The biggest Pacific stories of 2024

OPINION: Let’s take a look back at some of the biggest stories that have shaped the Pacific news agenda these past 12 months.

The New Caledonia Riots

Let’s start with one of the biggest stories that remains unresolved.

In May, the French Government signalled changes to New Caledonia’s voting system sparking fears it could dilute the indigenous population's voice at local elections. The controversial reform led to deadly riots in the French territory, resulting in at least 13 deaths and causing billions of dollars in damage to infrastructure and the local economy.

Pro-independence supporters hold a rally in Noumēa. Photo/FLNKS

After visiting the island nation in May in an effort to calm tensions, French President Emmanuel Macron announced in June that the controversial reform would be suspended until further notice.

HMNZS Manawanui

Ah yes, this story is perhaps one of New Zealand’s biggest embarrassments in recent memory, the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui off the south coast of Samoa back in October.

To those who may not recall, an interim report found the grounding was caused by human error after the ship’s autopilot had not been switched off.

Thankfully, the ship’s crew members were safely evacuated before the vessel sank. However, the clean-up is still ongoing today and is expected to take some time before Samoa’s south coast is fully restored.

The HMNZS Manawanui hit a reef and sank off the coast of Upolu in October. Photo/File

Vanuatu’s Earthquake

Natural disasters are never easy to cover because they’re unexpected and often devastating.

No one could have predicted the powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake that hit Port Vila earlier this month. The quake has led to at least 14 deaths, with hundreds of people injured and many more affected.

A huge clean-up effort continues in Port Vila and nearby areas and is expected to damage the local tourism industry for weeks if not months.

Pacific Politics

2024 has been quite a tumultuous year when it comes to politics in the Pacific.

Vanuatu is due to hold a snap election again in January. Tonga elected a new Prime Minister after the previous one resigned ahead of a motion of no confidence, while the newly elected Solomon Islands Prime Minister survived a motion that was moved against him.

It begs the question: what next?

Sāmoa Citizenship Bill

2024 hasn’t all been doom and gloom, though.

In late November, New Zealand’s Parliament passed the third and final reading of the Sāmoan Citizenship Bill, restoring a pathway to citizenship for a group of Sāmoans who had it stripped away from them in the 1980s.

The Bill was put up by Green MP Teanau Tuiono and managed to get unanimous support from all parties in Parliament, which is extremely rare. This perhaps speaks volumes of how unjust the move to take away citizenship rights from Sāmoans was.

In summary

I often find at the end of each year saying to myself what a news cycle it’s been, but 2024 has quite truly been something else.

Beyond news in the Pacific, we’ve seen war raging in Ukraine and Gaza, the re-election of Donald Trump, and the rise of the far right in Europe.

What will 2025 bring?