InDepth with Greg Casagrande
South Pacific Business Development founder, Greg Casagrande is a “serial social entrepreneur”, founding not only the SPBD microfinance network 20 years ago, but also MicroDreams, a microfinance acceleration fund,
Customs revenue badly hit by COVID
The decline in revenue collections for governments through its border agencies was a major topic of discussion at the Oceania Customs Organisation’s 22nd Annual Conference, held virtually for the first time in its
Cook Islands opens seabed minerals exploration
Companies interested in conducting seabed minerals exploration work in Cook Islands have until December to put in their Expressions of Interest. This was announced by Prime Minister Mark Brown in an elaborate ceremony
Solomon Airlines struggles amid prolonged COVID-19 impact
The need to survive and keep a national asset afloat is taking a heavy toll on Solomon Airlines. In an open letter to stakeholders this week, Solomon Airlines CEO Brett Gebers outlined a number of measures the
Foreign Ministers prepare for Forum leaders meeting
COVID, climate and oceans were high on the agenda, as foreign ministers and officials from around the region met online on 14 October, for the 2020 Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting (FFMM). This year’s ministerial
FNU – 10 Years Old, 130 Years Young
Although it was formally established in 2010, Fiji National University (FNU) has a long and colourful history of relevant education dating back to the origins of its component Colleges through institutions that were
New Caledonia: “Our accession to sovereignty is inevitable.”
On Sunday, long-term residents in New Caledonia will go to the polls, to vote in a referendum on the political status of the French Pacific dependency. For New Caledonia’s independence movement, it’s just one more
New Caledonia: “Our accession to sovereignty is inevitable.”
On Sunday, long-term residents in New Caledonia will go to the polls, to vote in a referendum on the political status of the French Pacific dependency. For New Caledonia’s independence movement, it’s just one more
The triple challenges of the Blue Pacific: battling a health, economic and climate crisis through regional solidarity
Current global forecasts envision a 5.2% contraction of the global economy in 2020 – the deepest global recession in decades. Triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, this recession will have long term impacts on economies
Hope on labour mobility
There’s good news for Vanuatu’s seasonal workers this week with the announcement that 170 workers will be able to go to Australia for the mango season. The workers will go to the Northern Territory in a pilot
Yachtie calls on Aust, NZ to set up Blue Lanes
The skipper of a yacht that has just been cleared under Fiji’s ‘Blue Lane’ program says Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific island nations should follow Fiji’s lead and create an easy pathway for yachts to
