Features Archive December 2021

The Kiribati government closed their international border late in March 2020, to keep their island population of approximately 140,000 people safe from COVID-19.

Although COVID-19 will remain a major challenge for governments in the Pacific, there is hope that 2022 will see the region reconnecting with the rest of the world.

Severe coastal flooding inundated islands and atolls across the western equatorial Pacific last week, with widespread damage to buildings and food crops in the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

The economies of the Pacific are set to rebound in 2022, according to the latest issue of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Pacific Economic Monitor (PEM) launched today.

H.E. Dr Lotay Tshering, Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bhutan, addressed the 2021 Asia Pacific Leaders Dialogue for Malaria Elimination today with an appeal to galvanize action towards ending malaria, the world’s oldest pandemic.

Church Agencies Network for Disaster Operation (CANDO) partners on Wednesday, 8th have mobilised to assist the Chinese families, their local workers and impacted friends who have been affected by the recent social unrest.

Around 5,000 youths, professionals and anti-corruption practitioners from across the Pacific converged to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day (9 December) with the 2021 theme, “Your right, your role: Say no to Corruption."

France is persisting with its decision to hold the final of three independence referendums in New Caledonia on December 12, disregarding Indigenous independence leaders’ calls for a postponement of the vote and now for “non-participation” – effectively a boycott – due to the impact of the COVID pandemic on their communities.

If you're foraging for irony and surprise in the ashes of Honiara's riots, there's plenty to be found.

The riots in Solomon Islands last week have thrust the small Pacific country into the international spotlight. What is their cause?