In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — “When you deny us the science, you deny our future”: Pacific advocate at Bonn Climate Talks
2. PACIFIC — PIFS leans on ASEAN model as it retools for a changing region
3. SOL — Solomon Islands Police Chief suspended over meth evidence scandal, just weeks after appointment
4. PACIFIC — Regional response needed as Pacific drug threat grows
5. PACIFIC — Cybercrime now a growing threat for Fiji and the Pacific, INTERPOL warns
6. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Foreign Minister Ditoka urges understanding as fuel prices take time to fall
7. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG needs ‘positive’ investment progress
8. PACNEWS BIZ — From Early Childhood to Better Jobs: Investing in Children for Marshall Islands’ Future
9. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Ika Moana Rises Again – Strengthening Pacific Leadership in Maritime Surveillance
10. PACNEWS DIGEST — Bracing for El Niño: FAO and WFP launch joint appeal to protect 8.8 million people from extreme weather events
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fiji turning data to action to tackle marine litter
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 19 Jun 2026
“When you deny us the science, you deny our future”: Pacific advocate at Bonn Climate Talks
By Sanjeshni Kumar
BONN, 19 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS)—Pacific civil society organisations have warned that attempts to weaken the role of science in international climate negotiations risk undermining climate justice and the ability of vulnerable nations to prepare for an increasingly uncertain future.
Speaking at the Defend the Science press conference during the United Nations June Climate Meetings (SB64) in Bonn, Dr Sindra Sharma, the International Policy Lead of the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN), said science remains the foundation upon which Pacific communities build their climate responses and future planning.
Dr Sharma, representing more than 260 Pacific civil society organisations across the Blue Pacific, stressed that for Pacific Island nations, exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold is not merely a scientific projection but a lived reality with devastating consequences.
“For us, overshoot is not a pathway; it is a harm event,” she said.
“It is something that happens to people, to reefs, to cyclone seasons, to the mothers and grandmothers and daughters to whom the harm lands the hardest.”
Dr Sharma said Pacific communities have observed the impacts of climate change for generations, long before they were documented in scientific studies.
“Our people have spoken these truths long before they were measured, studied or validated,” she said.
“What we are seeing now is science listening more deeply and learning from other ways of knowing and evolving in the process.”
She noted that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) plays a critical role in translating generations of Indigenous and local observations into evidence-based assessments that inform global decision-making.
“It takes what Pacific communities have observed across thousands of years; the currents, the seasons, the silences where certain birds used to be; and it places that reality into assessed literature that the world cannot ignore,” she said.
“When we say 1.5 degrees is a survival threshold, that is not politics. That is the ocean measured.”
Dr Sharma stressed that scientific findings establish the minimum obligations required from the international community to address climate change.
“There is a floor of obligation. There is a floor of consequence, and below these floors, no agreement is legitimate. No outcome is just,” she said.
“Science built that floor, and science names what is already happening. It tells us exactly how little time we have.”
She warned that efforts to delay scientific assessments or weaken their influence on climate negotiations would disproportionately affect vulnerable nations, including those in the Pacific.
“When anyone in these negotiations suggests we delay the science or soften its connection to the decisions we are here to make, I want them to understand what that means in practice.
“When you deny us the science, you deny us the ability to come here on a level playing field and you deny us the ability to plan for our own uncertain future,” she said.
Dr Sharma said the erosion of scientific foundations within the climate process could have far-reaching consequences across all areas of climate action.
“We know what to do,” she said.
“When we start to erode the base effect that will enable us to do that, then were going to erode every single agenda item that were working towards to enable us as a collective community to be able to progress into a really uncertain future.”
Addressing concerns surrounding the IPCC’s ongoing Seventh Assessment Report (AR7), Dr Sharma sought to clarify the panel’s role, noting that it does not generate research itself but assesses existing scientific and technical literature from around the world.
“It doesn’t produce literature. It assesses existing literature,” she said.
She welcomed efforts to increase the diversity of knowledge and perspectives included in future assessments, particularly from developing countries and Indigenous communities.
“AR7 will carry more diverse voices than any report before it. More Global South knowledge, more of what it means to live inside a climate and not above it,” she said.
Dr Sharma also encouraged researchers, practitioners and communities to contribute knowledge that can be assessed by the IPCC in future reports.
