In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Solomon Islands leads Pacific call against nuclear weapons at UN
2. PACIFIC — Taiwan rejects Nauru’s ‘Province of China’ label, says ‘does not reflect reality’
3. PACIFIC — Health Services for U.S Veterans from Freely Associated States remain elusive
4. FIJI — Speaker warns Fiji MPs over absenteeism
5. NZ — Pacific diplomats faced quake and fire risks for years – review
6. PALAU — Palauan citizens in U.S gain access to commercial driver’s licenses under new federal rule
7. ITALY — Pope apologises for Vatican’s role in legitimising slavery
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Minister Kologeto calls for strengthened regional aviation safety as Solomon Islands hosts 22nd PASO Council meeting
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Trade with China helps improve livelihoods in Nauru, says Nauruan minister
10. PACNEWS BIZ — ‘You failed to prepare for the fuel crisis’: Fiji Opposition tells Govt
11. PACNEWS BIZ — ABG and National Fisheries Authority sign MoU to strengthen Bougainville’s fisheries sector
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Minister for Tourism Gavoka eyes Korean Air return
13. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — If you have your baby at home in PNG, there’s a six percent chance that baby will die
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Korea–Pacific Islands Senior Officials Meet to Advance Regional Priorities
PAC – NUKE TREATY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Solomon Islands leads Pacific call against nuclear weapons at UN
NEW YORK, 26 MAY 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Solomon Islands has renewed the Pacific’s opposition to nuclear weapons and nuclear testing, recalling the devastation caused by decades of testing in the region during the latest Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at the United Nations.
Speaking on behalf of Parties to the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Rarotonga, the Solomon Islands delegate described the establishment of the treaty 40 years ago as a defining moment for the Pacific.
She recalled “a profound moment” when the zone “was born out of devastation of decades of nuclear testing across our blue Pacific”, and a “collective conviction that the bounty and the beauty of Pacific land and sea must be safeguarded”.
The Solomon Islands said the Pacific continued to carry the scars of nuclear testing and warned that the dangers posed by nuclear weapons remained real.
“As the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons use, ‘every effort must be made to ensure that these weapons are never used again’,” the delegate said.
She stressed “the enduring legacy faced by Pacific communities most directly affected by nuclear testing and the continuing need for recognition assistance and remediation”.
The statement also reaffirmed the Pacific’s opposition to all forms of nuclear testing.
“She then restated ‘our total opposition to any nuclear testing and reiterate our calls for the remaining countries to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty’.”
Referring to the 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, the Solomon Islands said Pacific nations remained committed to the elimination of nuclear weapons and addressing the threat they posed to humanity.
The delegate also confirmed the region was “developing a regional approach for removal of hazardous waste including nuclear contamination”.
Meanwhile, New Zealand warned that global disarmament efforts were weakening and called on nuclear powers to show stronger leadership.
“Progress on disarmament is being eroded – and in some cases reversed,” New Zealand’s delegate said.
She warned that some non-nuclear weapon states were beginning to question whether nuclear weapons were necessary for their own protection.
“We expect greater responsible leadership from the nuclear-weapon States,” she said.
New Zealand said implementation of Article VI of the NPT, which commits nuclear weapon states to pursue disarmament, remained a priority.
“Implementation of Article VI remains a central priority for New Zealand,” the delegate said.
The conference ended Friday without agreement on a consensus outcome document, marking the third straight NPT review conference to fail to reach consensus.
Conference President Do Hung Viet said despite weeks of negotiations and multiple revised drafts, member states could not bridge their differences.
“My goal was to make everyone equally unhappy,” he said.
“I think we can all agree that I had made some progress towards that goal,” he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Taiwan rejects Nauru’s ‘Province of China’ label, says ‘does not reflect reality’
SUVA, 26 MAY 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — The Taipei Trade Office in Fiji has rejected the Nauru government’s characterisation of Taiwan as a “province” of China.
Last week, Nauru’s Cabinet issued a wide-ranging directive to all government officials and public bodies in-country and abroad to adhere to the One-China Principle, advising them to “avoid using terminology, symbols, flags, emblems, or representations which are inconsistent with the One China Principle”.
“All official communication relating to the Taiwan Province of China must comply with the diplomatic position of the Government of Nauru,” the directive said.
It advised officials not to enter into official relations and arrangements with the “Taiwan Province authorities” or participate in programme funded by the “Taiwan Province.”
Nauru became the first nation after the election of Taiwan’s president Lai Ching-te, to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in January 2024.
However, the Taipei Trade Office in Suva – Taiwan’s unofficial embassy in Fiji – rejected the description by the Micronesian nation.
“The Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign and self-governing democracy of 23 million people. Taiwan possesses all the elements commonly associated with statehood under international law, including a permanent population, defined territory, elected government, and the capacity to conduct foreign relations,” it said in a statement to RNZ Pacific.
“The People’s Republic of China has never exercised sovereignty, jurisdiction, nor administrative control over Taiwan at any point in history.
“Taiwan therefore rejects and will not accept any characterisation of Taiwan as a ‘province’ of any other country, which in this case, refers to the People’s Republic of China. Such terminology simply does not reflect reality.”
The Taipei Trade Office said Taiwan’s engagement in the Pacific has always been guided by partnership, mutual respect, transparency, and shared democratic values.
“Taiwan believes development assistance should never be conditioned on political coercion, nor should Pacific peoples be restricted from engaging with international partners of their own choosing.
“As members of the wider Pacific family, Taiwan and Pacific Island nations share common challenges, particularly climate change, disaster resilience, sustainable development, and maritime security.”
Taiwan will continue to work with like-minded regional and international partners to support a free, open, resilient, and prosperous Pacific region, it added.
