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Published daily by the Lowy Institute

  • 15 hours ago
    • Taiwan
    • Pacific Islands

    Beijing’s "one-China principle" is spreading

    Benjamin Herscovitch
    It is untrue that Taiwan is an "inalienable part" of China, but that's not stopping governments from Kiribati to Honduras from saying it.
  • 6 Sep 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tonga

    Tonga and His Majesty’s Armed Forces: A military made for peace

    Sheridan Ward
    This Pacific country avoided colonisation not by force, but by adopting the trappings of state. A next step awaits.
  • 30 Aug 2024
    • Pacific Islands

    Long-range leaders in Melanesia: Why you need to know about them

    Miranda Forsyth , Sinclair Dinnen
    Carefully mixing metaphors helps to understand a crucial yet underappreciated actor in Pacific politics.
  • 28 Aug 2024
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tuvalu

    The Falepili Union: A Pacific response to the greatest global challenges

    Pat Conroy
    A world-first treaty with Australia ensures Tuvalu’s statehood will continue, even in the face of a climate catastrophe.
  • 26 Aug 2024
    • Transnational Challenges
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tonga

    The down-low on deportations and drugs in Tonga

    Henrietta McNeill
    The practice by Australia of sending criminals back to their home country can pose a risk to regional security without the proper reintegration support.
  • 21 Aug 2024
    • Asia
    • Australia and Asia
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Australian Development Assistance
    • Australian Foreign Aid
    • Foreign Policy
    • Pacific Islands

    Australia takes a big first step to engage civil society in foreign policy

    Heather Wrathall , Jasmine Stephens
    With a new multi-million dollar fund, Canberra underscores the importance of robust and transparent democracy.
  • 21 Aug 2024
    • Climate change
    • United Nations
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia
    • Tonga

    Polycrisis in the Pacific: How leaders will respond at the PIF Summit in Tonga

    Mihai Sora
    A tiny capital will be host to a huge regional agenda.
  • 13 Aug 2024
    • Australia
    • Diplomacy
    • Climate change
    • Pacific Islands
    • The Americas

    Where to for Australia’s First Nations Foreign Policy?

    'Alopi Latukefu
    The climate is right to make environmental diplomacy a centrepiece of this new approach to the world.
  • 8 Aug 2024
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Global Economy
    • Pacific Islands
    • China and the Pacific
    • Nauru
    • Solomon Islands
    • Tonga
    • Tuvalu
    • Vanuatu

    Economic diplomacy: Banking on the Pacific

    Greg Earl
    Rebuilding regional banking is unlikely to pay dividends without an underlying business revival.
  • 7 Aug 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • United States

    Looking back at the Biden administration’s Pacific strategy

    Isabelle Zhu-Maguire
    Big promises haven’t always been backed up by delivery. But the main question is about enduring attention.
  • 30 Jul 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Pacific Islands
    • Sex and Gender

    Gender equality, the Pacific way

    Mercy Masta , Elisabeth Jackson
    “Using culture to change culture” is how to make real progress in addressing a longstanding regional challenge.
  • 29 Jul 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    The unheard potential of moderate voices in New Caledonia’s crisis

    Catherine Wilson
    Hope for a “common destiny” is not yet lost despite the violent unrest and hardening views.
  • 16 Jul 2024
    • Pacific Islands

    The role for Pacific media in charting a pragmatic global outlook

    Shailendra Bahadur Singh , Amit Sarwal
    Journalism from the region is essential in shaping views of the region.
  • 11 Jul 2024
    • France
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    A surprising litmus test for New Caledonia’s independence parties

    Denise Fisher
    The French election saw New Caledonia’s independence parties attain an overall majority in the first territory-wide poll since the 2018–21 referendums.
  • 26 Jun 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    New Caledonia: France’s way or the Pacific way?

    Denise Fisher
    Legal, yes. Constructive? A pattern is emerging.
  • 24 Jun 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Pacific Islands

    Fragmented and burdensome: Small European donors are clogging Pacific aid channels

    Riley Duke
    Competition, political self-interest, and poor coordination are overburdening the region’s administrations.
  • 19 Jun 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands

    Is a new Australian police program what the Pacific needs?

