Our Scans · Palau · Weekly Summary

• China's actions toward Palau offer an opportunity for Taiwan, the United States, and others to strengthen their ties with the Pacific Island nation. Atlantic Council
• Under the Compacts of Free Association, Washington has an obligation to defend the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia [and Palau] and their peoples from attack or threats. FDD
• Even Pacific Island citizens living in the US under its special immigration arrangements with Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia could be sent away if they have an expired passport or been convicted of crimes in the distant past. ABC News
• One potential option could be to form a so-called free association pact with the US, similar to the status of Pacific island nations Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands. SKY
• REF A technical assistance grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to support the Palau National Communications Corporation will modernize Palau's telecommunications network, including the Quad-endorsedREF deployment of the Open Radio Access Network. The Heritage Foundation
• Given the complexities surrounding Palau's relations with both the U.S. and Taiwan, it seems unlikely that Palau will dramatically shift its allegiance to China in the immediate aftermath of the November election. The Asia Live
• Eligible countries could include Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. TATOLI Agencia Noticiosa de Timor-Leste
• The $6.5 billion assistance packages will provide 20 years of new economic assistance to the freely associated states: the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and Federated States of Micronesia. U.S. Department of the Interior
• The loss of COFA funding prompted political leadership from Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands to warn of PRC opportunities to gain influence in their countries. Institute for the Study of War
• Robust growth is projected for Palau (10.3%), Samoa, Tuvalu, and Federated States of Micronesia. World Bank
• Fiber-optic cables have been, or will soon be, connected in Fiji, Samoa, Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu; one of the World Bank's most significant infrastructure investments in the Pacific Islands over the past decade. World Bank
• Populous countries like Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, and the United States will have elections in 2024. NDTV
• 2024 is going to be the year in which elections will be held in 70 countries including United States, Taiwan, United Kingdom, India, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Arabian Post
• Interim Afghan government is expected to fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan. DAWN.COM
• China is making heavy purchases of cotton from Pakistan and the USA suggesting that there are fears of further reduction in its domestic cotton production. DAWN.COM
• 2024 will see nearly half of the world's population going to the polls - 40 elections are scheduled to take place in countries including the USA, UK, South Africa, India, Russia, and Pakistan. BBC
• Many important elections (Pakistan, Russia, Bangladesh, Mexico) will not be free or fair, and other critical ones (the US, India, Indonesia) will be deeply flawed. Dawn Epaper
• Presidential or parliamentary elections will take place in 2024 in the United States, Russia, India, Ukraine, Pakistan, Indonesia, Mexico and Taiwan, plus a smattering of smaller states. The Telegraph
• At the core of terrorism is the threat of politically motivated violence, so it will be important to monitor elections in 2024, when eight of the ten most populous countries in the world will hold elections, including Brazil, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the United States, among others. Foreign Policy Research Institute
• The World Bank has announced that it will mobilise catalytic financing for scaling up successful projects in 15 countries in the next 18 months, but Pakistan is not on their list even though we are one of the world's top 10 methane emitters. DAWN.COM
• Imagine a Pakistan where government policies incentivize sustainable steel production, where private companies invest in skills development, and where communities actively participate in infrastructure projects. MWPBNP
• The dramatic drop in steel prices in Pakistan might feel like a sudden gust of wind on a construction site, but its origins lie in a complex interplay of economic forces. MWPBNP

Last updated: 13 June 2025