More China aid likely: Qian Bo

There is likely to be more China aid inbound to Samoa following a meeting on Monday between China’s Special Envoy for Pacific Island Countries Affairs and Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. In a press briefing

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We cannot be complacent: Dr Manoni

“Addressing and preventing violence in all its forms against any individual – men, women, girls, boys, and communities is critical for development,” says Pacific Islands Forum, Deputy Secretary General, Dr Filimon

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Considering the possible impacts of deep sea mining in the Cook Islands

In the recent Parliament opening, King’s Representative Sir Tom Masters spoke of the Cook Islands’ desire to develop a sustainable and environmentally responsible seabed minerals sector. This week, also in

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Biden backs plan to restore benefits for COFA migrants

U.S. President Joe Biden has endorsed legislation sponsored by Hawaii’s congressional delegation to restore access to federal benefits for tens of thousands of Micronesian migrants living in the U.S. legally under the

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2023 Pacific Games countdown

The Pacific Games is being held in Solomon Islands for the first time ever this year, and will welcome a new wave of talented athletes, and the return of Pacific veterans. In weightlifting, champions Dika Toua, Morea

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More Pacific NRL stars opt to play for their homelands

With this year’s National Rugby League (NRL) season now up and running, the prevalence of Pacific players in the tournament is again obvious to see. All NRL teams now feature stars with Pacific heritage –

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Tourism is a vital sector of Vanuatu’s economy: Seremaiah

Vanuatu’s Minister of Tourism, Trade, Commerce and Ni-Vanuatu Business, Matai Seremaiah, has welcomed the reinstatement of Virgin Australia Airline’s scheduled services to Vanuatu after its last flight on 15

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Deep-sea mining meeting closes without consensus

As meetings to oversee deep-sea mining on the high seas draw to a close, it remains unclear whether regulators will allow it to commence in the near future. At the 07-31 March meetings in Kingston, Jamaica, of the

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EU highlights commitment to improving regional trade at Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry

Nadi, Fiji The EU SAFE Pacific (Safe Agricultural Trade and Facilitation through Economic Integration) project played an integral role in the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF) held from 6 – 10 March in

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Correspondent bank danger persists

The loss of correspondent banking services, limited financial inclusion, a potential increase in non-performing loans and difficulty accessing credit are amongst the challenges the financial sector in the Pacific

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Banking: A regional overview

At the end of 2022, the Papua New Guinea government signalled its intent to set up a state-owned commercial bank, and take a government seat on the board of Bank South Pacific. The plan has been criticised given the

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Growing insurance in the Pacific

A vibrant ‘insurance movement’ is “disrupting the historical status quo of insurance coverage access being largely confined to medium to high income urbanites,” says the General Secretary of the United Nations

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