Pacific-led talks delivered a declaration and new resilience pledges, while exposing the political and financial challenges facing next month’s summit in Türkiye. The Pacific Pre-COP concluded in Fiji on Oct. 8 with new resilience funding pledges and a shared call to accelerate emissions reductions, improve access to climate finance, and
Ahead of next week’s Pacific Islands Forum, Canberra has assembled an increasingly dense network of defence and security agreements across the region. The question is whether Pacific governments can shape that architecture around their own priorities of sovereignty, resilience and shared prosperity. Australia is rapidly reshaping the security map of
A sweeping move by U.S. President Donald Trump to reopen vast stretches of previously protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing has reignited a fierce debate over marine conservation, economic development, and the rights of Pacific communities whose cultural and ecological futures are deeply intertwined with the ocean. The new proclamation
WELLINGTON — New Zealand’s capital has once again been pushed into a state of emergency after record-breaking rainfall triggered flash flooding, landslides, and widespread disruption—reviving a pattern that has defined the city’s relationship with extreme weather for decades. In less than an hour, Wellington was hit with an unprecedented burst
Wellington moves to turn deep science into economic muscle WELLINGTON — In a modest line item with outsized ambition, the New Zealand government has committed NZ $1.35 million to chart a national pathway into quantum and photonic technologies. The goal is not abstract discovery alone, but something more pragmatic and
APIA, Samoa — Provisional results from Samoa’s snap election point to a sweeping victory for La’auli Leuatea Schmidt and his FAST party, placing him on the brink of becoming the nation’s next prime minister. The caretaker leader, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, suffered a resounding defeat after forming a new political party
NATADOLA, Fiji — Pacific nations have taken another step toward strengthening regional cooperation with the launch of the Pacific Interparliamentary Assembly (PIPA), a new institution designed to formalize dialogue among parliaments and create a stronger legislative voice for the region on the global stage. Previously operating as the Pacific Islands
APIA, Samoa – August 2025: On August 29, Samoans will cast their votes in a snap general election, a contest that has become a referendum on the country’s ability to navigate overlapping crises. A collapse of Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa’s government earlier this year set the stage for the
