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☆ Australia to form rapid cyber assist teams for Pacific Islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday it would spend A$26.2 million ($17 million) to establish "rapid assistance" teams to respond to cyber crises in the Pacific region, and another A$16.7 million to identify cyber vulnerabilities in the Pacific Islands. The cyber security boost comes after Australia and the United States committed last month to funding two new undersea cables to be rolled out by Google in the Pacific Islands to increase connectivity for eight remote island countries. Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy said the rapid response teams would "build long-term resilience in the Pacific" and provide critical support. A second undersea cable would connect the United States to Australia via French Polynesia.

Persons: Kacper, Pacific Pat Conroy, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Google, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Australia, Pacific, United States, Fiji, French Polynesia

☆ Chinese police experts arrive in Vanuatu amid political crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Aug 26 (Reuters) - China has sent police experts and equipment to the Pacific nation of Vanuatu in the midst of a political crisis that saw the Supreme Court rule the prime minister lost a no-confidence vote in parliament. Loughman, who drew Vanuatu closer to China as the previous prime minister, said the security pact with Australia compromised Vanuatu's "neutral" status and could jeopardise development assistance from China, its biggest external creditor. The Chinese police experts "will greatly enhance the ability of the Vanuatu police to maintain social order", Kalsakau said, according to the Chinese embassy statement. Police cooperation will improve police capacity and promote social and economic development, Li said, in comments reported by the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper. The leaders of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji met in Vanuatu on Thursday and signed a joint declaration on security that has yet to be publicly released.

Persons: Bob Loughman, Ishmael Kalsakau, Loughman, China's, Li Minggang, Kalsakau, Li, Kirsty Needham, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Vanuatu, Kalsakau, Vanuatu Daily Post, Thomson Locations: China, Pacific, Vanuatu, Australia, Kalsakau, New Zealand, United States, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji

☆ Vanuatu court rules pro-Western premier lost no-confidence vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Supreme Court judge Edwin Goldsbrough ruled on Friday that an absolute majority in a parliament with 51 members is 26. If there is no appeal, or it is rejected, parliament would vote in a new prime minister. Loughman drew Vanuatu closer to China as the previous prime minister. He has criticised the security pact with Australia, saying it compromises Vanuatu's "neutral" status and could jeopardise development assistance from China. The United States and its allies are seeking to dissuade Pacific Islands nations from establishing security ties with Beijing, after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands.

Persons: Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, Eduardo Munoz, Ishmael Kalsakau, Bob Loughman, Kalsakau, Edwin Goldsbrough, Loughman, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Kirsty Needham, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: United Nations Headquarters, REUTERS, Rights, Vanuatu, Thomson Locations: Vanuatu, New York City, U.S, China, Australia, Western, Pacific, United States, Beijing, Solomon Islands

☆ No clear winner in US, China contest in the Pacific
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The United States and PNG signed a defence cooperation agreement in May. STRATEGIC CHESSBOARDThe events in Vanuatu this week highlighted the challenges Pacific nations face in seeking to benefit from both the United States and its allies, and China. The U.S. Coast Guard has yet to gain clearance to enter Vanuatu's port, as it does in other Pacific Islands, Coast Guard officials said. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare is also reluctant to accept U.S. support. The project was the largest infrastructure donation China had made to the Pacific Islands so far, Chinese ambassador Li Ming said at the ceremony.

Persons: Joe Biden, Louis Mapou, Hu'akavemeiliku Siaosi, Surangel Whipps, Kausea Natano, Samantha Power, Power, Washington, Lenora Qereqeretabua, Qereqeretabua, Ratu Jone Logavatu Kalouniwai, Denghua Zhang, Ishmael Kalsakau, Manesseh Sogavare, Sogavare, Li Ming, Kirsty Needham, Miral Organizations: U.S ., Country, New, Tonga's, Tuvalu's, United States, USAID, Pacific, Fiji Military Force, Australian National University, Vanuatu's, U.S . Coast Guard, Coast Guard, Solomon Islands, White, Solomon Islands National University, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, Federated States, SYDNEY, China, Taiwan, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, United States, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Pacific, Australia, Vanuatu's, Solomon

☆ Vanuatu opposition boycott parliament after failed bid to remove prime minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Vanuatu's opposition party boycotted parliament on Thursday and said it would lodge a court challenge to the defeat the previous day of its bid to remove Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau. Loughman drew Vanuatu closer to China as the previous prime minister, before losing a snap election in 2022. Wednesday's no-confidence motion won 26 votes, compared with 23 votes against, but failed to win the absolute majority of 27 needed to remove a prime minister in the 52-seat parliament. Opposition lawmakers boycotted parliament on Thursday and the speaker adjourned the session, saying the chamber could not sit with only 25 members. Kalsakau told broadcaster VBTC the constitution required an absolute majority to change prime minister.