“It’s our responsibility to develop the literature that can be assessed by the IPCC,” she said.
“If you want to see your concerns, publish it. It doesn’t have to be peer-reviewed, and it will be assessed. That’s why the IPCC is important.”
As negotiators in Bonn prepare the groundwork for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, Pacific advocates say defending scientific integrity remains essential to ensuring climate decisions reflect the realities facing communities on the frontlines of the crisis…..PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 1: Fri 19 Jun 2026
PIFS leans on ASEAN model as it retools for a changing region
SUVA, 19 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—Pacific Islands Forum (PIFS) leaders are trying to redesign the region’s political and security machinery to better protect unity, manage outside pressure and give the 2050 Strategy the institutional backing it needs to work.
Esala Nayasi, the Forum’s Deputy Secretary-General – Strategic Policy & Programming, said the long-term strategy was not meant to be a slogan, but a framework for defining Pacific regionalism in values-based and practical terms.
The objective, he suggested, was to create a regional vision that is “values-based,” “people-centred” and anchored in “unity and solidarity.”
He said the strategy emerged from a difficult moment for the Forum. In 2019, Fiji rejoined after its suspension, and leaders used that moment to agree on a new direction.
But the following year brought political strain, with five members withdrawing from the Forum. That sequence, Nayasi said, underscored why the region needed not only a long-term strategy, but a stronger architecture to deliver it.
“It is in response to some of these issues that we as a region not only need to reflect but also respond to particularly challenges that we face,” he said.
The 2050 Strategy, he added, was designed to define “regionalism” at a moment when Pacific leaders had to decide what it meant to us as a region and as a people.
A central part of the current review is partnerships. Nayasi said the Forum is learning from ASEAN’s tiered model of engagement, under which partners are divided into three layers.
The Pacific, by contrast, is moving toward a simpler two-tier system: strategic partners and development partners. The idea, he said, is to give leaders more control over how the region manages relationships and expectations.
“We have decided through the leaders that we only have two tiers: strategic partners and development partners,” he said, describing the change as one way to manage geopolitics to our own intent and purpose.
The decision is expected to come before leaders in Palau this year, along with possible moves to centralise partnerships under a more unified regional approach.
That review reflects a broader concern. Nayasi said the Pacific must operate carefully in a complex geopolitical environment, one in which member states have different capacities, governance arrangements and economic interests.
The region includes territories, developed countries, developing states and least developed states, he noted, so there is no single template for handling pressure from partners or responding to regional challenges.
The security architecture is also under scrutiny.
The Pacific has nine regional organisations and more than 21 agencies in the security space, yet no ministerial convening dedicated to peace and security.
“The issue now is, how do we redesign some of these different convenings and capabilities so that we are unified in our approach?” Nayasi asked.
Leaders are expected to confront that gap this year.
He said the Forum is looking at ASEAN again for a second lesson: disaster response. The ASEAN model, centred on the AHA Centre in Jakarta, coordinates civilian and defence capabilities across borders, including transport, logistics and personnel.
“Pacific leaders are now considering whether the region needs a treaty and a comparable mechanism to improve disaster response.
“The same logic is driving interest in inter-parliamentary cooperation. The Pacific Islands parliamentary group held its first inaugural meeting last year. It established an assembly, but leaders are still deciding how that body should sit within the wider regional architecture.”
Here, too, Nayasi said the Pacific is looking at ASEAN’s arrangement for guidance. The point of all this, he suggested, is not to copy other regions, but to learn from them.
The Pacific is also preparing to formalise its relationship with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) through an MOU that is close to finalisation.
“We are learning, we are growing,” he said, adding that peer learning across regions is now part of the work.
Nayasi said that since leaders last met two years ago, the region has seen about 13 or 14 new leaders, with two more elections due this year. Such churn, he said, makes it harder to sustain commitments, manage ambition and keep regional projects on track.
The architecture review for the Forum is an attempt to preserve trust, unity and a shared regional purpose in a period when geopolitics, leadership turnover and institutional fragmentation all threaten to pull the Pacific in different directions. …PACNEWS
SOL – POLICE CHIEF: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 1: Fri 19 Jun 2026
Solomon Islands Police Chief suspended over meth evidence scandal, just weeks after appointment
HONIARA, 19 JUNE 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS) –Recently appointed police chief Ian Vaevaso has been suspended after less than two months on the job over his past handling of drug evidence.
