Pacific Women in Sport Leadership Program launches in Tonga

Seventeen Tongan women have embarked on a transformative leadership journey to reshape the future of sport in the Pacific. The Pacific Women in Sports Leadership Program officially started in Nukuʻalofa on Tuesday, drawing together 17 women from...

Samoa implements new plan to sustainably manage its ocean by 2030

The Samoan government announced June 3 that it has enacted a law establishing a marine spatial plan to sustainably manage 100% of its ocean by 2030. The country has also created nine new marine protected areas that cover 30% of its ocean. Fishing...

Tonga prefects’ role highlighted at leadership retreat

Over 500 student leaders from Tongatapu gathered for the National Prefects Retreat. The Truancy, Emergency & Safety Department under the Ministry of Education & Training hosted a National Prefects Retreat at the Tonga National Stadium in...

Tonga to host Special Forum Economic Ministers meeting

Tonga- Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers and officials will meet this week on 25 and 26 March in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, for a Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM). The Special FEMM will focus on three key regional initiatives: the...

China’s economic slowdown has become its diplomatic weapon in the Pacific

By Bang Xiao CANBERRA (ABC PACIFIC) — China’s rise in the Pacific isn’t just about aid or diplomacy — it’s about survival and power. As domestic demand slows and Western tariffs squeeze exports, Beijing has been forced to turn its industrial...

Iconic Polynesian canoes set sail for Aotearoa, 40 years after historic voyage

The Pacific Ocean is once again carrying two of the world’s most iconic voyaging canoes to Aotearoa New Zealand. The Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia, traditional double-hulled canoes from Hawai‘i, are making the 3200-kilometre journey from Rarotonga to...

Pacific central bankers meet for financial inclusion in Tonga

Over 70 delegates from six Pacific central banks have convened in Nukuʻalofa, Tonga, to advance financial inclusion across the region. The Pacific Central Bankers’ Meeting, co-hosted by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), started yesterday...

Fijiana XVs set to unleash 5 new players against Tonga tomorrow

Fijiana XVs and Tonga Women after their Women’s Oceania Rugby Championship clash last year Photo : Oceania Rugby Vodafone Fijiana XVs coach Ioan Cunningham has named 5 new players in his match day 23 squad that will take on Tonga for the Oceania...

Pacific climate-resilient farming to receive $3m from Australia

Australia has pledged an extra AUD3 million to strengthen climate and disaster resilience for Pacific farmers. Announced at the Pacific Week of Agriculture and Forestry (PWAF) in Nuku’alofa this week, the funding marks the second phase of the...

BSP Supports 44th PILON Annual Meeting

In a show of commitment to regional legal excellence, BSP Financial Group Limited (BSP) proudly sponsored the closing dinner of the 44th Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network (PILON) Annual Meeting, to be held from 27 to 31 October at APEC Haus in...

‘Wearing my flag on my heart’: Cook Islander championing climate action in Samoa

Cook Islander Ewan Cameron at SPREP headquarters in Apia, Samoa. TALAIA MIKA/25060631 For Cook Islander Ewan Cameron, living and working abroad doesn’t mean losing touch with home – in fact, it’s the opposite. Based in Apia, Samoa, with his...

Tonga creates a Tourism Roadmap to boost tourism development

Tourism plays a crucial role in Tonga's economy, contributing over TOP18 million to the GDP in 2022 and is projected to increase to TOP88 million by 2033. However, the industry has encountered significant challenges, initially due to the COVID-19...

In the depths of the ocean, a new contest between the US and China emerges

Deep below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, the seafloor is dotted with clusters of brown and black rocks, each containing valuable metals. The rocks, known as polymetallic nodules, hold reserves of critical minerals that could be used to power...

OPINION – Nature of politics in Fiji

Last week, we covered the raising of the British Flag (Union Jack) in Rotuma in defiance of the coup regime in Fiji in 1988. Behind that secessionist campaign was martial arts Grand Master, Gagaj Sau Lakfatmaro or Henry Gibson, who had...

Mangroves and knowledge unite in Tonga’s climate fight

Tonga’s Department of Climate Change hosted a regional roadshow at Sopu mangroves, highlighting indigenous-led climate resilience. The Department of Climate Change Tonga welcomed regional experts to the Sopu mangrove conservation site this week as...

Climate-resilient healthcare for Pacific top priority for UN health agency

Princess Margaret Hospital, Tuvalu Photo: RNZ/Sally Round The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the Western Pacific region says building climate-resilient healthcare facilities is a key priority. Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala made the comment...

Crown Prince seek China support in medical, education & climate change

Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Xiamen on Wednesday. The meeting, held during the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, highlights the deepening relationship between Tonga...

“Exceptional” Global Warming Spike Continued in 2024

Global average temperatures in 2024 were the hottest on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2023 by a clear margin. In three global temperature assessments released on 10 January, climate scientists reported that temperatures across the...

FAO strengthens ties with Tonga amid regional agrifood focus

The FAO’s Pacific chief has formalised collaboration with Tonga, aligning efforts on food security and climate resilience. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Subregional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands and FAO Representative to Tonga,...

Pacific heads of agriculture and forestry unite to endorse the agriculture and forestry strategy, a milestone towards resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agrifood systems

Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry from Pacific Island countries and territories endorsed the Growing the Pacific 2050 Strategy for Agriculture and Forestry at the 4th Regional Meeting of Pacific Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry, held in...