of Free Association (COFA) that governs U.S economic assistance to the RMI. Marshallese diplomats deny this.

The nuclear legacy has been a major sticking point in the talks, although last week U.S President Joe Biden’s administration acknowledged it and said it remained committed to addressing concerns.

The U.S mission in Geneva declined to comment.

The Marshall Islands, one of 47 voting members on the rights council, is a key Western ally including on human rights, such as on scrutiny of China’s rights record.

Three sources who attended the Geneva talks told Reuters they were surprised by the level of resistance to a resolution seeking “technical assistance” – a term that could take the form of legal and political advice – rather than a formal probe.

“Nuclear powers were converging in their determination to protect themselves from any future accountability and there were attempts to empty out the resolution of any significance,” Yves Lador from Earthjustice said.

Diplomats say there were concerns about opening the door for future litigation. Past nuclear test sites include French Polynesia, Algeria, Kazakhstan and China’s Xinjiang.

The United States, Britain and India all argued that the rights council was not the appropriate forum to raise the issue and sought to strip out references to the new UN right to a clean and healthy environment, according to the sources.

China and Russia also argued for the latter, they said.

The British and Russian missions declined to comment. India’s did not respond. A spokesperson for China’s mission said they had “constructively participated” in the talks.

A vote might be called later this week – something that happens in a minority of cases when countries cannot agree.

Jennifer Philpot Nissen from the World Council of Churches said that her Marshallese constituents were hoping for a win. “Knowing they are not forgotten is huge,” she said.

SOURCE: REUTERS/PACNEWS

Three more NZ judges to face tribunal in Kiribati, as Mahuta warns of ‘constitutional issues

Pita Ligaiula
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Three more NZ judges to face tribunal in Kiribati, as Mahuta warns of ‘constitutional issues

Kiribati will put another three New Zealand judges before a tribunal for misconduct, as Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta warns of “constitutional issues” in the Pacific nation.

The Kiribati government has been waging a campaign against the country’s judiciary after attempting to prevent High Court judge David Lambourne – the husband of the country’s opposition leader – from entering the country, and trying to set an end-date to his term as a judge.

New Zealand judges appear to have been caught in the crossfire. The country’s chief justice, Bill Hastings, a New Zealand appointee, was suspended in July after ruling in favour of Lambourne. Hastings has faced a tribunal reviewing unspecified claims of misconduct.

Three retired New Zealand judges working for Kiribati’s appeals court Peter Blanchard, Rodney Hansen, KC, and Paul Heath, were suspended in September after also ruling in favour of Lambourne. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed the three will also face a tribunal.

The suspension of all but the country’s magistrates court has come as Kiribati has shunned relations with Pacific neighbours and the United States while building its relationship with China. Kiribati removed itself from the Pacific Islands Forum earlier this year, and did not attend a Pacific summit at the White House last week.

Dr Tess Newton Cain, project lead for the Pacific hub at Griffith University in Queensland, said it was hard to see the Kiribati government’s actions as motivated by anything other than getting rid of Lambourne, in hope of convincing his wife to stand aside from politics.

“It seems to me just very unlikely that these three particular court of appeal judges have somehow found themselves behaving in ways that are not commensurate with the way judges behave.”

Tessie Lambourne, the opposition leader, had been a “thorn in the side” of the government. She was the country’s Ambassador to Taiwan in 2019 when Kiribati switched its recognition to China.

Newton Cain said the suspension of the judges would likely only be resolved by a change of government.

The opposition had been “thwarted” in a recent attempt to bring a motion of no confidence against the government, but was still pursuing this. If successful, a general election could take place and bring the opposition into power.

“Given what we’ve heard so far from members of the opposition, then I think we would expect to see some significant changes, including rejoining the Pacific Islands Forum, and no doubt, putting right this situation about lack of access to judicial services in the country.”

Mahuta said New Zealand took “seriously” the suspending of the judges, and wanted Kiribati to resolve the issue.

“There are constitutional issues in question with the actions that they’ve taken, and those concerns have been conveyed at an officials level to Kiribati,” she said.

“In order to resolve this, we need to ensure that the matter can be addressed with Kiribati directly, and we hope to do that.”

Mahuta said she hoped Kiribati’s actions would not mark the end of New Zealand providing judges for the country.

New Zealand Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann said she was “deeply concerned” by the suspensions.

