New Zealand wants to renegotiate its free association agreements with Cook Islands to secure increased transparency in its foreign partnerships. To do so, New Zealand will need to step up its own support and can …
Articles by: "Blake Johnson"
Samoa and Papua New Guinea’s recent experiences with cyber intrusions are the latest reminders of the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity resilience in the Pacific. What’s needed is capacity building and coordinated response initiatives. On …
New Zealand is taking too hasty and too abrasive an approach to Pacific islands, putting leadership in the region on edge. We see this in a bungled attempt to visit Kiribati that led to a …
2025 will be a big year for Pacific security as Pacific island nations grapple with upcoming elections, disaster recovery, watching the situation in New Caledonia and navigating geopolitical tensions. The Australian government will be kept …
Political instability in the Pacific isn’t significantly increasing. It just feels like it—with the recent dissolution of parliament in Vanuatu and motions of no confidence in Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Solomon Islands. Although the …
If Australia’s offer to support a National Rugby League (NRL) team in Papua New Guinea is contingent on PNG promising not to host Chinese forces, as reported on Monday, then the Australian government has lost …
The newly agreed Pacific defence response group to help with disaster relief will help to solidify Australia’s role as a primary provider of security assistance. It also gives the region a vital tool to promote …
It’s time for the Pacific to talk about ground rules in the security sector. The Pacific Response Group (PRG) is expected to be endorsed at this week’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting in New Zealand. …
The public revelation this month that the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat had been hacked has exposed significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the region. This breach, which possibly went undetected for months, has again thrust the …
It wasn’t the perfect start for the endorsement of the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) on Wednesday at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting. The Pacific-owned and led initiative aims to increase coordination and cooperation …
Kiribati’s polls have closed, and the results are in. There won’t be a president for several weeks, but, regardless of the outcome, Australia will be hoping for a fresh start. When parliament is formed, it …
A member of the Pacific family is in crisis, and how Australia responds next will shape its partnerships for years to come. Following unrest among pro-independence Kanaks in New Caledonia, Australia needs to back the …