KELLY LORENNIJ The youth non-profit Jo-Jikum, which means “your home,” finally has a place to call home after years of working without a roof over the heads of its Earth Champions. Jo-Jikum Director Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner calls the NGO and its new headquarters a “labor of love” that has come a long way from its humble […]
GIFF JOHNSON The day after the Solomon Islands rocked the Pacific islands diplomatic world this week by switching ties from Taiwan to China, the Marshall Islands Nitijela (parliament) unanimously adopted a three-page resolution honoring over 20 years of RMI-Taiwan ties. After talking about a diplomatic switch for months, the Solomons on Monday became the first […]
Prior to her installment this week as the 26th Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP), President Hilda Heine and First Gentleman Tommy Kijiner, Jr. visited the USP Campus in Suva where she met USP Vice Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the USP Council Winston Thompson, members of […]
KELLY LORENNIJ Among the important topics discussed by Pacific Island Forum leaders in Tuvalu last month was the issue of nuclear contamination in the region, a long-standing concern stated in previous Forum meetings and official communique statements, as well as health and security issues related to World War II wrecks and unexploded ordnance. This year […]
At the margin of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIFS) Leaders meeting last week in Tuvalu, President Hilda Heine met with Jerry Velasquez, Director of the Green Climate Fund’s Division of Mitigation and Adaptation. The meeting was to discuss the on-going GCF program, in particular the Water and Coastal Adaptation Program in the Marshall Islands. President […]
KELLY LORENNIJ The Micronesian region is transitioning to sustainable ocean transport for inter-island services, a move that is spearheaded by the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport that is based in the University of the South Pacific in the Marshall Islands. The Center’s Michael Traut outlined the steps that are being taken to make this transition […]
GIFF JOHNSON The big news coming from several hours of meetings on Pohnpei Monday between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Hilda Heine and leaders of the FSM and Palau is Pompeo’s announcement that negotiations to extend Compact funding agreements have begun. The post-2023 period, when US grant funding for RMI and FSM […]
Representatives of the COFA Alliance National Network (CANN) met with President Hilda Heine late last month during a visit to Majuro to participate in the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures (APIL) meeting. Project Coordinator David Anitok and Board Member Loyd Henion, both of whom were founders of the organization, met with the President. Heine conveyed […]
President Hilda Heine traveled to Pohnpei this past Saturday to attend inauguration festivities for new FSM President David Panuelo earlier this week. Heine met with Panuelo Saturday after arrival. The discussion between President Panuelo and President Heine was brief, but covered several topics: the outcomes of the recent Micronesian Islands Forum, activities for the Joint […]
HILARY HOSIA Billma Peter became the most popular 22-year old bachelorette in the Marshall Islands following her ascension to the crown as the first Miss Marshall Islands last Saturday at the International Conference Center. President Hilda Heine did the historic crowning in what looked like a completely transformed ICC with a stage equipped with modern […]
