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

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PNG ‘extremely frustrated’ over extradition request for Samson Jubi

A Papua New Guinea government minister and top justice officials say they are “extremely frustrated” with Australia for harbouring a Cairns resident wanted for one of the biggest alleged frauds in the

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Briefs

American Samoa American Samoa has received two federal grants for its criminal justice system. The Byrne Grant – totalling US$467,587 – is to aid court efforts and crime prevention programs within the territory. The

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Pacific to seek deferment of UN vote on Climate Justice

Vanuatu and its regional coalition partners will be seeking a deferral of the vote on the climate justice initiative to the end of 2022, to allow more time to lobby for a simple majority vote. This was conveyed by the

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Motion of no confidence over Kiribati’s treatment of judges

The Kiribati opposition is planning to bring a motion of no confidence in the Government of President Taneti Maamau. This follows the attempt to remove and deport Justice David Lambourne, the suspension of the Chief

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Samoa Opposition MPs reinstated to Parliament

The suspended Samoa opposition leader and his party secretary have been reinstated to Parliament. Samoa’s Opposition Human Rights Protection Party leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, and party secretary,

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Solomon Islands election delayed to 2024

The Solomon Islands parliament has voted to delay the country’s national elections to 2024, backing a push from Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare to postpone the poll until after the Pacific Games next year. The

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PNG facing downgrade, says Popoitai

Frustrated by the lack of prosecution of financially-motivated crime cases, Bank of PNG has warned that the country’s global standing and cost of banking could be affected as a result. Bank of Papua New Guinea acting

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West Papua: conflict continues, Indonesian soldiers arrested

Six Indonesian soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of killing and mutilating four indigenous Papuans. The soldiers are accused of luring their victims to a meeting with the promise of selling them weapons.

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Whispers

Kiribati’s constitutional crisis  Kiribati’s constitutional crisis over the status of high court judge David Lambourne continues. This month, the court of appeal ruled that government orders to deport Lambourne

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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

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Opinion: Putting the Case Forward for Pacific Integration

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders identified and discussed the various elements that could constitute the 2050 Strategy at their annual meeting in Funafuti, Tuvalu in August 2019. They then tasked the Pacific Islands

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