The decision to suspend Vaevaso was made by Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu on Wednesday on the recommendation of recently appointed Prime Minister Matthew Wale, according to the governor-general’s office.
Wale, whose office confirmed the suspension, had previously called for the removal of the police commissioner when he was opposition leader.
The move comes after In-depth Solomons revealed in March that an internal police investigation found evidence that Vaevaso had improperly destroyed the drugs, intimidated dissenting officers, and lied to investigators.
Vaevaso, who has denied any wrongdoing, will now face an independent tribunal.
“I fully respect and will fully support this process of the constitution,” he wrote in a message acknowledging his suspension to In-depth Solomons.
“I am ready to face these ‘made up allegations’ raised against me.”
The suspension, which went into effect immediately, “serves to facilitate a thorough and impartial inquiry” into the allegations against Vaevaso, said Rawcliffe Ziza, private secretary to the governor-general.
“The inquiry centres on the improper management of methamphetamine narcotics in 2024, alongside concerns regarding his selection for the role of police commissioner,” Ziza said.
Vaevaso took charge of the police force of 3,000 officers on April 24 despite allegations that he had broken protocol in early 2024 by ordering subordinates to hand over the confiscated methamphetamine, which he then dumped into the sea.
Previous reporting by In-depth Solomons found that prosecutors last year recommended suspending and formally questioning Vaevaso ahead of potential criminal charges over the incident, but the case was derailed by a bureaucratic standoff.
The impasse – between prosecutors, the police department, and the Police and Prison Services Commission (PPSC) – meant that Vaevaso was never interviewed, suspended, or charged.
Vaevaso’s suspension now raises questions over the PPSC, which officials in the last Manele government had said formally closed the case against the police chief.
Douglas Marau, Wale’s press secretary, confirmed that the suspension was made on the prime minister’s advice.
“The decision was informed by the fact that several of the allegations in question were not raised prior to Vaevaso’s appointment,” Marau told In-depth Solomons, adding that the tribunal would provide the police commissioner with “a fair and transparent opportunity to clear his name.”
The leadership change comes at a perilous moment for law enforcement in the Pacific. Small island states like the Solomons have increasingly become transit hubs for narcotics bound for lucrative shores in Australia and New Zealand.
Highlighting the scale and sophistication of the illicit trade, at least seven so-called narco-submarines have reportedly been discovered in the region over the past two years – four of them in the Solomon Islands.
The influx of cheap methamphetamine has also begun driving a domestic addiction crisis in Solomon Islands, as well as several Pacific island countries….PACNEWS
PAC – DRUGS FIGHT: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 1: Fri 19 Jun 2026
Regional response needed as Pacific drug threat grows
SUVA, 19 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) —Cook Islands Islands Secretary of Health Bob Williams has called for a tougher, more coordinated Pacific response to drug trafficking.
Williams warned that the crisis hit families, communities and health systems long before police intervened.
He said the region must stop treating health, climate, peace and security as separate issues.
“We need to be the bigger choir, singing all four parts in harmony,” he said during the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue this week, arguing that the Pacific can only protect sovereignty and borders if governments work together across sectors.
“Illicit drugs are already causing profound and short and long-lasting devastating physical, mental, and neurological consequences across Pacific communities.
“The first warning signs are usually seen not by law enforcement, but by families, teachers, pastors and health workers in villages and remote islands.
“The first point of contact is rarely the police or law enforcement. It is the family members, it is the community.”
That, Williams warned, means the damage is often well advanced before authorities step in.
“By the time a case is visible to law enforcement, the harm in the community has already been running for months or many years. The social damage has accumulated for years.”
Williams said the region needs a response that combines interdiction with prevention, harm reduction and community support.
“We have to collectively come together to be able to respond effectively; health must be part of the conversation on maritime security, intelligence and law enforcement.”
He also backed stronger community-based delivery of harm-reduction services. Any regional protocol, he said, should “explicitly include community-based approaches as a recognised and deliberately well-resourced delivery channel.”
“Post-interdiction support is just as important as stopping vessels at sea, because communities often bear the full impact of drug networks long after arrests are made.”
Williams called for ill-gotten gains from drug trafficking to be seized and redirected to public benefit.
He said the money should be forfeited to fund the impacts on our Pacific communities, including health, education and social support.
