Pacific Islands News Roundup – Oct. 25-31, 2024

Political Leadership, Regionalism, Peace and Security

• Pacific leaders complete fact-finding mission to New Caledonia (PMN)?

• “We are all Pacific islanders, even if New Caledonia is French” (Islands Business)?

• Samoa welcomes King Charles and Queen Camilla for CHOGM (Fiji Sun)?

• Kiribati elects pro-China President for a third term (PMN)?

• Another woman takes Commonwealth secretary-general role (Samoa Observer)?

• Commonwealth leaders agree ‘time has come’ for talks on legacy of slavery (ABC Australia)?

• Voting on Fiji president: PM, AG highlight need for constitutional changes (Fiji Times)?

• Pacific Policing Initiative steps up at CHOGM 2024 (Vanuatu Daily Post)?

• Voiceless Guam feels ‘injustice’ of US presidential non-vote (PACNEWS/Benar News)?

• Marshall Islands President meets with US military leaders, honored by East-West Center (HNN)?

• Chinese warships’ stopover in Port Vila amid growing regional influence (Vanuatu Daily Post)?

• Melanesian Spearhead Group officials discuss security strategy (Solomon Star)?

• Diaspora power: US territories push for political influence in 2024 elections (Pacific Island Times)?

• US and Korean coast guards conduct joint training on Guam (Guam PDN)?

• Fiji’s military backs National Security and Defense Review recommendations (Mai TV)?

• Former Cook Islands PM Henry Puna elected to East-West Center Board (Cook Islands News)?

People-Centered Development

• USP strike on hold: students await council meeting (Islands Business)?

• The Commonwealth adopts principles on freedom of expression (Talamua)?

• Population likely closer to 12 million, Papua New Guinea PM says (PNG Bulletin)?

• CNMI’s Saipan Tribune newspaper to close after over 30 years (Guam PDN)?

• USP to serve as hub for new King’s Commonwealth Fellowships Program (Islands Business/USP)?

• Papua New Guinea to host 2025 Pacific Education Ministers meeting (Tagata Pasifika)?

• Solomon Islands and USP School of Law unite for enhanced legal access (Vanuatu Daily Post)?

• Samoan citizenship bill: ‘Further work to be done until justice is observed’ – Tuilaepa (RNZ)?

• Solomon Islands secures historic seat on WHO Executive Board (Tavuli News)?

• Palau and USTDA launch feasibility study for new national hospital site (Island Times)?

• National policy to advocate against LGBTQIA+ in Vanuatu: MoJCS (Vanuatu Daily Post)?

Climate Change and Disasters, Ocean and Environment

• Commonwealth leaders say sinking nations should keep maritime boundaries (PACNEWS/Reuters)?

• PNG will not attend UN COP29 summit: Foreign Minister Tkatchenko (Post-Courier)?

• Law officers at PILON meeting urged to pool resources to make a difference (Fiji Times)?

• New Zealand to contribute millions to Pacific resilience facility (Tagata Pasifika)?

• NZ PM meets with frontline Manawanui responders, avoids questions regarding apology (PMN)?

• Pacific nations spotlight biodiversity successes and challenges at CBD COP16 (PACNEWS/SPREP)?

• Over 20 youth participate in Pacific’s first COP simulation in Port Vila (Vanuatu Daily Post)?

• Calls for Pacific-led data and knowledge hub in face of rising disasters (PACNEWS)?

• Project gathers Solomon Islands landowners to discuss forest carbon (In-Depth Solomons)?

• Cook Islands host deep sea international conference (Cook Islands News)?

• American Samoa EPA receives $24.4 million from US Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Samoa News)?

• Pacific Judicial Council opens Environmental Law & Science Conference in Palau (Island Times)?

• Green climate fund direct access accreditation a milestone (Cook Islands News)?

Resources and Economic Development, Technology and Connectivity

• Japan commits to Pacific growth with $1 billion investment – Trade Official Komiyama (Post-Courier)?

• New Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre design unveiled by FFA in Honiara (Matangi Tonga)?

• PNG, Vanuatu sign framework agreement to heighten economic cooperation (Post-Courier)?

• Pacific tourism sectors develop strategies for sustainable and resilient tourism (Matangi Tonga)?

• Pacific Islands Forum SG champions Kava’s global rise as “green gold” of the Pacific (PACNEWS)?

• Australia’s $350 million cable boost to secure Pacific’s digital future, says Tim Watts (PACNEWS)?

• Guam tourism report: “Guam’s recovery is among the slowest globally” (KUAM News)?

• Commonwealth Investment Action Plan unveiled in Samoa (Islands Business/COMSEC)?

• Audit of ADB-funded project in RMI shows consultants are the winners (Marshall Islands Journal)?

• Formal handover ceremony of China-funded road upgrade project in Niue (TV Niue)?

Call for Submissions: Visions & Voices Quarterly Publication

The Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP) invites students, scholars, researchers, and professionals to submit work to Visions & Voices, a quarterly publication dedicated to the Pacific Islands region.

Submissions of essays, articles, commentaries, and concise pieces that pertain to the Pacific Islands are welcomed. Next deadline: December 31.

For detailed submission guidelines, please visit: www.pireport.org/submissions

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, featuring open-access information, is organized with the thematic areas of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and its implementation plan.

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