“STRONG SUBREGION, A BUILDING CORNERSTONE FOR STRONGER PACIFIC REGIONALISM”: VANUATU DG MOFA

MSG SECRETARIAT OPENS NEW TEMPORARY OFFICE BUILDING

PORT VILA, VANUATU (3 October 2025): A stronger sub-region is a building corner stone for stronger Pacific regionalism, says the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Noah Kouback.

He made the comment while delivering his keynote address, marking the official opening of the new MSG Secretariat temporary office building at Melcoffee today.

He stated that being the only sub-regional organisation with a functioning Secretariat, the MSG has been transformed into an important and strategic grouping in the Pacific region, and its strategic importance must continue to be leveraged.

In his remarks, Acting Director General, Ilan Kiloe thanked the host Government of Vanuatu and MSG Members for their unwavering support towards the MSG. He also thanked the partners and heads of regional organisations based in Vanuatu who responded positively to the invitation and attended the opening ceremony. 

The MSG Secretariat was relocated from its office building following the December 2024 earthquake at Independence Park, a two-storey reinforced concrete structure, constructed with support from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) through the Government of Vanuatu. 

The original building was opened in 2008 by MSG leaders in a custom ceremony officiated by Members, which included the laying of the foundation stones in front of the office premises.

Following the devastating earthquake of 17 December 2024, the MSG Secretariat building was severely damaged after which a number of engineers were engaged to undertake assessments to determine the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake. 

The assessments concluded that the MSG Secretariat building sustained extensive damages to external and internal structures rendering the building not fit for use. 

As host government, Vanuatu has expressed its commitment to the rebuilding of the MSG Secretariat building as stated earlier during the 23rd MSG Leaders Summit in Suva, Fiji in June this year. 

At that meeting Leaders agreed on the need to rebuild the MSG Secretariat building under the concept, “Haos Blong Melanesia (HBM)”.

DG Kouback said, “It is envisaged that the new MSG Office be not more than a double-storey complex, is built according to stringent building standards, incorporates a ‘Melanesian look’, in design, feel of a community, and be in harmony with and complement natural surroundings while incorporating Melanesian principles of fengshui. 

The new MSG Office, he added, should be able to withstand future earthquakes and other natural disasters, and offer multiple exits and access to a safe assembly point. 

A Technical Working Group (TWG) will be established comprising representatives of the membership and the MSG Secretariat to oversee the development of the MSG building.

70 male inmates pardoned, no female detainees currently in Port Vila Centre

Seventy male inmates have been granted a presidential pardon under the Commutation of Sentence Order No. 86 of 2025, following an official instrument signed and gazetted on May 2, 2025.

The order was issued by the President of the Republic of Vanuatu, Nikenike Vurobaravu Moliunavanua, in accordance with powers vested in him under Article 38 of the Constitution. The order took effect immediately upon its signing in Port Vila.

The Acting Director of the Vanuatu Correctional Services, Mr. Albert Nalpini, also confirmed that no female inmates were included in the pardon. He clarified that there are currently no women detainees at the Female Correctional Centre in Port Vila—not due to any pardoning, but rather because those previously held may have completed their sentences or been released on parole after serving half of their terms.

Aside from the 70 male inmates pardoned under the recent order, there have been no additional pardons issued to date.

ezra@dailypost.vu

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT - HAUS KRAI FOR THE LATE RT. HON. SIR JULIUS CHAN GCL, GCMG, KBE, PC, MP

PORT VILA, VANUATU (3 February 2025): To show our solidarity with the people and Government of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, on the passing of the late Rt. Hon. Sir Julius Chan GCL, GCMG, KBE, PC, MP on Monday the 30th of January 2025, the MSG Secretariat, in collaboration with the Vanuatu Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation & External Trade, will be hosting the signing of the condolence book at the Vanuatu Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation & External Trade in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

The late Rt Honorable Sir Julius Chan, with late Father Walter Hadye Lini and late Sir Peter Kenilorea, contributed immensely to the collective visions that enabled the creation and transformation of the Melanesian Spearhead Group as a formidable sub-regional bloc with shared political, economic, cultural, and social visions. 

The late Rt Honourable Sir Julius Chan also contributed to Vanuatu’s independence when he deployed the PNG Kumul Forces to assist quell the Santo Rebellion. Papua New Guinea's intervention in Vanuatu, at the request of Vanuatu’s Founding Prime Minister Fr. Walter Hadye Lini, demonstrated Melanesian solidarity and capacity to assist each other in the face of neo-colonialist manipulation. This event provided the fertile grounds for the initial thoughts on regional security cooperation. 

