Dame Meg Taylor.
Photo: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
Forum meeting postponed
This is after many of the leaders could not commit to this week s dates.
The virtual meeting, scheduled for 16-18 December, was expected to discuss how member states are coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The meeting was also to appoint the new Secretary-general.
Papua New Guinea s Dame Meg Taylor ends her tenure at the secretariat next month.
Tahiti Covid-19 death toll now 96
French Polynesia has recorded five more Covid-19 deaths, raising the toll to 96.
There are 60 people in hospital for covid-related symptoms with 22 of them in intensive care.
A total of 15,747 people have been infected since testing began in March.
She added that Australia is prepared to take on more Ni-Vanuatu workers in the new year onward.
âThere are currently approximately 3,000 Ni-Vanuatu Seasonal Workers in Australia. Since Vanuatu joined the SWP and PLS with Mango Pilot, over 300 workers have travelled to Australia. In the next week, we are anticipating more than 800 workers will travel to Australia,â High Commissioner Sarah deZoeten announced at an event in Port Vila yesterday.
She assured the Deputy Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, responsible for labour matters and Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Jay Ngwele, that Australia stands with Vanuatu at local level to help advance the economy for parents and children through projects that will continue to generate economy as the doors continue to open up for more workers from Vanuatu into the Australian labour markets in 2021 and ahead.