“Taiwan also firmly believes that maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is in the interests of the entire Indo-Pacific region. Constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and opposition to unilateral coercion remain essential principles for preserving regional stability, said the statement…. PACNEWS
PAC – HEALTH/DEFENCE: MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL/RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Health Services for U.S Veterans from Freely Associated States remain elusive
MAJURO, 26 MAY 2026 (MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL/RNZ PACIFIC) — Securing essential healthcare services for U.S military veterans from three North Pacific nations remains a persistent challenge.
Despite the US Congress specifically authorising in-country services by the U.S Veterans Administration for veterans of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and Palau, the Trump administration over a year ago suspended ongoing talks to implement services.
All three island nations have been lobbying for years to get action for their hundreds of military veterans who, unlike American veterans, do not have easy – or any – access to Veterans Administration services – unless they move to the United States.
Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Kalani Kaneko, himself a U.S Army veteran, has been at the forefront of pushing U.S authorities to begin implementing healthcare for island veterans.
“Most importantly, the Compact legislation approved by the United States Congress specifically mandates the provision of VA services to the Freely Associated States,” he said in an interview.
“This was not intended to be a symbolic commitment, but a practical obligation reflecting the unique relationship between our nations,” Kaneko said.
Islanders from the three Freely Associated States (FAS) are allowed by the treaties with the US to enlist in the U.S Armed Forces and do so at per capita rates generally higher than those of Americans.
“Marshallese citizens have served honorably in the United States Armed Forces for generations, often at one of the highest per-capita rates of military service in the world,” Kaneko said.
“The United States military continues to recruit in the Marshall Islands, and with that recruitment comes a shared responsibility to ensure veterans can access the care and benefits they earned through their service.”
Kaneko said the discussions that the Veterans Administration halted over a year ago have not yet started.
“Formal discussions have not fully resumed, and we have not yet received a definitive timeline from the U.S government regarding next steps,” he said. But, he added, the government is continuing to advocate for its veterans “to ensure this issue remains a priority.”
In comments issued last month to the U.S Government Accountability Office, FSM’s Ambassador to the U.S Jackson Soram said based on the U.S Congress-approved Compact legislation, the “Freely Associated States had been in dialogue with the Veterans Administration on increased access to healthcare for FAS veterans.”
“In April 2025, after negotiations were underway, the Department of Veterans Affairs unexpectedly suspended the discussions that had been authorised by the U.S Congress.”
Soram said all three FAS governments want to resume discussions on this. “This is a fundamentally important goal of the FAS,” Soram added.
Kaneko confirms this sentiment.
“The RMI continues to engage the United States government regarding the implementation of VA services under the 2023 Amended Compact,” Kaneko said.
“Late March this year, Senator Wilbur Heine and I led an RMI delegation to Washington, DC to meet directly with officials from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and other relevant US agencies to address this issue and several other Compact implementation concerns affecting our people.
“During those discussions, we expressed our serious concerns regarding the continued delay in delivering VA services to veterans residing in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
“The VHA proposed that eligible veterans in the RMI utilise the VA Foreign Medical Programme, which allows veterans living abroad to access reimbursement for certain covered medical care received in foreign countries.
“However, we made clear that this approach does not adequately address the realities on the ground in the Marshall Islands.”
Kaneko emphasised the point that the RMI’s healthcare system “lacks many of the specialised services, medical expertise, and support systems required to meet the unique needs of veterans, particularly those with service-related conditions.
“If these services already existed locally, our veterans would not be forced to travel abroad or continue facing significant barriers to care.”
Kaneko said the Marshall Islands “remains firm in its position that veterans residing in the RMI deserve meaningful and accessible VA services consistent with both the letter and spirit of the Compact.
Kaneko was a recruiter for the U.S Army for much of his time in the military and expresses a feeling of personal responsibility about the provision of healthcare services.
“As a retired U.S Army soldier who personally recruited many Marshallese men and women into military service, this issue is deeply personal to me,” he said.
“Our government will not sit idle while our veterans continue to face barriers to the benefits they were promised and earned through sacrifice and service.
“This is not simply a policy matter; it is a matter of trust, fairness, and honoring the enduring partnership between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United States, said Kaneko…. PACNEWS
FIJI – PARLIAMENT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Speaker warns Fiji MPs over absenteeism
SUVA, 26 MAY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fijian Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko has issued a stern warning to Members of Parliament over repeated absences and poor attendance during parliamentary sittings, saying such behaviour undermines the dignity and effectiveness of the House.
Addressing parliamentarians during the opening of the May sitting Monday, Jitoko raised concerns about MPs arriving late, leaving early and failing to return after suspension breaks.
“Honourable Members, there is a matter of concern regarding the absence of certain members of Parliament during Parliamentary sittings,” he said.
Jitoko said while some MPs informed the Secretariat about delayed arrivals, many were entering the chamber much later than advised and remaining only briefly before leaving again.
“While some Members notify the Secretariat of late arrivals, it has been observed that they often enter the Chambers much later than indicated, remain only briefly and thereafter are absent themselves for the remainder of the sitting,” he said.
The Speaker also highlighted cases where MPs attended only morning proceedings before failing to return after breaks without proper justification.
“In addition, there are sittings where some Members attend only the morning session and do not return following the suspension break without sufficient justification.”
Jitoko warned that such attendance patterns weakened parliamentary proceedings and reflected poorly on the institution.
“I advise that such attendance patterns diminish the effectiveness of Parliamentary proceedings and undermine the dignity and orderly conduct of the House.”
He reminded MPs that they remained accountable to the people of Fiji.
“At the end of the day, you as Parliamentarians and representatives of the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji are responsible and answerable to the people of the country,” said Jitoko…. PACNEWS
NZ – DIPLOMACY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Pacific diplomats faced quake and fire risks for years – review
WELLINGTON, 26 MAY 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) was twice told to thoroughly check structural safety at its high commission in Port Vila before an earthquake wrecked it 18 months ago – but did not.