As part of the commemoration, the official opening of the “Haus Krai” will be at 9am on Tuesday the 4th of February at the MOFA 

Farea, Independence Park, Port Vila, 

The signing of the condolence book will be held from the 4th to the 6th of February 2024 and it will be open for Government, CSOs and the general public.

During this time, the MSG Secretariat will, show visual presentations of the late Sir Julius Chan for those who may wish to know more about the history of the Founding Father of MSG, Former Prime Minister and longest serving Member of Parliament of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. 

Below is the official program for the commemoration.

Thank you and God Bless.

Ilan Kiloe

Acting Director General

Malvatumauri – ‘Western Influences Cause Most Divorces in Vanuatu

The Malvatumari Council of Chiefs CEO Jean Pierre believes that ‘Western influence’ is the root cause of broken families in Vanuatu, and the remedy is custom-arranged marriages.

He adds that while traditional custom marriages in Vanuatu have deeper meanings, they strengthen the bond of each tribe within a culture, maintaining heritage and bridging stronger relations between families. 

Divorce only happens when arranged marriages and ‘bonding’ fail which is caused by Western influence

MSG LEADERS CONVERGED FOR CAUCUS MEETING AHEAD OF 53rd PIFLM

PORT VILA, VANUATU (2 September 2024): The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Leaders' Caucus was successfully convened in Nukua’Alofa, Tonga, within the margins of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting to develop joint positions on issues of specific relevance and of particular concern to the Group.

In his opening remarks, the MSG Chair and Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Hon. Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, welcomed and thanked his colleague MSG Leaders for availing themselves to participate in the Caucus. 

He emphasised that side meetings as such, on the margins of the PIF meetings, provide valuable opportunities to discuss issues of specific interest to the MSG Group, enabling the development of common approaches and positions to take to the PIF. 

“Collectively we can prosecute and advance our interests and issues more effectively when we are seated at the PIF table. As we are all aware, PIF is made up of diverse groups of members whose views on issues, that we want to push, are often not the same as ours. Together we are stronger,” he stated. 

Referring to the caucus agenda, the Chair said that while many issues will be brought up for discussions at the PIF, some of them are specific to the MSG alone, like New Caledonia for instance, a foundational issue for the MSG. 

“No other grouping in the PIF has invested so much time, effort and resources on this issue than the MSG. MSG must continue to be in the driver’s seat on this issue as the effected indigenous people, the non-self-governing peoples of that non-self-governing territory are the KANAKS, and they are members of the MSG,” he stated. 

“The Ocean of Peace is an initiative of one of our members, Fiji, and we need to ensure that we all collectively support it at the PIF. The Ocean of Peace concept builds on the Efate Declaration on Mutual Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation, and Amity (The Efate Declaration on Security) that we signed on 24 August 2023. In many respects, the Udaune Declaration on Climate Change that we adopted last year also complements the broad concept captured in the Ocean of Peace initiative,” the Chair commented. 

On the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI), the Chair said that while it is another important initiative that is going to be discussed at the PIF meetings, this collective approach to policing is ironically not a new concept to the MSG. 

“We have been pushing for self-help collective policing agreement/arrangements for a long time. Our 2016 MSG Security Strategy contains this, our 2013 MOA to Enhance Police Cooperation calls for this and the 2015 Framework Agreement for the MSG Formed Police Unit tries to operationalize the idea of collective approach to policing. 

“I make these points to remind us that we need to make sure that this PPI is framed to fit our purposes and not developed to suit the geo-strategic interests and geo-strategic denial security postures of our big partners,” he said.

As well, the Chair reiterated the importance of the welfare of the interests of Melanesians in West Papua and the other Papuan Provinces in Indonesia, as an ongoing concern for the peoples of the region. 

“In this regard, the MSG Leaders Dialogue with the President of Indonesia is a project of great importance that must be pursued,” he added. 

The Director General of the MSG Secretariat, Leonard Louma, in his introductory remarks provided further clarification on the agenda items including highlighting some of the salient features and background on the issues.  

Given the time constraints, the MSG Chair sought the understanding of the Leaders to amend the provisional agenda so more focus could be spent on the New Caledonia issue, which would entail more time to be given to the FLNKS to provide a comprehensive brief on the New Caledonia dossier to the MSG Leaders.  

The Chair suggested that other issues on the provisional agenda could be dealt with in more detail in the next MSG Leaders’ Summit proper.

MEMBER OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, HON. DAVID MCALLISTER VISITS MSG SECRETARIAT

PORT VILA, VANUATU (12 August 2024): The Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat, Leonard Louma, received a courtesy visit from the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the European Parliament, Hon. David McAllister on Thursday 8 August 2024.

