The U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy
Too anodyne to be utilitarian Early this year, the White House released America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. It is dated February 2022. U.S. President Joe Biden had referred to it earlier, at the 24 September 2021 QUAD
April
Commercial kava pilot off to a flying start
When the Australian government gave the green light for a two-year commercial kava pilot program in December last year, “the excitement was palpable,” Australia's Minister for International Development and Pacific,
Pharmaceutical market now ‘risky’
Geographical indicators to be developed for kava A leading kava scientist in the Pacific has labelled as "risky" any kava comeback in the pharmaceutical market, stressing that success of the crop as an export commodity
Coffee, cakes and kava
It’s an ordinary afternoon in Suva city, with school students flooding towards the bus stand and window shopping. Car horns honk as drivers speed through the city or are stuck in traffic. Shop owners prepare to
Tuvalu’s Future Now
Tuvalu’s Minister for Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs has laid out a vision for Tuvalu in the event the country is “fully submerged or people are forced to relocate”. “Following the outcomes from
COVID-19, climate change and non communicable diseases
Pacific health ministers respond to health crises COVID-19 is a big opportunity for Pacific countries to transform their health systems, the region’s health ministers have heard. COVID-19, non communicable diseases
MPs seek regional dialogue on deep sea mining
A new alliance of parliamentarians from across the Pacific has called for a regional dialogue on the potential impacts of deep sea mining. The public launch of the Pacific Parliamentarians’ Alliance on Deep Sea Mining
Whispers
Private superyacht tour Amidst the drama over Fiji’s detention of the Amadea superyacht at Lautoka port this month, questions are making the rounds as to how a constitutionally-appointed official used his official car
Connecting communities to opportunities
Commonwealth Youth Award winner Thompson Auri Softly-spoken and humble, Papua New Guinean Thompson Auri exudes a quiet confidence and an ease in village life. So the news of his selection as the Pacific's
All hail the Vude Queen
A matriarch of music, the Queen of Vude, supporter of many charities, and a diva who comes home and cooks for her family every night. Laisa Vulakoro has an in-depth talanoa with Islands Business’ Rowena Singh
Briefs
American Samoa Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga has signed a Bill into law which will establish a Samoan Language Commission and recognise both Samoan and English as the official languages in the Territory to “preserve our
Movers and Shakers
Tuvalu national Ian Fry is the first United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change for the next three years. Fiji’s Sefanaia Nawadra has commenced his new role as Director-General (D-G) at SPREP
Fiji street food: Vasaqa Productions
Vasaqa Productions at Namaka market in Nadi offers street food with a Fijian twist. “We brought in the concepts of street food that we only see online and made it accessible to anyone and everyone. The food that you
