Melanesian trip diary: Rioting in New Caledonia to disrupt Peters' Pacific plans

A political delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters, will be visiting the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu this week.

Check in here for daily updates from each leg of the trip, thanks to PMN political reporter 'Alakihihifo Vailala and video-journalist Candice Ama.

Day two

Following news of rising tensions turning violent in New Caledonia, Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters released the following statement regarding the outbreak and how this impacts plans on the Pacific trip.

“We are aware of events in New Caledonia, and hope that peace and calm will prevail," he said.

“In discussions with our French and New Caledonian hosts, we have decided to postpone this week’s travel to Nouméa to allow authorities to fully focus on the current situation. We look forward to our visits to Vanuatu and Tuvalu, and MFAT & NZDF are working on a revised schedule with host governments.”

The protests and rioting has been sparked by proposal by mainland France to amend the constitution, which would "unfreeze" the list of eligible voters at local elections, a move the pro-independence campaigners disagree with strongly.

Listen to 'Alakihihifo Vailala's day two update on Pacific Mornings

AUKUS interest questioned

Among issues raised on the trip, PMN was able to get the reaction from Papua New Guinea's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko to New Zealand joining AUKUS.

New Zealand has signalled its interest in joining the non-nuclear segment of the pact between Australia, the US and the UK.

Tkatchenko says Papua New Guinea is a signatory of the nuclear free arms agreement.

"We signed the nuclear free arm agreement recently, which has been ratified by our national parliament," Tkatchenko said.

"We are a nuclear free country and we don't support nuclear weapons in the region and we have seen what it's done in the past to our Pacific Island brothers and we don't want that repeated."

Photo/ Michael Appleton

Day one

Deputy Prime Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters and Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti have kicked off their five-stop Pacific tour starting in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The pair are also accompanied by Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, the chairperson of Parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Tim van de Molen, and Labour's foreign affairs spokesperson David Parker, along with government officials and business leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is accompanied by Health Minister and Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, the chairperson of Parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Tim van de Molen, and Labour's foreign affairs spokesperson David Parker. Photo/ Michael Appleton

After being received by his Solomon Islands counterpart, Bradley Tovosia, Peters fitted in an hour-long bilateral meeting with newly elected PM Jeremiah Manele.

While he was tight-lipped about the conversations that took place, he committed NZ to building relationships through political, security and development cooperation, and expanding private sector connections.

Peters also announced a $3 million investment to help the Solomon Islands' post Covid economic recovery.

Following the meeting Tovosia applauded the close ties between the two nations.

"New Zealand in this matter, has been a long-time friend of the Solomons, in terms of education and health," Tovosia told PMN News.

"Solomons like the way New Zealand do things - as the New Zealand government can make it happen the way the Solomons want it as well."

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters with new Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele. Photo/ Michael Appleton

Transforming air travel for Solomons

PMN political reporter Alahihifo Vailala was also able to speak Solomon Islands Airport Cooperation Ltd chief executive Mike Clay in Honiara.

The NZ airport management specialist says he wants to see the airport be less reliant on foreign aid funding.

"The objective is that we collect local fees and revenue, we create more commercial revenue, ultimately we create an airport business that is financially sustainable and if we achieve that, then we take a lot of financial burden away from the Solomon Islands government to fund aviation in the country."

Listen to PMN political reporter 'Alakihihifo Vailala's full update from the first leg of the Melanesian trip

Supporting peace and eye health in PNG

The delegation then landed in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to a welcoming party and Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko.

Speaking from Port Moresby, Peters says the armed violence in the Highlands is one of the most significant conflict issues in the region.

But to combat these challenges, New Zealand is teaming up with the United Nations to support peace and development projects in these areas.

Peters with Papua New Guinea PM James Marape. Photo/ John Tulloch

Peters says the government will be contributing $9 million to work that will demonstrate New Zealand's commitment to a stable and peaceful Pacific.

New Zealand is also putting almost $19 million into a new Centre for Eye Health in Port Moresby.

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Papua New Guinea has one of the highest rates of blindness in the world, and the state of the art centre will support eye health services to patients, along with training for health professionals.

The funding for the new Centre for Eye Health is an extension to New Zealand's previous support through the Fred Hollows Foundation.

NZ announces green energy project

Peters also announced a $17 million boost to improve PNG’s solar energy potential on Monday.

He met with PNG’s Climate Change Minister Simon Watts in Port Moresby - the second stop in Peters’ five-country tour of Melanesia - following a visit to the Solomon Islands.

Peters said the Buka Electricity Grid Solar Upgrade Project was a flagship green energy initiative for PNG.

Buka is the second-largest island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in eastern Papua New Guinea, and is about 950km from Port Moresby.

“[The upgrade] is expected to ultimately reduce the local Buka grid’s reliance on diesel by up to 90 per cent, and increase reliable access to electricity for the entire population of Buka Island,” Peters said.

“The project will initially build a six-megawatt solar farm as part of a significant co-investment with Australia.

“It is one of the first major large-scale solar installations in Papua New Guinea, and will include associated network upgrades, such as battery energy storage systems, line extensions, and household connections.”

Watts said the improved grid electricity access was expected to enhance resilience, enable efficient work and communication, drive economic development, and contribute to a more sustainable energy system overall.

New Zealand’s contribution to the Buka Electricity Grid Solar Upgrade Project is part of its ongoing commitment to the PNG Electrification Partnership, also supported by Papua New Guinea, Australia, Japan and the United States.

The implementation of this project will be led by the United Nations Operations for Project Services.