“All are highly respected judges with distinguished judicial careers in New Zealand,” she said, in a statement.

Hastings remained a district court judge in New Zealand but was not working while in New Zealand, “in keeping with the terms of his appointment as chief justice of Kiribati”.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson said, in a statement, that concern had been raised at the “highest level” of Kiribati, including with its foreign minister, and it was “closely monitoring” the tribunal into allegations made against Hastings.

“MFAT understands the question of the removal of three court of appeal judges suspended by the president of Kiribati has been referred to a tribunal established under the Kiribati constitution.”

Hastings’ appointment was partly funded by a New Zealand aid programme; the appeal judges were not funded by New Zealand, the MFAT spokesperson said.

Hastings’ lawyer, former attorney general Chris Finlayson, KC, said they were waiting for the outcome of a tribunal hearing. He declined to comment further. The Kiribati government last month said it would appoint an acting chief justice while Hastings was suspended.

The office of the Kiribati president did not respond to a request for comment.

SOURCE: STUFF NZ/PACNEWS

USAID to increase assistance for Fiji and Pacific

Pita Ligaiula
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USAID to increase assistance for Fiji and Pacific

The re-establishment of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) regional mission for the Pacific in Suva Fiji, will expand the presence and support of USAID in Fiji and Pacific.

It is a landmark achievement in the U.S and Fiji’s commitment to build a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony, security and social inclusion and prosperity.

This was articulated at a courtesy call paid to the Permanent Secretary for Office of the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs, Yogesh Karan from the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission Director to the Philippines, Pacific Islands and Mongolia, Ryan Washburn, this week.

The meeting with USAID builds on the momentum of the successful outcomes of the historic and first ever US-Pacific Islands Summit held at the White House in Washington, DC from the 28th-29th September 2022.

Karan thanked Washburn and the USAID delegation for comprehensive discussions, reflecting on the United States latest commitments to deliver concrete results for the Pacific people by expanding USAID presence and assistance to the Pacific.

Karan said Fiji welcomes the recent announcement by the U.S. to open the USAID Regional Office for the Pacific here in Suva by 2023; and that having the world’s premier international development agency at our doorstep speaks highly of the United States commitment to Fiji and the Pacific region. Fiji stands ready to provide support that may be needed in this important endeavour.

On the agenda of climate change, Karan extended Fiji’s appreciation for the shift in American policy under the President Biden administration, with U.S renewed commitment towards adaptation and building resilience within the region. Fiji therefore looks forward to working closely with the United States in advancing progress at COP27 and beyond in line with the Paris Agreement.

In response, USAID Pacific Islands Mission Director Ryan Washburn said that as President Biden announced during the U.S- Pacific Island Country Summit last week, USAID is a committed partner with the Pacific Island countries.

“By re-establishing a regional mission for the Pacific in Fiji, USAID aims to bolster the Pacific Islanders’ own economic and social development priorities, including in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent,” Washburn said.

During the first-ever U.S-Pacific Island Country Summit hosted by President Biden, announcement of more than US$810 million in expanded U.S. programmes to improve the lives of Pacific people, which includes more than US$130 million in new investments to support climate resilience and to build sustainable blue economies in the Pacific Islands; prepare for climate impacts on public health and food security, and to strengthen sustainable development; and also to build a better early warning capacity to predict, prepare for, and respond to climate hazards.

USAID, through the Climate Ready project, provided technical support for Fiji Development Bank’s accreditation to the Green Climate Fund—the first development bank in the South Pacific to do so.

Also under Climate Ready, USAID’s support for the development of governance and policy arrangements related to climate adaptation strengthens the ability of Pacific Islands to bring an integrated approach to managing public infrastructure.

The Pacific American Fund (PAF) is USAID’s regional small grant mechanism to support local organisations to provide local solutions to local issues. Through PAF the University of Fiji’s received a grant for Development of Entrepreneurial Skills Post-COVID-19 through Rural Aquaculture to revive the sustainable aquaculture of Tilapia in Vitawa and Malau in Rakiraki, and support aquaculture and entrepreneurial trainings for targeted beneficiaries.

PROJECT Governance is a US$19.8 million, five-year partnership between USAID and the Pacific Community (SPC); it aims to achieve sound, just and responsive governance in the 12 Pacific Island Countries (PICs). USAID also supports the Pacific Islands to address climate-related disaster impacts in at-risk communities through increased disaster preparedness, strengthening early warning systems and building the capacity of first responders.