Meanwhile, ministry staff in Suva worked for more than a decade in a multi-storey high commission with no safe means of evacuation, “with no action being taken” until a nearby building burned down.
An official document shows that “significant shortcomings” at Port Vila sparked a wider review into weaknesses in the health and safety systems that are meant to protect diplomats.
It found gaps, inconsistencies and weaknesses.
A key finding was “failure to act in a timely way in response to known risks, for example the fire risk at the Suva chancery and seismic risk at Port Vila”.
MFAT released the review under the Official Information Act, telling RNZ it has a new internationally recognised quake assessment response system in place, and that widespread fixes to other systems should be done by mid-2027.
It has had the review since October and released it to staff in January but did not make it public until the OIA request.
“Our focus has been on ensuring the safety of our staff and informing ministry staff ahead of disseminating the information publicly,” it said in a statement last week.
When he got the review last year, ministry chief executive Bede Corry said it had found no “smoking guns” or “fundamental flaws”, but quite a bit of room for improvement.
He said not to circulate it until MFAT had figured out a cohesive response, according to an email released under the OIA.
The 7.3-magnitude quake in late 2024 wrecked the high commission at Port Vila, which was later demolished. There were no reports of any injuries.
Its team “showed exceptional grit and determination” responding to the disaster from temporary premises, the ministry’s annual report said last year.
That report – and a briefing to MPs in December – talked about heath and safety moves that had been sparked by the quake.
But the review released to RNZ goes further, detailing a very patchy approach to quake risks. It included interviews with heads of missions and posts carried out by former MBIE head and current consultant David Smol.
Smol reported that MFAT had shifted out of the embassy in Tehran and high commission in Honiara over seismic risks but stayed in its Port Vila building.
It called in engineers twice at Port Vila – in 2018 and 2023 – to make quick assessments, and they twice told the ministry to do a full detailed seismic assessment “due to lack of structural information”.
“No detailed seismic assessment had been commissioned when the building collapsed in the 2024 earthquake,” the report said.
An internal investigation found “potential high vulnerabilities” and gaps in oversight, decision-making and communications. It recommended a raft of changes to plug gaps and assess quake risks at other overseas posts.
MFAT began that work – later adopting the new assessment-and-response framework – and called in Smol to look at the issue more widely.
Smol found the ministry in Suva knew for more than 10 years the chancery had “no safe means of egress”.
“No action” was taken – partly because a new building was planned – “until a nearby building burned to the ground, the limitations of the local fire service became apparent and a proactive HOM [Head of Mission] was able to make the case to move out of the building”, his review said.
Last week, the ministry told RNZ the Suva chancery met local fire compliance standards when it first moved in.
“However, over time, local fire service limitations became apparent, and it became clear that the fire safety systems were not being maintained to an appropriate regulatory standard.”
The ministry must improve its asset management, said Smol.
Smol found the ministry’s overall health and safety systems exhibited “a disjunct between the identification of risks and action on those risks”.
The problems were exacerbated by what the ministry said were the “unique risks” staff faced overseas – “communicable diseases, poor air quality, corruption, civil unrest, higher rates of crime, extreme weather events and natural disasters” – and by staff that Smol found were sometimes seemingly thick-skinned or fast-charging.
“MFAT is a career ministry for many of its people who see themselves as competing for a limited number of senior and/or prestigious positions and so may want to be perceived as robust and open to any challenge,” wrote Smol in his 32-page review.
“This can disincentivise openness about such things as feelings of stress and psychosocial pressure.”
The staff became frustrated with orders from their leaders, he added.
“MFAT people are strongly committed to the ministry’s mission and are reluctant to be slowed down by what they sometimes perceived as overly complex and compliance-driven health and safety processes and undue conservatism from functional experts and senior leaders in Wellington who may have an incomplete understanding of conditions on the ground.”
The review also found gaps in security and protection at overseas posts, and how malicious threats or natural disaster hazards were handled.
“Interviewees noted that MFAT is not always effective in managing the cumulative stress on people asked to serve in multiple stints in emergency response. Absent deliberate intervention, experienced people can bear a disproportionate burden.”
MFAT’s health and safety group was “patchy” in how it collaborated with the Security and Organisational Resilience Division.
Their overlapping work “is a source of confusion for front-line MFAT leaders” evaluating risks.
“Everyday life can be more stressful” at some posts, but staff also had to travel to remote locations and oversee construction projects or aid, or to offer help to New Zealanders in “dangerous situations”.
Health, safety and security should be combined, Smol said.
His review found risk assessments varied too much at the country’s 300 diplomatic properties across 50 countries. Posts used spreadsheet hazard registers and sharing that information back to MFAT in Wellington was “complicated”.
Support staff did not routinely visit posts enough to get a grasp on conditions, while Wellington sometimes over-reacted when things went wrong, or got bogged down or only listened to squeaky wheels.
“There have been instances where engaging with ‘Wellington’ on issues relating to property (for example seismic or fire risks) has taken a long time with lack of clarity about where and why decisions are taken and a sense that the system sometimes responds to the most persistent voice.”
Corry accepted Smol’s 14 recommendations.
A small team was working on them, and it had consulted WorkSafe and the government’s health and safety lead, the ministry told RNZ.
Smol’s review said the ministry had made a lot of progress since health and safety law changes 10 years ago, but at the same time found its “current governance arrangements for health and safety” would be unlikely to meet the obligations leaders had under the law.
For instance, it was ‘not yet completely clear” what a new high-level health and safety committee’s job was. This same committee was part of mechanisms that let it “understand and prioritise complex risks” and drive improvements at divisions, MFAT’s annual report last year said.
Smol described lines of accountability that were tangled or vague.
Seven “critical risks” had been identified but were only in “draft” form in late 2025, so the ministry “has not yet established and documented the set of key controls or verified they are working”.