The Cook Islands, he said, is already trying to build a more integrated model through a combined law-agency group that brings together health and enforcement agencies to assess national risks.
But he said the region still needs stronger legislation, better institutional links and sustained investment in health services, especially mental health and youth services.
“The Pacific’s response must fit island realities, not just mainland systems.
“It must be practically applicable to the most remote communities across our islands,” he said.
“We need our communities to be involved in the decision-making. “What I’m saying here today is: we need to come together.” …. PACNEWS
PAC – CYBER CRIME: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Fri 19 Jun 2026
Cybercrime now a growing threat for Fiji and the Pacific, INTERPOL warns
SUVA, 19 JUNE 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Fiji and other Pacific Island nations are increasingly vulnerable to cybercrime as criminals exploit weaknesses in cybersecurity systems, according to the newly released INTERPOL Asia and South Pacific Cyber Threat Assessment Report 2025/2026.
The report highlights that while digital connectivity has brought major economic and social benefits to the Pacific, many small island developing states continue to face challenges in cybersecurity preparedness, technical expertise and resources, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
INTERPOL says cybercrime across the Asia-Pacific region has grown rapidly, with online scams, phishing attacks, ransomware, banking trojans and AI-generated deepfake scams emerging as some of the most significant threats. More than half of member countries surveyed reported that cybercrime now accounts for over 30 percent of all crimes recorded nationally.
The report specifically identifies Fiji as one of the countries targeted by the RedLine infostealer malware, a malicious programme designed to steal login credentials, banking information, cryptocurrency wallet data and other sensitive personal information. Fiji was listed alongside Cambodia, Kiribati, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Timor-Leste and Vietnam as countries affected by the malware.
INTERPOL found that online scams remain the most widespread and financially damaging form of cybercrime in the region, with phishing and social engineering attacks exploiting human trust rather than technical vulnerabilities. The organisation warns that criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to create convincing fake messages, voices and videos to deceive victims.
The report also notes that many Pacific countries face operational challenges in responding to cybercrime, including limited access to specialised forensic tools, cybercrime training and technical expertise. INTERPOL says stronger regional cooperation, intelligence sharing and public awareness campaigns will be critical to improving cyber resilience across the Pacific.
According to the report, cybercrime poses increasing risks not only to individuals and businesses but also to national economies and public trust in digital services throughout the region…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – FUEL PRICE: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 19 Jun 2026
Fiji Foreign Minister Ditoka urges understanding as fuel prices take time to fall
SUVA, 19 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Fijians will have to wait before seeing any relief at the pump despite a recent drop in global fuel prices, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sakiasi Ditoka says.
Ditoka said world fuel prices had fallen to about US$83 a barrel after spending a long period in the US$90 to US$100 range, but a delay between international purchases and local supply meant the reduction would not be felt immediately in Fiji.
“At the moment, the world fuel prices have now gone down to the US$80s, at US$83, I think, at the moment,” he said.
“For a long time, it has been up in the 90s and sometimes it even reached the US$100 market. But we’re thankful that it’s now gone down to about US$83.
“It’ll take some time before it has any effect on us because there’s a lag time between when we purchase and when the effects of the future purchase hits us.
“That’s the lag time that’s going to cause the delay in the fuel world market prices hitting our shores. So we just ask members of the public to be understanding because there’s this lag time that we need to take note of.
“And once that lag time is caught up, then we’ll start seeing the impacts at the service stations when people fill up fuel.”
Ditoka said the Government had also moved to secure Fiji’s fuel supply chain amid concerns about potential disruptions.
He said he recently travelled to Singapore, the starting point of Fiji’s fuel supply chain, to seek assurances from the Singaporean Government that supplies would remain uninterrupted.
“I had recently went to Singapore where our fuel supply chains come from, where they begin as far as we are concerned, and to try to seek the assurance of the Singaporean government that those supply chains would remain intact,” he said.
Ditoka said Fiji raised concerns that some fuel shipments destined for the country had previously been pushed to the back of the queue.
Singaporean authorities assured Fiji that fuel supply arrangements would continue without interruption and that such delays would not happen again, he said.
However, Singapore also confirmed that fuel prices were determined by the global market and were beyond its control.
Ditoka later travelled to Australia to discuss fuel reserve planning and strategic fuel reserves.
