Opinion: Squaring a vicious circle: political party laws in Vanuatu
Vanuatu will witness a referendum on two constitutional amendments designed to strengthen the party system on 29 May 2024. The proposed reforms, passed by parliament in December 2023, seek to tie MPs to political
Opinion: Where did that Chinese police video come from?
Last night’s 60 Minutes broadcast in Australia featured extraordinary footage of 2017 Chinese police raids in Fiji, followed by the extraction of 77 People’s Republic of China citizens, hooded
Australian-born judge challenges deportation from Kiribati amid long-running judicial crisis
David Lambourne, an Australian-born high court judge whose attempted deportation two years ago from Kiribati sparked a judicial crisis in the Pacific nation, appeared in court in a case closely watched by the United
Australia and Tuvalu deal back on track, as Falepili Union gets ratification green light
Australia’s Pacific Minister Pat Conroy says Tuvalu’s new government has formally agreed to begin ratifying the landmark Falepili Union with Australia, delivering the federal government a significant foreign policy
Reports Tonga PM has resigned from Defence to ‘appease’ king says government source
The Tongan Independent has reported that Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni and Minister Utoikamanu of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had resigned from the portfolios. Senior sources within the Tongan
Opinion: Yes, there are Chinese police in Fiji. But that’s none of Australia’s business
Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes revealed a fascinating tension within the Fijian government about whether to embrace a 2011 agreement signed with the Chinese government that allows Fijian police officers to receive
State of Emergency declared in East Sepik Province
Papua New Guinea’s East Sepik Provincial Administration has declared a state of emergency, effective Monday, until further notice. Mother nature in the last few days had caused flooding and destruction in Middle-Sepik
Marshall Islands launches public engagement on new Compact deal
While both Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have endorsed their new Compacts of Free Association with Washington, the Marshall Islands just launched its review process Thursday with the first of a
Three dead, 93 houses collapsed after 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes East Sepik
East Sepik province in Papua New Guinea, which has been struggling with heavy flooding for the past weeks, was hit by a huge earthquake Sunday morning, doubling the pain for the Sepik River and wetland people. The 7.0
U.S., FSM begin exploring military training opportunities in Yap
Washington and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) have reaffirmed their defence and security ties, toasting a fresh economic package under the newly signed Compact of Free Association that cemented the United
Kiribati judge hopes to finally have day in court
An expatriate judge in Kiribati hopes he will get a chance to make his case on Tuesday over his controversial suspension three years ago. David Lambourne, who is the husband of the opposition leader Tessie Lambourne,
Nauruan president starts six-day China visit
Nauru President David Adeang arrived in Beijing on Sunday, embarking on a six-day state visit to China from Sunday to 29 March. It marks the first visit by a Nauruan president after the two countries resumed
Former Cook Islands Deputy PM jailed on fraud and corruption charges
Former Cook Islands deputy Prime Minister Robert Tepaitau and two other former high-ranking Government officials were handed jail terms Friday for fraud and corruption charges. Tepaitau has been jailed for two years and
Where is USP heading amid a gathering storm?
In February 2021, the University of the South Pacific (USP) was plunged into crisis when Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia was unceremoniously thrown out of Fiji following a middle-of-the-night raid on his campus
International blunder or domestic strategy?
Fiji's position on Israel could hint at paradigm shift South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been described as involving two competing narratives: one, about a displaced
Is the Pacific moving fast enough on Kava protection?
Pacific Island nations are considering implementing Geographical Indication (GI) protections for kava to safeguard its reputation and uniqueness. This move aims to capitalise on the growing global demand for kava and
Pacific Islands eye medicinal cannabis cultivation
But social concerns remain Pacific governments are grappling with balancing the potential economic benefits of legalising medicinal cannabis cultivation with social concerns, as they eye the potentially lucrative new
Whispers
Nauru-Fiji-TuvaluWhen Nauru did the flip on Taiwan in February, it sent the temperature soaring in Canberra as all eyes turned towards the upcoming election in Tuvalu, to see whether a pro- or anti-Taiwan candidate
“When are we going back?” – Nuclear Displacement in the Marshall Islands
Gina Langinbelik Anuntak is a student at the College of the Marshall Islands (CMI). She is President of the CMI Nuclear Club, a student association that unites Marshallese students to understand the legacies of the 20th
Drua drive sports tourism upsurge in Fiji
Two years after the Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika joined Australian and New Zealand teams in the Super Rugby Pacific, the Drua’s fortunes on the field are driving a noticeable impact on the Fijian economy, adding to
Human Rights Defenders build regional protection strategy
Pacific human rights defenders are building a regional protection strategy in the face of challenges ranging from inadequate judicial systems to colonial-era laws and heavy-handed law enforcement. Office of the United
Briefs
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas A special committee has been formed to look into the unpaid utility bills of the government of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, which has now ballooned to a whopping
FFA launches new electronic systems to strengthen Pacific fisheries monitoring
The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has launched two new electronic systems built for vessel registrations and Port State Measures. FFA Director General Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen introduced the Electronic Vessel
