Severe drought and water crisis in Banaba
The Office of the President in Kiribati has today responded swiftly to desperate pleas for fresh water supplies from the people of Banaba. PACNEWS has established that a directive has come from the President’s Office
Foreign Ministers prepare for Forum leaders meeting
COVID, climate and oceans were high on the agenda, as foreign ministers and officials from around the region met online on 14 October, for the 2020 Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting (FFMM). This year’s ministerial
Pacific countries will access future COVID-19 vaccine through funding mechanism
Pacific island countries will be able to access a future COVID-19 vaccine through a new funding mechanism announced by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, at the Global Vaccine Summit last week. Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States
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
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
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
Tuvalu to declare state of emergency
Tuvalu looks set to declare a state of emergency due to the level of destruction caused by Tropical Cyclone Tino last week. A full assessment of the extent of damage is still unclear, however reports emerged as TC Tino
Small states push for climate change resolution at fisheries meet
By NETANI RIKA in Port Moresby THE world has gathered in Madrid, Spain to discuss the existential threat which climate change presents to the environment through rising temperatures and melting ice. Halfway across the
Climate change worry for Tuvalu tuna
By NETANI RIKA in Port Moresby CLIMATE change threatens Tuvalu’s national survival through direct impact on tuna stocks. The small atoll state told members of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission that
Tuvalu’s new PM is Kausea Natano
By Samisoni Pareti Tuvalu’s new prime minister Kausea Natano is expected to name a strong cabinet lineup after defeating the incumbent Enele Sopoaga in the election for the top job in the island parliament today.
Natano gets PM nomination
By Samisoni Pareti A career civil servant and now veteran politician has been nominated for the position of Prime Minister of Tuvalu. Kausea Natano’s nomination was lodged with the office of the
Forum marathon reveals tensions over climate policy
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu In a marathon leaders’ retreat that continued well into the night, with often heated debate, the Pacific Islands Forum has issued a joint communique and a new declaration on
Pacific leaders want action on West Papua human rights issues
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu Members of the Pacific Islands Forum have urged Indonesia to take action on human rights violations in West Papua, and strongly encouraged Jakarta to facilitate a long-mooted visit
PM Morrison denies being isolated as Forum ends
By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Funafuti After a marathon meeting, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have issued a communique and a climate change declaration with qualifications in Tuvalu Chairman of the Pacific
Pacific seeks partnerships in climate finance
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu. Most Forum island countries have already accessed funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the global climate finance mechanism created under the UN Framework Convention for
RMI’s Heine asks Australia to reconsider coal
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu As leaders gather in Tuvalu for the 50th Pacific Islands Forum, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine has criticised Australia’s reluctance to undertake a rapid transition
Fiji calls for sea-bed mining moratorium as Nautilus restructures
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has again called for a 10-year moratorium on sea-bed mining, at a time that many Pacific island nations are preparing for new frontiers of
Island leaders says new climate funds don’t let Australia off the hook
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti, Tuvalu As Prime Minister Scott Morrison heads to this week’s 50th Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu, Australia has announced that it will commit new climate funding to the Pacific. Morrison
Swimming in rising waters
By Nic Maclellan (Islands Business magazine) in Funafuti, Tuvalu As Pacific leaders and officials begin arriving for the 50th Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu, they’re greeted by Tuvaluan children waving flags. But the
Pacific islands ramp up engagement with United Nations
By Nic Maclellan (Islands Business magazine) in Funafuti, Tuvalu Under “the New Pacific Diplomacy”, Pacific island governments are looking to international arenas to advance their regional agenda. Following
Tuvalu prepares for Forum meeting
By Nic Maclellan in Funafuti A giant crane hoists the flagpoles into place outside Funafuti’s Sir Tomasi Puapua Convention Centre. Four go up, with another fourteen to go. Tuvalu is getting ready to host the 18 member