Stories by Lydia Lewis

"I think the whole of the Pacific will mourn his passing," Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general, Baron Waqa, said.

The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister is feeling "confident" heading into a likely vote of no confidence next week.

Details have emerged at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga that the US may be staying out of policing support and development in the Pacific for Australia to take the lead.

澳总理与美国副国务卿对话曝光，专家称这是一种大国在面对国际事务时帝国主义式的俯视思维。

The United States has "listened carefully" to Pacific Island nations in its efforts to boost its diplomatic footprint in the region, the deputy secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, says.

The local people have been up until the early hours of the morning brushing and sweeping the streets and painting fences ahead of the leaders' arrivals.

The Solomon Islands foreign affairs permanent secretary says associate and full membership status of the largest regional body was originally set up for independent countries only.

"The welfare of the interests of our Melanesians in West Papua and the other Papuan Provinces in Indonesia is an ongoing concern," the Melanesian Spearhead Group said on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister says the agreement commits Australia to help Tuvalu with climate adaptation, and he's also had conversation with Fiji PM to develop a similar bilateral agreement.

Papua New Guineans need to ask, "where is the Christian solidarity", ULMWP leader says, after the PNG leader said it's Indonesia's responsibility to address independence demands.

The 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting is off to a start with pouring rain and an earthquake as the backdrop, with the New Caledonia and the climate crisis as hot button issues.

Kiribati's head of delegation at Tonga leaders' summit says "our constitutional task" is to prioritise the elections process and diplomatic visits will resume once new government is formed.

But for locals, Tonga hosting the summit means it offers a much-needed cash injection to the nation, which is still recovering from the Hunga-Tonga Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami. Audio

Veronique Roger-Lacan said the argument of New Caledonia Congress President Roch Wamytan "does not fly" and Paris has a "totally impartial" stance" on the decolonisation process. Audio

The New Caledonia Congress President has doubled down on Kanaks' aspirations to seek self-determination and lambasted France for "demeaning" Pacific leaders' mission.

A Pacific Islands Forum high-level mission was expected to travel to New Caledonia this week to speak to all sides involved in the ongoining violence in the French territory.

Tonga's government has extended an invitation to the billionaire entrepreneur to attend the annual Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting to be held in less than two weeks' time.

Charlot Salwai was in Aotearoa for an official visit this week, where he met his counterpart Christopher Luxon for bilateral talks on labour mobility, climate change, Pacific regionalism. Audio

France has approved a high-level Pacific "fact-finding mission" to New Caledonia to gather information from all sides involved in the ongoing crisis. Audio

Véronique Roger-Lacan says it is up to Paris to decide whether a high-level mission to New Caledonia will be possible prior to or after the Forum Leaders' Summit in Tonga. Audio

Hu'akavameiliku says the countdown for a response from France is on with Pacific leaders set to meet in Tonga in the last week of this month.

"We're trying to get some money to help build and make it safe for the future," Kapingamarangi Atoll's chief administrator Solomon Lowson says.

Relatives of people buried alive in the devastating landslide in Papua New Guinea's remote Enga Province are still sleeping on the rocks that buried their dead relatives.

Tongan teacher Mia Kami, a former activist and singer-songwriter, opens up students' minds through overseas music tours. Video, Audio

Forum secretary general Baron Waqa says the PIF is doing its "best to try and maintain peace and stability at this time". Audio