Coronavirus travel restrictions: a Pacific wrap

There have been no cases of coronavirus reported in the Pacific Islands region, although Australia and New Zealand have reported cases, and in the case of Australia, one death. However the Pacific region has responded

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Smart Aid Not More Aid

An honest and critical appraisal by donors, recipient nations and other stakeholders is critical if the region is to take advantage of every donor dollar and show growth that truly impacts Pacific people’s daily lives

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2020: The year for a PNG anti-corruption commission

The Chairman of Transparency International PNG, Peter Aitsi, expects the Marape government to establish an oft-promised anti-corruption commission to be set up by the end of 2020, paving the way for an improvement in

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Fiji mourns loss of retired UN diplomat

Fiji mourns a trail-blazing diplomat today. Ambassador Satya N Nandan died at his New York home on Tuesday. Nandan chaired the drafting of the United Nations Convention of the Sea that gave Fiji and other islands of the

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Building together: Civil society a key partner in delivering Pacific infrastructure

Building quality infrastructure in the Pacific means going beyond a narrow focus on hard assets, to thinking about the ways that new infrastructure, and accompanying services, will contribute to lasting development

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Israel’s President to meet Pacific leaders in Fiji next week

Pacific leaders will meet Israel’s President, Reuven Rivlin, in Fiji on 20 February, 2020. Israel’s Ambassador to the Pacific, Tibor Schlosser has told Pacnews that the visit builds on the deep relations Israel

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Making every dollar of development aid worthwhile

  By Sadhana Sen Is the Pacific an aid-dependent region making endless requests for development assistance but with little care for how effectively and successfully this aid is used? What should be done by Pacific

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Comparing China’s and Taiwan’s aid to the Pacific

In September 2019, after 36 years, Solomon Islands severed its diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) and established formal relations with the People’s Republic of China (China). A Solomon

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Pacific predictions: 2020

As we enter not only a new year but a new decade, there is much to anticipate in the Pacific islands region. Elections and domestic politics A number of countries in the region will have elections during 2020: Kiribati,

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Weather causes delays in Bougainville vote

From NETANI RIKA on Buka, Bougainville HEAVY rain and rough seas overnight have delayed the delivery of ballot boxes and voting officials to a number of small atolls off the Bougainville coast. Bougainville Referendum

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A good day for world peace

From NETANI RIKA on Buka, Bougainville THE first day of Bougainville’s referendum on independence has been described as a good day for world peace. Chief Referendum Officer, Mauricio Claudio, told a media conference

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Alcohol ban as poll begins

From NETANI RIKA on Buka, Bougainville A MONTH-LONG ban on alcohol sales and consumption remains in force as the autonomous region of Bougainville decides on its political future. Local police kept close watch over

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