SOURCE: FIJI GOVT/PACNEWS

Provisions ‘ambiguous’: Fiji Times Editor-in-chief

Pita Ligaiula
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Provisions ‘ambiguous’: Fiji Times Editor-in-chief

The Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley says he has to live under the ambiguous provisions of the Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) 2010 “from Monday to Sunday”.

He said this while speaking at the sixth Pacific Media Summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands last week.

Wesley pointed out provisions in the law that said no media organisation in Fiji could publish materials that were against public interest or order, and which created communal discord.

“If someone is convicted under these provisions, a media organisation can be fined $100,000 and the editor can be fined $25,000 (US$12,500) or get a jail term of two years or both,” he said.

“That law is draconian. “Those provisions in the MIDA law hang over my head from Monday to Sunday and it’s not pleasant. The provision that an editor has to go to jail is not pleasant either. I have to live with it every day.”

Wesley said while no editor had been prosecuted under the MIDA law, the ambiguity in the law remained a concern.

“As long as MIDA is there, editors like me have our work cut out to ensure there are no slips in our reporting,” said Wesley.

SOURCE: FIJI TIMES/PACNEWS

An Australian-funded safe ferries programme would save lives in the Pacific

Pita Ligaiula
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An Australian-funded safe ferries programme would save lives in the Pacific

By Anthony Bergin and Neil Baird

Marine safety and sea transport are major concerns for the Pacific islands region. The island states have a high level of dependence on inter-island transport for the movement of both goods and people. All Pacific peoples benefit from their access to affordable, safe and reliable sea transport.

As Sam Bateman argued many years ago, maritime safety is a neglected aspect of maritime security. Taken as one nation with a total population of about 12 million, the Pacific Islands Forum countries (excluding Australia and New Zealand) have suffered the highest rate of ferry fatalities per capita of any countries globally. In the past 30 years there have been eight known fatal ferry accidents in five island countries, resulting in 613 fatalities. There have been many more involving smaller craft. These tragedies shouldn’t happen.

Many Pacific islands are recognised archipelagic states. They’re largely reliant on ‘sea highways’: many of their outer islands have few roads, no rail and very expensive aviation. Most of the island nations can’t afford safe, modern but expensive ferries.

Most domestic ferries in the Pacific are operated on minimal budgets by sometimes unscrupulous people, not government marine departments. The vessels are usually old, poorly maintained and badly modified. They’re not well equipped with safety and communications equipment. Generally, they’re not very safe.

Australia is a world leader in small ferry building. Our naval architects and shipbuilders lead the world in the design and construction of safe, comfortable, efficient and economical roll-on, roll-off passenger and cargo ferries and dedicated passenger vessels. We’re renowned for our ship repair and maintenance skills and maritime crew training expertise.

The latter is critical. While hardware, in the form of safe ferries, is very important, the vast majority of ferry accidents have human error as their root cause. High-quality training in operations and management is vital. Australia has several companies and educational institutions, such as the Australian Maritime College, capable of offering that training.

Australian-designed FastCat passenger, car and cargo ferries have revolutionised ferry safety, comfort and service in the Philippines. Similar, but slightly smaller and slower, vessels would be ideal for the Pacific. Harwood Marine is completing two very similar boats for ferry company SeaLink to operate around Moreton Bay in Queensland.

Australia has several excellent free-enterprise ferry operators that have safely and profitably managed significant fleets of ferries for many years. One or more of them could be contracted to establish and initially manage Pacific safe ferry services and train personnel to the highest international standards prior to passing established businesses to national government control. They could then be managed in a similar manner to successful Pacific islands airlines, such as Fiji Airways and Air Niugini.

An Australian programme of donating safe ferries along with associated logistical support and maritime training would be a logical development of our Pacific Maritime Security Programme, under which we’re donating 21 Guardian-class patrol boats to 12 Pacific island states and Timor-Leste.

A few years ago the New Zealand government handed over a new ferry to Tokelau to allow for easier travel between the territory’s atolls and Samoa. Another recent example of gifting a vessel to a Pacific island country was the donation by Japan of US$10 million to Tonga in September 2021 for the provision of a new tugboat for the Port of Nuku’alofa.

