Tuvalu

Tuvalu PM set to pressure new Australian leader at United Nations

Sopoaga, who is also the chair of the Small Island States group, says Australia's approach to the forum, as well as a much-publicised climate change joke made by Australia's immigration minister, are evidence of the country's indifference towards the plight of low-lying countries.

With Malcolm Turnbull becoming the Prime Minister of Australia this week, Sopoaga is hoping change in Australia's climate stance could be on the way, and says he will make representations to the new leader to that effect next week when world leaders gather at the United Nations in New York.

Nauru bans transhipment by fishing fleets

The Guardian reports that Nauru's move comes after an alleged illegal operation by a Taiwanese ship caught near its waters by Greenpeace last week.

Transhipments enable fleets to remain in, and plunder, ocean fishing grounds for years at a time while dodging mechanisms which monitor their catch

The Nauru Fisheries and Marine Resources Authority says the crackdown on vessels unloading their catch to "motherships" at sea would help "end the laundering of fish" by high seas "pirates".

World Bank commits 3 million to Tuvalu recovery

Six months after Cyclone Pam hit the Pacific, the bank approved the additional grant to support Tuvalu's medium-term recovery efforts.

Almost half of Tuvalu's 10,000 people were affected by the category 5 cyclone, which caused massive destruction as it passed in March, before continuing southwest to Vanuatu.

The system caused an estimated 10 million dollars worth of damages or more than 30 percent of the country's GDP.

PNA happy with ‘finalist’ selection in industry competition

The finalists for the prestigious industry award were unveiled last week at the sixth edition of Seafood Expo Asia in Hong Kong. Dawn Martin, President of SeaWeb, was joined by Suzanne Gendron, Director of the Ocean Park Foundation in Hong Kong and a 2016 Seafood Champion Awards Judge, to make the announcement to a crowd of seafood industry professionals and media.

Tuvalu disheartened by Australian climate attitude

Enele Sopoaga, who also chairs the Small Island States group, says he is disappointed by the failure of last week's Pacific Islands Forum meeting to make a stronger statement on climate change.

Australia and New Zealand did not commit to tougher emission targets called for by the SIS.

Mr Sopoaga says Australia's approach at the Forum and joke by their Immigration Minister about climate change have shone a light on their indifference.

Hopes for new Australian climate policy appear remote

The leaders of Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji have expressed hope that Mr Turnbull, who was this week sworn in as prime minister after ousting Tony Abbott as Liberal Party leader, could be a champion for Pacific countries battling rising sea levels and intensifying weather systems.

The change in Canberra came a week after the Pacific Islands Forum meeting highlighted a growing chasm between the Pacific countries and Australia and New Zealand on the issue of climate change.

Tuvalu disheartened by Australian climate attitude

Enele Sopoaga, who also chairs the Small Island States group, says he is disappointed by the failure of last week's Pacific Islands Forum meeting to make a stronger statement on climate change.

Australia and New Zealand did not commit to tougher emission targets called for by the SIS.

Sopoaga says Australia's approach at the Forum and joke by their Immigration Minister about climate change have shone a light on their indifference.

Small islands call for global moratorium on coal mines

The leaders of the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu caught up on Monday before the wider 16 nation Pacific Island Forum leaders summit in Papua New Guinea later this week.

They issued a special declaration on climate change that demanded the world limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and that countries uphold the principle of polluter pays.

Commonwealth Secretary-General concludes official visit to Tuvalu

It marked the start of his tour of the Pacific region during which he will also visit Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea

The purpose of the visit was to reiterate and renew the Commonwealth’s commitment to work in partnership with Tuvalu, a valued member and one of our 31 small states, particularly in the context of the work of the Commonwealth across the entire spectrum of interests of small states.

New Members of Parliament in Tuvalu undergo Induction Seminar

MPs will have the opportunity to learn from the experiences from the Australian and New Zealand Parliaments. Sessions will also include the United Nations conventions that Tuvalu has ratified like the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), UN Convention against Corruption and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.