Vanuatu

For years now, France and Vanuatu have been working to resolve a border dispute over two tiny uninhabited islands but what appeared to be quiet diplomacy has blown up over the last few weeks.

The governments of Fiji and Vanuatu are having second thoughts about projects funded by China. In Port Vila, the National Convention Center appears to be a white elephant, while Fiji is considering charges against a Chinese resort developer.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just wrapped up an historic three day visit to Pacific neighbors Vanuatu and Fiji. Australia’s been pushing what it calls a Pacific “step up” to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Indonesian officials report continued volcanic activity at Anak Krakatau, where an eruption triggered a deadly tsunami in December.  More than 400 people were reported killed on the neighboring islands of Sumatra and Java and aircraft are being rerouted around ash plumes as high as 35,000 feet. But that’s not the only volcano causing problems in the Pacific.

This week, Vanuatu started a trial program that uses drones to deliver vaccines to remote areas. An estimated 20 percent of the country’s children go without vaccines because their homes are just too difficult to get to.

The government of Vanuatu survived a motion of no confidence in parliament this week, but the vote revived some unhappy memories.

The government of Vanuatu says that evacuation of Ambae Island will begin this week. The compulsory evacuation order was issued late last week as ash from the eruption of the Manaro volcano buried houses, killed crops and polluted water supplies.

Worldwide interest in the eruption of Kīlauea remains high, as lava flows continue to destroy buildings and reshape Hawaiʻi Island. Less attention is focused on Ambae Island in Vanuatu, where the Manaro volcano has been erupting on and off for more than ten months.

There has been a lot of national and international news coverage of the eruption of Kiluea. As you know, dozens of homes on the Big Island have been destroyed and thousands of people have been forced to relocate. But an eruption in Vanuatu may force more than 10,000 people to abandon their homes permanently. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

In the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia’s Fairfax Media reports that China and Vanuatu are in preliminary discussions on a Chinese military base in the South Pacific. Like several other island nations, Vanuatu receives millions in loans from China and Beijing may now want a payback. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

The Manaro volcano in Vanuatu has settled and 11,000 people evacuated late last month are headed home. We have details from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

The prime minister of Vanuatu has promised that everyone evacuated from the island of Ambae will return to the island. All 11,000 residents fled as the Monaro volcano threatened to erupt and could face months in makeshift shelters. We have more from Neal Conan in today's Pacific News Minute.

As you’ve heard on NPR News, President Trump addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations today. The annual gathering of world leaders provides an important opportunity for diplomacy, especially for poorer nations who don’t maintain embassies around the world. In today’s Pacific News Minute, Neal Conan has a case in point.

Earlier this month, Solomon Islands and many Pacific Island Nations celebrated the success of RAMSI, the multi-national force that just concluded a 14 year mission to restore order in the Solomons. Vanuatu’s delegate to the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Joe Natuman, called for the Pacific Islands Forum to establish a standing force on the RAMSI model. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

Flags in Vanuatu are at half-staff as the country mourns President Baldwin Lonsdale, who died Saturday of a heart attack at the age of 67. Lonsdale served as Secretary General of Torba Province and became an Anglican priest before he took office as head of state in 2014. We have more from Neal Conan in today’s Pacific News Minute.

One movie got 14 Oscar nods yesterday, but in much of the Pacific, La La Land has to share the headlines with Tanna, a film shot entirely on location in a village in Vanuatu. More on the “Best Foreign Language Film” nominee from Neal Conan in Today’s Pacific News Minute.

On a visit to Europe this month, the foreign Minister of Vanuatu has scheduled a meeting in Paris to discuss two remote, unpopulated islands claimed by both countries since 1980.  More on Matthew and Hunter Islands from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.

While maritime border claims from half a dozen countries continue to raise tensions in the South China Sea, one long running dispute in the Pacific was resolved earlier this month when Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands signed a treaty after 32 years of negotiations.  We have details from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.

Decades of political instability in Vanuatu culminated in crisis last year.  14 members of parliament ended up in prison for accepting bribes for their votes to oust a prime minister.  Late last year, a snap election swept a new generation of leaders into parliament and, as we hear from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute, they're focused on constitutional reforms to improve stability.

Virgin Australia announced plans to resume flights to Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu later this month.  Major airlines suspended flights in and out of Bauerfield International four months ago because of concerns over the safety of the main runway.  More from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.

So how does a country so heavily reliant on tourism allow it's international airport to deteriorate so badly?  At a news conference at Bauerfield earlier this week, deputy Prime Minister Joe Natuman answered, "Neglect by successive governments."

There is growing concern about the safety of a number of smaller airports around the South Pacific. It’s a problem that’s been highlighted by both the World Bank and the International Civil Aviation Organization. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Results are in from Vanuatu's snap election, which followed a scandal that saw 14 members of Parliament convicted on bribery charges.  Several prominent politicians lost their seats, but, as we hear from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute, no clear winner emerged.

After World War II ended in the Pacific, anthropologists described up to several hundred semi-religious organizations that had sprung up in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu.  Called “cargo cults,” these believers sought ways to continue delivery of wartime goods and supplies.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports on a Hawai‘i International Film Festival showing that focuses on what could be the last surviving cargo cult.

“Waiting for John” screens Thursday, November 19 at 3:45pm as part of the Hawai‘i International Film Festival.  

For some time, now - we've been reporting on the political crisis in Vanuatu.  About a quarter of that country's parliament is in prison, after 14 Members of Parliament were convicted of bribery and the Supreme Court resolved a constitutional crisis. The latest, from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.

And now an update on the political crisis in Vanuatu.  Last week, we reported that the speaker of parliament there used a constitutional loophole to pardon himself and thirteen other MPs who had just been convicted on charges of bribery.  As we hear from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute - the pardons have now been reversed.

A series of unprecedented developments has left the government of Vanuatu in chaos.  On Friday, the speaker of the national parliament was among 16 MPs convicted of bribery.  But with the President out of the country on a visit, he then used his position as acting president to pardon his fellow defendants, and himself.  Neal Conan traces the story in the Pacific News Minute.

A bombshell in court in Vanuatu yesterday, as the country's Finance Minister pleaded guilty to bribery charges.  13 other Members of Parliament face similar charges in a case set to go forward next week. As we hear from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute, the case revolves around a vote of no confidence earlier this summer.

On June 11th, three members of Prime Minister Joe Natuman's party crossed the aisle to support a motion of no confidence filed by opposition leader Moanna Carcasses, who wound up as the deputy to the new Prime Minister Sato Kilman.

It’s been about six weeks since one of the worst tropical cyclones in recent years struck the South Pacific. The storm devastated the island nation of Vanuatu….where residents are still struggling to recover. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.