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
Pacific Islands Forum
‘Talanoa’ key to Forum’s seabed mining approach
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, the Pacific Islands Forum outgoing chair, told the media in May that one of the outcomes of the Leaders meeting in Rarotonga last year on the issue was a “talanoa” (a Pacific
Forum welcomes appointment of Deputy Secretary General, Desna Solofa
The Pacific Islands Forum has announced the appointment of Desna Solofa as the Deputy Secretary General – Governance, effective 24 June 2024. Solofa joins the Forum from the Government of Samoa, where she was the
Indonesian President Widodo keen to step up cooperation with Fiji
Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) pushed for the intensification of mutually beneficial cooperation between Indonesia and Fiji during a bilateral meeting with the President of Fiji, Williame Maivalili
Washington nixes Guam and American Samoa’s bid for PIF membership
The federal government has poured cold water on Guam and American Samoa’s hopes of gaining membership of the Pacific Islands Forum, stating that U.S. territories are constitutionally restricted from representing
Tonga to build 200 prefab houses for PIF leaders meeting as accommodation falls short
The Tongan Government plans to build 200 houses for the Pacific Forum leaders meeting in August, as accommodation falls short, the Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku told a media in Nuku’alofa. Tonga will host
Forget the past, says Puna
“I don’t want to live in the past and I’m sure the leaders don’t want to live in the past. We’ve moved on from that and we want to move forward,” said outgoing Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum
Negotiations at COP28 hit roadblock as fossil fuel phase-out language faces opposition
On the last day of negotiations at COP28, Karlos Moresi Lee, the Pacific Islands Forum Programme Adviser for Resilient Development Finance, discussed the challenges faced by negotiators from the Alliance of Small Island
Forum SG Puna support change of COP format for amplified youth voices
Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna has called for a full revamp of the format and structure of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP). Puna emphasised the urgent need to bring
Pacific Resilience Facility set to launch in 2025: Forum Chair Brown
Cook Islands Prime Minister and Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Mark Brown has announced at the COP28 side event in Dubai that the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) is scheduled to commence operations by 2025. Brown
Milestone COP28 side event calls for urgent global action on 1.5°C goal
Pacific Islands Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister, Mark Brown has highlighted the nature of the 1.5°C target, emphasising the commitment required to uphold the 2015 Paris Agreement. The COP28 meeting in Dubai
Opinion: Can the Commonwealth save paradise?
As Foreign Minister of Ghana, I do get around a fair bit. Often, I’m immersed in briefing papers on flights, with little to no time for looking out the window to take in the aerial sights on the approach to
Science points to ‘climate collapse’ as UN chief calls COP28 to action
The world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, new climate data shows, and leaders gathered for the COP28 conference which opened in Dubai on Thursday must get us out of “deep trouble”, UN Chief António Guterres
Cook Islands PM happy with Pacific Islands Forum meeting success
Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is happy with the outcome of the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting. “I am very happy with our outcomes as leaders. Of course, there are a number of
Forum outcomes cover environment, security and gender
Meeting in Cook Islands, Pacific Islands Forum leaders confirmed former President of Nauru Baron Waqa as the next Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, taking over from Henry Puna in 2024. A major focus of the
Forum leaders appointed Baron Waqa as next Forum Secretary General, endorse the 2050 Strategy
Pacific Islands Forum leaders have reaffirmed the decision taken under the Suva Agreement with the appointment of former president of Nauru Baron Waqa as the next Secretary General. This was announced by Forum Chairman
Fiji PM disappointed with Nauru President for not turning up at the Leaders retreat in Aitutaki
Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has expressed disappointment at Nauru’s President David Adeang failure to attend the Leaders retreat in Aitutaki today. Adeang walked out of the Forum Leaders Plenary Wednesday
Niue’s Premier says complete phase out of fossil fuels ‘very hard’
Niue has nearly exhausted its climate mitigation options and its focus now is on adaptation, the island’s Premier Dalton Tagelagi says. Tagelagi told RNZ Pacific that Niue’s contribution to global warming is
Suva Agreement called into question after Nauru walkout of the Forum Leaders Meeting
The validity of the Suva Agreement has been thrown into question after Nauru’s President walked out of the Forum Leaders plenary in Cook Islands capital, Rarotonga Wednesday when incoming Secretary General’s
PM Albanese says Pacific backs Australian climate policy with ‘very positive’ feedback
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he’s had “nothing but positive feedback” about his country’s climate change policies as the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is expected to test his
PIFLM: Nauru President walks out of meeting, Micronesia will continue to support Waqa
Nauru’s President David Adeang and his delegation walked out of the Pacific Islands Forum plenary meeting Wednesday as questions are raised about the appointment of former President Baron Waqa to take over in 2024
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
MSG meeting in Rarotonga appoints special envoy on West Papua
Meeting in Rarotonga in the lead up to the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) has agreed to appoint a special envoy to engage in talks with Indonesia on the issue of West Papua. Following a