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Showing 9 of 247 news items in Policy & Governance

Policy & GovernanceAugust 6, 2025

The Caribbean islands that give you a passport if you buy a home

"Excerpt from bbc.com Scroll through homes for sale in the Eastern Caribbean and it is no longer just bewitching beaches and a laid-back lifestyle being touted to woo buyers. More and more property listings are offering a passport too – and political and social volatility in the US is said to be fuelling an upsurge in interest. Five of the region's island nations – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia – offer such citizenship by investment (CBI) from as little as $200,000 (£145,000). Buy a home, and you also get a passport that grants the holder visa-free access to up to 150 countries including Europe's Schengen area, and for all but Dominica, to the UK too. For the wealthy, the islands' absence of taxes such as capital gains and inheritance, and in some cases on income too, is another major draw. And all five of the region's schemes allow buyers to retain their existing citizenship. "

Policy & GovernanceJuly 28, 2025

ICJ Landmark Climate Opinion Declares Legal Obligation To Protect Current and Future Generations

Excerpt from time.com The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a landmark unanimous advisory opinion on Wednesday, addressing the legal obligations for countries to address climate change under international law. Climate change poses an "urgent and existential threat" to all states, the court said. Countries have a legal duty to protect current and future generations from environmental harm, including rising global temperatures. All nations must cooperate together to solve this challenge, it said, with wealthier countries obligated to help developing countries adapt. The landmark case is the largest to be seen by the world court, and is expected to provide a legal blueprint for the responsibility of countries to address climate change. The case was brought forward by Vanuatu and other Pacific Island nations, after a youth-led movement in 2019 campaigned for it to be brought in front of the ICJ. In its deliberations, the court was asked to answer two questions: What obligations do states have to ensure the protection of the climate for present and future generations? And, what are the legal repercussions for states which fail to meet these obligations, and cause harm? The court’s reasoning addressed several major legal issues, including the scope of states’ climate obligations, how human rights obligations should shape climate policy-making, the right to reparations for developing countries bearing the worst impacts of climate change, the establishment of preventive and precautionary principles for climate mitigation, equity in states’ response to climate action, and the obligation to phase out fossil fuels.

Policy & GovernanceJuly 14, 2025

Antigua and Barbuda renews call for stronger air connectivity between Africa and Caribbean

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica–The government of Antigua and Barbuda has renewed its call for the establishment of direct air links between the Caribbean and the African continent, urging fellow Caribbean Community CARICOM Member States to collectively support this transformative initiative at the upcoming Second Africa-CARICOM Summit, scheduled for September 7, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Speaking during the final plenary session of the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, Prime Minister Gaston Browne underscored the immense potential for enhanced collaboration and economic partnerships between Africa and the Caribbean. “There are tremendous opportunities for our region to deepen cooperation with Africa – particularly in trade, e-commerce, agriculture and sports. But most critically, the establishment of direct air links will serve as the catalyst for unlocking these possibilities,” Prime Minister Browne stated.

Policy & GovernanceJuly 14, 2025

Seychelles launches new project to strengthen disaster response systems

On Friday 4th July 2025, the Government of Seychelles, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), officially launched the Tailored Integrated Approach for Early Warning Systems (TIAEWS SYC) project to enhance the country’s disaster preparedness and response. A symbolic signing ceremony marked the launch, with the Minister for Internal Affairs, Mr Errol Fonseka, the Chinese Ambassador to Seychelles, H.E. Lin Nan, and the Resident Representative for Mauritius Seychelles, Ms Amanda Serumaga, formally endorsing the project. The event was attended by several senior officials, including the Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment; the Principal Secretary for Environment; and the CEO of Disaster Risk Management Division (DRMD) and other partners in disaster management.

Policy & GovernanceJuly 7, 2025

African and Pacific delegations air “big concerns” over COP30 accommodation

**Photo credit:** [Climate Change News](https://cdn.climatechangenews.com/files/2025/07/2025-03-28T103058Z_1592182540_RC2AOCAGSUCW_RTRMADP_3_CLIMATE-COP30-BRAZIL-HOTELS-1440x960.jpg) via REUTERS / Adriano Machado With less than five months to go until COP30 kicks off in the Amazon city of Belém, African and Pacific island nations have told the Brazilian government they are worried that the sky-high cost of lodgings could compromise their participation in the UN climate talks in November. Speaking at a press conference last week in Bonn, where countries gathered for mid-year talks, Richard Muyungi, chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), said the issue of accommodation in Belém was causing “big concerns” for several delegations, including some countries that are the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. “I have written a letter to the COP presidency expressing our concerns. We have had discussions with the COP presidency with the assurance that they are going to look at how they can accommodate our concerns,” said the Tanzanian negotiator. Ilana Seid, chair of the AOSIS group of small island states, said in a statement that their representatives -who are already facing travel challenges – “have not received firm solutions to address the issue of astronomical costs of the already limited accommodation options”.