The costs of a safe ferry programme wouldn’t be huge. If we included nine Pacific countries in the programme, plus Timor-Leste, a donation of two 40-metre vehicle and passenger catamaran ferries, ideally suited to tropical conditions, to each country would total 20 ferries. The current price of such vessels is around $12 million (US$7.7 million) each. So that’s a total of $240 million (US$155 million) for 20 vessels.

Berthing and loading facilities would require simple, cheap concrete structures. Operator, mechanic and marine-ticket training could be provided economically. The total cost for infrastructure and training support for the ferry programme would be around $26 million (US$16 million).

The total cost of $266 million (US$146 million) for a Pacific safe ferries programme could be spread over five years. Our island neighbours would receive a useful sea highway providing them with safe, efficient and reliable transport of people, goods, vehicles and liquids, including drinking water. The ferries would be particularly useful for disaster relief. As recommended in a recent ASPI report examining ANZUS and the Pacific islands region, a ‘programme of developing and upgrading a system of ferries, wharves and navigation infrastructure would contribute significantly to meeting national security needs in responding to natural and human disasters across the region’s major archipelagic states’.

Our current aid programmes to the Pacific aren’t always given the credit they deserve locally. They’re not always obvious or prominent. For a comparatively small investment in a safe ferries programme, Australia would be rewarded with significant kudos and appreciation at a time when the region is increasing geopolitically contested.

Anthony Bergin is a senior fellow at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Neil Baird is a ferry safety expert

SOURCE: THE STRATEGIST/PACNEWS

Fijiana coach Seruvakula names his maiden squad for England match

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Fijiana coach Seruvakula names his maiden squad for England match

Fijiana 15’s Head Coach Senirusi Seruvakula has named his maiden 23-member squad to face England in their debut Rugby World Cup match on Saturday at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

Seruvakula has selected the best available players to take on the opponent who has more test matches, experience, and wins in their bag compared to Fijiana.

Brumbies Loosehead Prop Iris Verebalavu will start in the front row together with prominent Hooker Vika Matarugu while making her debut will be Queensland Reds Tighthead Prop Siteri Rasolea.

Captain Sereima Leweniqila shifts from her usual number 8 position to locks and will partner with Asiante Serevi.

Among the experienced players, 19-year-old Netherland-based Sulita Waisega starts at Blindside Flanker together with Ema Adivitaloga at Openside. Karalaini Naisea is at number 8.

Seruvakula said “We coaches have selected a strong side to play against England because we believe they are mostly a forwards-oriented team therefore we are fielding our best available players in this area.”

The backline is expected to bring in more Fijian flair with three Fijian 7s players making the cut into the run-on team.

Lavena Cavuru and Merewalesi Rokouono will share the halves position while Sesenieli Donu and Raijieli Laqeretabua will control the play from the midfield.

Inform winger Vitalina Naikore is on the left side while Alowesi Nakoci is the right winger. Roela Radiniyavuni will take control of the team from the fullbacks position.

Seruvakula said they have been gelling well and have a better game understanding in terms of set pieces and scrums.

“Last week we had a scrimmage with Canada. There was a lot of improvement in the scrums and line-outs so we believe that we have made the right selection for our first game” he said.

Seruvakula added that England will certainly come with guns blazing but his side is ready to face all the hurdles and give their best shot on the day.

“They have the confidence and are focused on the job ahead plus any team can be beaten on the day. We believe the team we selected is a mixture of experience and young players full of talents and we expect to give a strong performance against England” said Seruvakula.

Fijiana takes on England at 3.45pm FJT on Saturday.

Fijiana 23-member squad V England

Iris Verebalavu
Vika Maturugu
Siteri Rasolea*
Asinate Serevi
Sereima Leweniqila {c}
Sulita Waisega
Ema Adivitaloga
Karalaini Naisewa
Lavena Cavuru
Merewalesi Rokouono
Vitalina Naikore
Sesenieli Donu
Rajieli Laqeretabua
Alowesi Nakoci
Roela Radiniyavuni

Reserves

Bitila Tawake
Bulou Vasuturaga
Mereoni Vonosere
Merevesi Ofakimalino
Raijieli Daveua
Akosita Ravato
Ana Maria Roqica
Melaia Matanatabu

SOURCE: FRU/PACNEWS

Luatua is one of two former All Blacks in Samoa tour squad

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Luatua is one of two former All Blacks in Samoa tour squad

Samoa on Wednesday took advantage of World Rugby’s new eligibility rules by including former All Blacks Steven Luatua and Jeff Toomaga-Allen in their squad to tour Europe next month.