    Danielle Watson
    Engagement on policing is crucial, but it must be regionally led.
  • 12 Jun 2024
    • France
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    France’s legislative elections and complications for New Caledonia

    Denise Fisher
    There is only hope, however vain, that this move may provide space for calm reassessment of positions.
  • 3 Jun 2024
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Public Opinion

    Australians watching Pacific with concern and care

    Meg Keen
    Chinese influence and Pacific migration pathways are on Australian minds this year, according to latest Lowy Institute Poll.
  • 31 May 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Fiji

    Fiji: Positioning and posturing on politicians pay

    Jon Fraenkel
    Drawing on past experience and that of neighbouring countries, MPs and ministers should not be determining their own salaries.
  • 28 May 2024
    • Climate change
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tuvalu

    A portrait of a climate champion: Who is Enele Sopoaga? 

    Isabelle Zhu-Maguire
    The Pacific leader is giving voice to the plight of the region and posing a direct challenge to Australia’s environmental diplomacy.
  • 27 May 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    Next steps for New Caledonia in the wake of Macron’s proposals

    Denise Fisher
    A flying visit by the French president to the Pacific territory leaves a long road ahead.
  • 14 May 2024
    • France
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    Violence erupts in New Caledonia as independence supporters oppose legislation in Paris

    Denise Fisher
    Macron’s plan has backfired. But there can be no sustainable solution without cooperation of all parties.
  • 7 May 2024
    • China
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Papua New Guinea

    PNG-China: What’s to gain in any policing deal?

    Oliver Nobetau
    It seems we’ll be hearing more about this prospective arrangement.
  • 3 May 2024
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Pacific Islands
    • Solomon Islands

    Can Solomon Islands’ new prime minister really be friends to all?

    Mihai Sora
    The success of the PM’s premiership will depend on his approach to pressing domestic problems as much as issues of national sovereignty.
  • 3 May 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands

    Australia’s superannuation rules leave Pacific workers out of pocket

    Jessica Collins
    The government must reconsider its tax on the Pacific’s poorest.
  • 2 May 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Bougainville
    • Papua New Guinea

    Bougainville’s future: The hard questions

    Oliver Nobetau
    There are good reasons to take time before Bougainville cuts loose from PNG.
  • 1 May 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Climate change
    • Sustainability
    • Pacific Islands

    Fixing the plastics problem when delivering urgent aid

    Margaret Nesi
    Coping with climate change is hard enough. Sustainability cannot be overlooked in humanitarian action across the Pacific.
  • 26 Apr 2024
    • Pacific Islands

    Solomon Islands: Unexpected defeat for Sogavare

    Jon Fraenkel
    Sogavare was tipped for a sweeping victory but suffered a major defeat. Now Solomon Islands politicians must form a new government, and keep the peace.
  • 18 Apr 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Papua New Guinea

    It’s important to acknowledge PNG’s own interests with China

    Michael Kabuni
    And a big part of that is bargaining power with the West.
  • 18 Apr 2024
    • Australia
    • European Union
    • Trade
    • Climate change
    • Pacific Islands

    Is the EU Australia’s blind spot in the Indo-Pacific?

    Anne McNaughton , Frédéric Grare
    In region worried about militarisation, what is perceived as the EU’s weakness by Australia may be its main strength.
  • 16 Apr 2024
    • France
    • Pacific Islands
    • New Caledonia

    New Caledonia: Uncertainty and division intensify as Paris imposes its will

    Denise Fisher
    Work is needed now to ensure history does not repeat.
  • 11 Apr 2024
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Pacific Islands
    • China and the Pacific
    • Fiji
    • Nauru
    • New Zealand
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Solomon Islands
    • Tonga
    • Tuvalu
    • Vanuatu

    Pacific Engagement Visas: New developments but quotas unknown

    Natasha Turia , Akka Rimon
    Australia’s highly competitive new visa lottery has much leg work to do to make fair allocations between countries.
  • 10 Apr 2024
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Pacific Islands
    • China and the Pacific
    • Fiji
    • New Zealand
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Solomon Islands

    Solomon Islands: Democracy on the ballot

    Meg Keen , Oliver Nobetau
    Next week, voters will determine not only political leadership but the future of democratic processes.
  • 26 Mar 2024
    • Japan
    • Maritime Security
    • Pacific Islands

    Should Japan expand its security partnerships in the Pacific?

