South Pacific Region Research Articles

The South Pacific: The New Global Geopolitical Battleground?

The dynamics of the strategic environment in South Pacific Region involving major powers in the world such as USA, Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, make the world's eyes on the Region. The purpose of this study is to further explain why the South Pacific region is considered a new global geopolitical battleground. This research was developed using the literature study method. The results of the analysis show that this region has a strategic geographic location and has abundant natural resources that make major countries in the world compete to strengthen their influence and dominance in the region in order to achieve their national interests thus making the South Pacific region has become a new battleground in global geopolitics.

Colonial Echoes: Unraveling Economic Legacies and Geopolitical Shifts in the South Pacific Islands

Abstract The research delves into the intricate geopolitical dynamics underpinning the economy of the South Pacific region, focusing on attaining self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability amidst competing interests from global powers such as the United States, Australia, Japan, India, New Zealand, and China. It scrutinizes the geopolitical and geoeconomic factors influencing Pacific nations, curating data from academic papers, policy documents, media, and relevant websites. Challenges, opportunities, and concerns facing the region are discerned within historical and contemporary contexts, emphasizing the need for Pacific nations to integrate with China and India’s economies. Recommendations prioritize transparent, sustainable partnerships, advocating for alignment with Chinese and Indian economic prowess while safeguarding regional interests and values. A mixed-methods research framework is employed, upholding ethical standards and furnishing pragmatic recommendations for policymakers, international entities, and local stakeholders. Emphasizing reconciliation, community empowerment, and sustainable development, the research aims for a more equitable and resilient future. By illuminating the enduring imprint of colonialism on the region’s socio-economic trajectory and geopolitical dynamics, this study contributes to understanding and navigating the complexities of colonial legacies in the South Pacific Islands.

Age and growth of a habitat-forming deep-sea coral Solenosmilia variabilis in the New Zealand region: implications for fisheries management

ABSTRACT One of the most widespread and abundant habitat forming deep-sea corals in the South Pacific region is Solenosmilia variabilis. The age of this species was assessed using radiocarbon content (14C) on long dead, recently dead, and live branch sections of coral reef matrix sampled from the New Zealand region. Conventional 14C colony ages (yrs BP), for the living, recently dead, and long dead samples, ranged from 803 to 1186 years (Graveyard Knolls, Chatham Rise), and 907 to 11, 694 years (Louisville Seamount Chain east of New Zealand). Overall calendar ages, ranged from 84 to 292 years, and similar linear and step-wise growth rate data were obtained. Linear growth ranged from 0.2 to 1.3 mm/yr. From a conservative estimate of matrix height of ∼20 cm, it could take hundreds of years (∼150–660) of growth for a colony of S. variabilis to attain this height, and around ∼2000 years to build a colony diameter of 1 metre. Defining the age, growth and recovery timeframes of deep-sea coral can inform risk assessments of the level of susceptibility to trawling activity and their potential to recover, as well as provide options for the considered management of deep-sea habitats.

A relevância do envolvimento do Estado diante de uma estratégia econômica sustentável e socialmente inclusiva no México, o caso de sua região sul-sudeste como provável polo de desenvolvimento regional socialmente inclusivo e sustentável no país

