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
Strengthening the Pacific’s nukes-free zone
A challenge for leaders in Rarotonga In August 1985, the Pacific Islands Forum held its annual summit in Cook Islands and adopted the Treaty of Rarotonga for a South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone (SPNFZ). Created at the
Water shocks impact the food chain
“We often think of buckets for food security. But in the Pacific, it means water security,” said Dave Hebblethwaite, the Pacific Community’s Water Security and Governance Coordinator. To illustrate his
Melanesian delegations meet in Rarotonga
As this week’s program kicks off in Rarotonga, member states of the Pacific Island Forum have held sub-regional caucuses, to prepare for the week’s wide-ranging agenda. Leaders and delegates from Melanesia,
Preaching partnership in the Pacific islands
As the Pacific Islands Forum holds its 52nd meeting in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, leaders are eager for international delegations to focus on Pacific agendas and priorities, exemplified by the 2050 Strategy for a Blue
Forum wants action on climate finance and Loss and Damage
RAROTONGA/PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM 2023: As the region faces an El Nino summer and Vanuatu reels from the devastation of Cyclone Lola – the third Category 5 cyclone to hit the nation in seven months – it’s no
Challenging times for regionalism in Rarotonga
Pacific Islands Forum 2023: Every September, the opening of the United Nations General Assembly provides an opportunity for presidents, prime ministers and heads of states to highlight their views on global challenges.
Christopher Luxon won’t attend Pacific Islands Forum in order to form government
New Zealand Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon will not attend next week’s Pacific Islands Forum because he will be busy forming the next Government. Luxon made the call during a media stand-up in Auckland today,
U.S. welcomes Pacific COP bid for Australia in 2026, confirms support for Resilience Facility
A long-running bid for global recognition of a Pacific-owned, initiated and led Resilience fund for disaster-proofing islands nations has received the nod from the United States and Australia. The Pacific Resilience
Albanese to urge Joe Biden to ‘step up’ in the Pacific
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will urge U.S. President Joe Biden to remain focused on the Indo-Pacific region as the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies. The prime minister flew out for Washington on
Youth at the heart of building resilience
Advocating for the availability of financial aid from the government has become one of the key strategies for Pacific youth working towards community resilience. Sotiana Sorovakatini of the Bua Urban Youth Group said
Forum to develop regional strategy on labour mobility
The annual meeting of Trade Ministers from the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji has agreed on the need to develop a regional strategy on labour mobility in the Pacific, citing the welfare of workers from Pacific Island
COP28: Boiling Point
It’s taken 70 years but some of the life is slowly coming back around Bikini atoll, ravaged by the United States’ nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands immediately after World War Two. For a team from the
Fukushima nuclear waste water issue to be a standing agenda item at next PALM meeting
As Japan will begin releasing a second batch of wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant Thursday, the issue is expected to be a standing agenda item between the Pacific and Japan at the Pacific Islands
Pacific island countries to hold second summit next week with Biden
Pacific island countries will meet next week with U.S. President Joe Biden for a second summit with his country, the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Henry Puna said on Monday. Puna made the announcement
Pacific to elevate talks with Japan on nuke waste water discharge
Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister says the Forum will elevate talks with Japan in regards to its nuclear waste water discharge into the Pacific Ocean. The decision was taken at the one-day Forum Foreign
Don’t capitulate to foreign interests, Puna tells Foreign Ministers
The Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum has sounded a strongly worded call for greater regionalism in the Pacific by urging Foreign Ministers of the 18-member Forum meeting in Fiji today, not to capitulate to
Pacific economies: driven to the brink of change
FANALEI. A 2-kilometre-wide island in the Solomon Islands. Once home to 500 people. Now, almost empty. The reason a young student and her peers are taking on the world. Just over 2000 kilometers away, a man in his
Pacific judiciaries ill-equipped against technology, says Judge
Rapid global advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies have left judiciaries in the Pacific outdated and ill-equipped to tackle emerging challenges, “particularly when it comes to dealing
Fukushima discharge expected to start Thursday, Pacific remains divided
Discharge of treated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Japan is expected to begin on Thursday, August 24, weather and sea conditions permitting. The Japanese government has asked the Tokyo
Opinion: ‘Strategic Manipulation’
Was it a faux pas? Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, Henry Puna has referred to the United States’ return to the region after 10 years of neglect with “the proliferation of regional strategies and
FEMM endorsed re-designed Pacific Resilience Facility
The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting later this year in Rarotonga is expected to adopt and approve the redesigned Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) after it was endorsed by the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting
