A part of the world brimming with potential, the Pacific is facing some of the world’s thorniest policy problems. From rising sea levels and the looming threat of extreme weather events caused by climate change, to human security and economic management issues, Pacific nations are at a turning point in securing their future, and the decisions their policymakers make today will go a long way to deciding the region’s tomorrow.
In this Policy Forum In Focus section produced in partnership with ANU Department of Pacific Affairs and the Australia Pacific Security College, experts from the region will examine these decisions, and dig deep into the Pacific and its future. In the process, they can shed light on the problems policymakers face in some of the world’s most unique policy environments, the states of the Pacific.
We hope you find the discussion informative and encourage you to join the conversation.
Jay Caldwell and Professor Nicole Haley
Joint Editors, Pacific In Focus section
The new Australia Pacific Engagement Visa has sparked great interest from Pacific workers in Australia, however there is a need for clarification around the details of the scheme, Akka Rimon writes.
6 minute read
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Government and governance | The Pacific
Fiji’s upcoming election is expected to be hotly contested, in the backdrop of concerns about a smooth transition of power, Shailendra Singh writes.
7 minute read
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National security | The Pacific
Violence has stymied the Papua New Guinean election, whilst the Bougainville government has announced plans to reopen the controversial Panguna mine.
6 minute read
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Science and technology | The Pacific
As Internet access expands in Papua New Guinea, it will bring new opportunities for political engagement and economic empowerment – but it also carries major risks, Jope Tarai and Michael Kabuni write.
6 minute read
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National security | The Pacific
The growing ubiquity of social media in Pacific Island states has created opportunities and risks, Eliorah Malifa writes for the Pacific Wayfinder series.
7 minute read
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National security | The Pacific
The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting has delivered strong calls for climate action despite ongoing membership challenges, whilst Papua New Guinea’s election is seeing violence spike around the country.
6 minute read
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The recently announced Pacific Engagement Visa offers a framework to help support Pacific Island countries struggling with internal climate-related displacement, Michael Kabuni and Akka Rimon write.
6 minute read
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Government and governance | Asia
A former leader has pointed to the length of prime ministerial terms as an indicator of stability in Papua New Guinea, but this does not tell the whole story, Henry Ivarature writes.
5 minute read
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Government and governance | The Pacific
The restrictions on Pacific media during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent Pacific trip are only the most recent example of a media sector under siege, Shailendra Singh writes.
8 minute read
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Government and governance | The Pacific
The Mota Lava Treaty between Solomon Islands and Vanuatu shows how traditional Oceanic diplomacy can be incorporated into current practice, Anna Naupa writes.
6 minute read
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