Mexico’s South-southeastern region (here on ‘Macrosouth’) has traditionally been lagged and impoverished vis-á-vis Mexico’s northern and center region, which comprise, altogether, the so-called ‘Macronorth’ (encompassing northern, northwestern, western, and center regions). With the sole exception of highly private investment concentration on the Mayan Riviera of touristic nature, the rest of the ‘Macrosouth’ region (encompassing the Gulf of Mexico, South-pacific and Southeastern region) and its states down to the Gulf of Mexico and South Pacific region have remained isolated and disconnected from the Riviera bonanza zone, featuring better living standards, high economic growth, and better employment opportunities. Under this framework and the emergence of a new democratic leftwing government in Mexico with strong social support and commitment to promoting a balanced regional development throughout the country, under a socially inclusive strategy it results explainable its emphasis granted on fostering a balanced regional development, under a socially inclusive strategy, its decision to earmark mammoth public productive investments toward the referred region, such as the Mayan Train and the Mexican Corridor (Dos Bocas Refinery in Tabasco state) all of them immersed in the same Macroregion aiming to paralleling foster economic growth and well-being within this region and diminishing the prevailing asymmetric gap between North and South. Although the unprecedented public investments channelized so far into the Macrosouth are expected to promote an economic bonanza in this region, there is no guarantee whatsoever that such growth will render seamlessly and simultaneously a socially inclusive and sustainable development in such a region for the coming years as conceived by Mexico´s ongoing economic strategy. Under this context, the article aims to highlight some remarks and challenges ahead to overcome to implement a socially inclusive and sustainable regional strategy in this Macroregion in the coming years and the role of the State as an unavoidable key agent in attaining a balanced, socially inclusive and a sustainable approach in such region.

Dynamical downscaling CMIP6 models over New Zealand: added value of climatology and extremes

Dynamical downscaling provides physics-based high-resolution climate change projections across regional and local scales. This is particularly important for island nations characterized by complex terrain, where the coarse resolution of global climate model (GCM) output often prohibits direct use. One of the main motivations for dynamical downscaling is to reduce biases relative to the host GCM at the local scale, which can be quantified through assessing ‘added value’. However, added value from downscaling is not guaranteed; quantifying this can help users make informed decisions about how best to use available climate projection data. Here we describe the experiment design of the updated national climate projections for New Zealand based on dynamical downscaling. The global non-hydrostatic Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model (CCAM) is primarily used for downscaling, with a global stretched grid targeting high resolution over New Zealand (12-km) and the wider South Pacific region (12–35-km). Focusing on the historical simulations, we assess added value for a range of metrics, climatological fields, extreme indices, and tropical cyclones. The main strengths of the downscaling include generally large improvements relative to the host GCM for temperature and orographic precipitation. Inter-annual variability in temperature is well captured across New Zealand, and several temperature and precipitation-based extreme indices show large improvements. The representation of tropical cyclones reaching at least category 2 intensity is generally improved relative to the large consistent under-representation in the host GCMs. The remaining biases are explored and discussed forming the basis for ongoing bias-correction work.

China's Belt and Road Initiative Implementation Maneuvers in the South Pacific Region

China's Belt and Road Initiative Implementation Maneuvers in the South Pacific Region

Validation of ERA5 rainfall data over the South Pacific Region: case study of Fiji Islands

Validation of ERA5 rainfall data over the South Pacific Region: case study of Fiji Islands

Восточные элементы в российской культуре

The article examines the influence of oriental elements of culture on the development of the Russian cultural tradition. The aim of the work is to show the importance of elements of the culture of Oriental peoples in the formation of various aspects of the culture of Russian civilization and to identify its specific oriental features and characteristics. The relevance of the research is determined by changes in the current geopolitical situation of the Russian Federation, the rupture of many historical, cultural and ideological ties with Western countries a pivot towards the East, and Russia’s transition to more productive cooperation and close interaction with Eastern countries in the Asian and South Pacific regions in various spheres of public, governmental, and socio-cultural life: politics, economics and socio-cultural relations. The scientific novelty is defined by the authors’ examination of the objective characteristics of Eastern elements of culture and their comprehensive analysis of the degree of their impact on Russian cultural tradition. Moreover, in solving this research task, they proceed from the self-sufficiency of the considered Eastern elements of Russian culture without tracing their connection to other forms of cultural development of human civilization. The authors have shown that Eastern elements have played a significant role in the development of the creative, human potential of Russian culture, and the prolonged silence about this fact, focusing exclusively towards Westernized cultural patterns, violated the principle of objectivity accepted in Russian science. Revisiting this principle concerning Eastern culture promises to aid impartial researchers in objectively scrutinizing cultural processes, spanning both historical retrospectives and modern historical period. In conclusion, the research highlights the pivotal role of oriental cultural elements in shaping Russian civilization, underscoring the necessity for a balanced and objective approach to cultural analysis. Embracing this principle will facilitate a more nuanced understanding of Russian cultural development, bridging historical and modern perspectives.

