A project of the East-West Center and the Center for Pacific Islands Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

News Roundup

Pacific Islands News Roundup – Apr. 12-18, 2024

Political Leadership, Regionalism, Peace and Security

  • 53rd PIF Leaders Meeting theme unveiled in Tonga as US territories’ membership blocked (PMN)
  • New Caledonia activist warns of conflict over French voting rights amendments (RNZ)
  • Fiji and EU hold partnership dialogue, focus on climate, governance, and trade (Fiji One News)
  • Solomon Islands anticipates results after first-ever joint election (In-depth Solomons)
  • Tonga’s first anti-corruption commissioner focuses on balancing culture and integrity (RNZ)
  • New Zealand government weighs joining non-nuclear pillar of Aukus pact, sparking concerns (PMN)
  • American Samoa celebrates 124th Flag Day with showcase of tradition and culture (Samoa News)

People-Centered Development

  • WHO Western Pacific director prioritizes health systems, climate change in new role (Islands Business)
  • USDOE special education program director praises Pacific special education programs (Samoa News)
  • Micronesian Ministers for Women Conference focuses on gender equality, empowerment (SPC)
  • Human rights group calls for justice after suspected murder of gender diverse teen in Fiji (RNZ)
  • Guam’s Head Start program resolves deficiencies, receives US federal approval (KUAM News)
  • FFA and SPC organize GESI forum to address gender disparities in fisheries sector (Solomon Star)
  • Panels discuss human rights, health for Cook Islands Anuanua (LGBTQ+) community (Cook Islands News)
  • Port Vila school empowers deaf students with sign language initiative (Vanuatu Daily Post)
  • Samoa director general of health warns of potential dengue outbreak (Samoa Observer)

Climate Change and Disasters, Ocean and Environment

  • Pacific Islands government prepare for talks on revised Global Plastics Treaty (Pacific Island Times)
  • US DOI announces $3.8 million in technical assistance grants to US territories, FAS (MBJ)
  • Fiji’s Vunato dump site poses serious environmental and health concerns (Fiji Sun)
  • Exercise Tropic Twilight: NZDF to help Tonga increase resilience to natural disasters (Matangi Tonga)
  • Hawaiʻi AG’s Lahaina fire report shows lack of communication hindered response (Civil Beat)
  • Tonga coastal communities face water and food shortages two years after tsunami (RNZ)
  • New databases expand ocean finance, training access for Commonwealth countries (Samoa Observer)
  • 157 houses ‘significantly’ damaged from heavy flooding in Kauai county, Hawaiʻi (HNN)

Resources and Economic Development, Technology and Connectivity

  • ‘Improved prospects’: ADB projects economic growth for the Pacific (PMN)
  • US BEA: Guam’s economy grew 5.1% in 2022, reaching $5.42 billion in GDP (PDN)
  • Air Niugini to suspend weekly Brisbane-Palau route, citing low demand (Islands Business)
  • Palau president advocates nuclear energy for Palau despite anti-nuclear constitution (Island Times)
  • Fiji temporarily halts registrations amid backlog of seasonal worker applications (Fiji One News)
  • Bougainville government engages locals on Panguna mine reopening plans (RNZ)
  • Debate continues in Cook Islands over Tainted Cryptocurrency Recovery Bill (Cook Islands News)

The Pacific Islands Report (PIR) is a project of the Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) at the East-West Center and the Center for Pacific Islands Studies (CPIS) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

This non-exhaustive news roundup is organized with the thematic areas of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and its implementation plan.

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