Vanuatu

The government ordered the evacuation of Ambae's population of about 10,000 people three months ago because of volcanic activity.

Oxfam's Sandra Uwantege Hart said some evacuees were living on Maewo and Santo in tents and shelters made from tarpaulin and sticks.

"The cyclone season has already begun. So the level of concern is extremely high amongst humanitarian actors here around how quickly can safe shelters be built compared to how quickly the cyclone season is unravelling."

Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, Young Women General President and Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary General President, were warmly welcomed by church members as they arrived in Vanuatu on a rainy Monday afternoon.

This is the second stop on a Pacific tour by the two general officers of the church which also includes Australia, Tonga and New Zealand.

The government ordered a mandatory evacuation of the roughly 10,000 people on Ambae in August due to volcanic activity.

Oxfam's Pacific Cash and Livelihoods Lead Sandra Uwantege Hart said many are living in temporary shelters on Maewo and Santo, and it is not clear when they will be permitted to return home.

She said giving Ambaeans cash to spend locally will help them meet the needs they have.

Two of Mr Salwai's ministers, Jotham Napat and Matai Seremaiah, were sacked last week, apparently because of fears about their growing strength within the coalition government.

Santo MP Hosea Nevu has been appointed the new agriculture minister and Christophe Emelee is the new infrastructure minister.

Don Ken has been handed the justice portfolio.

The move gives Mr Salwai the backing of 35 MPs, and gives him enough support to survive any opposition motion - unless there are defections.

Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa are working to adhere to an international food standard for their kava products.

The Codex Alimentarius Quality Standard is set by the World Health Organisation and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation.

It sets guidelines on the safety, quality and fairness of food trade.

The Vanuatu scientist and kava expert Vincent Lebot said following the standard would protect the health reputation of kava.

He said bans on kava in Europe and Australia were due to misunderstandings on what it was and how it was used.

South Pacific Division president Glenn Townend officially opened the Epauto Adventist Multipurpose Centre on 2 November, 2018.

Towend was joined by the president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-Pacific (TPUM) Maveni Kaufononga, Adventist Church in Vanuatu president Nos Terry Mailalong, and more than 3,000 church members.

The project, which was launched in August 2015 and completed at the end of 2017, is now the largest building in Vanuatu, and church leaders are hoping it eventually becomes a center of positive influence.

The road, and another on Malekula, was funded by a US$50 million loan from China's Exim bank in 2015.

It runs from the island's airport, through the main town Lenakel, as far as Greenpoint, replacing a rough dirt track with a two-lane sealed road.

The Daily Post reports the government is considering a second phase of the project.

Photo caption: The main road through Lenakel, the largest town on the Vanuatu island of Tanna in early 2016. The road has been replaced by a sealed highway, built by a Chinese firm

The team led by MSG Director General, Ambassador Amena Yauvoli met Madame Caroline Machoro-Rennier, 1st Vice President of the New Caledonia Congress, and Mickael Forest, Permanent Secretary of FLNKS.

The Secretariat was tasked to assist the FLNKS in preparing for the 2018 Referendum in accordance with the mandate of MSG Leaders pursuant to the 2013 Noumea Declaration adopted in Noumea and the 2018 Action Plan of Support to FLNKS adopted by Leaders in February 2018 in Papua New Guinea,

“The kits will be used towards the goal of tackling the “double burden of disease” (stunting in children and obesity in adults) in Vanuatu by encouraging more nutritious foods in Pacific-appropriate portions for children, pregnant women and adults through simple but effective messaging”

‘Ademap Kala’ literally means adding color to a meal will increase its nutritional value for anyone, a message which is easily understood by young and old with any level of literacy.

The project aims at improving water, sanitation and hygiene situation of communities in Vanuatu.

It started with phase 1 in 2016,on Tanna island where 10 communities benefited from the construction of rainwater harvesting systems, tap stands, water pumps and latrines depending on the community needs.

The second phase targeted the province of Sanma (Santo /Malo), specifically communities from East Santo: Waisale, Manioc, Sara 2, Loran; South Santo: Sarete area 2; Lijiwi at Fanafo, Windau and Vusvongo at Big Bay Bush, Wael buluk at Stone hill, Malokilikili on Malo island.