Navigating Strategic Waters: The Japan–New Zealand Partnership in the South Pacific

The Japan–New Zealand strategic partnership continues to expand, partly due to their shared interests in the South Pacific region. However, their closer strategic partnership does not imply a complete alignment of their strategic interests, especially in light of the growing strategic competition in the South Pacific region. Perception gap exists as to how Japan and New Zealand would deal with the presence of China in the South Pacific region.

5G Opportunities in the South Pacific: Leveraging Low-Band Spectrum for Socio-Economic Development

This paper explores the potential for deployment of 5G communication in the South Pacific, with a particular focus on leveraging the low-band spectrum for socio-economic development. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of deploying 5G infrastructure in the South Pacific region, analyze the socio-economic benefits it may bring, and propose strategies to maximize these benefits. The research methodology includes a comprehensive review of existing literature on 5G deployment strategies, the socio-economic impacts of telecommunications infrastructure, and case studies of similar initiatives in other regions. The findings show that the deployment of 5G technology using low-band spectrum has the potential to significantly improve connectivity, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities in the South Pacific. Additionally, the paper proposes innovative approaches to address challenges such as infrastructure development in remote areas and affordability for marginalized communities. This study contributes to existing literature by providing tailored recommendations for leveraging 5G technology to address socio-economic inequalities in the South Pacific, thereby contributing to the development of telecommunications infrastructure in the region. Provides a new perspective on the possibilities of structure. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2024-05-02-020 Full Text: PDF

Dengue Virus and Zika Virus Seroprevalence in the South Pacific Populations of the Cook Islands and Vanuatu

Arboviral diseases are serious threats to global health with increasing prevalence and potentially severe complications. Significant arthropod-borne viruses are the dengue viruses (DENV 1-4), the Zika virus (ZIKV), and the chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Among the areas most affected is the South Pacific Region (SPR). Here, arboviruses not only cause a high local burden of disease, but the region has also proven to contribute to their global spread. Outpatient serum samples collected between 08/2016 and 04/2017 on three islands of the island states of Vanuatu and the Cook Islands were tested for anti-DENV- and anti-ZIKV-specific antibodies (IgG) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). ELISA test results showed 89% of all test sera from the Cook Islands and 85% of the Vanuatu samples to be positive for anti-DENV-specific antibodies. Anti-ZIKV antibodies were identified in 66% and 52%, respectively, of the test populations. Statistically significant differences in standardized immunity levels were found only at the intranational level. Our results show that in both the Cook Islands and Vanuatu, residents were exposed to significant Flavivirus transmission. Compared to other seroprevalence studies, the marked difference between ZIKV immunity levels and previously published CHIKV seroprevalence rates in our study populations is surprising. We propose the timing of ZIKV and CHIKV emergence in relation to recurrent DENV outbreaks and the impact of seasonality as explanatory external factors for this observation. Our data add to the knowledge of arboviral epidemics in the SPR and contribute to a better understanding of virus spread, including external conditions with potential influence on outbreak dynamics. These data may support preventive and rapid response measures in the affected areas, travel-related risk assessment, and infection identification in locals and returning travelers.

Principles to guide research and policy on psychological well-being in remote island developing states in the South Pacific.

Adverse climatic changes around the globe and predictions of catastrophic and irreversible alteration in global weather patterns, temperature rise, and coast-line habitability require a careful examination of consequences on the resilience and mental health of people who will endure these changes. This paper is concerned with the South Pacific region. This geography has benefited from a relatively stable climate that is seen in the lush and vibrant natural world with many unique species of plants and animals exclusively found here. This paper examines the psychological profile of the people in the South Pacific using an evolutionary framework, and considers their local climate risks and lifestyle patterns with the aim of exploring possible mental health trajectories.

New Caledonian rovers and the historical biogeography of a hyper‐diverse endemic lineage of South Pacific leaf beetles

AbstractSouth Pacific archipelagos are central in the biogeographic debate on the relative importance of vicariance and dispersal in shaping the distribution of species. However, each taxonomic group was subject to different processes and histories, and here, we reveal the historical biogeography of the diverse Eumolpinae leaf beetles, widely distributed in the region. Extensive taxon sampling focusing on South Pacific Eumolpinae was used to infer the first molecular phylogeny of the group using three single‐copy protein‐coding nuclear and two mitochondrial markers. Upon assessing the clade of interest for lineage‐specific variation in substitution rates, the age of the most recent common ancestors was estimated using out‐group calibration and multi‐gamma site models (MGSMs). Biogeographic analyses used standard event‐based inferences also incorporating phylogenetic uncertainty. Zealandian Eumolpinae are monophyletic and appear to have split from their global relatives in the transition from the Cretaceous to the Paleogene. Variation in the rates of molecular evolution affected the in‐group stem branch, with a significant drop in the substitution rate, and the MGSM correction recovered the crown age of Zealandian Eumolpinae during the Late Eocene–Oligocene transition. Biogeographic inference resolved the origin of the radiation in New Caledonia, favouring a null model without island age constraints, and repeated dispersal events to the other islands, including three independent but synchronous colonisations of New Zealand during the Miocene. New Caledonia, with a highly diverse Eumolpinae fauna of uncertain origin, acted as a hub and pump of biodiversity of these beetles in the entire South Pacific region, sending migrants to other islands through long‐distance dispersal with lineages establishing when land became available.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria testing and culture positivity in the United States

BackgroundNontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental bacteria which may cause chronic lung disease. The prevalence of NTM pulmonary infection and disease has been increasing in the United States and globally. The predominant clinically relevant species of NTM in the United States are Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) species and Mycobacterium abscessus. With the development of rapid species identification methods for NTM (e.g. PCR probes), more testing for NTM is being conducted through commercial labs, such as Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp), which provides deidentified real-time testing data to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) pursuant to a data sharing agreement. Because NTM lung infections are not reportable in most states, other data sources are key to understanding NTM testing patterns, positivity rates, and species distributions to track infection trends and identify clinical care needs.MethodsWe obtained national Labcorp data for the period January 2019 through mid-April 2022. We subset the data to only respiratory samples sent for Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) cultures. NTM positive results were defined as those which identified an NTM species and are not Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, or Mycobacterium gordonae.ResultsOverall, 112,528 respiratory samples were sent for AFB testing during the study period; 26.3% were from the Southeast U.S., identified as HSS Region IV in the Labcorp dataset, and 23.0% were from the Pacific and South Pacific region (Region IX). The culture positive prevalence ranged from 20.2% in the Southeast to 9.2% in the East North Central region (Region V). In the Southeast US, M. abscessus prevalence was 4.0%. For MAC, the highest prevalence was observed in the Mountain region (Region VII) (13.5%) and the lowest proportion was in the East South Central region (7.3%, Region III). Among positive tests, the proportion which was MAC varied from 61.8% to 88.9% and was highest in the Northeast U.S. The proportion of positive samples which were M. abscessus ranged from 3.8% to 19.7% and was highest in the Southeast.ConclusionsThe Southeastern region of the U.S. has the highest rate of culture positivity in Labcorp tests for total NTM and, of all positive tests, the highest proportion of M.abscessus. These estimates may underrepresent the true number of M.abscessus infections because M. absesscus-specific probes are not commercially available and not all NTM testing in the United States is done by Labcorp. Analysis of real-time testing data from commercial laboratories may provide insights into risk factors for NTM culture positivity in ‘hotspot’ areas.

