- The United Nations is calling on France and the US to close military bases they operated in Pacific territories. France has military bases in New Caledonia and French Polynesia, while the US has three bases in Guam.
- Is this a response to Chinese investments in the Pacific? The US has joined the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) which aims to improve infrastructure and services in the Pacific subregion and is composed of the Asian Development Bank, the governments of Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, and the World Bank.
- An interesting piece from the Economist about the struggles of Nautilus, a high-profile deep-sea mining company, the tries to start its operations in Papua New Guinea.
- The 2018 Fiji elections were finally concluded with the official results announced last month. FijiFirst will form Government. Jope Tarai, a tutor and scholar at the University of the South Pacific, analyses the results.
- Sarah Hilton and Jennifer Walpole analyse a statement made by John Momis, president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government about Chinese businesspeople raising mining investment.
- Ben Doherty comments on Australia's decision to join the US at a pro-coal event at COP24 climate talks, arguing it undermines a commitment to the Pacific.
- Julien Barbara and Terence Wood share views about the coming national elections in Solomon Islands, the first since the departure of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) in June 2017.
- Finally, the 2018 Australia-Papua New Guinea Emerging Leaders Dialogue was held in Cairns from 4-6 December 2018, bringing together 20 young leaders from both countries. Click here for more information.
