Pacific

Seventy five percent of all deaths in the Pacific are NCD-related and this has even been linked to the decline in life expectancy in some countries.

According to RNZI, the Director General of the SPC said countries are not doing enough to combat the epidemic.

NCDs – primarily heart disease, cancers, lung disease and diabetes – are the leading cause of death in the Pacific, with life expectancy declining in some Pacific Island countries as a result of NCD-related premature deaths.

RNZI reports the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has convened the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul as part of his call for humanity to be placed at the heart of global decision-making.

The Executive Director of PIANGO, Emele Duituturaga, is among civil society groups attending from the Pacific.

A Scholar for the Islands Society, Genevieve Neilson, said climate change funding for Pacific countries is improving with the US contributing $US500 million to the Green Climate Fund, and new programmes starting in the region.

But she said Pacific states would like greater opportunity to make decisions about how the money was spent.

"If it's being decided in a boardroom somewhere which programmes are being run or how programmes are going to be run or funded then that can really take away from the closer needs of the community."

The senior electoral representatives will be supported by the Commonwealth Electoral Network, the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand Electoral Administrators (PIANZEA) Network, and the Fijian Elections Office as they seek to increase awareness of globally-recognised standards for credible and inclusive elections.

The representatives are meeting with government officials, development partners and relevant stakeholders.  

The Pacific Youth Consultation and Training: Improving Employment Opportunities for Youth in Fragile and/or Conflict-Affected Situations is being hosted in by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in partnership with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Pacific Youth Council (PYC).

Over half of the Pacific’s 10 million people are under the age of 25, of which an alarming 23 percent are unemployed.

The decision to create a Healthy Islands Monitoring Framework follows deliberations by senior health officials from 22 Pacific Island countries and territories at the Fourth Heads of Health meeting in Suva, Fiji, last week, based on an outcome of the Pacific Health Ministers meeting held in Fiji last year. 

RNZI reports Gold Coast Titans players David Mead and Nene Macdonald are included in Papua New Guinea's squad along with Wests' second rower Rod Griffin.

Despite the loss of Semi Radradra to Australian duties, Fiji has exciting and experienced outside backs in the form of Sisa Waqa, Akuila Uate and Kevin Naiqama.

Released today, the 'Precautionary Management of Deep Sea Mining Potential' report recommends that Pacific countries supporting or considering deep sea mining activities proceed with a high degree of caution to avoid irreversible damage to their ecosystems.

It also stresses the need for strong governance arrangements to ensure that appropriate social and environmental safeguards are in place.

After launching three surfboard brands — the first in 1973 — Hyman initially invested in plastics recycling.

“Being in Bali in the late 70s and early 80s and seeing how fantastic [Bali] was, and then going back there and seeing more and more rubbish in the oceans ... I ended up thinking I might as well invest in a plastics recycling company,” he told 7.30.