Kiribati

Kiribati opens Phoenix marine reserve for commercial fishing

The Phoenix Island Protection Area, which was established in 2006 and is more than 400,000 square kilometers in size, was closed for fishing in 2015.

The government said since 2015, this led to a revenue loss from fishing licences of almost $US150 million.

It said this loss went against the development needs of the country.

It said its Kiribati Vision for 20 years was people-centric and so Kiribati efforts to protect biodiversity needs to strike a balance to enable actions that also uplift the livelihoods of the people.

Banaba Islanders again without clean water

Earlier this year the Banabans sought international help after being left months with a meagre supply of water.

With help from New Zealand and Australia two de-salination units were installed.

But a Banaban living in Fiji, Biara Touakin, said the islanders reported the machines had never worked properly.

He said even after Kiribati government engineers spent several weeks on the island, through to last week, people have continued to complain the water is inadequate.

Kiribati withdraws from Pacific Islands Forum

The formal communication was made to the Government of Fiji as the depositary of the 2000 Agreement Establishing the Pacific Islands Forum. 

In a statement, the Kiribati Government said the decision to withdraw from the Pacific Islands Forum was premised on the selection of the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum which in essence must be made based on consensus in line with the Gentlemen’s Agreement on sub-regional rotation. 

Kiribati to start Covid-19 vaccination rollout

Upon receiving the vaccines on Tuesday the Kiribati health minister Tinte Itinteang said vaccinations would begin this week.

The rollout is to start in the densely populated South Tarawa districts of Betio and the Teinainano Urban Council which stretches from Bairiki to Tanaea.

Dr Itinteang said 12,000 more doses of the vaccine were expected in a month's time.

The country has no community cases of Covid-19 but last week two cases of Covid-19 were identified aboard a Taiwanese fishing carrier anchored in the Tarawa lagoon.

Curfew imposed in Kiribati after COVID discoveries

The cases were identified on Monday and the ship has been quarantined for at least 14 days.

One of the fishermen who tested positive is i-Kiribati and the other a foreigner.

The i-Kiribati fisherman was returning home after completing a yearlong contract aboard a Taiwanese purse seiner, his last port-of-call before travelling to Kiribati was Papua New Guinea a month ago.

Before reaching Tarawa he transferred from the purse seiner to a carrier vessel or mothership, belonging to the same company, which is the vessel that is now under quarantine off of Tarawa.

Kiribati records second case of COVID-19

There are now two local seafarers quarantined offshore.

Curfew begins today from 9pm-6am Friday. 

Emergency alert now up from 1 to 3, masks mandatory and social gatherings banned.

Meanwhile, the Kiribati Catholic Church has told its members on South Tarawa and Betio to cease all gatherings and fundraising activities to support Government’s efforts in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

The Church’s Vicar General told Radio Kiribati News members are also required to wear face masks and practice social distancing during church masses.

WFP’S Pacific Humanitarian Air Service flies vital medical supplies to Kiribati

The air delivery demonstrates WFP’s continued support to the COVID-19 response in the region.

On 22 April, the Government of Kiribati raised an urgent request for intravenous (IV) fluids which was about to run out in its hospitals.

WFP responded immediately - together with the Australian Government who procured 6 metric tonnes of IV fluid within 24 hours.

The supplies were delivered by WFP to Tarawa via Nadi using WFP’s humanitarian flight, along with medical supplies from UNICEF and WHO.

Kiribati Banaba island struggles with drought

There have been reports that the remote island was facing a water crisis, with empty tanks and two desalination machines out of action.

Pelenise Alofa said Banaba had no natural water source and islanders usually relied on rain water, but there hadn't been any in six months.

She said food crops like pumpkin and tapioca were dying.

"There hasn't been any rain.

Micronesian leaders united in decision to withdraw from Forum

Palau has already commenced with the process.  

A statement released today said the five Presidents of Micronesia will honour the Mekreos Communique and withdraw from the Forum as stated in a joint communique released also released today.

The leaders of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Kiribati and the Republic of the Marshall Islands met virtually yesterday (Monday).

According to the statement, Nauru President Lionel Aingimea “believes the Forum has lost its original intent to be a regional body and what the Forum was originally set up to do.”

NZ Orion finds two fishing boats missing off Tarawa

The two boats, which had been reported as missing separately, were found in quick succession.

There were four survivors but one person had died.

The search and rescue operation was coordinated by the Rescue Coordination Centre Fiji after initial search efforts by Kiribati authorities failed.

The Orion was initially searching for a five-metre wooden fishing vessel, which had gone missing between Tarawa and Maiana Islands and had last been seen on 30 October.

The crew were later asked to also look for a smaller aluminium boat, 72 nautical miles west of Tarawa.