Winston Peters seeks to reinforce the United States-New Zealand relationship amidst concerns that the superpower is withdrawing from the Pacific region, academics say.  While in Hawai'i, the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister said in a statement that New Zealand's Pacific links with the United States are "more important than ever". Audio

The battle of the Pacific comes to North Harbour Stadium this weekend. Moana Pasifika, with players of Samoan and Tongan origin, will host their Fijian rivals in the Drua outfit in a Super Rugby Pacific round 11 clash. Both camps know that a lot will depend on the outcome once the dust has settled in Albany.

Pacific Islands Forum leaders have drafted a letter to the Trump administration, addressing concerns about the United States' support in the region. Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Ministry permanent secretary Collin Beck told RNZ Pacific there are significant gaps between what Washington has committed to and what it has actually delivered in the region. Audio

The Pacific Islands Forum chair and secretary general are in the United States this week, leading a high-level mission to secure funding for the Pacific Resilience Facility.

Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Governor Arnold Palacios commended Western Pacific Fisheries Council and American Samoa US Delegate Uifa'atali Amata Radewagen for persuading President Donald Trump to sign an executive order restoring for Pacific Island communities the Pacific Remote Island Marine National Monument between 50-200 miles offshore. Audio

In recent weeks, Bougainville has taken the initiative, boldly stating that it expects to be independent by 1 September 2027. It also expects the PNG parliament to quickly ratify the 2019 referendum, in which an overwhelming majority of Bougainvilleans supported independence. Audio

Despite calls from women's groups urging the government to implement policies to address the underrepresentation of women in politics, the introduction of temporary special measures to increase women's political representation in Fiji is remains a distant goal.