Vanuatu struck with another big earthquake
A 7.3 earthquake struck the north of Vanuatu during the evening of March 30th. There were reports of damage to buildings in the northern town of Luganville and there was a power outage that lasted about an hour. However, there was no tsunami warning issued and there are no reports of injuries or loss of life. This comes just 15 months after a 7.3 earthquake hit Port Vila, resulting in 14 deaths and extensive damage to the central business district.
Ongoing political instability in Solomon Islands
The political situation in Solomon Islands continues to be unstable. A newly formed opposition coalition claims to have a majority of seats in the Parliament. This comes after nineteen members of the Manele government resigned and crossed the floor. A motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister has been filed. However, only the Prime Minister has the power to convene Parliament. The Opposition is now taking the matter to court.
Impacts of war in Middle East
The fallout of the war in the Middle East is affecting many countries in the region. Despite assurances from leaders, there has been panic buying of fuel in some countries. Elsewhere, the leaders of both Samoa and Tonga used their recent meetings with New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon to request assistance with maintaining their fuel supply if the hostilities continue. In Marshall Islands, the government has declared a State of Emergency.
Fiji’s HIV crisis worsens
In Fiji, new data has highlighted the worsening HIV crisis. Local authorities have reported that the number of people with HIV infections is now at least 9,000 which is almost one per cent of the population. The WHO has described it as an “escalating” crisis. Less than half of those who know their positive HIV status are reported to be receiving treatment. The chair of the National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response says that one baby is diagnosed with HIV each week.
About the author: Dr Tess Newton Cain is Principal Consultant at Sustineo. She is also a distinguished academic and researcher with over 25 years of unmatched experience in delivering exceptional policy, research, and analysis to drive strategic development across the Pacific islands region.
