The need to survive and keep a national asset afloat is taking a heavy toll on Solomon Airlines. In an open letter to stakeholders this week, Solomon Airlines CEO Brett Gebers outlined a number of measures the company was taking in order to keep the national flag carrier going but…
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COVID, climate and oceans were high on the agenda, as foreign ministers and officials from around the region met online on 14 October, for the 2020 Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting (FFMM). This year’s ministerial summit focussed on the COVID-19 crisis and post-pandemic recovery; actions to address the ongoing challenge of…
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The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus) is to come into force with the Cook Islands ratifying the agreement this week. Cook Islands is the eighth signatory to PACER Plus, joining Australia, Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown…
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Global miner Rio Tinto says it is ready to discuss cleaning up the site of the gold and copper Panguna mine which it abandoned in 2016, a move locals say was designed to allow the miner to entirely avoid the costs of clean-up. A complaint has been lodged with the…
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The Australian Federal Budget delivered last night has increased aid to the Pacific. An extra A$211 million has been allocated to COVID-19 response in the form of grants, agreed in negotiations with recipient countries, in addition to the $4 billion previously earmarked for international assistance. Further, a small increase in…
