Vanuatu

Rotary and UNICEF team up to vaccinate the Pacific

The "Give Every Child a Future" project is the major international focus of civil society group Rotary as it celebrates 100 years of service in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific.

Rotary will partner with the United Nations children's agency UNICEF to support the introduction of three vaccines in the region.

Vathinee Jitjaturunt of UNICEF Pacific said the vaccines targeted three diseases.

"This project I think it will be able to prevent diarrhoea, pneumonia and cervical cancer. These three diseases are high in the Pacific."

Draw made for football competition at Samoa 2019 Pacific Games

Conducted by Football Federation Samoa, the draw used seedings based on FIFA rankings.

In the men's event, six teams had been set to be placed in Group A and five in Group B but due to an mistake on the day, five teams were drawn for Group A and six for Group B.

To rectify this, a straight swap was carried out in the match schedules between the groups.

Group A features hosts Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand under-23s, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

New Caledonia are the top seeds in Group B, alongside American Samoa, Tuvalu, Tahiti, Fiji and Solomon Islands.

Smokefree Pacific Games re-enforces healthy message

Athletes, officials, spectators, volunteers, and the workforce involved in the Games are reminded that the event is smokefree.

May 31, which is just 37 days until the Opening Ceremony kicks off a fortnight of sporting competition, is the annual No Tobacco Day organised by the World Health Organization.

The annual campaign raises awareness of the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and aims to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

OFC Futsal Nations Cup has been drawn

Steeve Laigle, President of Fédération Calédonienne de Football was at hand to assist OFC Competitions Director Chris Kemp at the OFC Academy in Auckland during the Draw which was witnessed by a number of Executive Committee Members as well as OFC President Lambert Maltock.

Defending champions and top seeded Solomon Islands and second ranked New Zealand were placed into different pots to ensure they don’t face each other during the group stages with the two bottom ranked sides American Samoa and Tonga also separated for the same reason.

Pacific cricketers begin road to World T20

It's been four years since the last East Asia Pacific qualifier in the game's shortest format when Papua New Guinea went through undefeated.

Shane Deitz said the Vanuatu squad has been working hard in preparation since returning from World Cricket League Four in May.

Two teams will advance to the East Asia Pacific Regional Final and Deitz expects all four will fancy their chances.

Vanuatu to host FIH World series one

The Vanuatu Hockey Federation says participating countries are Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu and the event will feature seniors and Vanuatu’s Under 18 national team.

Hockey Development Officer, Todd Kitto says this is an opportunity for Vanuatu players to show their hockey talent in the home crowd.

“Since Vanuatu is hosting the event, we see it as an opportunity for our Under 18 to take part as preparation towards their participation in the Youth Olympic in October in Argentina, though its a seniors competition,” Kitto stated.

PNG athletics team in Vanuatu

The athletes are 100m and 200m sprinters Frederick Ageda (Pom) and Linus Kuravi (WNB); distance runners Gethru Komba and Mary Tenge (Simbu) ; middle distance runner Lyanne Tibu (ENB); and East Sepik athlete Isila Apkup who runs 400m.

Athletics PNG President, Tony Green, said the six represent the best of the young talent which emerged from the National Championships and PNG Games last year.

Veteran hurdler and Vanuatu resident, Mowen Boino, will also compete at the Championships and assist team manager Nabase Duaba.

UK to open diplomatic posts in Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa

They are among nine new posts in Commonwealth countries as part of an expansion of the UK's overseas network announced by the British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

Speaking at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, Mr Johnson linked the announcement with the UK's planned exit from the European Union.

He said the new diplomatic posts were in regions which provided "huge potential and opportunity post-Brexit for British businesses".

Britain already has a high commission in Fiji.

Cyclone Hola bears down on New Caledonia

The cyclone, which caused damage in Vanuatu's northern islands, re-intensified into a category 3 overnight, with sustained winds of about 150km/h at its centre.

At 6 o'clock this morning, local time, (8am NZT) Hola was about 90 kilometres northeast of Lifou, and is expected to pass close to the island of Mare today.

On Mare, electricity supplies have already been cut off and winds in excess of 100 km/h have been reported as well as swells of six to eight metres.

On the main island, well to the west of the cyclone, as much as 200mm of rain was recorded overnight.

Six pilot projects plus market study launched to enhance competitiveness of Pacific coconut industry

The projects are thanks to a joint initiative joint initiative of the European Union, the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the Pacific Community (SPC). 

The enterprises identified as pilot projects will receive support in the form of technical assistance and equipment meant to enhance competitiveness in the coconut sector. They include Mailelani Samoa Body Care, Samoa Coconut Cluster (SCC), Serendi Coco Samoa Ltd., Women in Business Development (WIBDI), Elcress Agra, and Ambrym Coconut Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd (ACFC).