President Heine urges bold action on gender equality at Pacific Women’s Conference
Marshall Islands President D. Hilda Heine has called on Pacific leaders, urging them to adopt intentional, innovative, and bold approaches to tackle the complex challenges of gender inequality in the region.
Fiji, PNG fail to secure UN human rights mission to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces
No progress has been made in sending a UN human rights mission to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces despite the appointment of Fiji and Papua New Guinea’s prime ministers to negotiate the visit. Pacific Island leaders
Pacific Islands Forum Leaders endorse high-level mission to New Caledonia
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders have endorsed a high-level mission to New Caledonia. This is in response to the request from New Caledonia to support a long-lasting resolution to the ongoing political
Rugby Sevens set to kick-off Olympic Games Paris 2024 in style
Captains from the 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams gathered at the Olympic Village on Monday ahead of what promises to be the most hotly-contested and highly-anticipated rugby sevens event in history. Following rugby
Pacific Islands welcome development partnerships amid rising regional tensions
Cook Islands Prime Minister and Forum Chair Mark Brown has emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts with various development partners in supporting Pacific Island countries. Speaking last week in Tokyo, PM
Fiji replaces Vanuatu as top PALM sending country
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has been transformed over the last five years. In June 2019, there were 5,886 PALM visa holders in Australia. Five years later, in May 2024, there were 32,513, an
Pacific children left behind and vulnerable due to regional labour mobility schemes
Pacific Islands children are being left behind by their parents, who are taking up opportunities presented by regional labour mobility schemes, increasing concerns about child abuse. This was a key issue brought up at
India to apply for licences to scout Pacific Ocean for critical minerals
India will apply for licences to explore for deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean as it competes to secure supplies of minerals critical for energy transition technologies, a top government scientist said. The
Cook Islands Health Ministry approves nearly 90 percent of tobacco vendor applications
Cook Islands Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health has approved 37 out of the 43 applications received for selling tobacco in the Cook Islands. The successful applicant can start selling tobacco from 01 August 2024, under
Samoa Police killed on duty
A police officer has been shot and killed in Samoa while attempting to carry out an arrest. Detective Sergeant Peniamina Perite died at the scene in the village of Fasitoo-Uta on Monday. Perite was in the middle
Tonga grants Starlink “provisional temporary permit” to offer local services
Starlink has been granted a “provisional temporary permit” to operate in Tonga, MEIDECC announced Friday, 19 July. This was in response to a “significant amount” of public concern after the Tonga government
Air Niugini’s Boeing 737 resume flights to Melanesian countries
Air Niugini’s Boeing 737 aircraft will resume flights to Port Vila in Vanuatu from 03 August. Air Niugini’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Gary Seddon said that this would provide an opportunity to reconnect
Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge not a breach of Rarotonga Treaty, says Cook Islands PM
Cook Islands Prime Minister and Forum Chairman Mark says that Japan’s discharge of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean does not violate the Rarotonga Treaty. During his visit to Tokyo last week, PM Brown
Opinion: Small-Scale Fishers facing Large-Scale Challenges at WTO
A decision whether to conclude negotiations that prohibit subsidies that contribute to overfishing and overcapacity is happening next week at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The WTO General Council meeting follows
All Blacks superstar Ardie Savea makes switch to Moana Pasifika
All Blacks superstar and number eight Ardie Savea has signed with Super Rugby Pacific expansion side Moana Pasifika until 2027. Savea spent the past Super Rugby season in Japan on sabbatical, returning for the All
Opinion: Bougainville’s home-grown independence constitution: Part 2
The draft of the Constitution of the Republic of Bougainville draws on numerous sources, including the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Constitution, the PNG Constitution, the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA),
Fiji takes “massive leap forward” with Starlink
Lightspeed Pacific’s Executive Chair, Richard Broadbridge, says Fiji has taken a “massive leap forward” in allowing Starlink services in the country. The company last week announced its official status as Fiji’s
Opinion: Bougainville’s home-grown independence constitution: Part 1
This is the first article in a two-part series on the history, context and key features of the proposed independence constitution that is in the process of being developed for Bougainville. On 06 May 2024, the
Chatham Airlines begins flying in Tonga amid Lulutai’s ongoing flight disruptions
Chatham Airlines begins servicing Tonga’s domestic flight services this week. The announcement comes a month after Kaniva News reported that Lulutai contacted the New Zealand airlines to assist with its
Green Climate Fund approves US$23.92 million for Tonga Coastal Resilience Project
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board has approved a US$22.66 million grant for Tonga’s Coastal Resilience Project, supplemented by US$1.2 million in co-financing from the Government of Tonga and US$63,000 from the UN
Indonesia starts exporting electricity to Papua New Guinea
Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape met at the Bogor Palace on Monday to discuss cooperation in various fields, including electricity exports to the border region.
Winston Peters says he wants more rational debate on deep sea mining, not ‘virtue signalling’
New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Winston Peters, says mining is critical to transition away from fossil fuels, but the call for a moratorium in international waters by the previous government still stands.
Beu progressing well in build-up to Paris Olympics
Athletics Papua New Guinea president Tony Green has hailed the code’s Olympic Games representative Leonie Beu for her performance over the weekend at the American Track League. Beu competed at the meet in Tennessee,