Around the Pacific
Calls grow louder for US aid rethink in Indo-Pacific By Michael Igoe
Two U . S . lawmakers last month introduced legislation that aims to shift more U . S . foreign aid funding to the Indo-Pacific region in response to what one described as “ China ’ s bid for hegemony ” in the region .
The Indo-Pacific Engagement Act is co-sponsored by Rep . Ami Bera , a Democrat from California , and Rep . Steve Chabot , a Republican from Ohio . It would require the U . S . Department of State and the U . S . Agency for International Development to report to Congress on the resources and activities that are required to achieve U . S . policy objectives in the region and to provide “ a detailed plan to expand U . S . diplomatic engagement and foreign assistance presence in the Pacific Island nations within the next five years .”
The legislation reflects growing concern that America ’ s current development
All ’ s well that ends well
Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum and its subregional groups have reached a consensus on leadership rotation and equal representation , averting the organization ’ s collapse amid growing geopolitical tension in the region .
“ A black cloud has disappeared from the Pacific with sunshine after a fresh rain in its stead ,” Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo said in a statement .
Leaders of the regional bloc and the Micronesian subregion agreed on a reform package that will institutionalize a formal process for leadership rotation instead of relying on handshakes .
Micronesia will be the next member to hold the secretary general position beginning 2024 for a term of five years . The forum chair position will also be open to the subregional groups .
32 efforts are losing in a battle for influence in a region that is home to nearly 60 percent of the world ’ s population but accounts for only 11 percent of U . S . President Joe Biden ’ s fiscal year 2023 budget request for U . S . foreign assistance .
“ Despite previous and current administrations recognizing the importance of the Indo-Pacific in U . S . national security , for decades we have routinely underinvested in both diplomatic and aid assistance , setting the stage for China to expand its influence and attempt to define the rules in the region ,” Bera said in a statement .
“ The People ’ s Republic of China ’ s bid for hegemony in the Indo-Pacific is today ’ s problem ; not a problem for five or ten years down the road . That is why it is deeply frustrating that year after year
“ The Pacific Islands Forum agreed that equal representation of the three sub-regional bodies of Micronesia , Polynesia and Melanesia is essential ,” states a press release from Panuelo ' s office “ As such , there shall be two deputy secretary-general positions , each hailing from a separate sub-region as the secretary-general .”
( Pacific Island Times News Staff )
FSM gets ready to reopen borders
The Federated States of Micronesia prepares to ease entry restrictions and accept international travelers when it reopens the nation ' s borders on Aug . 1 .
“ It has been two and a half years since our nation closed its borders . I have done everything I can to keep this country safe during this pandemic since Jan . 31 , 2020 ," FSM President David Panuelo said . " I cannot keep our borders closed
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administrations of both parties produce a budget that places the Indo-Pacific near the bottom of our national priorities ,” said Chabot .
The alarm bells and calls for change have grown sharper in recent weeks — particularly in the wake of a security pact signed by China and the Solomon Islands in mid-April , which the U . S . and its allies fear could allow Chinese warships to dock at the strategically important archipelago . The deal is part of a larger effort by China to court small Pacific island states that together have jurisdiction over a vast , resource-rich stretch of ocean that ’ s home to critical shipping lanes .
In recent years , Beijing has flooded the chain of islands with infrastructure and development funding , leading to charges
any longer . We must return to normalcy ."
The president urged state governments to coordinate their safety measures with the national Covid-19 task force " toward having uniform and unified protocols across the nation , instead of being destructive , being divisive and being a needlessly dramatic faultfinder seeking political points and gain at the expense of our nation ’ s unity and our nation ’ s health .”
The FSM remains Covid-free , but Panuelo earlier said the border reopening was expected to eventually bring the coronavirus into the nation .
( Pacific Island Times News Staff )
Vanuatu on alert for African swine fever
Port Vila — A deadly African Swine fever has swept down from Asia through Vietnam and the Philippines to Papua New Guinea from Timor Leste , that the U . S . is now playing catch-up .
“ We are in a generational economic contest with China that couldn ’ t have possibly higher stakes ,” Kaush Arha , a senior fellow in the Atlantic Council ’ s Global China Hub and in the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue University , told Devex .
Specifically , those stakes are whether global economic rules are set by authoritarian governments or liberal democracies , said Arha , who served as USAID ’ s senior adviser on strategic engagement and coordinated the agency ’ s China-related policies during the administration of former President Donald Trump . “ There ’ s a huge gap in America about saying China is a strategic threat and then what do you do about it ,” Arha said .
Reprinted with permission from Devex . This article was originally published on June 23 , 2022 .
killing 300 pigs so far .
The Department of Livestock in particular is now on high alert and doing everything to ensure that African swine fever does not reach Vanuatu .
Officials warned that African swine fever is a deadly viral disease affecting both domestic and wild pigs .
However , it is not a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans nor is it a food safety issue .
While ASF is found in countries around the world , it was first identified in East Africa in the early 1900s as a disease-causing high mortality in domestic pigs .
It has been reported in China and some Asian countries . It was recently reported in the highlands of Papua New Guinea .
( Vanuatu Daily Post )