We know many people are asking when vaccines will be available in Pacific countries. We anticipate that in 2021, demand will vastly exceed supply. But this doesn’t mean we should just sit and wait. PICs now need to focus on preparing, so they are ready when the first vaccines do arrive. This includes starting pre-registration for priority groups. It means making sure the systems are in place and working, for delivering vaccines and monitoring their safety and effectiveness. This requires investments to strengthen health systems, which will bring benefits beyond COVID-19. By Dr Takeshi Kasai.
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Results for Pacific Islands
Thursday 11 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new 15-year policy framework for Tonga education will be formulated under a joint Tonga-New Zealand project, launched this morning in Nuku'alofa. It aims to build an education sector that has more impact, and to put Tonga in a better position to attract development partner investment and support.
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Saturday 6 February 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The COVAX Initiative expects to release first doses of the Pfizer/BioNTec vaccine and the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine during the first half of 2021 to COVAX Facility participants. Twelve South Pacific countries are included in its first “interim distribution forecast” that targets at least 3% of their populations.
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Wednesday 3 February 2021
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga has opted out of New Zealand’s new seasonal workers scheme this year, due to not being able to meet certain criteria including a guaranteed return flight home at the end of the season.
Friday 15 January 2021
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Auckland, New Zealand
Air New Zealand has announced the start of services from Rarotonga, Cook Islands, to New Zealand after the recent announcement of a one-way quarantine-free travel route, stating “this is the first step of the phased approach to two-way quarantine-free travel between the two nations.”
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Thursday 31 December 2020
Suva, Fiji
An estimated 161 babies will be born in the Pacific islands* on New Year’s Day, according to UNICEF. As the calendar turns to 2021, UNICEF is again celebrating the new lives being brought into the world on January 1. Samoa, in the Pacific, will welcome 2021’s first baby. Niue, its last. Regionally, the highest number of births are estimated to take place in three countries: Solomon Islands (53), Fiji (45), and Vanuatu (22). Statistically, Tonga expects six New Year babies, who may expect to live to the age of 80 years.
Monday 28 December 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Digicel, the largest mobile business in the Western Pacific, owned by the Irish billionaire Denis O’Brien, “is being crawled over by buyers who see an opportunity to buy the key infrastructure, which is suffering from high debt levels and weak earnings because of the pandemic”, reported the Australian Financial Review on 18 December.
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Tuesday 22 December 2020
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Honiara, Solomon Islands
Key management measures were rolled over to secure the tuna fishery for the coming year, said Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director General, Dr Manu Tupou-Roosen. This was after a virtual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) last week.
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Thursday 17 December 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An extremely powerful Tropical Cyclone “Yasa”, is threatening Fiji today, where Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama warned people to prepare and evacuate low lying areas. Forecasters warned that wave heights around the eye of the storm could approach 14 meters (45 feet), with momentary gusts of up to 195 knots (390km/hr). TC Yasa threatens to cause damage on the scale of Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016. Meanwhile, a Tropical Cyclone Alert is now in force for Tonga.
Thursday 17 December 2020
Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand is preparing to support its Pacific partners to access safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines at the earliest opportunity, NZ Foreign Affairs Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Associate Foreign Affairs Minister Aupito William Sio said today in a joint statement.
Wednesday 16 December 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
As Fiji braces for severe Tropical Cyclone Yasa (Cat. 5), Tonga Met. Director ‘Ofa Fa’anunu advises that Tonga should prepare too for a potentially severe cyclone over the weekend. Meanwhile, TC Zazu has moved away from Tonga.
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Monday 14 December 2020
Nadi, Fiji
Weather watchers are following Tropical Cyclone Yasa [995hpa], moving slowly toward Fiji today, bringing thunderstorms and showers to the area. The Cat.1 storm is expected to strengthen over the next few days.
Tuesday 8 December 2020
Suva, Fiji
A set of principles and best practices was presented by the Regional Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women and UN Women Fiji Multi-Country Office, on December 7.
Monday 7 December 2020
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Manila, Philippines
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD$45 million grant to help rehabilitate and upgrade the international port at Queen Salote Wharf in Nuku’alofa, ADB announced on December 4.
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Monday 7 December 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Free Trade Agreement Plus (PACER Plus) comes into force next week on 13 December 2020, introducing new trade rules, Tonga will face a major financial difficulty of countering big trade deficits with two of its main trading partners, Australia and New Zealand. By Pesi Fonua
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Sunday 6 December 2020
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Suva, Fiji
Two crew members of the cargo ship MV Island Chief that arrived in Fiji on 2 December 2020 have tested positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation at the Navua Hospital. Fiji officials who boarded the vessel and their close contacts are also in quarantine, Fiji's Dr James Fong said today. The vessel's last port of call was Nuku'alofa in Tonga on 30 November,
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Sunday 6 December 2020
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Wellington, New Zealand
New Zealand Army Unimog truck parts, for His Majesty’s Armed Forces, and personal protective equipment (PPE), including medical gowns, were delivered to Tonga on 4 December, by an RNZAF Hercules.
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Friday 27 November 2020
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Wellington, New Zealand
Up to 2,000 experienced seasonal workers from the Pacific will be allowed into New Zealand in 2021 to address labour shortages in the horticulture and wine growing sectors. But countries wanting to send workers must agree to take back not only their new workers coming under the border exception but also other RSE employees already in NZ when the 2020/2021 season ends.
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Monday 16 November 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The 252 repatriated passengers from Auckland and Brisbane have been released from quarantine after testing negative for CoViD-19 confirmed Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola on Saturday evening, 14 November. Two more flights are due to arrive from Auckland on 19 November, and from Brisbane on 24 November.
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Monday 16 November 2020
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Sydney, Australia
New York Times reporting: Nanaia Mahuta entered New Zealand’s Parliament as the youngest Maori woman to ever gain a seat. More than two decades later, she has become the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, another trailblazing first. Labour’s newly elected majority is made up mostly of women...it is, by far, the most diverse Parliament the country has ever seen, reflecting New Zealand’s demographics and its place within the broader Pacific islands.
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Tonga weather forecast from yr.no, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the NRK. See also Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Center, Tonga, for latest local weather bulletin.