Regional Archive December 2008

New Zealand Acting High Commissioner to Fiji, Caroline McDonald, has arrived in Auckland following her expulsion from Fiji by the interim government.

Fiji has expelled acting New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Caroline McDonald, following a tense standoff regarding the refusal of a student visa to the son of the President's private secretary.

Fiji's interim Communications Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has made claims that Australian and New Zealand authorities are tapping the phone lines in Fiji.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a technical assistance grant that will help the Government of Nauru establish a Nauru Trust Fund to accumulate, preserve, grow, and mobilize capital for development. The grant will also help Nauru improve its public financial management systems.

Local Fiji firm, Fijian Holdings Limited (FHL), has bought BP South-West Pacific for $190 million.

Greenpeace declared the outcome of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission a failed compromise - one which is too weak to stop the overfishing of the Pacific bigeye and yellowfin tuna.

There has been widespread criticism within Fiji and around the Region for the country's actions in deporting TVNZ reporter, Ms. Barbara Dreaver.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will help the Tuvalu Government strengthen its public financial management and governance systems, as the island nation copes with reduced income from offshore sources due to the global financial crisis.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a multi-tranche financing facility of up to $400 million to help build and manage a sustainable road system in the five provinces of the Highlands region - one of the most remote areas in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Pacific zones closed but overfishing continues

Fiji faces a possible suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat after visiting members of the Ministerial Contact Group learned that the country will not hold elections next year.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Trade and investment in the Asia and Pacific region are expected to benefit from a $900,000 grant from Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) that will improve trade policy formation and strengthen institutional capacity within the region.

The disaster caused by the king tide that struck parts of Papua New Guinea is spreading causing more devastation and displacing more people.

Pacific Islander urges Australia to set strong target.

POZNAN, POLAND - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has received financing commitments of over $100 million for a new post-2012 carbon fund and will commence its operations in January. In addition to its founding public sector partners, the ADB is seeking further participation from private businesses.

A king tide caused destruction in parts of Papua New Guinea on Monday washing away houses and submerging some areas.

The Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group on Fiji will make a second visit to Fiji, 10 - 12 December 2008 as part of the Forum Leaders' mandate for the Group to monitor the situation in Fiji following the events of 5 December 2006.

A sugarcane farmer was surprised by giant pawpaws harvested from his backyard.

AUCKLAND, December 1, 2008- Today Westpac New Zealand have lowered their remittance transaction fees in a move which will financially benefit many Pacific Islanders. This is great news for Pacific countries, many of whom depend heavily on remittances as a primary source of income.

Women in a rural part of Papua New Guinea killed their male babies over a 10 year-period in an attempt to stop the tribal fighting that has brought death and destruction to their people for more than 20 years.