One of his recommendations was to finalise the risk list and key controls and allocate them across senior leadership. Another was for the board to pay more attention.
The ministry told RNZ its small fix-it team was using “proven tools and processes to reconfirm the ministry’s critical health and safety risks”.
It was also identifying training and development opportunities and improving how building risks were addressed.
“This is representative of the work underway.
“The nature of the improvement programme and the complexity of the ministry’s organisation, including offshore posts, means that the work of addressing all recommendations is envisaged to run until around mid-2027, said the report…. PACNEWS
PALAU – DIPLOMACY: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Palauan citizens in U.S gain access to commercial driver’s licenses under new federal rule
KOROR/WASHINGTON, 26 MAY 2026 (ISLAND TIMES) — The Embassy of Palau in Washington has announced a major policy change that will allow Palauan citizens living lawfully in the United States under the Compact of Free Association to obtain commercial driver’s licenses without requiring temporary work visas.
The change follows the publication of a nationwide exemption by the U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which took effect 14 May and will remain in place through 14 May 2031.
Under previous federal regulations, many state driver licensing agencies were unable to issue Commercial Driver’s Licenses, or CDLs, to non-U.S citizens unless they possessed certain temporary visas, such as H-2A or H-2B visas.
Because Palauan citizens are permitted to live and work in the United States visa-free under the Compact of Free Association, many applicants reportedly faced denials or confusion at state Department of Motor Vehicles offices despite their lawful status.
The new exemption authorises all state licensing agencies to issue Non-Domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Commercial Learner’s Permits to eligible Palauan citizens without requiring a visa.
The Palau embassy described the policy update as the removal of a long-standing barrier that had limited employment opportunities for Palauans seeking careers in commercial transportation and trucking industries across the United States.
To apply for or renew a CDL under the exemption, Palauan citizens must present a valid Republic of Palau passport and an Arrival/Departure Record, commonly known as Form I-94 or I-94A, showing lawful entry into the United States under the Compact of Free Association.
Applicants must also meet all standard state licensing requirements, including proof of residency, medical certification and completion of written and driving skills examinations.
The embassy cautioned that some local DMV offices may still be updating their systems and training staff because the federal exemption was issued only recently.
Palauan citizens encountering difficulties during the application process are advised to request a supervisor and refer DMV officials to Federal Register Document No. 2026-09622, listed under FMCSA Docket No. FMCSA-2024-0221.
The embassy said the policy change would expand access to employment and economic opportunities for Palauan citizens working and living in the United States.
Officials also acknowledged community members who advocated for the issue and worked with U.S. federal agencies to secure the exemption…. PACNEWS
ITALY – CHURCH/SLAVERY: AP PACNEWS 2: Tue 26 May 2026
Pope apologises for Vatican’s role in legitimising slavery
VATICAN CITY, 26 MAY 2026 (AP) — Pope Leo XIV made a historic apology on Monday for the Holy See’s role in legitimising slavery and for having failed to condemn it for centuries, calling the Vatican’s record a “wound in Christian memory.”
Past popes have apologised for Christians’ involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. But no pope had ever publicly acknowledged, much less apologised for, the role that past popes played in giving European sovereigns explicit authority to subjugate and enslave “infidels.”
History’s first U.S-born pope, whose family history includes both enslaved people and slave owners, delivered the apology in his first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas,” (Magnificent Humanity), which was released Monday.
Pope Leo XIV called Monday for robust regulation of artificial intelligence and for its developers to work for the common good rather than profit, issuing a sweeping manifesto on safeguarding humankind as the technology impacts everything from work to war.
The sweeping manifesto is about safeguarding humanity in an era of increasing reliance on artificial intelligence. Leo raised the slave trade in relation to what he called the new forms of slavery and colonialism that the digital revolution is fueling.
Black American Catholics, activists and scholars have long called for the Holy See to atone for its role in the colonial-era trade in human beings, beyond generic apologies for the involvement of individual Christians.
“It is impossible not to feel deep sorrow when contemplating the immense suffering and humiliation endured by so many in stark contrast to their immeasurable dignity as persons infinitely loved by the Lord,” Leo wrote. “For this, in the name of the church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Shannen Dee Williams, historian at the University of Dayton and author of the 2022 history of American Black Catholic nuns, “Subversive Habits,” welcomed the apology as a “monumental step toward the kind of essential truth-telling and reparation that many Catholics have prayed and worked to witness.”
“The Catholic Church has never been an innocent bystander in the history of white supremacy,” said Williams. “Black Catholics have waited a long time to hear the Vatican speak honestly about the church’s leading roles in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and chattel slavery–and thus by extension the enduring systems of anti-Black racism in the world today.”
The Vatican has insisted that it always upheld the dignity of all human beings as children of God. But a series of 15th-century directives from the Vatican authorised Portuguese sovereigns to conquer Africa and the Americas and enslave non-Christians.
In 1452, for example, Pope Nicholas V issued the papal bull Dum Diversas, which gave the Portuguese king and his successors the right “to invade, conquer, fight and subjugate” and take all possessions — including land — of “Saracens, and pagans, and other infidels, and enemies of the name of Christ” anywhere.
The bull also gave the Portuguese permission “to reduce their persons to perpetual slavery.”
That bull and another issued three years later, Romanus Pontifex, formed the basis of the Doctrine of Discovery, the theory that legitimised the colonial-era seizure of land in Africa and the Americas.
Nicholas V’s permissions to the Portuguese were confirmed or renewed by Pope Callixtus III in 1456, Pope Sixtus IV in 1481 and Pope Leo X in 1514, according to the Rev. Christopher J. Kellerman, a Jesuit priest and author of “All Oppression Shall Cease: A History of Slavery, Abolitionism, and the Catholic Church.”
