Briefs
American Samoa American Samoa's Senate has passed a bill that will increase fees paid to jurors for the first time in 44 years. The bill acknowledges the “important role in the criminal legal system” jurors play and
World Bank approves $68 million cross-border bank lifeline for remote Pacific Islands
The World Bank’s board has approved a US$68 million programme to prevent Pacific Island nations from being cut off from the international financial system that underpins tourism, trade and aid flows, the
French Polynesia’s Moetai Brotherson on New Caledonia, deep sea mining and regional ties
As French diplomats worked the corridors at last week’s 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Nuku’alofa, President of French Polynesia Moetai Brotherson has criticised decisions taken by President Emmanuel Macron that have
Kurt Campbell pledges support for Forum, as US mobilises across the north Pacific
“Across the board, if you look at the nature of our step up in every arena, it is unmistakable, it is fulsome, it is deliberate and it will continue.” `-Kurt Campbell As Pacific leaders gather in the Kingdom of
Opinion: Travel recovery in the Pacific: worrying signs
As the pandemic recedes and gradually fades from people’s memories, travel in the Pacific is rebounding. However, the Pacific’s travel recovery is highly variable. Comparing visitor arrivals in 2023 with those in
Opinion: As Western banks leave the Pacific, a new player emerges
Australian banks are gradually withdrawing from the Pacific Islands, leaving the region at risk of being totally disconnected from the global banking system. Bendigo Bank is exiting Nauru, while Westpac has floated
Whispers
Trump, the Russians, and then there’s China Australia continues to tread cautiously amid heightened security worries, both in the Pacific and domestically. Addressing a public policy think tank, Pacific Minister Pat
Pacific ports at a crossroads
Enhancing climate resilience and cybersecurity The Pacific region stands at a pivotal point in its quest to strengthen maritime infrastructure against climate change and bolster cybersecurity measures. As rising sea
Movers and Shakers
New Zealand’s first female Professor of Law of Pacific origin, and a former Supreme Court Justice from Samoa, Professor Tafaoimalo Tologata Leilani Tuala-Warren, has been appointed to lead the Te Piringa Faculty of
Vanuatu to bid for 2031 Pacific Games
Vanuatu plans to bid to host the 2031 Pacific Games in Port Vila, with a proposal expected by the end of the year. A high-profile government delegation is expected to travel to Palau to formally submit the bid, aiming
Economic diplomacy: Banking on the Pacific
Rebuilding regional banking is unlikely to pay dividends without an underlying business revival. Australia’s oldest bank changed its name from the Bank of New South Wales to Westpac in 1982, reflecting apparent
