Mihai Sora

Director, Pacific Islands Program
Areas of expertise

Australian foreign policy, geopolitics in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, conflict analysis and fragile states.

Mihai Sora
Biography
Publications
News and media

Mihai Sora is Director of the Pacific Islands Program at the Lowy Institute. The Program has a policy research focus on contemporary challenges facing the Pacific Islands region, including geostrategic competition, sustainable economic development, governance, and leadership. The Program comprises four major projects: the Pacific Research Program, the Geopolitics in the Pacific Project, the Australia-PNG Network Project, and the FDC Pacific Fellow Endowment.

Mihai’s research focus is on regional dynamics and the role of the United States, China, and Australia in the Pacific. His analysis has appeared in the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Guardian, and The Interpreter. Mihai’s commentary has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Financial Times, Bloomberg, and other major international outlets.

Before joining the Lowy Institute, Mihai was an Australian diplomat, with postings to Solomon Islands and Indonesia, and short-term deployments throughout the Pacific. Mihai was a Pacific Analyst at the Office of National Assessments.

Putting a PNG stamp on security
Putting a PNG stamp on security
As world players jostle for influence, the price of admission may be stronger economic engagement.
Diplomacy must lead Australia's efforts in the Pacific, and adequate funding is crucial
Commentary
Diplomacy must lead Australia's efforts in the Pacific, and adequate funding is crucial
A commentary first published in The Canberra Times on 17 May 2023. 
British foreign minister’s belated visit to the Pacific a welcome counter to Chinese influence
Commentary
British foreign minister’s belated visit to the Pacific a welcome counter to Chinese influence
A commentary first published in The Guardian Australia on 21 April 2023
Geopolitical competition among the larger powers in the Pacific
Commentary
Geopolitical competition among the larger powers in the Pacific
There is strategic anxiety in both the United States and Australia about China's increasing influence in the Pacific. 
PNG’s troubled election should be a wake-up call for Australia
PNG’s troubled election should be a wake-up call for Australia
Shocking violence has captured headlines. A higher benchmark is needed in support of a free and credible ballot.
Aus-PNG Network Leadership Series: Music in PNG
Podcasts
Aus-PNG Network Leadership Series: Music in PNG
Mihai Sora is joined by Allen Kedea, also known by his stage name AKay47, to discuss the music scene in Papua New Guinea, and the role that music can play in empowering young…
Australia needs to find the right role in the Pacific
Commentary
Australia needs to find the right role in the Pacific
Australia’s financial aid program in Pacific Island nations has not delivered the influence that we hoped for. Now we need to get a better idea of what the region really might…
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