Spanish kings received the rights for the Americas.
In 2023, the Vatican formally repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery, but it never formally rescinded, abrogated or rejected the bulls themselves. The Vatican insists that a later bull, Sublimis Deus in 1537, reaffirmed that Indigenous peoples shouldn’t be deprived of their liberty or the possession of their property, and weren’t to be enslaved.
In his encyclical, Leo recalled that his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was the first pope to explicitly condemn slavery in 1888, long after many countries had abolished it. Before that, in antiquity and the Middle Ages, church institutions and even popes — Gregory the Great — had slaves, Kellerman said.
In acknowledging the 15th century papal bulls, Leo wrote in his encyclical: “Already in the early modern period, the Apostolic See of Rome, responding to the requests of sovereigns, intervened several times in order to regulate and legitimise forms of subjugation, and, in certain cases, including the enslavement of ‘infidels.’”
Leo said it wasn’t possible to judge the morality of the decisions with today’s standards.
“Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the church came to denounce the scourge of slavery,” he said.
The pope said that the church has long affirmed the dignity of every human being as the basis of its doctrine, “even if it took eighteen centuries for its full incompatibility with slavery to be explicitly recognised.”
“This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached,” he said.
Leo said that the church must firmly condemn all forms of trafficking related to the digital technological revolution “if we want to avoid the need to ask for pardon again in the future for having failed to respect the treasure of human dignity that is required by our faith.”
Anthea Butler, senior fellow at the Koch History Centre, Oxford University, said Leo needed to acknowledge and atone for the church’s complicity in historic slavery if he wanted to credibly “speak to the current issues of technological enslavement.”
“For descendants of enslaved persons, this is once again a much-needed apology from the pope,” said Butler, who is Black.
Kellerman, the scholar, welcomed Leo’s apology but said more needs to be done to further acknowledge how the Catholic Church legitimised and expanded slavery.
“Pope Leo has strengthened the moral credibility of the church with this admission and apology today,” he told The Associated Press. “Hopefully a future document will explain in more detail the church’s involvement with slaveholding. As a scholar I have some quibbles with the wording, but this is a truly remarkable moment.”
During a 1985 visit to Cameroon, St. John Paul II asked forgiveness of Africans for the slave trade on behalf of Christians who participated in it, but not the popes. In a 1992 visit to Goree Island, Senegal, which was the largest slave-trading centre in West Africa, he denounced the injustice of slavery and called it a “tragedy of a civilisation that called itself Christian.”
According to genealogical research published by Henry Louis Gates Jr., 17 of Leo’s American ancestors were Black, listed in census records as mulatto, Black, Creole or a free person of color. His family tree includes slaveholders and enslaved people, Gates wrote in The New York Times.
During a visit to Angola last month, Leo prayed at a Catholic shrine at the site of an important hub of the African slave trade during Portugal’s colonial rule. While at the Sanctuary of Mama Muxima, Leo recalled the “sorrow and great suffering” Angolans endured for centuries, but he didn’t refer specifically to slavery…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – AVIATION MEET: SOL GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 26 May 2026
Minister Kologeto calls for strengthened regional aviation safety as Solomon Islands hosts 22nd PASO Council meeting
HONIARA, 26 MAY 2026 (SOL GOVT) — Solomon Islands Minister for Communication and Aviation, Frederick Kologeto, officially opened the 22nd Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) Council Meeting and Annual General Meeting in Honiara Monday, calling for stronger regional action to keep Pacific skies safe and connected.
Speaking on behalf of the Government and people of Solomon Islands, Kologeto acknowledged the founding members of PASO for laying the foundation for regional aviation safety cooperation.
He thanked the PASO Council Members for choosing the Solomon Islands as the host this year, and recognised the PASO General Manager, staff, and the logistics committee for their work in organising the meeting.
He also paid respects to the traditional landowners of the land that hosts the visiting regional and international delegates during a brief traditional welcome ceremony by the Tandai House of Chiefs.
Kologeto said the meeting’s theme, “Safer skies, connected lives – Our Pacific Vision,” is a necessity for the region.
He noted that aviation connects Pacific people, supports economies, and enables participation in the global community.
He highlighted that the Solomon Islands Government is prioritising aviation through sound policy, infrastructure investment, and institutional strengthening. Key initiatives underway in Solomon Islands include:
*Development of a 10-year aviation master plan to guide growth, sustainability, and resilience.
*Upgrading and sealing provincial runways to accommodate Dash 8 operations and improve connectivity between Honiara and the provinces.
*Construction of two new control towers at Honiara International Airport and Munda Airport to enhance air navigation services and safety.
*Review of aviation legislation to create an enabling legal and regulatory framework for sector growth and modernisation.
The Minister noted that the meeting comes at a time of global uncertainty. The Ongoing conflict in the Middle East is driving volatile fuel prices, which hit Pacific countries hardest due to long routes, isolation, and limited scale.
These pressures affect connectivity, affordability, and the ability to sustain compliance with international safety and security standards.
He stressed that aviation safety and security must go hand in hand, and that Pacific states must keep pace with evolving global risks.
Kologeto acknowledged PASO’s work in supporting Member States to improve the effective implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, but said more progress is needed.
He endorsed the Comprehensive Oversight Implementation Framework (COIF) as the solution and urged PASO to accelerate its rollout, so all Member States benefit equitably and on time.
“Solomon Islands, like many of our Member States, is still awaiting its full turn under this initiative. No country should be left behind,” he said.
The Minister welcomed ICAO’s presence and its workshop on delegations, saying it supports efforts to strengthen legal and institutional arrangements for aviation regulation.
He also highlighted the ICAO Implementation Support Roadmap (ISR), which aligns with priorities set at the recent Regional Ministers Meeting to strengthen PASO and speed up implementation across Member States. He urged Council Members to give the ISR serious consideration.
