The United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres has issued “an SOS on sea level rise”, warning that “surging seas are coming for all of us”. The UN chief made the comments on Tuesday in Tonga while launching the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO)latest report on the state of the climate in the South-West Pacific. Guterres, who is in Nuku’alofa to attend the annual Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ summit, provided an update on the present-day impacts and future projections of sea-level rise – including coastal flooding – at a global and regional level, including for major coastal cities in the G20 and Pacific…
Author: Newsdesk
Destanee Aiava, a 24-year-old tennis sensation representing Australia, has made history as the first female tennis player of Samoan heritage to qualify for the US Open Singles main draw. Aiava’s remarkable achievement comes after a series of dominant performances in the main draw qualifying rounds in New York, where she secured straight-set victories against Gergana Topalova, fourth seed Mai Hontama, and former top-20 player Ana Konjuh. This milestone adds another chapter to Aiava’s groundbreaking career. In 2017, at just 16 years old, she became the first player born in 2000 or later to participate in a Grand Slam tournament, making…
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will join regional leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum as tension begins to show over New Caledonia. The Australia prime minister will arrive in Tonga late on Tuesday, joining other leaders from the 18-nation bloc. For the most part, leaders displayed the regional unity that summit organisers have craved after a tumultuous few years. However, on the hot-button issue of the New Caledonia, France appears on the outer. The future of the Melanesian nation remains clouded, months after mass pro-independence protests in response to voting reforms from colonial power France produced deaths and widespread damage…
Tonga was shaken by a magnitude-6.9 earthquake on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The powerful quake struck as the nation’s seaside capital, Nuku’alofa, hosted the Pacific Islands Forum, drawing foreign leaders and dignitaries, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The earthquake, which did not trigger a tsunami warning, nevertheless caused a brief period of concern among residents and businesses near the coast. Several establishments took precautionary measures, temporarily evacuating to higher ground as a safety measure. The Pacific Islands Forum, a crucial regional summit, brings together leaders from across the Pacific to discuss pressing issues such as…
Tonga – the 6th most climate vulnerable nation in the World hosts Pacific leaders this week. Tonga grabbed international attention last in 2021 in the aftermath of the tragic eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha-apai Volcano. Deaths, injuries and the scale of damage to its infrastructure shocked the World. Since then Tonga has been hit by several cyclones. Its public debt has grown to well over 40 percent of its GDP. Fiscal pressures constraint its ability to make greater progress on its global development goals (SDG’s). Financial pressures are a severe constraint on its ability to respond to future climate…
From August 26 to 30, Pacific Islands leaders are gathering for the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting, taking place in Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa. Several pressing issues will be up for discussion: climate change, debanking, and the New Caledonia crisis, among others. In keeping with the “Pacific Way,” member states are entering the summit with the intent of coming to a consensus on how to best tackle these challenges. Multilateral fora such as PIF—and the high-level meetings that come along with them—are part and parcel of regional affairs, as they create mechanisms through which Pacific Islands countries band together to increase their influence in international…
The Teieniwa Vision, launched during a conference held in Tarawa, Kiribati on February 4-5, 2020, represents a united effort by Pacific Island leaders to combat corruption and promote integrity throughout the region. Chaired by the President of Kiribati, the gathering included Prime Ministers, Vice Presidents, and representatives from several Pacific nations, as well as international partners. The core message of the Teieniwa Vision is to emphasise the need for collective action against corruption in the Pacific Islands. Recognising that corruption undermines progress and hampers aspirations for peace and prosperity, the leaders committed to a unified approach to tackle this issue.…
As Chair and host of this year’s 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, it gives me great pleasure to extend a warm ‘Malo e lelei’ to my fellow Pacific Leaders and your delegations; Forum Dialogue partners; and all friends of the ‘Pasifiki’ – our Blue Pacific Continent – as you prepare for your journey to ‘where time begins’, in the Kingdom of Tonga, also known as the ‘Friendly Islands’, for PIFLM53. The fakatapu, traditional chant that I opened with is a call from our ‘our nation, welcoming you, our people, to our shores and to the place we will meet –in Tonga, the crown jewels…
Australia is set to take command of an international mission to safeguard shipping routes in the Red Sea, marking its first time in this role. The Defense Department announced on Friday that Australia will lead Combined Task Force 153 (CTF 153) from October for six months. CTF 153, established in April 2022, focuses on maritime security in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden. This move comes amidst ongoing tensions in the region, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels previously targeting shipping to disrupt Israel’s operations following the October 7 Hamas attack on Gaza. Last year, the Albanese government faced…
Dr. Dan Sinclair from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and his team of cave experts teamed up with Tonga Geological Services to revisit the Maui Cave in ‘Eua today. The joint expedition aimed to capture detailed photographs and conduct further assessments of the cave’s stalagmites and stalactites. The stunning formations, with stalagmites rising from the cave floor and stalactites hanging from the ceiling, result from slow drips of mineral-rich water over time. These natural features showcase the incredible geological processes that shape Tonga’s landscape. The expedition marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to document and protect Tonga’s…