Results for Pacific Islands

Ambassadors to Tonga are presenting their credentials to HM King Tupou VI at the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa this week during Diplomatic Week.

American, Dean Jay Fletcher (54) who is wanted in Tonga on the charge of brutally murdering his wife in July 2016 has been ordered released in Hawaii, after the United States District Court on November 1 ordered the dismissal of his extradition. The Tonga Government sought Fletcher's extraditon for the offenses of murder, manslughter, and inflicting grievous bodily harm. However, the US Secretary of State had "determined that Fletcher could not be guaranteed a fair trial in Tonga" because he did not have funds to defend himself.

With the intensity of disasters increasing in the Pacific region, the risk of gender based violence in emergencies (GBViE) for women and children is also increasing, said Ms Shamima Ali, Coordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) at a five day Pacific Regional Workshop on GBViE this week, 23-27 October, in Suva, Fiji.

Fiji has become the first developing country to issue a green bond in its bid to raise $100m (US$50m) for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and other environmental-friendly projects.

The World Bank is convinced that its Pacific Possible PP initiative will boost economic growth in the Pacific Island Countries PIC over the next 25 years.

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.

Tongan coconut based products made by Island Rose Dream attracted interest from beauty professionals at the Beauty Expo Australia held in Sydney in August, as part of the Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s Pacific Showcase.

Addressing a way forward for early childhood education was the focus of the first Pacific Early Childhood Development Conference held on September 19-21 on Denarau Island, Nadi.

Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing as well as environment degradation are some of the severe challenges the fishing sector is facing, especially in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) region, further hurting their economies, particularly in their efforts to cut poverty and sustain growth.