On the Review of Regional Architecture (RRA), Kologeto said PASO must remain a standalone aviation regulatory body.
He emphasised that PASO’s independence ensures dedicated focus on safety and security, technical integrity, and regional ownership of oversight functions.
“Any reforms must strengthen PASO, enhance its capability, and reinforce its mandate—not absorb or dilute it,” he stated.
Kologeto also called on Council Members to strengthen PASO, fully implement COIF, and reinforce both safety and security across the region.
“Let us build not only safer skies and connected lives, but resilient systems, stronger compliance, and a Pacific aviation sector that is future-ready,” he said.
The Minister officially declared the 22nd PASO Council Meeting and Annual General Meeting open and wished delegates productive deliberations this week.
The meeting concludes on Thursday…. PACNEWS
NAURU – TRADE: XINHUA PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 26 May 2026
Trade with China helps improve livelihoods in Nauru, says Nauruan minister
YAREN, 26 MAY 2026 (XINHUA) — Direct cargo shipping links and expanding trade with China are helping reduce prices and improve people’s livelihoods in Nauru, Maverick Eoe, Nauru’s minister for commerce and foreign investment, has said.
“I would like to highlight that having trading partners with China gives us the opportunity for the people of Nauru to have a better opportunity in terms of prosperity and a better standard of living,” Eoe told Xinhua in a recent interview in Meneng, Nauru.
Eoe described inflation as a major problem facing the world, adding that food supply remains a challenge for Nauru, where food security is crucial because more than 90 percent of its food is imported.
In the past, some goods imported by Nauru from China had to be transshipped several times through third countries, with voyages taking as long as three to four months. Long shipping times and high logistics costs led to shortages of imported products, high prices and reduced freshness of food products.
Following the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Nauru in 2024, trade between the two countries has become increasingly frequent. By 2025, direct cargo shipping services had increased to once every two to three months. Since the beginning of 2026, the service has gradually been stabilised at one voyage per month, with the two sides also moving forward with further cooperation.
“Having direct trade through China lowers the cost of living for the people of Nauru. Therefore, the people have better food on the table,” Eoe said, adding that families would then have more money for the kids, education and pleasure.
Direct trade has also given local businesses more choices, enabling them to offer better and more diversified products to consumers, he said.
“(The prices of) rice drops, chicken drops, lamb drops, pork drops,” he said. “So, by expanding the trade, as I said, it’s changing. It’s a new ball game for the Nauruan people.”
As both sides are mulling over ways to further promote direct cargo shipping services, Eoe said that after addressing basic food supply needs, Nauru also looks forward to expanding imports of products such as air conditioners, television sets and furniture from China.
“We have to think outside the box by trading with China because of its massive size, and the pace at which they operate is just very fast. We’re catching up.”
Eoe said China has offered Nauru the opportunity to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, describing it as a big change for Nauru, adding that China tends to share the wealth generated through its development instead of holding back.
“It is a good pace for us because we, as Pacific islanders, are now getting opportunities we never had before,” he said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – FUEL CRISIS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 26 May 2026
‘You failed to prepare for the fuel crisis’: Fiji Opposition tells Govt
SUVA, 26 MAY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj has accused Government of failing to prepare for the worsening fuel crisis, warning that Fiji could soon face fuel shortages if the sector continues to be mismanaged.
Responding to Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel’s ministerial statement in Parliament Monday, Maharaj said Government was relying on “reactionary measures” instead of long-term planning itas fuel and electricity costs continued to rise.
“While the government hides behind the convenient shield of external shock and Middle East conflict, let us be completely honest with our people of Fiji,” Maharaj said.
“This administration drastically and completely failed to prepare for the early signs of this global crisis.”
Maharaj said the public had not forgotten Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s earlier assurances that there would be no immediate fuel price increases.
“The public has not forgotten the initial statement made by the Honourable Prime Minister who assured the nation that there was no fuel crisis and promised that there would be absolutely no price increase for at least three months back in March,” he said.
He criticised recent fuel price increases approved by the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission, saying consumers were hit hard by the sudden rise in diesel, unleaded fuel and kerosene prices.
“It is clear that the Prime Minister’s advisors have completely failed him, leaving the head of government completely detached from the harsh reality facing ordinary citizens,” Maharaj said.
He also questioned the effectiveness of Government’s $56 million (US$28 million) intervention package and fuel subsidy support.
“The government boasts about redeploying $56 million (US$28 million) to manage this crisis, but these reactionary measures are a little too late and too little,” he said.
“They are band-aids on a wound.”
Maharaj warned that despite fuel subsidies for Energy Fiji Limited, electricity costs had continued to rise, placing additional pressure on households and businesses.
He claimed fuel companies were already facing severe cash flow issues due to rising import costs and limited wholesale margins.
“If the government continues to mismanage this sector, we will move past the price crisis very soon and see a severe shortage of fuel in Fiji, grinding our transport and industries to a total halt,” he warned.
Maharaj also criticised Government for failing to provide support to taxi operators, minibus operators, courier companies and logging truck operators.
“The government allocated four million to the bus companies. I must ask Speaker, why only bus companies?” he said.
“But thousands of taxi and minibus operators who operate on the exact same poor roads and purchase the same expensive fuel have been entirely ignored.”
He warned that rural and maritime communities would suffer the most from rising fuel costs, particularly outer island communities dependent on transport for food, medicine and economic survival.
Maharaj said businesses across Fiji were also struggling with higher transport, freight, refrigeration and operational costs, placing jobs and livelihoods at risk.
“Fiji deserves proactive leadership, clear communication and structured relief and not broken promises,” he said…. PACNEWS
B/VILLE – FISHERIES: ABG GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 26 May 2026
ABG and National Fisheries Authority sign MoU to strengthen Bougainville’s fisheries sector
PORT MORESBY, 26 MAY 2026 (ABG GOVT) — The Autonomous Bougainville Government and the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on institutional strengthening and capacity building of Bougainville’s Fisheries and Marine Resources sector.
