A platoon of Royal Tonga Marines from His Majesty’s Armed Forces (HMAF) has joined the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) to evacuate around 11,000 residents from the active volcanic Ambae Island in Vanuatu on 30 September.
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Results for Pacific
Tuesday 10 October 2017
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Port Vila, Vanuatu
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Friday 22 September 2017
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Suva, Fiji
A declaration outlining actions to tackle Climate Change is circling the Pacific Island countries for support before being delivered to world leaders at COP 23 in Bonn, Germany.
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Thursday 21 September 2017
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Momi Bay, Fiji
A push for the development of political parties in democratic societies in the Pacific by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was the focus of a dialogue held this week in Momi Bay, Fiji where over 40 representatives from the Pacific region attended, including Tonga. UNDP's Bakhodir Burkhanov said political parties need to be “more than just a temporary vehicle for the promotion of the interests of one political leader or a small group”.
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Thursday 14 September 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A brand new aviation security x-ray and radio communications equipment was handed over to Tonga Airports Limited staff today, 14 September, at Fua’amotu Airport, by New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga, HE Sarah Walsh.
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Tuesday 12 September 2017
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Apia, Samoa
An agreement to achieve universal health coverage and address non-communicable diseases in the Pacific region was signed by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Pacific Community (SPC) on 8 September in Apia, Samoa.
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Wednesday 6 September 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Chief Justices from the Pacific Islands are in Nuku'alofa this week, attending a workshop to strengthen judiciaries in the Pacific. The focus on judicial leadership is part of an Initiative funded by the New Zealand Government.
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Friday 1 September 2017
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Suva, Fiji
‘The Beginning of Life’ a documentary focused on giving children the best possible start to life and reinforcing the proverb "it takes a village to raise a child", screened for the first time in the Pacific region on August 30, in Suva, Fiji.
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Tuesday 29 August 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Legal officers who draft legislation for governments in the Pacific region, met in Tonga last week, 23-24 August to share expertise and to reinforce knowledge of legislative procedures.
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Tuesday 29 August 2017
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Climate change impacts are evident everywhere in the Pacific, where many communities are on the front line of its damaging impacts, said Australia’s Ambassador for Environment Patrick Suckling, who is visiting the Pacific region.
Wednesday 23 August 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Testing kits that can detect HIV and Syphilis infections using finger prick blood or serum will be piloted in Tonga, Samoa, Kiribati, Palau and Vanuatu, over the next three months starting in September.
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Tuesday 15 August 2017
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Manila, Philippines
Rising temperatures caused by climate change would be catastrophic for countries in Asia and the Pacific by the end of the century - unless countries work to mitigate it, says a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released last month. Crops yields in the Pacific region will be in decline by 2050. By 2100, “all coral reef systems in the subregion will collapse due to mass coral bleaching if global warming increases by 4 degrees Celsius”.
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Friday 11 August 2017
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Noumea, New Caledonia
The Pacific region will soon benefit from a new Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science after an agreement was made by Pacific Island countries and territories at the Pacific Community’s (SPC) governing body conference, held in Noumea, New Caledonia late last month.
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Friday 11 August 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A centre to fast-track the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies in the private sector and business communities throughout the Pacific has started operating out of its base in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, this month.
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Wednesday 9 August 2017
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Suva, Fiji
Identifying opportunities the blue economy offers to Pacific Islands, so that they can sustainably manage and conserve their ocean resources to benefit their economies and people will be the focus at the first high level Pacific Blue Economy Conference to be held on 23-24 August 2017, in Suva, Fiji.
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Monday 31 July 2017
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Apia, Samoa
Finding the best areas to generate solar power in Pacific Island countries is now possible with a new free tool, Global Solar Atlas, facilitated by the World Bank, and launched today, 31 July, at the Pacific Power Association (PPA) Conference in Apia, Samoa. At the click of a button, the application will help investors and policymakers identify potential sites for this renewable energy.
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Friday 28 July 2017
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Port Vila, Vanuatu
Drones will be trialled for the first time in the Pacific to deliver lifesaving vaccines to inaccessible remote communities in Vanuatu starting in August. The trial will test the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of drones to be used on a regular basis.
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Wednesday 26 July 2017
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Toronto, Canada
Land that was once frozen in the Yukon Territory in Northern Canada is becoming agriculture friendly due to global warming and is being offered for free to small farmers. The Yukon borders on Alaska and its government has already given away nearly 8,000 acres of farmland over the last 10 years, with a dozen applicants currently being considered.
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Monday 24 July 2017
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Suva, Fiji
Concerns over El Nino impacts in the Pacific region during the planet's warmest half-year year on record between January to June 2016 is leading to better preparedness for coordinating humanitarian responses to disaster affected people in the Pacific.
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Saturday 22 July 2017
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A single extreme weather event can wipe out progress for Pacific Islands, while much of the financial cost of loss and recovery is borne by the Private Sector. Dame Meg Taylor told the Green Climate Fund Structured Dialogue in Nuku'alofa this week, that "involving the private sector to help shape climate and disaster resilient development is crucial."
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Wednesday 12 July 2017
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Suva, Fiji
“As Pacific islanders, we have been made custodians of our greatest assets – our people, our culture, our land and our oceans, by our forefathers. A duty we need to fulfill because if we are not careful, we will not only lose our home but we will lose the economic benefits that sustains our livelihoods,” said Christopher Cocker, CEO of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), at the Climate Action Pacific Partnership Event held last week in Suva, Fiji.
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