Page 5 - IB April 2023

Managing Director / Publisher A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Netani Rika

Managing Editor
Samantha Magick In this issue of Islands Business, we ask what is next; for the Noumea Accord,
following Vanuatu’s successful ICJ climate change motion at the United Nations, for
Fiji’s economy, and for the World Trade Organization’s fisheries subsidies agreement.
Twenty-five years ago, the Noumea Accord was signed, creating new political
institutions, measures to address decades of disadvantage in rural and regional New
Caledonia, and laying out a 25-year decolonisation process centred around three
Designer
referendums. Nic Maclellan writes about the status of the accord in 2023, and next
Dick Lee
steps.
Port Vila early this month was the scene of celebratory scenes following the successful
Contributors
passage of a UN resolution asking the International Court of Justice to produce an
Andrew Irvin
opinion on States’ obligations relating to climate change. As Vishal Prasad, one of
Nic Maclellan
the former law students who helped conceive and campaign for the action says, the
Kite Pareti
real work begins now. Former Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Dame
Charley Piringi
Meg Taylor, has also stressed the importance of the submissions that the region makes
Rowena Singh
to the ICJ being of the highest quality. But let us take a moment to celebrate with
Kaliopate Tavola Vanuatu and the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and their partners,
Sera Tiktotikovatu-Sefeti the significance of getting to this stage.
This month, Fiji’s government called the first national economic summit in 16 years.
By the end of two days of discussions, it had collated a long list of suggestions and
requests from businesses, community organisations and other participants. Added
to the submissions its Fiscal Review Committee has been receiving and budget
submissions to come; it has thrown up some old grievances, some new ideas and
Islands Business is published monthly by potentially, a more inclusive model of economic planning. All eyes will be on the
Front Page Pte Limited
Editorial & Advertising Offices forthcoming national budget, and to what extent these ideas are reflected in the
GPO Box 12718, Suva, Fiji Islands. government’s economic plan.
Tel: +679 9719660 Also in this issue, we look at the workforce crisis amongst Pacific Island nurses, and
the (slow) progress of implementation of the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies
Emails
Editorial: editor@islandsbusiness.com agreement reached last year. As always, we welcome feedback and suggestions.
Subscriptions: subs@islandsbusiness.com
Advertising: marketing@islandsbusiness.com
Until next month,

Printing:
PrintHouse, Suva, Fiji.

editor@islandsbusiness.com
February 2022 FJD $8
www.islandsbusiness.com

TONGAN RESILIENCE
BLINKEN VISIT • PANGUNA
Copyright © 2023 Front Page Pte Limited.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced without the written permission of the
publisher.
www.islandsbusiness.com

Islands Business, April 2023 5