Additional COVID funding postpones aid cuts
Faced with the prospect of another cut to aid while the COVID-19 pandemic continues – and in some ways intensifies in our region – the government has again reached for the “temporary and targeted” lever to avoid
Tonga health ministry confirms six COVID-19 deaths
Six deaths from COVID-19 in Tonga have been confirmed, while another five people with the virus died from underlying illnesses, Tonga’s Minister for Health, Dr Saia Piukala said. The confirmation comes after
Pacific losing ground on water and sanitation
n the Pacific region, access to clean water and sanitation has gone backwards since 2015 according to the latest Sustainable Development Goals 2002 progress
Navigating the Pacific studies canoe
Professor Katerina Teaiwa is a pioneer in the area of interdisciplinary Pacific
The cost of politics
is again under the spotlight as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia, Wallis and Futuna and American-affiliated Pacific states and territories are all expected to hold elections this
Women MPs should be the norm, not a novelty: Bale
The absence of any women in the Papua New Guinea parliament is a matter of deep national shame, says candidate, Tania
“The game plan from the outside is to divide and conquer”
Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna talks Forum unity, the 2050 strategy and his
Australia hands over Blackrock as China concerns re-emerge
The opening of the Blackrock Camp in Nadi this month signified the culmination of “close to a A$100 million investment” by the Australian government designed to support Fiji’s peacekeeping and humanitarian
Tongan volcanic eruption prompts resilience
The recovery effort following Tonga's volcanic eruptions has demonstrated Tongan resilience, and the need to remember traditional
Cobb seeks ‘Freedom’
Chris Cobb’s song Freedom is inspired by two tragedies, the ongoing human rights abuses of the indigenous people of West Papua, and the sinking of the MV Rabaul
Movers and Shakers
Leonard Louma is the new Director General of the MSG Secretariat. Louma is a seasoned PNG diplomat, with postings to the UN, France and China, and was involved in several regional initiatives, including the Pacific
Solomon Islands PM says China security deal ‘ready for signing’
Solomon Islands' PM says a contentious security agreement with Beijing was “ready for
Regional e-commerce negotiators training begins
Pacific officials have started a four-week training course to help them engage with negotiations and implementation of e-commerce rules. Currently, many Pacific countries require support to negotiate and implement rules
Solomons: Putting a draft security deal with China in local context
A draft MOU between Honiara and Beijing on security related issues has sparked international headlines and worried response from
