RWC 2023: Wales conquers Wallabies, Samoa go down to Argentina
The Wallabies are set to make their earliest exit in Rugby World Cup history after a humiliating 40-6 loss to Wales in Lyon. Never before have the Wallabies been bundled out of the tournament in the pool stage, but
Solomon Islands, Vanuatu to miss Pacific leaders’ meeting with President Biden
Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has declined a White House invitation to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden at this week’s Pacific leaders’ summit. In a move that will further stoke
WHO Western Pacific candidates vow to rebuild staff trust
Candidates vying for the regional director position at the World Health Organisation Western Pacific regional office fielded member states’ questions in a unique online public forum meant to gauge their priorities and
FSM becomes first country to sign oceans treaty
The Federated States of Micronesia has signed a global treaty that aim to protect oceans that lie beyond national boundaries, becoming the first country in the world to do so. The new Biodiversity of Areas beyond
Conference to address sustainable infrastructure for the Pacific
An upcoming conference will be looking into the future of getting better quality infrastructure for Pacific Island countries. Organised by the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (APIBC) in collaboration with the
Fiji make compelling case for a place among rugby’s elite
Fiji’s convincing victory over the two-times world champions Wallabies on Sunday was the first big upset of the World Cup and further enhanced the case for the Pacific islanders to have a place at rugby’s
Culture not an excuse for violence: PNG Governor-General
Papua New Guinea cannot claim to be a Christian country because its society has many social ills highlighted by a disrespect for one another, says Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae. Speaking during the flag
Pacific island countries to hold second summit next week with Biden
Pacific island countries will meet next week with U.S. President Joe Biden for a second summit with his country, the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Henry Puna said on Monday. Puna made the announcement
Opinion: U.S. claims to Central Pacific flout International law
In defiance of international norms and rules, U.S. officials are laying claim to the large oceanic area in the central Pacific Ocean that is home to the compact states. Now that they are renewing the economic provisions
Fiji shock Australia 22-15 in biggest upset of 2023 Rugby World Cup
Fiji have pulled off a major upset and created history with a 22-15 win over the Wallabies in Saint Etienne. It’s their first win over the Wallabies since 1954 as they kept their World Cup hopes alive. They started
Pacific to elevate talks with Japan on nuke waste water discharge
Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister says the Forum will elevate talks with Japan in regards to its nuclear waste water discharge into the Pacific Ocean. The decision was taken at the one-day Forum Foreign
Careers in ocean science beckons to young Pacific women
Pacific young women are taking a greater interest in protecting our oceans for the future. At last week’s inaugural conference on ocean science and ocean management in Nadi, Fiji, Tanga Morris Jnr, 26, said that
Human rights violations in Pacific fishing industry ‘ignored’
Very little attention has been given to addressing human rights violations within the fishing industry in the Pacific, according to new research unveiled at a first-of-its-kind ocean science meeting underway in Nadi,
Democracy. Abort. Repeat
“Democracy Reimagined.” On paper, an ambitious title that captures the next step in the journey of a nation that’s fresh out of the shadow of a 16-year, one and then two-man rule, led on this new path by the very
New Caledonia’s nickel sector faces energy crunch
French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit to New Caledonia highlighted the strategic importance of the vast reserves of nickel in the French Pacific dependency. Speaking in Noumea, President Macron said:
Macron’s magical mystery tour of Melanesia
The whirlwind tour of Melanesia by French President Emmanuel Macron received widespread media acclaim in July, as he visited the French Pacific dependency of New Caledonia and made unprecedented stopovers in Vanuatu and
Pacific economies: driven to the brink of change
FANALEI. A 2-kilometre-wide island in the Solomon Islands. Once home to 500 people. Now, almost empty. The reason a young student and her peers are taking on the world. Just over 2000 kilometers away, a man in his
Embattled Pacific Island States build heft for climate push
Legal and scientific experts, government officials and representatives from civil society organisations from across the Pacific came together in Fiji recently to begin the momentous task of mounting a first-of-its-kind
Pacific judiciaries ill-equipped against technology, says Judge
Rapid global advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies have left judiciaries in the Pacific outdated and ill-equipped to tackle emerging challenges, “particularly when it comes to dealing
Movers and Shakers
Dr Filimon Manoni has assumed his new role as the Pacific Ocean Commissioner after serving the Pacific region as Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum since May 2020. Vanuatu's Minister of Climate
Fukushima discharge begins
Pacific remains divided As Pacific Ocean experts gathered in Fiji in August to discuss the role of the Pacific Ocean Commission, Japan begun discharging more than one million tonnes of treated radioactive water from the
Kiribati’s fuel crisis
Part of a financial crisis? Residents of Kiribati’s most populous island, South Tarawa, were welcomed to August by a fuel crisis that persisted for six days, disrupting the capital’s ‘business-as-usual’ mode and
Opinion: Seabed mining rules lapse is window for Pacific regulations
In late July, after weeks of fierce debate at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting in Jamaica, deep-sea mining proponents failed to get an agreement for the immediate licensing of deep sea mining operations.
