Pacific Island Countries / PICs
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Global Commons
Blue Pacific group oversees regional disaster recovery, humanitarian efforts
FORUM Staff In a sprawling Pacific Ocean region prone to natural disasters, a new multinational response team is streamlining recovery assistance to island nations and territories. Australia’s influential role, meanwhile, enhances its position as the Blue Pacific nations’ primary security collaborator. The Pacific Response Group (PRG) enables far-flung states to help each other with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Recovery…
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Oceania
Allies, Partners aid humanitarian efforts in earthquake-damaged Vanuatu
FORUM Staff Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the United States and other nations are aiding Vanuatu after an earthquake hit the country’s capital, Port Vila, in mid-December 2024. The 7.6 magnitude earthquake leveled buildings, cracked bridges, destroyed water reservoirs, knocked out communications and internet access, and shut down the main wharf. Authorities said the quake killed at least 12…
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Oceania
Australia, Nauru boost security, economic ties with new accord
Reuters Australia and Nauru finalized an economic and security treaty in December 2024, with Canberra pledging $64 million in direct budget support over five years and $26 million to boost security in the Blue Pacific nation. The agreement effectively blocks the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from forming police ties with Nauru, giving Australia a veto over Chinese involvement in…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Japan’s maritime security initiatives support Pacific Island partners
Felix Kim Japan is deepening its maritime security partnerships with Pacific Island nations through targeted initiatives to bolster maritime domain awareness (MDA). The efforts reflect Japan’s strategic vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) while addressing pressing regional challenges such as illegal fishing, environmental threats and geopolitical competition. Japan’s engagement with nations including Fiji, Micronesia and Palau has shifted…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Taiwan president strengthens diplomatic support among Blue Pacific nations
FORUM Staff Taiwan President Lai Ching-te sought to bolster support for the island and its democratic government on a tour of Blue Pacific nations. Lai visited the Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu and also made stops in Hawaii and Guam, a United States territory, on the weeklong trip that began November 30, 2024. A dozen nations, including the Marshall Islands,…
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Global Commons
Indonesian Navy’s goodwill mission strengthens ties with South Pacific nations
Gusty Da Costa Indonesia has embarked on a diplomatic initiative to bolster relations with South Pacific island nations with the launch of a 48-day naval goodwill voyage. The hospital ship KRI Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo-991, a key component of the Indonesian Navy, set sail in early October 2024 for Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The deployment…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Australian, island nations’ police to respond to Blue Pacific emergencies
FORUM Staff A new multinational police force based in Australia will provide security for Blue Pacific nations while also serving as a deterrent to the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) push to embed itself with law enforcement agencies in the region. The $271 million Pacific Policing Initiative, underwritten by Australia, includes a new training facility in Brisbane and up to…
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Global Commons
Royal Australian Navy’s new missile bolsters defense capabilities, deterrence
FORUM Staff The Royal Australian Navy has successfully test-fired the Standard Missile-6 (SM-6), an advanced long-range missile with multiple capabilities that reflects the Australian government’s commitment to enhancing deterrence. Sailors aboard the Australian destroyer HMAS Sydney launched the versatile weapon during exercise Pacific Dragon near Hawaii in August 2024. Adding the SM-6 to the Navy’s arsenal is a “significant milestone”…
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Features
Partners For Progress
Dr. Ganeshan Wignaraja/Gateway House Sri Lanka is among developing Indo-Pacific countries contending with crippling debt that can quash decades of poverty reduction efforts, strain social stability and aggravate security threats. Colombo’s debt threatens its economic prosperity and poses challenges for regional security, but domestic adjustments and external partnerships are having positive effects. Its location makes it a good place for…
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Features
The Pacific Way
FORUM Staff Mutual respect, dialogue and consensus are hallmarks of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and distinguish the organization among enduring partnerships worldwide. Sixteen nations and two French territories, with populations ranging from Australia’s 27 million to Niue’s 2,000, address matters affecting the region, which comprises nearly 20% of Earth’s surface. The PIF began as a consortium of seven island…
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