The US returns to the Pacific

The US is trying to return to the Pacific in full force, but it has to be mindful of the real needs of the region. Joining onto climate platforms that support the mitigation of Pacific Island challenges will go a long way to building real and sustainable support for US goals.

Australia’s Pacific funding unites the tools of statecraft

The $1.9 billion package announced in the budget to strengthen Australia’s relationships in the Pacific will involve 13 agencies across government, and uses a range of tools beyond traditional development assistance.

Reeling in illegal fishing

More effort to curb illegal fishing is vital to protect fish stocks from destruction and maintain peace and order on the seas in a time of growing international tension.

Building resilience in the South Pacific

Rather than providing for the Pacific, Australia should be working with Pacific Islanders, sharing expertise and building regional resilience, as this is just as important for Pacific island countries as it is to Australia.

Scholarships as a tool of statecraft

Australia is deploying a range of tools of statecraft to try to improve its relationships with Pacific Island countries and peoples. One of the focuses of Australian statecraft is developing “people-to-people connections,” with education, sports, media, cultural, and church partnerships seen as integral to these connections.

Rugby relations

Australia should make the most of its strong sporting relations with the Pacific as it embarks on a decade at the centre stage of world sport with rugby taking a starring role.

Partnering with the Pacific

As Vanuatu starts the long road to recovery from tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin, which hit in quick succession over the past week, it’s an opportune time for Australia, New Zealand and the US to discuss how to improve their collective response to disasters in the region.

Progress in the Pacific

Australia and its western allies have enjoyed some success in stemming the increasing economic, diplomatic and military influence of China in PNG and the Pacific but there is no cause for complacency.

Tuvalu’s Digital Nation

The threatened Pacific island nation of Tuvalu plans to digitise its history and cultural practices in case its people lose their homeland to sea rises caused by climate change.

A change in the weather

Worsening weather events and other disasters mean that a framework for Australia-Pacific Island state cooperation and adaptation is needed more than ever.

In the wake of the big wave

This month marks the first anniversary of the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano and the subsequent tsunami that devastated Tonga. Australia, Tonga, and other partners have worked long and hard over the past year to restore Tonga’s agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, and the livelihoods of its people.

Tackling family violence in the Asia-Pacific

Women and children bear the brunt of family violence but a new project in the Asia Pacific is working to make a difference in their lives.