Persons: Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, Eduardo Munoz, Ishmael Kalsakau, Kalsakau, Bob Loughman, Loughman, Wednesday's, Kirsty Needham, Robert Birsel Organizations: United Nations Headquarters, REUTERS, Rights, Vanuatu, Thomson Locations: Vanuatu, New York City, U.S, Australia, China, Pacific, United States, Solomon Islands

☆ Vanuatu prime minister to face no confidence vote in parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau faces a no-confidence vote in parliament on Wednesday, after the opposition accused his government of abandoning a non-aligned foreign policy by signing a security pact with Australia. The petition, lodged a fortnight ago, was signed by 29 lawmakers, enough to topple the prime minister. Loughman drew Vanuatu closer to China as the previous prime minister. Kalsakau has said the constitution requires an absolute majority for the removal of a prime minister. Kalsakau has reshuffled his cabinet in an effort to win support ahead of the vote, with the new deputy prime minister making a show of support for China.

Persons: Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, Eduardo Munoz, Ishmael Kalsakau, Bob Loughman, Loughman, Kalsakau, Matai Seremaiah, Samson Samsen, Kirsty Needham, Miral Organizations: United Nations Headquarters, REUTERS, Rights, Vanuatu, Trade, Thomson Locations: Vanuatu, New York City, U.S, Australia, China, United States, Beijing, Solomon Islands

☆ Vanuatu faces political instability as govt delays no-confidence vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File PhotoSYDNEY, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau said political instability in the Pacific Islands nation could impact investment and tourism, after his government boycotted a no-confidence vote in parliament on Thursday. The reasons given for removing the prime minister had "no basis", he added. Loughman drew Vanuatu closer to China as the previous prime minister, until his government lost a snap national election in 2022. In a bid to boost government numbers, Jotham Napat stepped down as foreign minister and deputy prime minister on Monday, allowing a cabinet reshuffle that won back two lawmakers. Loughman countered that he had the numbers to form government next week, Vanuatu Daily Post reported.

Persons: Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, Eduardo Munoz, Ishmael Kalsakau, Bob Loughman, Kalsakau, Loughman, Jotham Napat, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates Organizations: United Nations Headquarters, REUTERS, Vanuatu, Vanuatu Daily Post, Thomson Locations: Vanuatu, New York City, U.S, China, Australia, Loughman, United States, Beijing, Solomon Islands

☆ After twin cyclones leave thousands homeless, Vanuatu takes climate plea to world stage
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Pacific island nation's Minister of Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, said 119 governments have co-sponsored Vanuatu's resolution, which seeks legal clarity on the obligation of states to take climate change action, and draws attention to the vulnerability of small islands states hit by worsening storms and rising seas. Vanuatu hopes more nations will sign-on before the general assembly debate begins on Wednesday, and it will be passed by consensus, he said. More than 3,000 people are still in evacuation centres three weeks after two category-four cyclones hit Vanuatu, which has a population of 319,000 spread across 80 islands. Vanuatu took up the challenge to seek a legal opinion from the United Nation's top court after a group of Pacific islands university students in 2019 petitioned governments with the idea. Cynthia Houniuhi, President of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said it was the most ambitious action they could think of.

☆ Fossil fuels are the new nukes: Pacific island nations at risk from rising sea levels support a nonproliferation treaty for oil and gas
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Leaders from Pacific island nations at risk from the climate crisis gathered last week in Vanuatu. The nations of Vanuatu and Tuvalu support a treaty to limit fossil-fuel use. Public and private financing for fossil fuels is also still greater than investment in climate adaptation and mitigation. Developing countries need financing to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, Berman said. "A fossil-fuel treaty could shift the social norm and make expansion unacceptable within foreign policy," Berman said.

☆ Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes near Vanuatu - USGS
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 8 (Reuters) - A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck 40 km (25 miles) west of Vanuatu's town of Port-Olry, United States Geological Survey said on Sunday. The earthquake was at a depth of 10 km, USGS said. "Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meters above the tide level are possible for some coasts of Vanuatu," said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Reporting by Jyoti Narayan in Bengaluru Editing by Raissa KasolowskyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroUNITED NATIONS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Countries on the front lines of the climate crisis are fed up. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asked world leaders why his people were paying the price of global warming. "We renew our call to the world to declare total war on this century's greatest challenge: the climate change monster. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the least responsible for climate change are suffering the most. And yet, we are the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change," he told the U.N. gathering.

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