Tonga domestic fibre optic cable may take year to replace
Tonga’s domestic telecommunications cable was torn apart by tremendous forces and deeply buried under volcanic debris on the ocean floor…and it may take up to a year to fix. Up to 110km of a special cable
UN experts sound alarm on serious West Papua abuses, call for urgent aid
UN human rights experts today expressed serious concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, citing shocking abuses against indigenous Papuans, including
“Our ocean is not a nuclear dumpster” – USP students call for a nuclear free Pacific
Hundreds of students at the University of the South Pacific in Suva rallied to remember nuclear survivors around the region on 1 March, the anniversary of the US Bravo nuclear test on Bikini Atoll. Marching through
U.S eyes Yap for regional defence plans
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a component of America’s homeland defence and Yap will play a role in the U.S. military repositioning in the region, according to FSM President David Panuelo. While there
Former PM Tuilaepa apologises in Samoa contempt of court case
Former Samoa Prime Minister apologises in contempt of court case Former Samoan Prime Minister and Leader of the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and deputy leader Lauofo Fonotoe Pierre
Pacific Elders call halt to seabed mining
Pacific Elders’ Voice (PEV) calls for a halt in seabed mining until “proper regulatory instruments can be put in place,” and recommends a regional expert body be created to provide expert advice to Pacific Island
Leadership and the Pacific Way
Will the leadership tussle within the Pacific Islands Forum be resolved using the Pacific Way? Dr Henry Ivarature looks back to a previous era to see if it offers lessons on the current impasse. Reports indicating
Moana Minerals secures Cook Islands exploration licence
Moana Minerals Limited has been awarded an exploration licence by the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority. The exploration license grants Moana with exclusive rights for a period of five years to explore for cobalt-
Pacific Islands Forum may represent region at G20
Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency will invite the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to represent small island countries at various G20 meetings in the leadup to the main event in Bali later this year. The Caribbean Community
USP will have ‘No Jab, No School’ policy
The University of the South Pacific (USP) has adopted a ‘No Jab, No School’ policy across the region for 2022. Manager of Public Relations and Communications under the Office of the Vice Chancellor and President of
44 parties to nominate candidates for PNG elections
Papua New Guinea Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission has confirmed that only 44 parties will field candidates in the elections. Registrar Dr Alphonse Gelu said the commission had de-registered 10
Millons lost during Solomon Islands lockdowns
Solomon Islands has lost millions of dollars in tax revenue as a result of the recent COVID-19 lockdowns imposed at the beginning of community transmission last month. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced the
Pacific Islands Forum Chair welcomes Micronesia position
The Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Acting Prime Minister of Fiji Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum says the temporary suspension of the FSM withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum will help the ongoing discussions towards a
The Pacific Islands become collateral damage on drug superhighway
(THE INTERPRETER) The illicit drugs trade in the Pacific Islands continues to evolve despite Covid-19 border closures. The seizure of more than 500 kilograms of cocaine in Papua New Guinea in 2020 demonstrated that the
Marshall Islands pushes back on ship registry criticism
A Marshall Islands ship registry official has pushed back at criticism a U.S organisation lobbed its way as part of the announcement that the United States government is going to launch an “open” ship registry. The
Anti-money laundering regulations in the Pacific – a double-edged sword
Across the world, new measures are being introduced to keep up with the increasingly sophisticated money laundering and terrorism-financing schemes. The compliance burdens of the anti-money laundering and
Solomon Islands: A weak nation ravaged by a health crisis
After riots in November last year devastated certain parts of Honiara and severely crippled the Solomon Islands’ economy, the capital has been ravaged in recent weeks by the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus. The
Pacific Islands Forum solidarity may survive yet
There has been a reprieve for Pacific regionalism and the unity of the Pacific Islands Forum. And U.S. Secretary of States, Antony Blinken who is currently in Fiji, has welcomed the decision of the Forum’s
COVID, climate, China, Compacts: Blinken’s Pacific agenda
A decade since the last visit of a U.S. Secretary of State to the Pacific Islands, the U.S. President’s chief foreign advisor, Antony Blinken visits Fiji briefly today in an effort to re-engage with Pacific
PNG election polling date moved to accomodate threat of COVID-19 surge: Sinai
The PNG election polling date has been moved forward to 18 June from 25 June, Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has announced. Sinai said this cut the campaign period to 52 days from 28 April to 18
Bad weather slows search for Fiji end of broken Tonga cable
Progress has been slow in the search for the Fiji end of Tonga’s submarine telecommunications cable – suspected to be broken in several places by the Tonga volcano eruption of last month. Bad weather and
PNG’s PM Marape tests positive for COVID-19 in Beijing, cancels France trip
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Beijing on Thursday for the opening of the Winter Games and will not be traveling to France this week for an Indo-Pacific
Local banker Smith is Westpac Fiji CEO
Westpac has announced the appointment of Shane Smith as its new Chief Executive for Fiji. “I’m honoured and humbled by the opportunity to lead this great business and build on the legacy of my predecessors.