Molecular epidemiology of the HIV-1 epidemic in Fiji

Very little is known about the HIV-1 epidemic in Fiji, nor the wider South Pacific region more generally, yet new reported HIV-1 infections are on the rise. As of 2023, there are an estimated 2000 cases of HIV-1 in Fiji with heterosexual contact the primary route of transmission. In this study, we used a molecular epidemiological approach to better understand the genetic diversity of the HIV-1 epidemic in Fiji and reveal patterns of viral transmission. Between 2020 and 2021, venous blood samples were collected from people who had previously been diagnosed with HIV-1. We generated molecular data from 53 infections, representing ~2–3% of reported cases, to identify HIV-1 subtypes and determine the outbreak’s trajectory. Among the 53 HIV-1 cases, we used Bayesian inference to estimate six separate introductions with at least two of these introductions leading to sustained transmission forming large, nation-wide clusters of HIV-1 subtype C. We found that since the introduction of public health interventions circa 2014, the effective reproductive number, Re, decreased among the major clusters identified from an average of 2.4 to just below 1. Molecular epidemiological analysis suggested that public health efforts aimed at decreasing the spread of the disease were at least somewhat effective. Nevertheless, with a recent rise in reported HIV-1 cases, this study demonstrates the utility of molecular data to inform a more targeted public health approach for controlling its spread.

Time series analysis of malaria cases to assess the impact of various interventions over the last three decades and forecasting malaria in India towards the 2030 elimination goals

BackgroundDespite the progress made in this decade towards malaria elimination, it remains a significant public health concern in India and many other countries in South Asia and Asia Pacific region. Understanding the historical trends of malaria incidence in relation to various commodity and policy interventions and identifying the factors associated with its occurrence can inform future intervention strategies for malaria elimination goals.MethodsThis study analysed historical malaria cases in India from 1990 to 2022 to assess the annual trends and the impact of key anti-malarial interventions on malaria incidence. Factors associated with malaria incidence were identified using univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Generalized linear, smoothing, autoregressive integrated moving averages (ARIMA) and Holt’s models were used to forecast malaria cases from 2023 to 2030.ResultsThe reported annual malaria cases in India during 1990–2000 were 2.38 million, which dropped to 0.73 million cases annually during 2011–2022. The overall reduction from 1990 (2,018,783) to 2022 (176,522) was 91%. The key interventions of the Enhanced Malaria Control Project (EMCP), Intensified Malaria Control Project (IMCP), use of bivalent rapid diagnostic tests (RDT-Pf/Pv), artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), and involvement of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) as front-line workers were found to result in the decline of malaria significantly. The ARIMA and Holt’s models projected a continued decline in cases with the potential for reaching zero indigenous cases by 2027–2028. Important factors influencing malaria incidence included tribal population density, literacy rate, health infrastructure, and forested and hard-to-reach areas.ConclusionsStudies aimed at assessing the impact of major commodity and policy interventions on the incidence of disease and studies of disease forecasting will inform programmes and policymakers of steps needed during the last mile phase to achieve malaria elimination. It is proposed that these time series and disease forecasting studies should be performed periodically using granular (monthly) and meteorological data to validate predictions of prior studies and suggest any changes needed for elimination efforts at national and sub-national levels.

