PINA

On 30 June, the Asian Development Bank Board (ADB) generally endorsed its Pacific Approach 2021-2025, the blueprint for future activities in 12 of ADB's 14 developing member countries in the Pacific. In this Q&A, Leah Gutierrez, Director General of ADB's Pacific Regional Department, outlines the key priorities in the Pacific Approach for 2021-2025, the impact of COVID-19 on the region...

Pacific Regional Civil Society groups today accused DeepGreen, a venture capitalist company, as the real beneficiary of the Nauru Government's decision to trigger the start of a process which could lead to potential widespread seabed mining in 2 years' time. The trigger, a clause within a 1994 Agreement on implementing Part XI of UNCLOS allows sponsor states such as Nauru...

By Rae Bainteiti Rakentai, Rabi Island On 29-30 May 2021, I made my first visit to Rakentai for a scoping exercise. Rakentai is about an hour boat ride from my village, Uma. This trip was in response to the request made by the village committee, funded and facilitated by the Rabi Council of Leaders. I had just returned from Auckland, NZ...

Fiji has reported 431 cases of COVID-19 and three deaths related to COVID-19 Thursday. Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong said these new cases are from the Central and Western Divisions. "Today we reported 3 new COVID-19 deaths. The first death was a 74 yr old male who was brought to FEMAT in acute respiratory distress. The second death was...

Seventy-five years after the U.S military began using the Marshall Islands as a nuclear testing ground, a new generation fired-up by climate activism is demanding justice. When the Able atomic bomb was detonated at Bikini Atoll on 01 July, 1946, Alson Kelen's family were among those forced from their palm-fringed ancestral homes. For decades, complaints were muted. Many accepted at face...

Kiribati president Taneti Maamau says 56 I-Kiribati nationals have contracted Covid-19 in Fiji. President Maamau made the statement in his address to the nation on Radio Kiribati. Of the 46 – 19 of them are in quarantine at Town House and 27 are students who are currently in home-isolation. President Maamau said some will be closely monitored because of their existing health...

Samoa's caretaker government has said the country's athletes will not be competing at the Tokyo Olympics. However, the team has not been officially notified of any withdrawal. A meeting is scheduled this afternoon to discuss the team's involvement in the Games. The caretaker Cabinet decided on Wednesday to prevent Team Samoa from travelling to Japan due to Covid-19. The caretaker Minister of Communications,...

Tonga has named 13 debutants as part of an inexperienced side to face the All Blacks at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday. With most of Tonga's first-choice squad based overseas in Europe, coach Toutai Kefu has been forced to look within New Zealand for players to put together his matchday 23. Nine debutants make up the starting XV, with prop Duke...

Tokyo Olympics-bound Samoan weightlifter Iuniarra Sipaia has spoken for the first time on New Zealand’s transgender weightlifting rival Laurel Hubbard, saying she is sad that the Kiwi continues to compete in the women’s division. Hubbard will compete in the 87+ kilogram category and is again on a collision course with Sipaia, who will compete in her first Olympics in Tokyo...

By Maraia Vula Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna, has called for an economic vision to deliver real results, in response to the huge challenges the region faces as a result of COVID-19. Puna made his remarks as he extended his warm welcome to the 2021 cohort of regional journalists reporting on a crucial series of Pacific economic and...