He said Australia indicated its own fuel reserve situation was challenging but provided Fiji with $30 million(AUD$47 million) in budget support.
“So that’s where the issue of the budget support came. I received a letter during our meeting that the budget support of $30 million (AUD$47 million) would be given,” he said.
Looking ahead, Ditoka said Fiji was exploring long-term options including regional fuel reserves, bulk fuel purchasing with Pacific neighbours and possible storage arrangements.
He said Australia and New Zealand had offered technical assistance for fuel reserve planning, while discussions with Viva Energy in Melbourne included the possibility of fuel reserves in Geelong for Fiji’s medium- to long-term needs.
Ditoka said Fiji also planned to engage with partners in Korea, Malaysia and the United States to strengthen fuel security and ensure supply chains remained protected from future disruptions….PACNEWS
PNG – INVESTMENT: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 19 Jun 2026
PNG needs ‘positive’ investment progress
PORT MORESBY, 19 JUNE 2026 (THE NATIONAL) —Positive developments on long-pending foreign investment projects could help restore business confidence and stimulate spending across Papua New Guinea, says Brian Bell Group chairman Ian Clough.
Clough said businesses continue to face challenges from unreliable basic services, including power, water and road infrastructure, as well as rising costs driven by the depreciating Kina and global supply chain pressures.
“The depreciating Kina and rising supply chain costs mean the cost of most goods to everyday Papua New Guineans continues to rise, making basic purchases almost aspirational,” he said.
To help ease the burden on consumers, Clough said Brian Bell continues to develop products tailored for the PNG market and work with suppliers to reduce costs.
He described the first half of the year as mixed for the company, with strong customer support for its Homecentre businesses, particularly in regional centres.
However, Clough said spending in some divisions had softened as economic pressures and inconsistent service delivery created uncertainty among consumers and businesses.
Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic about the second half of the year.
“We’re optimistic that the second half of the year will see an uptick, particularly in the agriculture sector and with government spending on health,” he said.
Clough added that progress on major investment projects would strengthen confidence, encourage spending and support economic growth…..PACNEWS
MARSH – EARLY CHILDHOOD.JOBS: WORLD BANK PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 19 Jun 2026
From Early Childhood to Better Jobs: Investing in Children for Marshall Islands’ Future
MAJURO, 19 JUNE 2026 (WORLD BANK)—In Majuro, grandmother Christina Jorbon plans carefully around the needs of her four-year-old grandson, Riley.
Since Riley’s mother passed away, Christina has been his primary caregiver. Riley is still young and needs someone at home, making steady work difficult. When support arrives through the Marshall Islands’ Early Childhood Development Project, Christina stretches it across the essentials that keep a child healthy and cared for: food, toiletries, rice, prepaid electricity, doctor visits, and school needs. “It’s really hard to look for money, for food and school because he is very young,” Christina says.
Her story reflects a wider challenge across the Marshall Islands, where families are raising children across a nation of atolls and islands spread over a vast ocean. In Majuro, Ebeye, and outer island communities, distance, transport costs, rising prices, and limited services can make the earliest years harder for parents and caregivers.
Those same early years shape a child’s future, affecting whether they arrive at school ready to learn, stay healthy, develop the skills needed for better jobs later in life, and contribute to a stronger economy. For the Marshall Islands, investing in children is increasingly important as the country faces climate shocks, rising living costs, and limited economic opportunities. With a young and growing population, its future will depend heavily on whether today’s children are equipped for the jobs and challenges of tomorrow.
That is why the Government of the Marshall Islands, with funding from the World Bank Group, is implementing the Early Childhood Development Project II. The project aims to improve coverage of essential reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition services, expand early stimulation and learning activities, provide social assistance to families with young children, and strengthen coordination across the government.
Over the past several years, thousands of families across Majuro, Ebeye, and the outer islands have begun receiving support through the project.
Today, 72 percent of children under the age of two receive regular health checkups, and nearly half of pregnant women access antenatal care in the first trimester. More than 2,400 families with young children receive conditional cash transfers, helping them cover food, transport, schooling, and health care. The program also has a strong focus on women’s economic empowerment, with 95 percent of the bank accounts receiving payments owned by women. Parent educators are visiting homes to support early learning and parenting skills. Preschool enrolment among three and four-year-olds has increased significantly. Maternal and child health workers are reaching remote islands that previously had limited access to services.
