Climate change’s invisible toll on LGBTQIA+ and disabled communities in Fiji
“At Daulomani Safe Home, we’re fighting not just the climate but society’s prejudice,” says founder Edwina Biyau, a trans advocate and survivor of homelessness. As Fiji faces the intensifying effects of climate
Sevens a golden opportunity for Solomon Islands sport tourism
As the Solomon Islands begins final preparations for its hosting of next month’s 2024 Oceania Rugby Sevens Tournament, Tourism Solomons has described the event as yet another major opportunity for the country to show
Opinion: How Vanuatu can return to sustainable growth after Airline bankruptcy
Vanuatu, the Pacific archipelago nation of about 350,000 people between Australia and Fiji, finds itself at a crucial crossroads. The IMF’s recent staff report on Vanuatu reveals an economy grappling with a series of
Moment of truth for plastic treaty talks
Talks began in Busan, South Korea, on Monday aiming to clinch a legally binding deal on plastics pollution. The meeting follows two years of intergovernmental negotiations to develop a legally binding global instrument
The Australia-Pacific COP31 bid is in limbo. What now?
Australia and Pacific Island nations had hoped to leave this year’s global climate talks in Azerbaijan having won a bid to host the COP31 summit in 2026. Instead, that decision on who will host the 31st “conference
Australia accused of ‘exporting climate destruction’ on tiny Pacific neighbours with massive gas expansion plans
Pacific governments at the UN climate summit are criticising Australia’s plans for a massive gas industry expansion in Western Australia, saying it could result in 125 times more greenhouse gas emissions than their
Fiji former PM released from jail
Former Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has been granted early release from jail as of today. A Fiji Corrections Service (FSC) released this hour says the decision follows a “comprehensive review of his
Green climate fund direct access accreditation a milestone: Bank of the Cook Islands
The Bank of the Cook Islands (BCI) has announced its formal accreditation as a Direct Access Entity by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This accreditation highlights BCI’s alignment with GCF’s stringent fiduciary
“We are all Pacific islanders, even if New Caledonia is French”
On the final day of the Pacific Islands Forum mission to New Caledonia, the delegation of Forum leaders broke bread with church and community elders at a working breakfast. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka thanked
Fiji AG calls for law reform, climate action at PILON meeting
Fiji’s Attorney-General Graham Leung has urged Pacific law officers to address the region’s pressing legal challenges, highlighting climate change, digital transformation, and rising authoritarianism as critical
PNG population closer to 12 million: Marape
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has confirmed that more than eight million Papua New Guineans have already been counted in the ongoing PNG census and emphasised that the population could be closer to 12
Japan to resume trial removal of Fukushima debris
The operator of the tsunami-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant will resume an operation to remove a sample of highly radioactive debris this week, The Japan Times reports, after having suspended the effort over a
Fijian rugby player admits to supplying cocaine, stranded in Fiji
Female rugby player, Aliti Namoce, who admitted to supplying cocaine and ketamine in Sydney’s CBD is stranded in the Pacific Islands after her visa to return to Australia after a competition was refused, a court has
New Caledonia’s President meets with fellow Forum leaders
President Louis Mapou and the Government of New Caledonia has met with a visiting mission of Pacific Islands Forum leaders, with the Kanak politician noting “New Caledonia is at a turning point in its evolution, and
USP strike on hold: students await council meeting
As the staff of The University of the South Pacific put their strike on hold awaiting the outcomes of yet another council meeting, the students of USP remain vocal about their own concerns, thus far unaddressed. A
“We’re here as family”: Forum delegation arrives in New Caledonia
After months of delay, a high-level Pacific Islands Forum mission has arrived in New Caledonia for three days of dialogue and information sharing. In a busy program, the delegation will meet with members of New
Overseas Minister buffeted by New Caledonia crisis
By Nic Maclellan, in Noumea, New Caledonia France’s newly appointed Overseas Minister François-Noël Buffet has travelled to New Caledonia for a four-day visit, pledging that “the time has come for the return of
Excitement builds for Oceania World Cup Qualifiers
Football fans should expect an action- packed evening for round two of the Oceania World Cup qualifiers at the HFC stadium in Suva
New EU regulations challenge Fiji’s fairtrade producers
A balancing act between global standards and local realities Fair trade practices in Fiji are under increasing scrutiny as new international regulations push producers to meet stringent environmental and human rights
Opinion: Pacific justice is a shared responsibility
By Kate Schuetze, Amnesty International, Acting Deputy Regional Director for Research This coming week will see a crucial moment for states and territories in the Pacific to express their views on challenges the region
Pacific Islands SG visits tsunami-affected school
Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Baron Waqa, was welcomed with songs and cheers this week when he visited a Tongan primary school that was devastated by the December 2021 volcanic eruption and tsunami.
Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Exploring the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting theme
The theme for the 53rd Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting is Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now. And this week that theme prompted Tongan journalists who were undergoing training in preparation for
