Movers and Shakers
Nauru has sworn in its new President, Russ Joseph Kun, for the next three years, replacing former president and new Deputy Speaker of parliament, Lionel Aingimea. Other new cabinet ministers are: Martin Hunt as Minister
Kite Pareti
Fiji drugs stopped at Sydney border
A Bangladeshi national has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of liquid methamphetamine from Fiji into Australia. Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Border Force arrested the man at Sydney
New Australia-Palau Connector flight to start December
A new flight connecting Australia to Palau will start this December 13, 2022, announced the Australian government. The flight dubbed “Australia-Palau Connector” is a flight route between Brisbane, Port Moresby,
Vanuatu deputy PM confident of forming new Govt
The camp led by Vanuatu’s caretaker deputy prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau has reiterated that it remains a solid grouping of 30 MPs and that it will name its prime minister and cabinet line-up on Friday. A second
Rugby Sevens returns to Hong Kong as 2023 Series kicks off
The 16 captains gathered on Wednesday ahead of the highly anticipated Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens on 4-6 November, which sees the famous tournament return to Hong Kong Stadium for the first time since 2019.
Where the buck stops: aid in Fiji
In the most aid-dependent region in the world, Fiji ranks consistently among the Pacific’s top five recipients of development financing. According to the newly released 2022 edition of the Lowy Institute Pacific Aid
Australian pilot sentenced to 18 years in PNG
An Australian pilot linked to the biggest drug bust in Papua New Guinea has been convicted and jailed for 18 years. The Waigani National Court on Friday sentenced David John Cutmore, 57, of Williams Landing, Queensland,
U.S. warns China: Attack on Guam ‘will be met with appropriate response’
Declaring China as the United States’ “most consequential strategic competitor” in the Indo-Pacific region, the Pentagon warned the communist regime of the consequences should it launch any aggression on Guam.
Solomon Islands benefit ‘significantly’ from labour scheme
Solomon Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) has acknowledged that among the most significant benefits of the PACER plus agreement to the Solomon Islands is the labour mobility scheme,
Overcoming suspicion: reconciliation for Australia and Bougainville
The angry reaction to Richard Marles’ comments should be a warning to Canberra about the need to settle past grievances. During a visit to Papua New Guinea earlier this month by Australia’s Deputy Prime
Pacific aid surges as China, U.S vie for influence
Regional powers poured record amounts of cash into the Pacific Islands during the coronavirus pandemic to help them weather the economic fallout as competition for influence heats up between China and the West. An
PACIFICi Portal to assist investigative anti-corruption efforts
With the Pacific Island region increasingly impacted by organised transnational crime, international drug and people smuggling, money laundering and corruption, a new web-based investigative tool, PACIFICi, is set to
1.5C climate target ‘more fragile’ than ever, says COP27 chair
The goal of limiting global heating to 1.5C is “more fragile” than ever, as world leaders prepare to meet for crucial climate talks, the president-designate of the negotiations has warned. Sameh Shoukry, the foreign
Kiribati: Moaniba becomes acting Chief Justice
The separation of powers crisis in Kiribati escalated on Friday, with the Pacific country’s attorney general, Tetiro Semilota Moaniba, appointed acting chief justice. Semilota was sworn in on Friday afternoon at a
Fiji and New Caledonia win gold at FIBA Melanesia Cup
Fiji and New Caledonia each took home gold in the 2022 FIBA Melanesian Cup. New Caledonia was crowned winner in the men’s category after defeating Papua New Guinea at Vodafone Arena, Suva. New Caledonia flew out
Be angry, be strategic, Pacific climate negotiators urged
“I just wanted to say that sometimes a united voice means that you can also genuinely, assertively be angry.” These were strong words from Fijian activist and political adviser for Diverse Voices and Action
Opinion: Labor reduces but does not eliminate Coalition aid cuts
This year’s aid budget (2022-23) has been increased from $4.55 billion under the Coalition to $4.65 billion under Labor. There are bigger increases in the forward estimate years (2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26),
Pacific Islands increasingly used as crime transit point, experts say
The Pacific islands are increasingly being used as a transit point for transnational crime, including drug trafficking and money laundering, experts say. Criminal organisations from Asia and the Americas are exploiting
Pacific nations double down on their green demands
As is customary in the run up to any gathering of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), predicable fault lines are emerging. Oil producing nations tend to
MSC extends Pacific tuna certification
Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) and Tokelau have welcomed the decision of the Marine Stewardship Council’s Independent Adjudicator to extend the scope of the MSC certification of the PNA tuna fishery to
Tonga’s first large-scale battery systems to achieve climate targets
The first utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Tonga was officially opened at an event attended by Prime Minister Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni. Prime Minister Sovaleni, known also by
Australia boosts defence, Pacific diplomacy spending in budget
Australia on Tuesday pledged increased defence spending and efforts to firm up diplomatic ties with neighbouring Southeast Asian and Pacific nations as it seeks to counter China’s growing economic and strategic
Nauru Airlines resumes biweekly flights to the FSM
The government of Australia is subsidising biweekly flights on Nauru Airlines to help connect the North and South Pacific, said President David Panuelo of the Federated States of Micronesia. The inaugural