    Daniel Mandell
    Four reasons why rushing in may not be the answer.
  • 25 Mar 2024
    • China
    • Pacific Islands
    • Fiji

    Where did that Chinese police video come from?

    Graeme Smith , Daria Impiombato
    Like governments everywhere, when a problem is out of control, they put on a show.
  • 20 Mar 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Recommendations

    The Translator: "Friends to all"

    Mihai Sora
    A new series in which experts explain the sometimes baffling jargon of international affairs.
  • 15 Mar 2024
    • Australia
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Australia's Army
    • Australia's Defence Challenges
    • Australian Defence Force
    • Pacific Islands
    • China and the Pacific
    • Fiji
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Vanuatu

    A “climate defence force” for the Pacific

    Thomas Lonergan
    By harnessing human, environmental and resource security, Canberra can counter Beijing’s coercive tactics in the region.
  • 14 Mar 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tonga
    • Public Opinion
    • Public Opinion Polling

    Tongan attitudes to the world

    ‘Ungatea Fonua Kata , Jessica Collins
    A new poll reveals how the Pacific archipelago views US, Chinese and Australian influence.
  • 8 Mar 2024
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Fiji
    • Sex and Gender

    Supporting Pacific women to tell the region’s stories

    Rosi Tamani-Doviverata , Kathy McLeish
    Ensuring all local voices are heard makes for far more powerful reporting.
  • 8 Mar 2024
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Pacific Islands
    • Fiji
    • Nauru
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Solomon Islands
    • Tonga
    • Tuvalu
    • Sex and Gender

    State of play for Pacific women in 2024

    Jessica Collins
    When the playing field is levelled, the dividends are doubled, both in politics and sport.
  • 27 Feb 2024
    • Japan
    • Pacific Islands
    • United States

    Japan and the United States should pool efforts to improve health in Pacific Island countries

    Eileen Natuzzi , Rieko Hayakawa
    A coordinated “health as diplomacy” partnership could mobilise the Quad, PBP, and other multinational partnerships to do the same.
  • 15 Feb 2024
    • Australia and the Pacific
    • Pacific Islands
    • Papua New Guinea

    The state of play in PNG: A momentous start to 2024

    Oliver Nobetau
    Domestic deals and political spills threaten to overshadow economic progress in the land of the unexpected.
  • 7 Feb 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia
    • Pacific Islands
    • Papua New Guinea
    • Sex and Gender

    Whose security is really at stake? Gender must be prioritised in Australia‑PNG security agreement

    Sarah Morley
    More police can’t be the answer when police have long been part of the problem.
  • 6 Feb 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • China
    • Pacific Islands
    • Vanuatu

    A new China loan threatens Vanuatu’s debt outlook

    Alexandre Dayant , Riley Duke
    A new major infrastructure project could leave the country on the road to debt distress.
  • 5 Feb 2024
    • China
    • Taiwan
    • Pacific Islands
    • Nauru

    From “poop diggers” to allies: Chinese social media reacts to Nauru’s switch

    Shuo Luan , Graeme Smith
    Echoes of past positions continue to influence views of the Pacific Island nation.
  • 2 Feb 2024
    • Global Issues
    • Transnational Challenges
    • Pacific Islands

    Pacific Islands: Spillover threats from transnational organised crime

    Danielle Watson , Jay Caldwell
    Facing a policing squeeze in Southeast Asia, criminal networks will increasingly shift their operations to regions of perceived weakness.
  • 31 Jan 2024
    • Migration
    • Pacific Islands
    • Vanuatu

    Golden passports and visas: Two sides of the coin

    Henrietta McNeill , Grant Walton
    These schemes get plenty of bad press, but for a country like Vanuatu, suddenly scrapping them could be worse.
  • 31 Jan 2024
    • Pacific Islands
    • Tonga

    Tonga walks a tightrope on its Chinese debts

    Riley Duke
    After a decade of delays, appeals and failed negotiations, Tonga has begun the process of repaying its sizable debt to China.
  • 30 Jan 2024
    • Migration
    • Pacific Islands

    Visa-free travel: A chance to reignite the Pacific voyage

    Damian Kelly
    Barriers to the movement of people split up the regional family.  
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