The MoU signing took place last week in Port Moresby on the sidelines of the Ocean Summit, and was signed by the ABG Minister for Fisheries, Amanda Masono and National Minister for Fisheries, Jelta Wong.
ABG Minister for Fisheries described the partnership as a blueprint for Bougainville’s self-reliance and maritime stewardship.
“It reflects our shared commitment to build a fisheries sector that delivers not only revenue, but dignity, jobs, and governance credibility for our people,” she said.
Minister Masono in her remaks, stated that the ABG in late 2025, had created the Department of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Climate Change ‘to take full responsibility for fisheries development in Bougainville’, with the long-term aim to establish the Bougainville Fisheries Authority.
She added that the revised MoU now strengthens the cooperation framework between ABG and NFA.
“It commits both parties to institutional strengthening, capacity building, legislative development, monitoring, compliance and surveillance enhancement, and joint fisheries development planning, as outlined in the MoU’s objectives and cooperation framework, she said.
“It ensures that Bougainville can progressively operationalise its fisheries powers and build the systems, skills, and institutions required for responsible management and sustainable development.”
Minister Masono acknowledged the NFA Minister, Managing Director and their team for finally concluding the long-overdue MOU, adding that their commitment reflected genuine national partnership and respect for Bougainville’s development pathway…. PACNEWS
FIJI – AIRLINE: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 26 May 2026
Fiji Minister for Tourism Gavoka eyes Korean Air return
SUVA, 26 MAY 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism Viliame Gavoka says restoring stronger air connectivity through Korean Air could play a major role in reviving Fiji’s European tourism market.
Speaking in Parliament Monday, Gavoka said Fiji once welcomed around 50,000 visitors annually from Europe, largely driven by Korean Air’s previous route linking London, Seoul and Nadi.
“We go back to the days when Europe used to be a 50,000-visitor arrival market. It used to be quite, quite big in those days,” Gavoka said.
He explained that European travellers previously benefited from a seamless airline connection through Korean Air.
“This was largely driven by Korean Air, which used to fly from London into Seoul and Seoul into Nadi — one airline service,” he said.
Gavoka contrasted that with the current travel arrangements, where visitors often have to transit through multiple international hubs such as Dallas, Hong Kong or Singapore before connecting to Fiji Airways flights.
“It’s unfortunate that Korean Air pulled out of Fiji about four or five years ago,” he said.
The tourism minister revealed he had personally discussed the issue with the President of Korean Air, who informed him the airline had been losing around $5 million (US$2.5 million) annually on the Fiji segment of the route.
Despite the previous financial losses, Gavoka said there may now be renewed opportunities following Korean Air’s planned merger with Asiana Airlines later this year.
“They are now merging with Asiana, which will happen in December this year, and that will possibly enable them to look at that connection, which is very vital to the European market,” he said.
Gavoka stressed that European tourists remain important to Fiji because they generally stay longer and spend more time exploring local communities and cultures.
He acknowledged that Fiji still needed to improve tourism infrastructure to better cater for European travellers and experiential tourism.
“For them, experiential tourism is a way for them to really explore the culture, the way of life here.”
Gavoka added that Fiji continued to serve as a gateway for European visitors travelling throughout the South Pacific region…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
If you have your baby at home in PNG, there’s a six percent chance that baby will die
By Glen Mola
PORT MORESBY, 26 MAY 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) —For decades, Papua New Guinea has struggled with some of the highest maternal and newborn mortality rates in the Pacific. Nationally, fewer than four in ten births take place with a skilled birth attendant, and this figure is as low as 20 percent in some of the Highlands provinces.
One of the most powerful protections for mothers and babies is giving birth with a skilled and caring health worker in a health facility. For many reasons this remains out of reach for many rural PNG families.
The reasons are well known rugged geography, poor roads, limited transport, poverty, run-down rural health facilities and deep-rooted social norms around childbirth and gender roles. In many rural areas it is expected that women will deliver at home with female relatives in attendance.
Knowing the barriers is one thing. Finding solutions that change behaviour, and keep doing so over time, is another.
A recent initiative in Simbu Province funded by the Mola Foundation offers valuable insight: a write-up and analysis of this programme has been submitted to BMJ Public Health.
Between 2019 and early 2026, an intervention was rolled out across 18 rural health centres. By combining modest non-financial incentives with practical improvements to rural health services, the program achieved something that has long proved elusive: it has doubled the number of women giving birth at the supported rural health centres and kept those gains over time. It is a simple idea (borrowed from a similar program in Cambodia) and built around local realities.
So, what made the difference?
Rather than introducing cash payments or complex new schemes, the programme focused on four straightforward, locally designed elements:
•Baby bundles (care packages) for women who come to health facilities for supervised birth: these contain all the items the mother will need for her newborn, personal items for mothers, a gift for fathers and a small amount of food rations for the postpartum period.
•Upgrades to health centres, including lighting in the birthing suite plus cleaner and more private maternity spaces, running water and essential delivery equipment.
•Upskilling community health workers (CHWs) with training in respectful, welcoming and quality midwifery and newborn care, as well as in handling common obstetric emergencies. This training has now been carried out in 12 provinces. CHWs are nursing staff with basic training and are the backbone of rural facility care in PNG.
•Community engagement, including encouraging husbands to support birth planning and welcoming families into maternity spaces.
At first glance, the baby bundle often gets the most attention. Costing around AUD40 per birth, it includes items many families struggle to provide, including nappies, baby clothes, a baby blanket, a towel, soap and a wrap, rubber thongs and an umbrella for the mother, and a valued tool (spade head, or file to sharpen axe and bush knife) for the father. But the bundle is only part of a much bigger story.
