Pacific Islands

Transport Infrastructure

Australia signs $89 million economic and security treaty with Nauru

Australia signed an economic and safety treaty with Nauru, Monday. It pledged A$100,000,000 ($64,000,000) in direct budget assistance over five years as well as A$40,000,000 to increase security in this remote Pacific Islands nation. China is also courting Nauru. This is Australia's second security agreement in the Pacific Islands, which effectively blocks China from creating policing links after a similar one agreed with Tuvalu. It also gives Australia a right of veto on Chinese involvement in Nauru’s banking, telecommunications, or security sectors. Canberra grew more concerned about Beijing's intentions in the Pacific Islands after Solomon Islands signed a 2022 security...

Transport Infrastructure

China's Xi backs Fijian PM's Pacific strategy ahead of regional meeting

Chinese President Xi Jinping told going to Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka he backed his Ocean of Peace plan during a conference in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese state media reported, days ahead of a summit for Pacific Island leaders in Tonga. China likewise vowed to step up its trade ties with the archipelagic state, which wishes to upgrade its ports and ship structure, roads, and sewage facilities, but can only do so through protecting much better terms for its farming and fisheries exporters owing to deep debts. China values Prime Minister Rabuka's vision for an Ocean of Peace and is...

Passenger Transportation Services

United States sanctions targets include previous SriLankan Airlines CEO over Plane deal

The U.S. State Department announced a slew of sanctions on Monday to mark International AntiCorruption Day and the eve of Human Rights Day, targeting people from numerous countries, consisting of the former CEO of SriLankan Airlines over Airplane purchases. Also targeted were North Macedonia's former deputy prime minister, Artan Grubi, as well as Enver Bexheti, a judge from that country's appeals court and Kevin Kedi, a councilman from the Marshall Islands, for supposedly accepting bribes. The State Department stated the United States was redesignating UK resident Fawaz Akhras, father of the British-born other half of the deposed Syrian president, Bashar...

Passenger Transportation Services

Taiwan's President Lai in Marshall Islands on very first overseas state go to

Taiwan President Lai Chingte got here on an official see to the Marshall Islands on Tuesday, which he stated was the very first nation he had checked out because taking office in May, as part of a Pacific tour of diplomatic allies. China, which sees Taiwan as its own territory and opposes any foreign interactions or check outs by the island's leaders, has been stepping up military pressure against Taiwan, including 2 rounds of war games this year. Showing up in the Marshall Islands capital of Majuro, Lai described Taiwan's indigenous residents as sharing a culture with the Pacific Islands'...

Passenger Transportation Services

What new taxes can help raise money for climate change?

The COP29 Climate Talks in Azerbaijan are aiming to reach an agreement on a finance target of at least $1 trillion a year for poorer countries to combat global warming. New taxes are one option. The Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, led by France Barbados and Kenya is exploring this issue. The following are excerpts from the latest report of its Global Solidarity Levies Task Force (GSLT), led by France, Barbados and Kenya. Shipping A levy for shipping could be the closest to agreement, as it is responsible for about 3% of global emission. Governments will debate a number of...

Passenger Transportation Services

Turboprop maker ATR scraps brand-new model to concentrate on existing variety

Turboprop airplane maker ATR stated on Wednesday it would scrap development of a brand-new design created to take off and arrive at brief runways and concentrate instead on its existing portfolio. The French-Italian business, co-owned by Jet and Leonardo, said the choice to halt the brand-new ATR 42-600S Short Liftoff and Landing (STOL) advancement followed an extensive market review and remaining supply chain stress. ATR is the world's biggest producer of local turboprop aircrafts, with a family of aircraft seating 42 to 78 individuals. In 2019, the Toulouse-based manufacturer announced strategies to establish an unique version of its smallest design...

Passenger Transportation Services

Growth across Pacific slows as post-pandemic rebound fades, says World Bank

Development across the Pacific Islands is expected to slow to 3.6% this year, down from 5.8% in 2023, as a postpandemic rebound fades and Fiji, contributing half of the area's output, slowed substantially, the World Bank stated on Tuesday. A long-lasting slowdown was brought on by weaker financial investment, increasing climate threats, and structural obstacles, a report said. Without instant action to ramp up financial investment, Pacific Island nations may have a hard time to lower poverty and produce brand-new economic opportunities, it included. The Washington-based worldwide lending institution stated investment had diminished usually across Pacific Island nations in seven...