The pair were among eight players uncapped by Samoa in coach Seilala Mapusua’s 31-strong group for Tests against Italy, Georgia and Romania — their first northern hemisphere tour since 2019 ahead of next year’s World Cup in France.

Luatua, 31, played 15 Tests for New Zealand up until his shift from the Auckland Blues to Bristol, where he has gone on to be labelled among the best back row forwards in the English Premiership.

Ulster prop Toomaga-Allen’s lone Test came in 2013 before his move to Europe.

Both New Zealand-born players have expressed a desire to play for Samoa because of their family heritage and are eligible to do so under laws introduced this year.

Players can now represent a second nation if they serve a three-year international absence and were either born in the second country or have a parent or grandparent born there.

Tonga exploited the rule to field a handful of former tier one Test players at the Pacific Nations Cup tournament in June-July, including ex-Wallabies fullback Israel Folau.

Samoa were unbeaten in the Pacific Nations Cup in July against Fiji, Tonga and Australia A.

Samoa face England, Japan, Argentina and Chile in the pool stage when the World Cup begins in September 2023.

Samoa squad:Backs: Tomasi Alosio, Des Sepulona, Tumua Manu, Joe Perez, Duncan Paia’aua, Alapati Leiua, Nigel Ah Wong, Danny Toala, Stacey Ili, Ulupano Seuteni, Rodney Iona, D’Angelo Leuila, Ere Enari, Jonathan Taumateine.

Forwards: Fritz Lee, Talalelei Gray, Afaesetiti Amosa, Jordan Taufua, Steven Luatua, Taleni Seu, Theo McFarland, Brian Alainu’uese, Chris Vui, Michael Ala’alatoa, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Donald Brighouse, Nephi Leatigaga, Jordan Lay, Seilala Lam, Manu Leiataua, Luteru Toloi.

SOURCE: AFP/PACNEWS

Solomons PM due in Australia amid China tension

Pita Ligaiula
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Solomons PM due in Australia amid China tension

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host his Solomon Islands counterpart Manasseh Sogavare against a backdrop of accusations China has influenced the Pacific island nation.

Prime Minister Albanese will welcome Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to Canberra on Thursday 6 October.

Australia and Solomon Islands are part of the Pacific family and have a strong security partnership, based on decades-long policing and maritime cooperation.

Australia is Solomon Islands’ largest development partner, contributing in all areas of society and the economy—from health, justice and education, to infrastructure, labour mobility, private sector growth, agriculture and rural development.

Prime Minister Albanese last met with Prime Minister Sogavare in July at the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji.

“Our relationship with Solomon Islands is incredibly important.

“As members of the Pacific Family, we are committed to working together to face our shared challenges and achieve our shared goals, including on climate change.

“I look forward to engaging with Prime Minister Sogavare on building a strong and prosperous Pacific region, based on principles of transparency, respect and partnership,” said Albanese in a statement.

It comes as the Australian Strategic Policy Institute says Beijing is attempting to influence public discussion in the Solomons through propaganda and suppressing information.

The institute says Chinese Communist Party officials are attempting to silence and coerce critics and media in Pacific Island nations.

“Across the Pacific, there’s a growing body of evidence to suggest that Chinese diplomats exert pressure to influence local publications and control press releases,” its new report reads.

The report also referenced Beijing pushing a “fabricated narrative” accusing Australia, the United States and Taiwan of instigating riots in Honiara during November 2021.

It comes amid heightened tensions between Honiara and Canberra after Sogavare accused Australia of foreign interference for offering to help fund the island’s election.

The prime minister also mocked Australia’s offer in parliament.

Allegations of Chinese slush funds influencing politicians in the Solomon Islands have also been levelled.

Honiara inked a security pact with Beijing in April, raising concerns about China’s growing influence in the region.

It also moved to strip any China references from a US-led accord with Pacific Island nations.

“There were some references that put us in a position where we’ll have to choose sides,” Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele told reporters in Wellington on Tuesday.

“We did not want to be placed in a position where we have to choose sides.”

Other Pacific Island nations like Micronesia and Fiji have also raised concerns about the pact, saying any security agreement should have regional consensus.

The Australian government maintains it is the Solomon Islands’ “security partner of choice” and security should remain within the remit of the region.

SOURCE: AUST GOVT/AAP/PACNEWS

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