MSG Secretariat looks to China

The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat is considering engaging China for cooperation on security, its secretariat says. Following a meeting between the Chinese Special Envoy to the Pacific, Qian Bo and the

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US$50 million Vanuatu twin cyclone disaster cost

The initial estimate of the recovery cost following Vanuatu’s twin cyclone disaster is estimated at six billion vatu (US$50 million). Cyclones Judy and Kevin caused extensive damage and plunged parts of Vanuatu

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Australia and NZ sending cyclone relief to Vanuatu

Australia and New Zealand are sending humanitarian supplies to Vanuatu after the nation was hit by two cyclones within days of each other. Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the departure of a Royal New

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Honouring the water: Vanuatu’s water drummers

In the land where there are hundreds of indigenous languages, one stands out, the unique language of women’s water drumming, or Ëtëtung.  Sandy Sur, manager of the Leweton Culture Village & Magical Water

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Cyclone Judy lashes Vanuatu as residents hunker down

Residents of Vanuatu are hunkering down as a cyclone barrels through the Pacific island nation. Authorities said there were power outages in some areas and many fallen trees and branches, but it was too early to assess

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Vanuatu braces for impending Category 3 cyclone

Vanuatu is bracing for the impact of a Category 2 cyclone, which is expected to intensify to a Category 3 over the course of this week. This was confirmed by Anthony Wong, the Weather Forecaster at the Vanuatu

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Free Visa access to New Caledonia soon

Vanuatu and New Caledonia are expected to reach a visa waiver agreement soon. This news comes after a meeting between Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

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Tuna cannery still in the pipeline in Vanuatu

The outgoing Director General (DG) of Vanuatu’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity (MALFFB), Moses Amos, has confirmed that the management of Sino-Van plans to set up a small

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Australia to build Vanuatu’s national security centre

Australia will build a new national security hub for Vanuatu and beef up its economic support for the Pacific island nation’s key sectors. In a joint statement released after a meeting in Canberra, Vanuatu Prime

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MSG responds to “misrepresentation”

The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat says there are no Indonesians recruited at the Secretariat, nor has it made any decision nor an official announcement to this effect. The Secretariat has 30 positions on

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Accepting Indonesia into MSG was a mistake: Natuman

Former Vanuatu Prime Minister Joe Natuman says allowing Indonesia, by former Prime Minister Sato Kilman into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) was a mistake. “We (Melanesians) have a moral obligation to support

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Vanuatu regulates cultivation of cannabis and hemp

The regulations for the importation, cultivation, processing and export of medical cannabis and industrial hemp in Vanuatu were officially signed Wednesday. A person or business wanting to legally cultivate cannabis and

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