Why Western Central Pacific Ocean Tuna Fisheries’ certification is under threat
Approximately half of the world’s tuna catch comes from the Western Central Pacific Ocean. However, the long-term sustainability of these important stocks could be at risk if governments cannot agree joint strategies
Opinion: The “polycrisis” and global devt finance: options and dilemmas
With a worsening hunger crisis spurred by food and fuel inflation, war in Europe, slowing global growth and rising debt distress, ongoing COVID-related supply chain disruptions, an unfolding climate change reckoning,
Small island, big ocean: Niue makes its entire EEZ a marine park
When Niueans are babies, their parents traditionally take them down to the seashore and throw them in the water so they learn to swim, Mona Ainu’u told Mongabay. That’s more important in Niue than most places. The
Blandness Debilitates Regionalism
It has been a bugbear for me for some time. However, over the years, I have learned that I was not the only one being stressed by this. Others, many in fact, have been equally perturbed by this tendency for the Pacific
Opinion: Bribe or gift … which one is it?
Much has been written and even more has been talked about on the “coconut wireless” in recent years about attempted bribes and other forms of corruption throughout these islands. Money and all-expenses-paid trips to
Where the buck stops: aid in Fiji
In the most aid-dependent region in the world, Fiji ranks consistently among the Pacific’s top five recipients of development financing. According to the newly released 2022 edition of the Lowy Institute Pacific Aid
Overcoming suspicion: reconciliation for Australia and Bougainville
The angry reaction to Richard Marles’ comments should be a warning to Canberra about the need to settle past grievances. During a visit to Papua New Guinea earlier this month by Australia’s Deputy Prime
Opinion: Labor reduces but does not eliminate Coalition aid cuts
This year’s aid budget (2022-23) has been increased from $4.55 billion under the Coalition to $4.65 billion under Labor. There are bigger increases in the forward estimate years (2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26),
Opinion: The Pacific, emerging from COVID, slowly
The impact of COVID-19 on the economies of the Pacific island region has been much more severe than on any other region or group of countries. The Pacific contracted by 5.4% between 2019 and 2021; other regions or
An Australian-funded safe ferries program would save lives in the Pacific
Marine safety and sea transport are major concerns for the Pacific Islands region. The island states have a high level of dependence on inter-island transport for the movement of both goods and people. All Pacific
Real partnership with Solomon Islands must be based on truth
Last week, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Australia’s Anthony Albanese met in Canberra for the first time, less than a month after Australia offered to fund Solomon Islands’ elections to avoid
An ominous warning for PNG
Papua New Guinea: “When we don’t have any of these copper and gold mines anymore, where are we headed?” This quote is by Jerry Garry, Managing Director of PNG’s Mineral Resources Authority (MRA). According to Mr
Opinion: High-stakes drama in Marshall Islands or just another day at the office?
A word of free advice: if you’re going to try to bribe legislators to create a special zone to attract at best suspicious investment, don’t do it as an officer of a non-governmental organisation you formed in the
Opinion: A new climate for Australian aid
Australia has just been found to have failed to adequately protect the rights of Torres Strait Islanders from the impacts of climate change. In a landmark ruling, the UN Human Rights Committee heard arguments from
Opinion: More of the same is not the answer to building influence in the Pacific
Following almost a decade of geopolitically driven “stepping up”, ‘uplifting’, ‘resetting’, and “stepping up across the board”, it appears that Western governments believe more of the same will achieve
Opinion: Bougainville signals tough line on independence
In the last 100 years we have had to endure hardships from oppressive regimes who sought to take away our resources, our rights and even our lives. Our struggle for independence has been a long one. In 2019, a
Fiji 2022 Elections: crucial for the Pacific
Fiji soon goes to the polls for the 2022 General Elections. There are two major candidates vying for Prime Ministership, both former coup leaders. Sitiveni Rabuka (Peoples’ Alliance Party) who did the country’s
Pacific Regionalism and Astronomy
The ‘2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent’ was launched at the 51st Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting held in Suva on 11-14 July 2022. At the welcoming ceremony, Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Chair, PM
Opinion: The RSE scheme – raising standards to change the narrative
The annual Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) conference, this year held in Wellington under the banner ‘Voices of the Pacific’ (27-29 July), was likely the largest RSE conference to date. Over 400 attendees –
Opinion: Shifting the dial on child malnutrition in the Pacific and Timor-Leste
As donors seeking to support development impact in the Pacific, the Australian government cannot afford to ignore the challenge of child undernutrition and its deep and long-lasting impacts on the Pacific region’s
Opinion: Assessing Remittances Potential to Build Climate Resilience in the Pacific
While contributing very little to global warming, Pacific Island nations are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, already experiencing extreme climate-induced disasters such as tropical cyclones.
Opinion: The Pacific Labour Scheme and the Royal Commission into Aged Care
In Suva, new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took a smiling selfie with Fijian aged care workers, who are preparing to come to Australia to look after our elderly in a new pilot program. Raising the standard of aged
Opinion: The Pacific Islands Forum’s Forgotten Pacific Islanders
No one disputes that a central objective of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is to improve and enhance the broad socio-economic and political development of Pacific Island peoples and address any and all factors