The Chairman was keen to know more about the MSG, its specific role and focus activities in pursuit of its Members’ interests, and how it fits in the regional landscape with the different regional organisations, especially in relation to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

A background brief was provided by DG Louma on MSG and its activities, especially its focus areas on youth and gender empowerment within the geographical confines of its five members of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia through the FLNKS.

DG Louma took the opportunity to emphasise the importance that MSG countries place in their relations with the European Union members and thanked the Chairman for the assistance that the European Union has provided to the MSG Secretariat, through the PIF, in particular the IMPACT Project and SPIRIT Project under the EDF 11 Pacific Regional Integration Support Program.

DG Louma indicated that the MSG Secretariat was now examining the Samoa Agreement (successor to the Cotonou Agreement) to see where and how MSG can access development assistance for its activities directly from Brussels.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA DELEGATION IN VANUATU FOR TOK SORI CEREMONY RECEIVED BY MSG SECRETARIAT

PORT VILA, VANUATU (5 August 2024): The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat received a Papua New Guinea delegation on Thursday, 1 August led by Hon. Powes Parkop, Governor of the National Capital District (NCD) who attended Vanuatu’s 44th Independence Anniversary celebrations in Port Vila.

The delegation comprised Hon. Lohia Boe Samuel, Member for Port Moresby North West; Hon. Keith Iduhu, Member for Central Hiri; and Grand Chief Brigadier Ted Ramu Diro, Former Commander of the PNG Defence Force.

In welcoming them to the Secretariat, Director General, Leonard Louma assured them of the deep pride and honour attached to their visit to the Secretariat.

“At the very outset, let me admit that it is not lost on us here at the Secretariat that our creation as an organization is very much the product of what transpired 44 years ago in Santo when Papua New Guinea answered the plea for assistance from a fledging young Melanesian country aspiring to take its place as an independent nation in the Pacific and indeed the world.

“In more ways than one, MSG as an organization was born from that crucible of conflict in Santo. That readiness and willingness of a fellow MSG country, that was at that stage no more than 5 years old itself, as an independent nation, took the bold step to intervene, when others older than itself, were not able to respond in the affirmative, to the request for help from Vanuatu.” DG Louma stated.

He said the events in Santo set off a paradigm shift in the way our Leaders thought of cooperation amongst and between themselves. 

The experience he said, convinced them that cooperation amongst and between themselves was possible despite their myriads of challenges and very limited resources.

Soon after the successful intervention in Santo, then PNG Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan invited the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Fr Walter Lini, to join him on the aircraft to the Solomon Islands to talk with then Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Sir Peter Kenilorea, about how they might cooperate and collaborate with each other in their quest to address the different development challenges that their countries were facing.

“The seeds of MSG cooperation were sewn there and then. Convinced of the need to have joint approaches and positions on shared challenges and interests, Leaders of Vanuatu, PNG, Solomon Islands and the FLNKS external affairs representative, Yanne Celene Uregei, met informally in Goroka in 1986 and agreed to formalize the organization and coined the name “Melanesian Spearhead Group” as the name of our Organisation,” DG Louma said. 

Two years later in 1988, the Agreed Principles of Cooperation between the Independent States of Melanesia was signed in Port Vila to formally establish the MSG Group.

The Secretariat also gifted the delegation with a pig, kava and mats for the Tok Sori ceremony at the Saralana Park later on Friday afternoon, for the unfortunate loss of life during the Santo operation caused by the Kumul Force.

“This magnanimous act will have very deep and profound significance. It will heal wounds suffered from the conflict, it will build bridges destroyed as a consequence of that conflict, it will restore family ties shattered by the conflict, and it will reaffirm PNG’s noble intentions in agreeing to assist Vanuatu with its request – to help Vanuatu and its people find their feet as an independent nation and not to deliberately bring harm to its citizens,” DG Louma added.

Grand Chief Brigadier Ted Ramu Diro, Former Commander of the PNGDF who led the Kumul Force to stop the Santo rebellion in 1980, was honored with a Distinction Medal by the President of Vanuatu, His Excellence Nikenike Vurobaravu at the State House on Independence Day.

President Wenda: Happy 44th Independence Day to Vanuatu

I was greatly honoured to attend the Independence Day celebrations in Port Vila. The event was a profound display of Melanesian solidarity, as Prime Minister Charlot Salwai acknowledged the ongoing colonial occupations of West Papua and Kanaky. Salwai’s national address honoured the spirit of Vanuatu’s founding father Walter Lini, who said that Vanuatu is not free until all Melanesia is free, including West Papua and Kanaky. On behalf of the ULMWP, I issue thanks to PM Salwai for his steadfast support for West Papua.

