Pathway across the Pacific
For only the third time in the last 20 years, the Pacific Islands Forum has invoked the Biketawa Declaration to respond to the global coronavirus pandemic. Forum member governments have agreed to establish a Pacific
Surviving the tsunami: COVID-19 and Pacific economies
Papua New Guinea’s Treasurer, Ian Ling-Stuckey says his country has not had “an economic crisis of such complexity or magnitude since World War 2.” Samoa’s finance minister Sili Epa Tuioti calls it a “social
Dodging the digital divide
It will be two long months before Fijian children are back at school; classrooms are scheduled to reopen on June 15 Like them, children in many other Pacific nations and territories are learning at home, or taking
Region cooperating to get nationals home
Pacific Islands Forum members have heard nationals stranded in other member countries will be ‘treated fairly’ during their virtual meeting on a Pacific Humanitarian Pathway for COVID-19 this week. Tuvalu’s
PIF countries to cooperate on medical assistance, flights and shipping
Pacific Island Forum Leaders will establish a Pacific Humanitarian Pathway on COVID-19 which could see the expediting of medical assistance and customs clearance of medical supplies, and facilitating of diplomatic
A Humanitarian Corridor for the Pacific?
Reflecting the growing concern over the Coronavirus pandemic, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Tuvalu Prime Minister, Kausea Natano, invoked a few days ago the Biketawa Declaration, a security
Pacific children take centre stage
“It’s within our culture and religion to discipline our children physically, but sometimes we don’t know the line between discipline and abuse, so usually its confusing for us to find that line.” “Physical
Gaining credits for Kyoto
The global coronavirus pandemic has pushed climate change off the front pages, but the challenge of responding to the climate emergency has not disappeared. Global emissions of greenhouse gases will likely
‘CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS’ NEEDS ‘OUTSIDE THE BOX’ SOLUTION
For the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the disappointment of COP25 was that the conference attendees did not take its rallying cry for greater commitment: ‘climate change crisis’ – to heart. Recall the
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
Back to the drawing board
For the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), COP25 in Spain was viewed with great optimism and hope. A number of issues and developments contributed to that frame of mind. However, the Conference proved a disappointment. In the
