2023/02 Newsletter

Happenings in Congress

• The House Appropriations Committee formed last week. The Chair of the House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, which controls much of the U.S. funding for the Pacific Islands region, will be Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart.
• The House Natural Resources Committee also formed last week, which has jurisdiction over various federal matters related to the U.S. territories and the Freely Associated States.
• The White House budget is anticipated to be released in early March.

In the News

• U.S. re-opens its embassy in the Solomon Islands – The U.S. has re-opened its embassy in the Solomon Islands – almost three decades after downgrading is diplomatic presence in Honiara. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the opening of the embassy “symbolizes a renewal relationship” between the two countries.
• New Zealand's Chris Hipkins sworn in as Prime Minister – Labour PartyLeader Chris Hipkins was sworn in as New Zealand’s prime minister on January 25th following the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Arden the week before.
• Indigenous people could be explicitly recognized as “First Peoples of Australia” in proposed constitutional change – A sentence explicitly recognizing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the “First Peoples” of Australia could be added to the constitution if a referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament succeeds.
• Rabuka to hold national economic summit – Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed his government is set to hold a national economic summit in April.
• Kiribati to return to Pacific Islands Forum at vital moment for regional diplomacy – Fiji’s prime minister confirmed Kiribati would rejoin the group after he met with Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, ending a dramatic rupture in the regional diplomatic body.
  Australia prepares to unveil AUKUS nuclear submarine plans in the United States – Australian Prime Minister Albanese is expected to announce Australia’s ideal submarine plan next month when he meets with President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the U.S. This is in preparation of the Quad meeting in June with the U.S., Australian, Indian and Japanese leaders.  
• New Fiji govt suspends police commissioner, scraps China policing arrangement – Fiji’s new president has announced that his government will end a police training agreement with China. The President stated, “Our system of democracy and justice systems are different so we will go back to those that have similar systems with us.”

Pacific Voices

• On our playlist this week: Darling Angel Rebel Souljahz
• Pasifika community unites under one umbrella for Nesian Rise Festival –Community members celebrated a new Pacific culture festival in Tarneit, in Melbourne's west.