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Pacific Island links: Ciobo, Tuna crisis, COP21, Vanuatu elections and more

Pacific Island links: Ciobo, Tuna crisis, COP21, Vanuatu elections and more
Published 9 Dec 2015 

  • Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Steven Ciobo is leading a delegation of Australian MPs on a tour that will take in Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Solomon Islands.  
  • While in Fiji he launched the first progress report on Australia’s $320 million Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development Scheme.  
  • The annual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission is at a halt, as a consensus on how to save overfished tuna cannot be reached. 
  • Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced the new High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea. Bruce Davis, previously Vice-President of the ADB and former Director-General of AusAID, will be heading to Port Moresby to take up the position.  
  • Robin Davies takes a closer look at Australia’s commitments at the climate change conference in Paris, explaining that Australia is lagging far behind when compared to other countries’ pledges. 
  • Woodside Energy has withdrawn its plans to take over the Papua New Guinean company Oil Search.  
  • The 15 MPs convicted of corruption and bribery in Vanuatu have been banned from holding public office for 10 years. Elections have been announced for 22 January 2016.  
  • The Lowy Institute hosted the 2015 GE Australia-Papua New Guinea Emerging Leaders Dialogue last week. You can read some of the key recommendations here
  • Jenny Hayward-Jones took the opportunity to reflect on Australia-PNG relations over the last year and the importance of people-to-people connections to maintain the friendship.  
  • Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor on the future of our oceans and the imperative to reach a global consensus to maintain their health. 



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