The bond between Vanuatu and West Papua is special. West Papuans regard Vanuatu as family: our Melanesian brothers and sisters who have nurtured our freedom struggle as it has matured into a fully-fledged provisional government, ready to run our own affairs. From former PM Barak Sope witnessing the reconciliation of the Free Papua Movement in 1987, to the Saralana Declaration in 2014, Vanuatu has long been the home of the West Papuan struggle.

Vanuatu remains a shining example of a free and prosperous Melanesian nation. In less than 50 years, you have gone from suffering under colonial rule to becoming a world-leader in the fight against climate catastrophe and modern-day imperialism. Being here in Port Vila, I have again been inspired by Vanuatu’s successes and its resolute support for our self-determination.

Like Father Walter Lini, all West Papuans dream of a liberated Melanesia. We know that our independence is coming, and that one day soon we will stand shoulder to shoulder with Vanuatu as a free nation.

God bless Vanuatu.

Benny Wenda 

President

ULMWP

https://www.ulmwp.org/president-wenda-happy-44th-independence-day-to-vanuatu

PAPUA NEW GUINEA DELEGATION IN VANUATU FOR TOK SORI CEREMONY RECEIVED BY MSG SECRETARIAT

PORT VILA, VANUATU (5 August 2024): The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat received a Papua New Guinea delegation on Thursday, 1 August led by Hon. Powes Parkop, Governor of the National Capital District (NCD) who attended Vanuatu’s 44th Independence Anniversary celebrations in Port Vila.

The delegation comprised Hon. Lohia Boe Samuel, Member for Port Moresby North West; Hon. Keith Iduhu, Member for Central Hiri; and Grand Chief Brigadier Ted Ramu Diro, Former Commander of the PNG Defence Force.

In welcoming them to the Secretariat, Director General, Leonard Louma assured them of the deep pride and honour attached to their visit to the Secretariat.

“At the very outset, let me admit that it is not lost on us here at the Secretariat that our creation as an organization is very much the product of what transpired 44 years ago in Santo when Papua New Guinea answered the plea for assistance from a fledging young Melanesian country aspiring to take its place as an independent nation in the Pacific and indeed the world.

“In more ways than one, MSG as an organization was born from that crucible of conflict in Santo. That readiness and willingness of a fellow MSG country, that was at that stage no more than 5 years old itself, as an independent nation, took the bold step to intervene, when others older than itself, were not able to respond in the affirmative, to the request for help from Vanuatu.” DG Louma stated.

He said the events in Santo set off a paradigm shift in the way our Leaders thought of cooperation amongst and between themselves. 

The experience he said, convinced them that cooperation amongst and between themselves was possible despite their myriads of challenges and very limited resources.

Soon after the successful intervention in Santo, then PNG Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan invited the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Fr Walter Lini, to join him on the aircraft to the Solomon Islands to talk with then Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Sir Peter Kenilorea, about how they might cooperate and collaborate with each other in their quest to address the different development challenges that their countries were facing.

“The seeds of MSG cooperation were sewn there and then. Convinced of the need to have joint approaches and positions on shared challenges and interests, Leaders of Vanuatu, PNG, Solomon Islands and the FLNKS external affairs representative, Yanne Celene Uregei, met informally in Goroka in 1986 and agreed to formalize the organization and coined the name “Melanesian Spearhead Group” as the name of our Organisation,” DG Louma said. 

Two years later in 1988, the Agreed Principles of Cooperation between the Independent States of Melanesia was signed in Port Vila to formally establish the MSG Group.

The Secretariat also gifted the delegation with a pig, kava and mats for the Tok Sori ceremony at the Saralana Park later on Friday afternoon, for the unfortunate loss of life during the Santo operation caused by the Kumul Force.

“This magnanimous act will have very deep and profound significance. It will heal wounds suffered from the conflict, it will build bridges destroyed as a consequence of that conflict, it will restore family ties shattered by the conflict, and it will reaffirm PNG’s noble intentions in agreeing to assist Vanuatu with its request – to help Vanuatu and its people find their feet as an independent nation and not to deliberately bring harm to its citizens,” DG Louma added.

Grand Chief Brigadier Ted Ramu Diro, Former Commander of the PNGDF who led the Kumul Force to stop the Santo rebellion in 1980, was honored with a Distinction Medal by the President of Vanuatu, His Excellence Nikenike Vurobaravu at the State House on Independence Day.