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Polutele wins by-election after Verge declared ineligible

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, March 24, 2013) – Voters in Wallis and Futuna have chosen an independent, Napoli Polutele, as their representative in the French National Assembly after last year’s election was annulled.

In the run-off, the 48-year-old history teacher, who had the backing of the local UMP chapter, won just under 38 percent of the vote, beating the Socialist candidate Mikaele Kulimoetoke.

In third place is Lauriane Verge, who was the territory’s first woman to stand.

She was a candidate trying to succeed her husband, whose win last year was nullified in a constitutional court ruling in January over irregularities in his campaign account.

David Verge was subsequently declared ineligible for a year.

Effort aimed at coordinating response to port security threats

APIA, Samoa (Samoa Observer, March 23, 2013) – Officers from the United States Coast Guard as well as Australia’s Department of Transport were in Apia this week.

They conducted a joint port security training and a table top exercise with local government and maritime security stakeholders.

Present at the training were 39 Samoan participants, representing the Ministry of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure, Samoa Ports Authority, the Ministry of Police, Samoa Shipping Corporation, and the Fire and Emergency Services Association.

The training and exercise presented a unique opportunity for the various agencies, working with the U.S. and Australian governments, to coordinate potential responses to port security threats in the South Pacific region.

The training focused on helping Samoa strengthen its sector wide incident response capabilities and improving coordination with neighbouring...

No future deployments for RAMSI planned

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, March 25, 2013) – The Australian Defence Force has sent its final planned deployment of peace-keeping soldiers to the Solomon Islands.

Around 100 Australian and Tongan troops were farewelled by family and friends in Melbourne this afternoon.

The Australian-led peace-keeping operation began almost 10 years ago after violence broke out in the Pacific nation.

Major Robert Blackwood says the mission has been a success and Australia's involvement could be wound down in the near future.

"There hasn't been a large need in the past few years for the military to be called out," he said.

"If they don't need our assistance anymore, then maybe it is time to draw down from the commitment.

"But that's really a government decision to announce... when the Australian military commitment will be withdrawn.

"We're certainly going over there past the 30th of June this...

Island nations seek funding for renewable energy projects

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, March 24, 2013) – The New Zealand Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, says he expects several hundred million dollars will be offered by aid donors at this week’s Pacific Energy Summit in Auckland.

Pacific countries, donors and developers are being brought together in an attempt to get the region producing up to half its energy needs from renewable sources within three years.

Mr McCully says the summit, jointly hosted by the European Union, grew out of the Pacific Islands Forum summit held in New Zealand in 2011.

He anticipates major commitments from donors and says the dollars justify themselves.

"Across the region about 10 percent of the GDP of the Pacific nations goes in purchasing diesel for the purpose of generating electricity. Around 25 percent of the import bills of the Pacific countries, on average, is the importation of...