Pacific Islands News Roundup – Mar. 29 - Apr. 4, 2024

Political Leadership, Regionalism, Peace and Security

• French Senate passes electoral rule changes for New Caledonia (RNZ)

• Bougainville police chief pushes for youth engagement amid clashes (RNZ)

• Appeal case involving former Fiji PM called before acting Chief Justice (FBC News)

• FSM Congress seats three new senators, upholds court ruling (Kaselehlie Press)

• Japan grants over $6M for RMI Sea Patrol headquarters project (Marshall Islands Journal)

• China’s premier meets Nauruan president amid growing diplomatic ties (PACNEWS)

• Pacific Islands Forum emphasizes engagement during Palau visit (Island Times)

• Amendments to Niue’s constitution move forward after first readings (RNZ)

• Tonga awaits King’s next move after PM apologizes at Vava’u meeting (ABC News)

• Australia commits additional $20M for Samoa’s CHOGM preparation (Samoa Observer)

People-Centered Development

• Solomon Islanders trained for Australian meat industry under PALM scheme (IDS)

• Vanuatu hosts inaugural Women in Fisheries Forum (Vanuatu Daily Post)

• Lau Education Charitable Trust provides school supplies to 50 schools (Fiji Village)

• PNG faces escalating HIV cases: estimated 18 new infections daily (Inside PNG)

• Solomon Islands prepares for 2024 joint election (Solomon Star)

• US data to recognize ‘Native Chamorros’ as separate ethnic group (KUAM News)

• Guam implements 18 percent pay raise for nurses (Pacific Island Times)

• Palauan youth embrace fishing traditions at Uchul A Chei Fishers camp (Island Times)

• Hawai?i’s newest transitional home opens with aquaponics system (HNN)

• Hawai?i faces shortage of ASL interpreters (Civil Beat)

Climate Change and Disasters, Ocean and Environment

• Pacific Islands and US renew historic tuna treaty for 2024 (FFA)

• AOSIS chair advocates for Multidimensional Vulnerability Index at UN (PACNEWS)

• Pacific Indigenous leaders call for legal recognition of whales as persons (Te Ao Māori)

• PNG PM assesses flood disaster in Simbu, over 140,000 people affected (Loop PNG)

• Indigenous leaders gather for regional forum in Fiji (Te Ao Māori)

• Extreme drought conditions in parts of Micronesia subregion (RNZ)

• American Samoa faces dual threat: sinking land and sea level rise (Samoa News)

• Tuvalu’s water security at risk due to coastal inundation from sea level rise (SPREP)

• US Navy acknowledges flawed Pearl Harbor water testing (Civil Beat)

• American Samoa designates coral reefs as critical infrastructure (Samoa News)

Resources and Economic Development, Technology and Connectivity

• Australian, Pacific cocoa: Mapping unique flavors for global market (ABC News)

• Signing of ‘nickel pact’ for New Caledonia industry delayed (RNZ)

• Global kava cultivation threatens Vanuatu’s export market (Vanuatu Daily Post)

• Vanuatu’s solar power proposal sparks debate (Vanuatu Daily Post)

• Palau cyberattack paralyzes financial system (Islands Business)

• Guam governor urges US visa waiver for travelers from Philippines (Guam PDN)

• CNMI CUC board expresses concern over ‘solar for all’ program (Marianas Variety)

• US federal approval secured for Hawai’i digital equity plan (Maui Now)

• Honolulu permitting department modernizes with new software (HPR)

• American Samoa to receive $2.1M for high-speed Internet access (Samoa 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 Hawai?i 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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