News

On November 12th, 2018 on a rainy and cold day in Suva, I drove up early to Pacific Harbour with my childhood friend Una who was on holiday from Australia. We were going to do the shark dive and it wasn’t the first time for the both of us. The […]

A total of 920 recycled wine bottles have been used to create a unique and attractive Christmas tree at the Fiji Gateway Hotel in Nadi. Raffe Hotels and Resorts Director of Sales, Marketing and Strategic Develop­ment Akshay Singh said the idea of using the empty wine bottles came about when […]

Honourable Ministers Excellencies Ladies and gentlemen Thank you for giving the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat this opportunity. Climate change is the single greatest threat faced by our region. Our countries have identified adaptation and mitigation priorities, but our efforts can be further strengthened with enhanced access to international climate finance. […]

URGENT action on ocean and climate change is needed to save small island states, coastal communities and marine life all over the world. This was the message emphasised at the ‘Friends of the Ocean – Update and Moving Forward’ side event in the Pacific and Koronivia Pavilion at the UN’s […]

On November 10th, 2018 I was lucky enough to participate in my very first 2-tank shark dive led by Beqa Adventure Divers (BAD) in Pacific Harbour. Early Saturday, myself and 8 other divers hopped on a boat and headed to the Shark Reef Marine Reserve. The two dives were accompanied […]

This week members of the Pacific Islands Forum will join the global community in Poland for COP24, a meeting of the United Nations aimed at tackling the issue of climate change. In the region’s new security declaration (the Boe Declaration), Forum Leaders recently reaffirmed that climate change presents the single […]

The New Zealand Cruise Association (NZCA) has collaborated with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Australian Cruise Association (ACA) to release the first Cruise Industry Sustainability Guide in the region. ‘The cruise industry has become an important part of our tourism economy in New Zealand,’ says Kevin O’Sullivan, chief […]

Boeing has delivered the first 737 MAX for Fiji Airways, which plans to use the fuel-efficient, longer-range version of the popular 737 jet to expand and modernize its single-aisle fleet. Fiji Airways Managing Director and CEO Andre Viljoen says they are thrilled to take delivery of their very first 737 MAX […]

Opposition Member of Parliament Lenora Qereqeretabua says the government should phase out the use plastic bottles in the parliament area. Qereqeretabua says almost 100 bottles are used per day with even more used and discarded in a week. She says there is a need to walk the talk on being […]

A new community group in Tonga is encouraging people to say no to plastic and use fabric bags and baskets woven from coconut fibres as an alternative. The group has launched the ‘No Pelesitiki’ campaign and says it has received support from the Royal household, nobles, politicians and the New […]

Mailelani Samoa, a natural skincare business from Samoa revitalised its Auckland ties with a promotional event at Lei Café in Grey Lynn this month. Ms Tailani Salanoa, Executive Assistant for Mailelani Samoa, was front and centre for the relaunch campaign, thanks to the Coconut Industry Development for the Pacific (CIDP) […]

Cate Pleass, Marketing Director of Fiji-based Pleass Global Limited’s VaiWai natural artesian water is clear about her reasons for making the decision to invest in exhibiting at London’s two-day trade-only Caffe Culture Show 2018. “Taking part and exhibiting on the Pacific Trade Invest-Europe stand at the Caffe Culture Show 2018 […]

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s International Seminar on Harnessing Cultural Tourism through Innovation and Technology and 40th Affiliate Members Plenary Session concluded with a renewed call for community participation in development of cultural tourism using cutting-edge technologies (12-14 November 2018, Hamedan, Islamic Republic of Iran). Cultural and heritage attractions are […]

An unhealthy nation is an infertile nation. Those were the words conveyed by the Acting Director General of Agriculture, Benjamin Shing, on Wednesday 8th November, during the Vanuatu Food Policy Forum held at Ramada Resort. The consultation maps the progress on the Food Policy, identifying gaps and plan further action to […]

Research shows that if nothing changes, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. “It’s incredible how we’ve treated the ocean over the years, thinking we could never do any harm to it,” says Kevin Iro, reflecting on his recent trip to Indonesia to attend the […]

The tourism sector in Samoa might hold the keys to developing a green economy with decent work, says a climate policy officer. As the impacts of climate change become more apparent, investment into quality, environmental jobs is coming into focus. Steven Turnbull works in the environment unit of the department […]

The World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) initiative Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) received a boost last week when its working group met in Madrid (24-25 October). After successful pilot studies to produce credible and comparable data, the initiative is on track with its aim of getting the MST framework adopted […]

At this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, Leaders endorsed the region’s first Pacific Sustainable Development Report. The Report illustrates how we are progressing in terms of improving the quality of life for Pacific people, and ensuring empowerment, inclusiveness and equality. It provides the first evaluation of progress under the Pacific Roadmap […]

The Pacific Islands Forum’s Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism is looking for a new member to represent its Smaller Islands States. “This is an exciting opportunity. We are looking for an individual who is committed to the Forum’s vision of a free, healthy and prosperous Blue Pacific region that draws strength […]