39th Pacific Island Countries Forum + Olympics Beijing

It's the 39th Pacific Island Forum held in Niue this week. The attendance is by 15 members as Fiji's Frank Bainimarama has decided to boycott the Forum. Whilst the Olympics in Beijing is in its second and final week, the Pacific leaders will hopefully come up with some agreements on: climate change, energy, food shortage, Fiji elections and the pending Guest Worker Scheme offered by Kevin Rudd. Australia's Prime Minister.

Condoleezza Rice in Samoa

July 26 - The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had a 3-hour stop over in Samoa on the invitation of the PM. Rice met with Foreign Ministers from the Pacific Islands Forum at the Aggie Greys Resort where over lunch they discussed a few issues including fuel shortage, climate change and Fiji. She urged Fiji to hold elections as planned in January 2009.

It is quite likely that Kevin Rudds new approach to foreign relations with the neighbouring pacific islands sparked off this visit from a US Secretary of State.

Well done Kevin!