Opinion: Bougainville in Transition
It is now 35 years since the Bougainville crisis erupted and 23 years after it officially ended through the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement in August 2001. Children in Primary school in 1989 are now in their
Opinion: Free(r) movement at the Forum
The annual Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) always has a wide-ranging agenda. This year the FEMM, which was held at the start of August in Suva, endorsed the now-finalised but yet-to-be-released
Fiji reinstated to World Rugby Council after governance overhaul
World Rugby has reinstated Fiji to the World Rugby Council, effective immediately. This decision comes after the Executive Board approved the recommendation from the Fiji Oversight Committee, following the adoption of a
Forum Troika set for high-stakes New Caledonia mission
Incumbent Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has confirmed that a high-level Troika delegation will visit New Caledonia before the end of August. The mission, which has received
Economic diplomacy: Banking on the Pacific
Rebuilding regional banking is unlikely to pay dividends without an underlying business revival. Australia’s oldest bank changed its name from the Bank of New South Wales to Westpac in 1982, reflecting apparent
Pacific Heads of Maritime Forces meet in Tonga, sharing knowledge for security
The South West Pacific Heads of Maritime Forces (SWPHMF) met Wednesday in an exclusive meeting in Nuku’alofa, held at the Leadership Centre, Masefield Naval Base. “This meeting is a chance for the heads of
PM Salwai reaffirms Government’s commitment to resolving Air Vanuatu’s future
Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the future of Air Vanuatu and its employees on Independence Day, acknowledging the challenges and criticism along the way. He
Vanuatu official calls for prioritising children’s welfare
Children must be at the centre of labour mobility policies. Arthur Faerua, Director General (DG) of Vanuatu’s Ministry of Justice and Community Services (MoJCS) stressed this when stakeholders from Fiji, Samoa,
Fiji, PNG fail to secure UN human rights mission to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces
No progress has been made in sending a UN human rights mission to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces despite the appointment of Fiji and Papua New Guinea’s prime ministers to negotiate the visit. Pacific Island leaders
Fiji replaces Vanuatu as top PALM sending country
The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has been transformed over the last five years. In June 2019, there were 5,886 PALM visa holders in Australia. Five years later, in May 2024, there were 32,513, an
Air Niugini’s Boeing 737 resume flights to Melanesian countries
Air Niugini’s Boeing 737 aircraft will resume flights to Port Vila in Vanuatu from 03 August. Air Niugini’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Gary Seddon said that this would provide an opportunity to reconnect
