Page 4 - Islands Business February 2023

February Vol 49 No 2

CONTENTS

12 16 30 32

5 Editor’s Note from complacency to overaction, fatalism to
alarm, writes Rory Medcalf.
6 Briefs
24 Can Washington fund its Pacific pledges?
8 Whispers
“We have not been sufficiently engaged at
12 Education: PILNA identifies room for a critical time in the Pacific islands,” says
improvement Congressman Ed Case.
Regional survey finds teachers are suffering
high stress levels, and average numeracy 26 Opinion: Probing political analysis needed
scores have declined. for 2050 Strategy
28 Tide turns for West Papua
16 Calls for USP to return to glory days
Fijis’ deputy PM expect the University of The recent visit to Fiji by West Papuan
the South Pacific to exercise its academic freedom fighter, Benny Wenda, signals a
shift which may just end in a new member
freedom now that relations have been of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
restored with the incoming Fiji government.
30 Movers and Shakers
18 Fiji Police prepare for UNMISS
32 Honouring the water: Vanuatu’s water
19 Forum united, now to work drummers
The next Secretary General of the Pacific
Islands Forum says he will need to work hard 34 Palau organisations makes a small fund go
to push for more solidarity in the group. a long way

22 Countering China’s Pacific ambitions
The response to China’s desire for wealth,
control and presence in the Pacific has veered Cover image: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

American Samoa ............US$10.00 French Polynesia .............. CPF500 New Caledonia ................ CPF500 Samoa ............................T12.00
French Polynesia .............. CPF500
Australia ....................... AU$6.00
Australia ......................AU$10.00 Guam..........................US$10.00 New Caledonia ................ CPF500 Samoa ............................T10.00
Solomon Islands ............. SL$30.00
New Zealand .................NZ$10.00
Hawaii ......................... US$6.00
Cook Islands ................... NZ$6.00
Tonga .............................P10.00
CNMI ..........................US$10.00 Hawaii ........................US$10.00 New Zealand .................. NZ$6.00 Solomon Islands ............. SL$20.00
Niue ...........................NZ$10.00
Federated States of Micronesia ......
Kiribati ......................... AU$6.00
Tuvalu .........................AU$10.00
Cook Islands ..................NZ$10.00 Kiribati ........................AU$10.00 Niue ............................ NZ$6.00 Tonga .............................P10.00
Palau ..........................US$10.00
US$6.00
Marshall Islands .............. US$6.00
Vanuatu ........................ Vatu500
Papua New Guinea .............K15.00
FSM ............................US$10.00 Marshall Islands .............US$10.00 Palau ........................... US$6.00 Tuvalu .......................... AU$6.00
Nauru .......................... AU$6.00
Fiji Islands.......................F$4.35
Fiji Islands.......................F$8.00 Nauru .........................AU$10.00 Papua New Guinea .............K10.00 Vanuatu ........................ Vatu500
4 Islands Business, February 2023