The project reflects growing efforts across Pacific Island countries to strengthen health, education, nutrition, and social protection as foundations for resilience and future jobs. That approach is central to the World Bank Group’s work as outlined in its Small States Strategy. And in the Marshall Islands, that starts with children.
“Healthy mothers raise healthy children, and healthy children can grow into capable and compassionate leaders,” says Francyne Wase-Jacklick, Secretary of Health and Human Services. “The early years of life are sacred and a critical window. They shape the future learning and wellbeing of a child.”
Providing health and social services across a remote island nation is complex.
Through the project, the Government has been strengthening maternal and child health services and expanding outreach to communities that have often been hardest to reach.
“Our partnership with the World Bank has been transformational,” says Wase-Jacklick. “We’ve been able to strengthen our maternal and child health workforce. That means getting child health workers out to the neighboring islands, which means mothers are able to access healthcare without hesitation.”
The project also links health care with nutrition, education, parenting support, and social protection, helping support a child’s full development and giving mothers more confidence.
The Conditional Cash Transfer program helps families with young children meet basic needs during some of the most financially vulnerable years of parenting.
For Christina, the assistance helps provide stability.
“I buy him food, toiletries, toys that he wants, rice, and cash power,” she says. “I save the money if there’s leftover.”
A key partner is Women United Together Marshall Islands, which helps deliver parenting and early learning support through its Ajri in Ibwinini program. Parent educators work directly with families in their homes, sharing parenting guidance, reading resources, and child development support. Senator Daisy Alik Momotaro, Special Envoy for Gender, Youth and Children Affairs and one of WUTMI’s founders, says the program is deeply rooted in Marshallese culture.
“Ajri means children and ibwinini was a word traditionally used only for the children of chiefs,” she explains. “But the women chiefs who were part of WUTMI wanted all Marshallese children to be ibwinini. They wanted every child to be valued and prepared for the future.”
The World Bank-supported project has helped the program expand beyond Majuro into islands including Jaluit, Ebon, Ailuk, Santo, and Ebeye.
In the Marshall Islands, resilience is not only about infrastructure. It is also about ensuring children grow up healthy, supported, and ready for the opportunities and jobs of the future. Through investments in health, learning, and family support, the country is helping build the next generation of workers, caregivers, entrepreneurs, teachers, and leaders…..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
Ika Moana Rises Again – Strengthening Pacific Leadership in Maritime Surveillance
HONIARA, 19 JUNE 2026 (FFA)–The Pacific Ocean is vast and full of potential. It is a resource that Pacific peoples have long relied on, which makes protecting it an important responsibility.
Flashback to 2014, four Members, Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, and Tonga, decided to take on this sub-regional level subregional joint surveillance, marking a significant step in the ownership of maritime surveillance in the region. The responsibility to lead would rotate among the four Members.
Typically, maritime surveillance was carried out from the Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC) at the FFA in Honiara, Solomon Islands, so this was a huge step, not only for maritime surveillance, but for Pacific leadership. It signalled the potential for increased multilateral cooperation and relationship-building to protect ocean resources. The operation enabled participating Members to coordinate surveillance across their EEZs.
Recognising the Secretariat’s years of experience, resources, and network, the Members invited it to support the coordination and execution of operations in 2018 and 2019. However, COVID-19 had other plans, and the initiative was halted.
But the Pacific has a way of bringing back what was once lost. Operation Ika Moana was not meant to lie at the bottom of the ocean forever. After a five-year hiatus, Operation Ika Moana was reactivated by the Samoa Government in Apia. This comeback was not just about a “return to operations.” It was personal, a return to rebuilding connections and confidence in national leadership and sub-regional coordination.
In August 2025, Operation Ika Moana was set in motion. The Secretariat was once again invited by the Samoa Police Commissioner to provide coordination and operational support. Drawing on its experience and resources, it delivered targeted support. This included Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Watchkeeper training, coordination of aerial surveillance through the FFA Aerial Surveillance Programme, application of satellite remote sensing technology, and facilitation of boarding inspection refresher training for all participating Members. Working closely with partners such as AFMA, MPI, and the Fiji Navy, the Secretariat ensured that support responded directly to the needs identified by the Samoa Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) at the Maritime Police Headquarters.
