Vanuatu
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Conflicts - Tensions
U.S. Coast Guard affirms legality of patrols, boardings with Pacific partners
Reuters Recent boardings of Chinese fishing boats by the United States Coast Guard and Pacific island partners were conducted at the behest of Pacific nations to protect their coastal fisheries, officials said, dismissing Beijing’s claims that the joint patrols violate international law. Six Chinese fishing vessels were found to be violating Vanuatu’s fisheries law after being inspected by local police…
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Across The Region
Protecting Sea Lines of Communication
The oceans and seas that dominate the Indo-Pacific present a challenge of immense proportions to safeguarding sovereignty and upholding freedom of navigation and commerce — an obstacle that military planners call the “tyranny of distance.” Increasingly, satellites, sensors, uncrewed aerial and surface vessels, and other technologies — combined with comprehensive information-sharing endeavors among like-minded nations — are key to bridging…
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Across The Region
Vanuatu, Australia Sign Security Agreement
Vanuatu signed a broad security agreement with Australia in December 2022 and said it hadn’t discussed a similar arrangement or any security issues with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The pact, signed in the Pacific Island Country’s (PIC) capital, Port Vila, covers an extensive range of areas for cooperation, from disaster relief to policing, defense and cybersecurity. “As nations…
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Global Commons
Australian Army engineers enhance security infrastructure in Fiji, Vanuatu
Tom Abke The Republic of Fiji Navy (RFN) will soon have a new headquarters, thanks in part to the Australian Army’s 19th Chief Engineer Works (19CEW). The 19CEW and Fijian builders began work on the Maritime Essential Services Centre (MESC) in Lami in 2022, with completion scheduled for August 2024. The center will house the Fiji Information Fusion Centre, the…
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Global Commons
Vanuatu cyclone relief: Australia provides personnel, supplies, hope
Tom Abke Australia reacted quickly when a pair of tropical cyclones ripped through Vanuatu in early March 2023, leaving at least 10% of the country’s residents homeless and severely damaging schools and hospitals. Hundreds of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel spent most of March on the Pacific archipelago, assessing damage, distributing supplies and rebuilding infrastructure. The Australian government contributed over…
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Across The Region
Port Partnership
Australia announced in January 2022 that it would provide U.S. $420 million to Pacific neighbor Papua New Guinea to upgrade key ports, amid concern in Washington and Canberra that Beijing’s infrastructure investment in the Pacific islands has a military ambition. Australia’s funding will help the Papua New Guinea Ports Corp. increase capacity to accommodate larger ships, including container ships on…
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