26 July 2016: Representatives of Fiji and Israel started cooperation’s dialogue

Today meeting of Fiji’s Minister of Foreign Affairs - Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and Israel’s Ambassador - Shmuel Ben-Schmuel was organised. It took place in Suva - the capital of Fiji. The representatives of Islands started the meeting by thanks for a help in reducing damages after cyclone on Fiji. The international aid was organised by non-governmental organization IsraAID. Israel’s Ambassador participated in the summit of the Pacific Islands Development Forum. Ambassador Ben-Schmuel thanked Fiji’s government for initiatives connected with helping maintain peace in the Middle East, especially in Golan Heights and Lebanon, where constantly growing instability in the region.

Read More

25 July 2016: Fiji signed World Cancer Declaration

Today Minister of Health and Medical Services - Jone Usamate and the Fiji Cancer and WOWs Kids signed the World Cancer Declaration, with the goal to reduce the preventable mortality rate of cancer patients. Fiji is obliged to reduce mortality caused by cancer, because Fiji is covered by World Health Assemby resolutions WHA58.22 (Cancer prevention and control), WPR/RC62.R2 (Expanding and Intensifying Non communicable Disease Prevention and Control), and WHA resolution 66.10 to adopt a global target of a 25% reduction in premature mortality from NCDs by 2025. For Fiji this Declaration is important, because cancer is third cause of death in this country. Also Ministry of Health and Medical Services became in 2015 member of the Union for International Cancer Control.

Read More

22 July 2016: Australian Minister of Environment resigned from his role

This week Minister of Environment Greg Hunt said that he finish his work with environment portfolio. After one decade of his work he want to give his role to  Josh Frydenberg who is representative od Liberal Party. Hunt boasts achievements like establishing emissions reduction fund and he also claims credit for “putting in place” the renewable energy target. It is huge achievement cause Australia has been criticised for submitting one of the lowest emissions reduction targets in the developed world at last year’s United Nations climate conference. Hunt’s decision wasn’t connected with some political staff. He just wanted to finish his career and give oportunity for someone new.

Read More

21 July 2016: Fiji’s Ambassador to the United Nations become The President of the UN General Assembly

Peter Thompson is going to be The President of 71st session of the UN General Assembly. He revaled with diplomat of Cyprus, Ambassador Andreas Mayroyiannis. He had four votes more than representative from Cyprus and took over the presidency from Ambassodor Mogens Lykketoft of Denmark who will complete his term on 31 August this year. It is said that he won by organising many strategic campaigns involving all of Fiji’s foreign missions.  71st session will be connected to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. By winning this election, Thompson will have influence on UN’s actions. Thanks to that the organisation can solve problems which are common in Fiji and other countries.  
Read More

19 July 2016: UE and Marshall Islands signed Visa Waiver Agreement

A few days ago Marshall Islands and European Union signed agreement connected with visas. It was signed by Marshall Islands Ambassador to the United Nations - Amatlain Kabua (she started negociate visa’s agreement when she was an Ambassador to Fiji) and by European Union Ambassador Roderick Van Schreven. Agreement provides for free-visa travel between UE and Marshall Islands, which last from 90 days to 180 days.The main benefit is that this agreement makes Marshal Islands more open for European. It can develop Islands by growth in tourism, business and economy. And of course it supports relations between those regions.

Read More

15 July 2016: Senator of Tasmanian Parliament becomes a Tasmania’s new Resources Minister

Former Liberal senator Guy Barnett is the new Resources, Building, Construction and Consumer Affairs Minister in the Tasmanian Cabinet. In his role as Resources Minister, Mr. Barnett will also take on the Forestry portfolio — which has been looked after by Treasurer Peter Gutwein. Mr. Barnett replaces former minister Adam Brooks, who resigned from Cabinet after initially denying he had used an email address linked to his company. Mr. Brooks resigned from the Liberals’ front bench on 12th of July.

