• Samoa: Small island conference leaves 'legacy with impact' - UN
• Samoa: New partnerships seek to protect world's oceans
• Samoa: Small island developing states can lead transition to 'green' energy - UN

• French nuclear tests showered vast area of Polynesia with radioactivity

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Positive Trends
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Samoa: Small island conference leaves 'legacy with impact' - UN
4 September 2014 - With $1.9 billion pledged in sustainable development partnerships, the United Nations on Thursday wrapped up its small island developing States conference and kicked off a drum roll of action on climate change. The Secretary-General of the Third International Conference on Small Island and Developing States, Wu Hongbo, characterized the summit, the largest of its kind in the Pacific, as 'extraordinary'. (more)

Samoa: New partnerships seek to protect world's oceans
3 September 2014 - The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) -- which involves UNEP, the UN International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) -- is supporting 30 countries over the next six years to build national green economy strategies. (more)

Samoa: Small island developing states can lead transition to 'green' energy - UN
1 September 2014 - Despite being endowed with renewable energy sources -- like wind, sunshine and waves -- small island developing states (SIDS) remain heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels, a practice that the United Nations says can be reversed through durable partnerships. 'SIDS are creating opportunities and examples that, if replicated worldwide, could lead the transition from fossil fuel energy to renewable and sustainable energy,' said John Ashe, UN President of the General Assembly, in his opening address in Apia, Samoa, to the High-Level Event on Sustainable Energy For All. (more)

Samoa: Urging sustainable action, UN officials link small islands to global issues at conference opening
31 August 2014 - Calling small island developing nations a magnifying glass for vulnerabilities around the world, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged the international community to support sustainable development in these countries through multi-stakeholder partnerships. 'By addressing the issues facing SIDS we are developing the tools we need to promote sustainable development across the entire world,' Mr. Ban said at the opening session of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in the Samoan capital, Apia. (more)

Samoa: Apia welcomes thousands for UN conference
30 August 2014 - Ahead of the official opening of the United Nations conference on small island developing countries, the UN and Samoan flags were raised on Saturday over the site in the capital, Apia, that will host what is considered the largest conference of its kind in the Pacific region. The theme of this year's conference is creating 'genuine and durable partnerships', and more than 300 partnerships are expected to be announced, according to the Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo who is the secretary-general of the conference. (more)

Samoa: Business execs build partnerships with small islands at UN forum
30 August 2014 - Small island developing states offer opportunities for genuine and sustainable business partnerships, said executives and officials participating in a United Nations co-hosted private sector forum in Samoa. Held in the capital, Apia, ahead of the UN Conference's on Small Island Developing States start on Monday, the two-day forum is meant to bring companies together to share information and best practices, and to network. It is organized jointly with the Government and the Samoa Chamber of Commerce. (more)

Pacific nations sign up to weapons treaty with others encouraged to follow
29 September 2013 - A Pacific anti-weapons group has welcomed the signing of the UN's small arms treaty by Samoa, Nauru, and Kiribati, and is urging Melanesian countries to follow suit. A total of 107 countries have now signed on to the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. Samoa, Nauru, and Kiribati are the latest Pacific region countries to sign -- joining Palau, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, New Zealand, and Australia. (more)

Samoa marks independence by releasing 35 prisoners
31 May 2012 - Samoa says it will release 35 prisoners as an act of forgiveness as it celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence. Samoa's head of state made the announcement Friday as he spoke to thousands gathered at the parliamentary grounds in Apia. Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi told the crowd that at times of celebration, it's important to believe in the powers of forgiveness and mercy. (more)

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Flops
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French nuclear tests showered vast area of Polynesia with radioactivity
3 July 2013 - French nuclear tests in the South Pacific in the 1960s and 1970s were far more toxic than has been previously acknowledged and hit a vast swath of Polynesia with radioactive fallout, according to newly declassified ministry of defence documents. Thousands of veterans, families, and civilians still fighting for compensation over health issues have insisted France now reveals the full truth about the notorious tests whose impact was kept secret for decades. (more)