- Cyclone Winston battered Fiji this week. The rising death toll stands at 42 at time of writing, and almost half of Fiji’s population has been directly affected.
- Access to clean water is a prime concern. Aid workers are warning of the danger of dengue, and Zika outbreaks are compounding water and sanitation problems.
- Disaster relief aid for Fiji is arriving from a variety of sources. The US, China and India have all provided financial assistance. New Zealand and Australia have allocated significant funds and have deployed military assets to assist with assessment and distribution of relief supplies.
- Work never ceases for Vanuatu’s Electoral Commission, with a by-election to be called following the death of Deputy Speaker Havo Moli less than a month after the snap general election.
- Controversy surrounding the Papua New Guinea government’s Special Agricultural Business Lease scheme has reignited with the publication of a damning report on the logging industry by The Oakland Institute.
- Non-Resident Fellow Sean Dorney launched his Lowy Institute Paper on Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea, The Embarrassed Colonialist this week. An extract is available at The Guardian, and discussion of the publication can be found in the Financial Review, the Sydney Morning Herald, the ABC and The Australian. The Interpreter is also running a debate series on the issues raised in the Paper.
- Drone footage from the ABC shows the extent of the damage caused by Cyclone Winston:
Pacific Island links: Cyclone Winston devastates, aid arrives in Fiji, PNG's SABL controversy and more
Published 24 Feb 2016
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