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Border closures due to COVID-19 have forced many Pacific countries to become more self-reliant in times of natural disaster, Kira Osborne and colleagues write. Prior to 2020, ‘localisation’ was fast becoming the latest addition to the international aid and development buzzword dictionary. The Pacific was no exception, but pathways to put words into meaningful action…

While much of the Pacific has kept the health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic under control so far, Papua New Guinea still may not have reached the peak of the crisis, Ben Bohane writes for the Pacific Wayfinder series. When Dr Henry Ivarature left his Port Moresby home earlier this year to move to Canberra,…

Papua New Guinea is reporting higher than expected vaccination numbers, whilst Fiji has announced it will be opening temporary hospitals to deal with the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, Hugh McClure writes. The COVID-19 situation in Fiji has escalated considerably this fortnight. 264 cases have been recorded in the past 14 days, bringing the country’s…

For effective cooperation in combatting transnational crime, Australia and New Zealand need to look at a hybrid system of policing underpinned by cultural awareness, Jose Sousa-Santos writes. At his farewell parade in Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s recently departed Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell highlighted the challenges posed by the increasing prevalence of illicit drugs in the community and…

As Samoa’s electoral crisis continues to evolve, observers should consider the broader context of this year’s election, Eliorah Malifa writes in our new Pacific Wayfinder series. Samoa has traditionally been one of the most stable countries in the Pacific. In the region, it is known for secure and constant government. Since independence in 1962, Samoa…