External setting di kawasan Pasifik Selatan sebagai tantangan politik luar negeri Indonesia era pemerintahan Joko Widodo (2014-2023)

The South Pacific region is an area that neighbors and directly borders Indonesia via Papua New Guinea. Members from the South Pacific are Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Kanak which represents New Caledonia. Geopolitically, this area is very important for Indonesia because it is a neighbor and has a direct border. Especially in 2015 the regional organization Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) accepted the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), which is part of the Free Papua Organization, to become an observer member of the MSG. This research aims to examine challenges Indonesia's foreign policy in the South Pacific region during the President Joko Widodo (2014-2022). Qualitative research and descriptive Analysis methods that researchers use for this research use the concept of external situations and conditions (external settings) in the study of foreign policy. The results of this research are the first and main challenge, namely the development of the Papua issue in MSG and there is support from Vanuatu, inconsistent support from PNG and the Solomon Islands. Secondly, the Papua issue is also discussed at the civil society level such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), journalists, churc council, activists and students. Thirdly, The South Pacific region is not dependent on Indonesia because economic relations and cooperation between Indonesia and the South Pacific region are very small

Millennial‐Scale Changes in Atmospheric Nitrous Oxide During the Holocene

AbstractNitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas which destroys the ozone in the stratosphere. Primary sources of atmospheric N2O are nitrification and denitrification in terrestrial soils and the ocean, and the main sink is photolysis in the stratosphere. Studies have mostly focused on the climate‐related response of N2O during glacial‐interglacial periods. However, its mechanism of variation during the Holocene remains unclear. We present a high‐resolution N2O record from the South Pole Ice (SPICE) core covering the Holocene epoch. The millennial‐scale N2O trend agrees with existing records. We constructed a Holocene composite consisting of the new N2O measurements in SPICE and existing records from other ice core sites. The N2O composite reveals four distinct periods of N2O variation during 11.5–10.0 ka, 10.0–6.2 ka, 6.2–2.2 ka, and 2.2–1.4 ka, including two maxima in 11.0–10.0 ka and 3.0–2.2 ka and minima in 8.8–6.2 ka and approximately 1.4 ka. Apart from these, our new high‐resolution record from SPICE shows a short‐term N2O decrease around 2.8 ka which is not observed in other records possibly due to lower sample resolution and/or higher age smoothing. Comparison of our new Holocene N2O composite with the paleo‐proxy records suggests the plausible linkage of major monsoon (Asian, North African, South and North American, and Australian‐Indonesian monsoon) and upwelling (Arabian Sea and Eastern Tropical South Pacific) regions in regulating the atmospheric N2O during the Holocene.

Taxonomy and systematics of shallow-water tropical benthic foraminifera from the lagoon environments at Bora Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is a volcanic island in the tropical central South Pacific Ocean with a barrier reef and large well developed back-reef lagoons. It forms part of the system of shallow water environments in the archipelagos of French Polynesia that provide stepping stones for the interconnectivity of shallow marine faunas between the tropical Western and Eastern Pacific biogeographic regions. The fauna has many similarities to foraminiferal faunas in the south western Indo-Pacific but has been demonstrated to be unique. This study provides illustrations and discussions of most of the 184 species of benthic foraminifera identified from sediments in the back-reef lagoon environments at Bora Bora, that span from the shallow immediate back-reef sand banks, to the deep lagoons and to the coastal fringing reefs and embayments around the volcanic island. The illustrated specimens and taxonomic discussions are aimed at providing an identification guide to shallow water tropical benthic foraminifera from the central South Pacific region. Six new species have been established, including Textularia boraboraensis, Miliolinella mccullochae, Quinqueloculina guilcheri, Triloculina karimimossadeghae, Coscinospira georgforsteri, and Elphidium venecpeyreae. This study also proposes that the family of cymbaloporetids, Cymbaloporidae, are placed within the Superfamily Discorboidea.

A Contemporary Pacific Village: A Proposal

This paper proposes a contemporary Pacific village as a response to the pressing housing issues of Pacific communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. More specifically, the proposal explores this at the scale of a neighbourhood. Three branches are considered in the process of designing such a village: Pacific concepts of tā–vā; Pacific churches as housing partners; and Indigenous partnerships with Māori. These are imagined through hyper-local processes. The proposal is not conceived to be applied directly to other contexts in the South Pacific region. However, the proposal could become a point of reference to where other localities across the South Pacific can begin to shift and change their own direct built environments.