New PM for Tuvalu
TUVALU has a new Prime Minister: Feleti Teo was the only nominee when MPs finally gathered in Funafuti. Their meeting had been delayed by bad weather that had prevented them from travelling to the capital.
Mr Teo is well known on the regional bureaucratic and policy circuit having held some very high-level positions, including executive director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
A familiar name in Mr Teo’s Cabinet line-up is that of Simon Kofe who has previously served as Foreign Minister. This time around he will look after the transport, energy, communication and innovation portfolio.
PM Teo has identified 21 priorities for his government, with improved service delivery and the battle against climate change top of his agenda. At the end of this initial list, he confirmed that his country would remain aligned with Taiwan. He also flagged a review of the Falepili Union his predecessor signed with Australia late last year.
Regional initiative for kava
As the market for kava and derived products grows in countries outside the region, Pacific policymakers are working to ensure that the economic benefits are secured in the countries where the crop is central to livelihoods and culture.
One initiative under consideration is the application of a ‘Geographical Indication’ for kava that is grown in Pacific island countries such as Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga.
This would protect kava as a Pacific product. This is what has been applied in international law concerning the term “champagne”, which can only be used to describe sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France.
The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is working to develop a regional kava strategy. However, private sector stakeholders are more focused on improving access to markets and ensuring that logistical issues, such as the cost of freight are addressed to support the industry.
Other Pacific News
In Fiji, the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) has met for the first time in nearly two decades, having been disbanded by former Prime Minister JV ‘Frank’ Bainimarama. The new chair of the GCC is former military commander, Ratu Viliame Seruvakula.
President Hilda Heine of Marshall Islands has expressed her frustration at the ongoing delays in getting US congressional approval of the renewed funding package for her country. She has warned that party politics is undermining the relationship between Marshalls and the US.
In Vanuatu, the President of Malvatumauri (the National Council of Chiefs) has made a statement about VPride, a group that advocates for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community, claiming that it conflicts with the preamble of the country’s Constitution.
Concern about the prevalence of drugs in the region is rising. Recently, in Samoa, police seized marijuana, methamphetamine, cash, firearms and drug equipment in three raids in Apia. The raids came after reports that drugs were being traded at Fugalei market.
A recent ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation saw Pacific negotiators push once again for a better deal for the region. They focused particularly on persuading distant water fishing nations to reduce or end harmful subsidies.