The Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme has been a lifeline for both New Zealand and Pacific nations, but is it truly a model of mutual benefit? In this piece, we explore insights from the HORTNZ RSE Conference, highlighting the need for genuine reciprocity, the importance of preserving Pacific identities, and the path forward to deepening the partnership between New Zealand and the Pacific.

I know there are cookbooks galore out there, and yes, I am biased, but we should be proud of seeing our food in publications that are going global. Robert Oliver's latest publication is not just any cookbook—it's a vibrant celebration of our Pacific cuisine overflowing with colour, diversity, and health.

The Pacific Promise

This is the new narrative of the Pacific—a story of potential, promise, and power. It is not just about arriving on foreign shores; it is about thriving, leading, and shaping the very future we all share. It is about turning opportunity into outreach, knowledge into change, and inspiration into the courage to walk the paths less travelled.

For PCF, the commitment is to empower, to uplift, and to herald the Pacific as a powerhouse of ingenuity. Our scholars, our partners, and our collective future inspire us, and the world at large, to step into the dawn of a new era.

Manaaki Scholars from across the Pacific region visited PCF during their short-term training course in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Auckland, led by Dr. Jennifer Curtin. As part of our ongoing commitment to deepening relationships with our Pacific neighbours, Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF) used this opportunity to build its presence around the work that it is doing in the region, knowledge exchange and capacity building.

The Samoa Agreement aims to strengthen cooperation between the EU and her Member States and the Member States and Regions of the OACPS, and highlights key priorities for partnership, including human rights, democracy and governance, peace and security, human and social development, inclusive sustainable economic growth and development, environmental sustainability and climate change, migration and mobility. It has a common foundation and three regional protocols, which aim to focus on the specific needs of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific regions.