Washington nixes Guam and American Samoa’s bid for PIF membership
The federal government has poured cold water on Guam and American Samoa’s hopes of gaining membership of the Pacific Islands Forum, stating that U.S. territories are constitutionally restricted from representing
Briefs
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas A special committee has been formed to look into the unpaid utility bills of the government of the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, which has now ballooned to a whopping
Movers and Shakers
The Pacific Community (SPC) has appointed Elsie Fukofuka as its Regional Director, Polynesia, stationed at its regional office in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Tuvalu’s new Prime Minister, Feleti Teo has named key ministerial
Will Marshall Islands sign the TPNW nuclear ban treaty?
The two teams lined up face to face. Students from the College of Marshall Islands (CMI) and the Majuro campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) squared off in a mock debate: should the Marshall Islands sign
Study finds Pacific accounts for nine of the 10 most obese countries in the world, Cook Islands grapples with highest childhood obesity rates in the world
Study finds Pacific accounts for nine of the 10 most obese countries in the world New analysis published in the Lancet has found that Pacific island countries account for nine out of 10 of the top countries in the world
Dropouts declining, but education challenges remain
Analysis of 2021 data on student retention and attrition of students indicates that student dropouts are gradually decreasing in the region. Data collected by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and
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
Movers and Shakers
Si'alei Van Toor is New Zealand's new High Commissioner to Samoa. She is the first person of Samoan heritage to take up the role and is accredited as New Zealand's Consul-General to American Samoa. Elizabeth Genia
Fiji Business Briefs: Ministry name change, medicinal cannabis movement, Down to Earth deal
Name Change for Ministry of Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications The Ministry responsible for small businesses will have a name change, to acknowledge micro enterprises and their role in
Opinion: Health service coverage: Asia and the Pacific swap places
According to the World Health Organization, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) requires that all people receive the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health services they need and can afford.
Scaling up renewable energy in the Pacific
A rural electrification project launched in Fiji last month will take electricity to almost 200 households from renewable energy sources, with project lead, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) highlighting the increasing