Looking at health centre data over four years, researchers found a sharp increase in facility births immediately after the program began. On average, monthly births at participating centres increased by around two and a half times. While numbers didn’t continue climbing indefinitely, they stayed close to double pre-intervention levels two years later. In a context where many incentive programs see a short-lived spike followed by a return to old patterns, this sustained change matters.
Researchers also found that women and their husbands consistently said they preferred giving birth at a health centre because it felt safer for themselves and their babies. What had changed was that the health centre now felt like a place they were welcome to use and give birth. Three factors stood out.
First, reducing shame and financial stress. For families struggling to meet their daily needs, the expectation that parents should arrive with clothes, wraps and supplies for a newborn can stop women from going to a facility at all. Fathers in particular described feeling ashamed if they could not provide all the items health centre nurses demanded of them.
The baby bundle removed that pressure. Instead of embarrassment, families spoke about pride and appreciation for the health workers who provided the bundles as a “gift”, in line with local customs of reciprocity.
Second, better experiences of care. Improved privacy, lighting and cleanliness mattered deeply to women. So did being treated kindly. Women repeatedly said they trusted upskilled CHWs who showed empathy, stayed with them during labour and explained what was happening.
Third, changing men’s roles. Traditionally in many PNG communities, men have kept their distance from childbirth. But the program actively encouraged male involvement in antenatal, labour and delivery care, gently challenging existing norms.
Men who supported their partners through labour described a deeper appreciation of what women experience during birth as well as a stronger commitment to making sure future deliveries happened at health centres.
An important finding from the study was that most women said they would still return to a health facility even if the baby bundles stopped. The women who had given birth in their local health facility and their husbands have become strong advocates for the program in their communities.
That tells us something crucial: incentives helped trigger first use, but quality of care is what sustained demand.
In other words, incentives are not a shortcut. They work best when paired with investment in frontline health services, staff support and community trust.
In addition to reduced maternal and newborn mortality rates, the program provided significant collateral benefits. An Australian Doctors International (ADI) evaluation of the initiative found that 83% of newborns received full immunisations, almost half of mothers accessed immediate postpartum family planning services and more than 80% accessed additional services such as human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) testing and malaria screening. Support and education for breastfeeding was also provided.
This experience aligns closely with PNG’s own ambitions represented in the National Health Plan and Australia’s longstanding partnership approach to health systems strengthening.
Rather than creating parallel programs, the intervention worked through existing government and church-run rural facilities. And the program addressed both demand and supply side of the birthing care equation and did so in ways that made sense locally. At a relatively low cost per birth, the program demonstrated strong value for money while advancing gender equality, rural service delivery and locally led development.
Incentivisation of supervised birth for rural women has been incorporated into the PNG Government’s National Maternal and Newborn Care Policy released in 2023. However, no funding has been allocated to implement this policy at a national level.
Women in rural PNG have long understood the risks of giving birth without skilled care. What this project shows is that when health services feel safe, respectful and accessible, and when families feel supported, sustained behavioural change is possible……PACNEWS
Note: Accurate health statistics are difficult to ascertain in Papua New Guinea due to the lack of verified population figures and the reporting of birthing outcomes. While figures often quote slightly more than four out of ten births are assisted by a skilled attendant, the population of Papua New Guinea is known to be underestimated by up to two million people. The World Bank lists the mortality rate of infants in PNG as 31 per 1000 live births (2024) with research showing mortality can be four times higher if birth occurs at home without a skilled attendant.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Korea–Pacific Islands Senior Officials Meet to advance regional priorities
NADI, 26 MAY 2026 (PIFS) — The 8th Korea–Pacific Islands Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) was held in Nadi, Fiji, on 21 May 2026, bringing together senior officials from the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Members to advance regional cooperation and shared priorities.
The SOM was co-chaired by the Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Eui-hae Chung and the Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Fiji, Joseph Ma’ahanua representing the PIF Chair.
Discussions focused on strengthening strategic dialogue and development cooperation aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, particularly across climate action, maritime affairs and fisheries, and economic resilience, while advancing the ROK – Pacific Partnership.
In his opening remarks, Ma’ahanua highlighted the timeliness of the meeting as the region looks ahead to the 2027 Korea – Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, noting the importance of sustaining momentum built since the 2023 Leaders’ Summit and the 2025 Korea – Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers Meeting discussions.
“It is essential that our cooperation remains aligned with Pacific priorities, including those articulated in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. Equally important is ensuring Pacific ownership and visibility; our region is not only a Leader in shaping and implementing initiatives that affect our future,” said Ma’ahanua.
Deputy Minister Chung emphasised in her opening statement that, as a globally responsible country, the Republic of Korea will continue to support the sustainable development of the Pacific Island countries in accordance with the priorities set out in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, an initiative led by the Pacific Island countries to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the Pacific region.
She further noted that, in light of the recent energy crisis and future cooperation in related sectors, she hopes that cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Pacific Island countries will continue in a mutually beneficial and sustainable manner.
The meeting also acknowledged the Republic of Korea’s continued support through the ROK–PIF Cooperation Fund and reaffirmed collaboration on ongoing initiatives aligned with the regional priorities of PIF Leaders.
Senior Officials received briefings from agencies of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) and Korean agencies on the 2025 ROK–Pacific Islands Forum Cooperation Fund.
Presentations were also delivered on emerging business opportunities in the Pacific, including contributions from Nabou Green Energy and the Korea Overseas Fisheries Association. The presentations highlighted the growing role of sustainable investment and private sector engagement in advancing regional development priorities.
These discussions between the senior officials will inform the agenda for the next ROK –Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers’ Meeting which will be held in 2027.
The Republic of Korea has been a Dialogue Partner of the Pacific Islands Forum since 1995…. PACNEWS