As Operation Ika Moana gained full momentum, Watchkeepers strengthened their ability to monitor and analyse information in real time. The JCC took on the role of coordinating multiple patrol assets, including six Guardian-class patrol boats (GCPB), and air assets while also supporting intelligence analysis and operational decision-making. Boarding officers refreshed their skills, ensuring that inspections at sea and in port were carried out with consistency and confidence.
Results soon became visible: seven vessel boarding were conducted, three sightings were recorded, and three vessels of interest were identified. Satellite remote sensing added another layer of capability, contributing to eleven detections. Altogether, the operation covered more than 90,000 square kilometres, demonstrating what can be achieved when national efforts are aligned and supported.
For Yohni Fepuleai, a Surveillance Operations Officer with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) who had been involved in establishing Operation Ika Moana before joining the Secretariat, the operation carried a deeper meaning:
“The power of Pacific leadership and networking among FFA Members to work together. This operation brings together Members, GCPBs, and MCS officers for joint surveillance and training exercises.
Operation IKA MOANA sets a new standard for Regional Cooperation and Pacific Unity in Maritime Surveillance.
It creates the opportunity for Members to lead, coordinate, and execute a multilateral operation themselves, rather than relying on FFA as the coordination centre. It is about empowering national headquarters to take on that role, particularly within sub-regional groups with shared interests.”
Operation Ika Moana represents a shift in how operations are led. Samoa’s Joint Coordinating Centre was not just participating, it was driving the operation, coordinating assets, analysing information, and making decisions in real time. The Secretariat played a supporting role, providing technical expertise while allowing national systems and leadership to take the lead.
This shift strengthened not only technical capacity, but also the confidence and ability of the host nation to lead a complex, multilateral surveillance effort. It demonstrated that, with the right support, Members can coordinate effectively across borders and manage operations that respond to shared maritime security priorities at the sub-regional level.
With this renewed momentum, Operation Ika Moana is set to continue in the future, with either Cook Islands or Tonga taking the lead, alongside continued support from the Secretariat, Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP) and partners. The focus on building Member-led coordination and sustaining progress remains.
Operation Ika Moana demonstrates that the Pacific is resilient and strong. Our ocean is what binds us, and it is also what ensures we are never lost. This revival is a testament to the Pacific’s sense of ownership, pride, and responsibility to protect what is rightfully theirs.
FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop said: “The operation illustrates the value of flexible, host-driven regional exercises. By bringing together fisheries patrol vessels, law enforcement, corrections, and other maritime agencies under a unified command, the operation enabled participating countries to respond quickly to IUU fishing threats while also addressing wider maritime crimes.”…PACNEWS
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Bracing for El Niño: FAO and WFP launch joint appeal to protect 8.8 million people from extreme weather events
Scaling up early action in 22 high-risk countries will help safeguard lives, livelihoods and food security
ROME, 19 JUNE 2026 (FAO)—The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have launched their first-ever Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal, seeking US$202 million to protect nearly nine million people from the potential impact of a strong El Niño weather pattern across 22 high-risk priority countries.
The Appeal calls for urgent, flexible funding ahead of anticipated climate shocks that could threaten food security, livelihoods and agricultural production across the world’s most vulnerable regions through this year and next.
El Niño is forecasted to strengthen during the period covered by the outlook, leading to drier-than-average conditions in some areas and wetter, flood-risk conditions in others. This can disrupt planting, growing seasons, harvests, pasture, and water availability. Strong El Niño conditions in the second half of 2026 are predicted to increase the likelihood of drought, floods and storms across parts of Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
The forecast comes at a time when millions of people are already facing acute food insecurity driven by conflict, economic instability, displacement, recurrent weather-related shocks, and economic disruptions linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
FAO and WFP are already positioned to provide anticipatory action for 1.2 million people projected to be affected by El Niño.
With an additional investment of US$167 million, the two agencies are positioned to rapidly expand support to a further 7.6 million people across 22 priority countries, bringing the total coverage to 8.8 million people.
The joint appeal builds on strong evidence that anticipatory action is both highly effective and cost-efficient. Every dollar invested in anticipatory response can result in up to US$7 in avoided losses and response costs.
“Experience consistently shows that early action is more effective and less costly than responding after a crisis has escalated,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.
