Is It Time for France and New Caledonia to Go Their Separate Ways?
NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA—In early May, French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in the tropical archipelago of New Caledonia following a two-day visit to Australia, the islands’ closest major...
View Article‘Building a Nation’: Will Bougainville’s Referendum Lead to Independence?
ARAWA, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea—In late October, under overcast skies, a reggae band played to a crowd of several hundred people of all ages at an outdoor stage in Arawa, an old mining town...
View ArticleA New Political Era Dawns in Samoa
After an unprecedented political crisis, Samoa finally has a functioning government, headed by the first female leader in the small Polynesian island nation’s history. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa had been...
View ArticleA Messy Election Highlights Papua New Guinea’s Governance Challenges
Papua New Guinea’s national elections were marred by violence and disenfranchisement, raising concerns about the state of the country’s democracy. Nevertheless, Prime Minister James Marape’s reelection...
View ArticleU.S.-China Competition Is Center Stage at the Pacific Games
The Solomon Islands has become the focus of a fierce geopolitical rivalry between the allies of the U.S. on one hand, and China on the other, after announcing an extensive security pact with Beijing a...
View ArticleAfter Elections, the U.S. Has a Window of Opportunity in the Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands’ new government isn’t a complete break from the past. But it is an opportunity for the U.S. to boost bilateral ties. The post After Elections, the U.S. Has a Window of Opportunity...
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