India to apply for licences to scout Pacific Ocean for critical minerals

India will apply for licences to explore for deep-sea minerals in the Pacific Ocean as it competes to secure supplies of minerals critical for energy transition technologies, a top government scientist said.  The

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Whispers

Seabed issue turning into hotbedSeabed mining continues to divide the region as the International Seabed Authority prepares to meet in Jamaica at the end of July. Hawai‘i has just passed a law banning seabed mining in

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Waqa takes the wheel at the Forum

Nearing the end of his term as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna travelled to Rarotonga in May and was feted by Mark Brown, Prime Minister of Cook Islands and the current Forum Chair. As the

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“The Spirit of Do Kamo”: church youth delegates meet in New Caledonia

As the bus traverses the Col des rousettes – a pass through New Caledonia’s central mountain chain – the guitars come out. Heading towards the east coast town of Waa wi Lûû (Houaïlou), the bus resonates to

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Moetai Brotherson at the Forum: “We all share this Moana Nui a Hiva”

For Moetai Brotherson, the newly elected President of French Polynesia, this week’s Pacific Islands Forum is a time to share ideas with the leaders of state from neighbouring island nations. “It’s necessary to

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Challenging times for regionalism in Rarotonga

Pacific Islands Forum 2023: Every September, the opening of the United Nations General Assembly provides an opportunity for presidents, prime ministers and heads of states to highlight their views on global challenges.

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The science we need for the ocean we want

Ocean scientists, technical experts, policymakers, donor agencies, traditional knowledge holders, and young people gathered at the Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Ocean Management in Fiji last

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Vanuatu’s National Ocean Policy addresses some outstanding ocean related territorial disputes

The government of Vanuatu hopes the long-standing joint submission with Fiji and Solomon Islands to extend their outer limits of the continental shelf in the North Fiji Basin will be resolved soon. In 2009, the three

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Nautilus to return to PNG

Papua New Guinea Mining Minister Sir Ano Pala told Parliament Nautilus was coming back to Papua New Guinea but under a different entity to operate as they had three exploration licenses still valid. Sir Ano said the

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We Say: Fukushima issue shows Pacific Islands Forum cracks

Since 2021, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has been engaged in slow but steady diplomacy to delay and ultimately halt the planned ocean dumping of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear

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Independence party wins French Polynesia elections

Moetai Brotherson is the new President of French Polynesia, after the stunning electoral victory of the independence party Tavini Huira’atira no Te Ao Mao’hi in elections for the Assembly of French Polynesia. Voters

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Opinion: Strengthening Pacific regionalism for robust globalisation

Pacific Islands Forum leaders "renewed their collective support for the ‘Leaders’ Commitments to 2050" as articulated in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent when they met in Nadi in February. They also

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