Policy & GovernanceJuly 7, 2025

Saint Martin environmental NGOs sign cross-border conservation partnership

Two leading environmental NGOs on the island of Saint Martin have signed a landmark agreement to enhance cross-border conservation efforts. The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten (NFSXM) and l’Association de Gestion de la Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin (AGRNSM) are thrilled to announce the long-anticipated signature of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between their organizations. Though signed internally in March, the formal agreement was publicly celebrated at a ceremony held at the Great Salt Pond’s birding platform on the morning of June 30, 2025. The official partnership allows for systematic, long-term collaboration between the two principal nature reserve managers on Sint Maarten and Saint-Martin. The organizations can now easily share human resources, exchange critical data, and carry out scientific research and educational programming together.

Policy & GovernanceJuly 1, 2025

Partnerships between midwives from Australia and Papua New Guinea help to improve infant and maternal outcomes

Image source: [International Confederation of Midwives](https://internationalmidwives.org/wp-content/uploads/20250408_PG_015-750x500.jpg) Although they are close neighbours, the experience of pregnancy and birth for women in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is vastly different from Australia.  In PNG there are numerous barriers to accessing quality maternity care and this results in a high rate of preventable maternal and neonatal deaths. In April this year, seven Australian midwives visited PNG to collaborate with local midwives as part of the PNG Midwifery Leadership Buddy Program (Buddy Program). The aim of the program is to build leadership skills so that midwives have the confidence to drive initiatives that will result in better health outcomes. The Buddy Program is funded and managed by the Rotary Club of Morialta (South Australia) and The Rotary Club of Port Moresby (PNG), in partnership with PNG Midwifery Society and the Australian College of Midwives.

Policy & GovernanceJuly 1, 2025

Tuvalu’s traditional development partners and allies: are they doing enough?

Photo credit: Talofa Studio / [Devpolicy.org](https://devpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Tuvalu_Boats-e1749640578122.jpg) Tuvalu, a small island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, faces unique challenges as it strives for economic development and sustainability. With a population of [almost 10,000](https://stats.gov.tv/) and a land area of about 26 square kilometres, its geographic isolation and modest size limit traditional avenues for growth. Despite these constraints, Tuvalu possesses a vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ) spanning [nearly a million square kilometres](https://pacific.un.org/en/about/tuvalu) rich with marine resources that could serve as a cornerstone for economic progress. The nation’s traditional development partners and allies, such as Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand, have provided support over many years. The recent and unique [Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty](https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/tuvalu/australia-tuvalu-falepili-union) is an example of a partnership that is much needed by Tuvalu. But questions linger about whether the efforts of Tuvalu’s partners and allies are sufficient to unlock the island’s potential, especially in critical industries like fisheries. In the Falepili Union Treaty, under component four, “Uplifting Our Partnership”, the sectors listed are telecommunications, education, fiscal support, connectivity and health. That leaves out Tuvalu’s biggest revenue generator and asset.

Policy & GovernanceJune 24, 2025

Reframing the French Indo-Pacific: The French Southern and Antarctic Lands

As Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his visits to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore – where he delivered the keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue at the end of May – the French president reaffirmed the Indo-Pacific’s strategic importance for both France and Europe. In a context of growing geopolitical uncertainty and renewed unilateralism, Macron emphasized France’s commitment to a stable, multipolar order grounded in international law, freedom of navigation, and inclusive multilateralism – an international posture shared with key partners such as India, Japan, and ASEAN. Building on this common strategic vision, and as the only remaining European Union (EU) member state with sovereign territories in the Indo-Pacific, France seeks to position its diplomacy not only as a national actor but also as a standard-bearer for European engagement in the region. The exercise of sovereignty is precisely what underpins France’s specificity and credibility as a resident power. The French Indo-Pacific overseas collectivities (FIPOCs) – La Réunion, Mayotte, les TAAF (or South Antarctic Lands), New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, and Clipperton – which together have a population of 1.65 million inhabitants, play a central role in the construction and elaboration of a [credible strategy.](https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/en_dcp_a4_indopacifique_022022_v1-4_web_cle878143.pdf)