Opinion: Micronesia in the Headlines
The rise of China and its role in the region is driving U.S. “re-engagement” with the island Pacific. In the case of those Micronesian states who have Compacts of Free Association with the United States (COFA), the
Opinion: What can the Pacific learn from the EU Parliament vote against Norway’s decision to advance deep-sea mining
On February the 7th, the European Union (EU) Parliament voted against Norway’s recent decision to advance deep-sea mining in the Arctic by reaffirming its moratorium position and called for the European Commission and
Tackling nuclear legacies, 70 years after Bravo
On 1 March 1954, the US government exploded a thermonuclear weapon on Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, codenamed Bravo. The test had an explosive yield of nearly 15 megatons, a thousand times more powerful than the
Whose tune is sweetest in the Pacific game of musical chairs?
Soon after Australia signed the Falepili union agreement with Tuvalu at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in December, there was chatter that Nauru was next on the list for a similar deal with the Australians.
Briefs
American Samoa American Samoa’s government has passed a bill that will prohibit the use of polystyrene foam containers, with fines of up to US$1000 for its importing, sale, and use. In 2019, a bill was drafted to
Taiwan affirms close relations with Tuvalu
Taiwan maintains deep ties with Tuvalu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said, amid reports the Pacific Island nation may switch recognition to Beijing. Tuvalu Ambassador to Taiwan, Bikenibeu Paeniu recently told
The 2024 Pacific Forecast: A Turn for the Worse?
It’s 2024. Heading towards the halfway mark of this decade, the Pacific’s landscape is vastly different from four years ago, gripped in a steadily escalating set of challenges that may well define what the next
Analysis: Steps forward on Loss and Damage at COP28
When Fiji was hit by Cyclone Winston in 2015, it caused F$2 billion worth of loss and damage. The Fiji government’s official post-disaster assessment highlighted many adverse impacts. Nearly 40,000 people required
Opinion: What the U.S. should do better in its engagement with the Pacific
At the U.S. Institute of Peace’s Interorganisational Global Forum on security cooperation in the Pacific islands in September, the U.S. emphasised a ‘whole-of-government effort’ in engaging with the region that
What the Boy Child Brings Us – El Niño and Implications for the Pacific this Season
Pacific Island Countries are known to host some of the most memorable soirees during the festive season, but are also the most vulnerable to extreme climatic events during the same. El Niño (pronounced ‘el
Briefs
American Samoa American Samoa's new entry system for Samoan citizens went into effect on October 19. In September, the American Samoa Department of Legal Affairs proposed a change allowing Samoan citizens to travel to
