Fiji backs AUKUS as Canberra soothes regional tension
One of the Pacific’s key leaders has told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese he supports the AUKUS agreement during a whistle-stop meeting on Wednesday as the PM continued diplomatic efforts to reassure
MSG marks 35 year anniversary
The Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) says the Secretariat is confident that under Kalsakau’s Chairmanship, “we can take our cooperative relationship in MSG to a higher level”. The
Palau Senate pass bill to prohibit e-cigarettes
Members of the Palau Senate in February voted unanimously to pass the proposed bill that prohibits the manufacturing, importation, sale, and distribution of e-cigarettes was passed on first reading this week. Senate
55 countries face a health worker crunch linked to COVID-19: WHO
No less than 55 countries are struggling with serious health worker shortages as they continue to seek better paid opportunities in wealthier nations that have stepped up efforts to recruit them amid the COVID-19
PNG businesses struggle due to shortage of foreign currency
The shortage of foreign currency currently faced in the country is causing many Papua New Guinea business houses to see a decline in their sales and profit. City Pharmacy Ltd Group, one of the biggest retail businesses
Pacific leaders to discuss global transition away from fossil fuels
The Governments of Vanuatu and Tuvalu will host the ‘2nd Pacific Ministerial Dialogue on Pathways for the Global Just Transition away from Fossil Fuels’ in Port Vila this week, from 15-17 March 2023. It will be
Australian PM mounts diplomatic blitz to calm AUKUS fears, visit Fiji tomorrow
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Fiji on his way home from the United States, capping off a huge diplomatic offensive to calm regional concerns about the AUKUS security pact, and push back against a
Who could be WHO’s next Western Pacific leader?
There are hopes a Pacific person will head the Western Pacific region for the World Health Organisation (WHO). It follows the sacking of regional director Takeshi Kasai after allegations of harassment, abuse and
Air Niugini needs to re-fleet
With less than 20 aircraft currently in operations, the country’s national airline company seriously needs to look at re-fleeting. The recent incident of passengers being injured during a flight involving an Air
PNG banks on second major development to boost growth
A US$10 billion LNG project in Papua New Guinea will have a transformative effect on the impoverished Pacific nation, as well as supply Asia’s growing demand for energy, the developers say. TotalEnergies, Santos and
Vanuatu MP allocation increased to VT5 million
Members of Parliament in Vanuatu will now receive a higher amount of funding to cater for their constituents. The MPs will now be entitled to an amount of VT5 million(US$41,544) as their MP Allocation fund. This is