Read More

14 July 2016: Visa Waiver Agreement signed by UE i Tuvalu

Few days ago the representative of Tuvalu - Taukelina Finikaso, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Environment and Labour and representatives of UE - Alexander Micovcin, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Slovak Republic to the EU and Belinda Pyke, Director for Migration and Mobility signed a  Visa Waiver Agreement. The new visa provides for visa-free travel for EU citizens when travelling to Tuvalu and for citizens of Tuvalu when travelling to the EU (Schengen area), for a period of stay of 90 days in any 180-day period. The agreement will encourage people-to-people contacts, boost tourism, and invigorate business between the EU and Tuvalu. According to the agreement, people who want to travel between those countries, need special passports which inform about trips goal.( tourism, cultural visits, scientific activities, family visits, business etc.)
Read More

13 July 2016: New Zeland Defensive Forces organised humanitarian activity in Tonga

Exercise Tropic Twilight 2016 is a mission of humanitarian activity which will be developed this year in Tonga’s Ha’apai group of islands from 7-29 July. New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is funding the projects being delivered as part of the New Zealand Aid Programme. The humanitarian activity also involves military personnel from Tonga, the United States, China, France and Australia.

 
Read More

11 July 2016 : Prime Minister has changed Cabinet Ministers in Samoa

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi has confirmed the changes in two of his Cabinet Ministers after the Cabinet meeting. The Prisons and Rehabilitation Services that was under the Minister of Police is now under the Minister of Revenue, Tialavea Leniu Tionisio Hunt. Tourism has been moved from Lautafi Selafi Fio Purcell and is now under the Minister of Police & Prisons, Salā Fata Pinati. Public Trust Corporation that was under the Revenue Ministers is now also under Salā Fata Pinati. The changes according to Tuilaepa are due to the heavy load already carried by other Ministers. Prime Minister said that he replace prisons and rehabilitation under a different Minister because in his opinion previous Minister was focused on Ministry of Police too much. Police were more important than issues of rehabilitation and prisons.
Read More

6 July 2016: Fiji and Japan expand cooperation on aviation services

Fiji and Japan have signed  agreement connected  with aviation services. It includes modernised aviation provisions that will increase passenger and cargo. It also improves safety and security, allowing for greater economic collaboration between the two countries. This is the first agreement between those countries about aviation services since 1993. The new provisions allow for designated airlines of both countries to operate three passenger or cargo flights per week between Fiji and Japan. 

Read More

5 July 2016: Nauru signed OECD's Multilateral Convention

The Republic of Nauru become a member of  The Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. It includes regulations of information's flow and exchange between countries and also about taxation and offshore financial dealings. In the end of June the international agreement was signed in Paris by the Deputy Secretary-General Tamaki on behalf of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and John Petersen from Nauru’s Department of Finance. Nauru is the 98th member country to join.
 
Read More

3 July 2016: Pre-poll Parliament voting in Australia

According to results of the election on 2nd of July, the conservative coalition ruled by Malcom Turnbull and the Labour opposition won a very similar amount of votes. None of those parties secured a majority. The official results will be known next week. According to available data, the coalition won 72 votes and Labour Party won 66 votes among 150 in House of House of Representatives. In the first days, Turnbull had lost some of the votes. The Prime Minister said that the reason were opposition’s “electoral frauds” concerned with health service’s privatization. But during last days of the election, the leading party was approved by more people. Experts connect this result with Brexit. 
 
Read More

2 July 2016: Australia and United Nations - different refugees’ policy

Australia has been fighting with refugee crisis for a long time. For government, there are to solutions for this problem: forcing to leave the country or they must be sent to third countries. The second solution has been attracted international criticism. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hasn’t supported this policy. At the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, he said that all countries should have found new long-term solutions for refugees. Ban Ki - Moon wanted Australia to take more refugees every year.

Read More

28 June 2016: Surveys before the parliamentary elections in Australia

In May 2016 Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced date of pre-poll voting 2nd of July 2016. It is his idea for reaching stronger mandate for economy reforms. Coalition of Liberals and Nationalists, which ruled in 2013, lost - according to current surveys - advantage over Labour Party. Now vote’s differences between those groups are as liitle as statistical error. Since 2010, Australia has had five prime ministers in six years, beginning with Labor's Kevin Rudd. The previous election took place in September 2013. According to rules, next election should be organise in January 2017. Partys will strive for getting 76 places in Senate and 150 places in House of Representatives.

Read More