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.

Australia must stop viewing the Pacific as its neighbourhood to fix
Commentary
Australia must stop viewing the Pacific as its neighbourhood to fix
As the nation heads toward an election, recent events in the Solomon Islands are a reminder that strong economic relationships with Pacific countries are important to security…
 A security agreement between China and Solomon Islands could impact stability in the whole Pacific
Commentary
A security agreement between China and Solomon Islands could impact stability in the whole Pacific
Australia must figure out how to respond to an increasingly crowded Pacific, without increasing tensions in the region. Originally published in The Guardian.
Kick-starting America’s Pacific diplomacy
Kick-starting America’s Pacific diplomacy
Trying to force a “choice” with China would be a mistake. But US can win plenty of good will living up to its promises.
Lowy Institute Conversations: Collaborating and building connections across the Pacific through art
Podcasts
Lowy Institute Conversations: Collaborating and building connections across the Pacific through art
Mihai Sora speaks to Ruth McDougall and Ruha Fifita about the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art and how art is a powerful way to build and maintain connections…
Team Pacific serves up a revolution: Interpreter 2021 favourites
Team Pacific serves up a revolution: Interpreter 2021 favourites
A reality TV cooking show that is about so much more than simply food.
Australia’s early intervention can help Solomon Islands but the roots of the conflict run deep
Commentary
Australia’s early intervention can help Solomon Islands but the roots of the conflict run deep
Honiara has awoken to a calmer scene but tension lingers as quelling the violent protests has not resolved their underlying causes. Originally published in The Guardian.
Lowy Institute Conversations: Collaborating and building connections across the Pacific through art
Podcasts
Lowy Institute Conversations: Collaborating and building connections across the Pacific through art
Mihai Sora speaks to Ruth McDougall and Ruha Fifita about the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art and how art is a powerful way to build and maintain connections…
Dark days for Honiara in the shadow of geopolitics
Dark days for Honiara in the shadow of geopolitics
Solomon Islands finds itself tangled in a web of deep grievances and duelling powers keen to curry favour.
Telstra’s Digicel Pacific challenge
Commentary
Telstra’s Digicel Pacific challenge
The deal with the government insulates the telco from financial risk. But accepting the role of Australia’s lead business ambassador in the region makes it no set-and-forget…
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