“We have the data, the tools and the evidence to identify risks before they become emergencies. The challenge is ensuring that financing is available early enough to act. When resources are available before trigger thresholds are reached, countries can protect food production, reduce humanitarian needs and help families safeguard livelihoods before critical planting, harvesting and livestock production windows are lost.”
“We cannot afford the fallout of another food crisis,” said Carl Skau, WFP Acting Executive Director.
‘With El Niño on the horizon, we have a narrow window to act so families are not forced into impossible choices later. We now have the tools to anticipate these events, what matters is how we act with that knowledge. Early action keeps food on the table and protects those at most risk. With the right resources, we can act faster, reduce costs, and reach people before the crisis escalates.”
Funding will support a package of proven anticipatory actions tailored to individual local contexts. These include cash assistance, the distribution of drought-tolerant and/or flood-resistant seeds, livestock protection measures, water harvesting and storage systems, flood protection infrastructure, agricultural advisories and the dissemination of early warning information.
Planned interventions will help vulnerable households protect livelihoods, stabilize food consumption, safeguard agricultural production and strengthen resilience to future shocks.
Priority countries
The appeal focuses on 22 countries, balancing key considerations such as risks based on meteorological forecasts of El Niño and its possible impact, historical weather patterns, agricultural calendars, existing levels of food insecurity and operational readiness. The targeted countries by region are:
Africa: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Asia and the Pacific: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Philippines and Timor-Leste.
Latin America and the Caribbean: Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Venezuela.
From forecast to action
The Appeal comes as humanitarian needs continue to rise while global aid budgets face increasing pressure.
During the 2023–2024 El Niño event, FAO and WFP supported more than three million people through anticipatory action, delivering assistance months before peak impacts occurred. Capacity has since expanded, but overall coverage remains well below identified needs, highlighting the importance of scaling up financing and preparedness ahead of the 2026 event.
FAO and WFP reiterate that the systems, partnerships and operational plans needed to act are fully in place and coordinated for immediate action. What is needed now is the financing required to deliver anticipatory action at the scale that current forecasts demand….PACNEWS
Contact: Irina Utkina
FAO
(+39) 06 570 52542
Julian Miglierini
WFP
(+39) 348 231 6793
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fiji turning data to action to tackle marine litter
SUVA, 19 JUNE 2026 (SPREP)–Pacific countries are increasingly recognising the importance of robust data and community participation in tackling marine litter and plastic pollution.
As part of these efforts, Fiji hosted a Marine Litter Training Workshop from 02–5 June 2026 under the Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific – Phase 2 (SWAP2) Project at the Greenhouse Co-working Space in Suva.
Dr Sivendra Michael, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing marine litter.
“Marine litter is more than an environmental issue,” he said. “It is a development challenge, an economic challenge, and increasingly, a challenge to the resilience of our island nations.”
The workshop was organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), the Agence française de développement (AFD), Sustainable Coastlines New Zealand, and a local partner Community Centred Conservation (C3).
The training included two community workshops in Korotubu Village and Kia Island in Macuata Province, followed by a national stakeholder workshop in Suva. A total of 105 participants took part in the activities, representing government agencies, local authorities, civil society organisations, community groups, youth representatives, and the private sector.
“As small island developing states, our relationship with the Ocean is deeply intertwined with our identity, culture and prosperity. Protecting our marine environment is therefore not simply an environmental obligation, it is an investment in our future,” added Dr. Michael.
The workshops were delivered by Sustainable Coastlines New Zealand and focused on building national capacity in beach surveys, waste audits, data collection, and the use of the Litter Intelligence platform. The standardised methodology is used across nine Pacific Island countries and territories participating in SWAP2, allowing regional comparison of marine litter data.
Elodie Vitalis, Head of AFD Fiji Office, emphasised the importance of reliable data for environmental management.
“Every piece of litter found on a beach has a story,” she said. “The purpose of this training is not simply to count waste. It is to understand that story, so that we can prevent the next piece of litter from ever reaching the ocean. Good public policy starts with good evidence.”
The field surveys conducted during the workshops highlighted the scale of marine litter challenges facing Fiji. While plastic remained the most common category of litter recorded during the surveys conducted on Kia Island and in Suva, representing 67 percent and 72 percent of audited items respectively, the Korotubu Village survey identified household batteries as the most frequently recorded item, with 177 batteries collected.
The presence of deteriorated batteries in the coastal environment raises concerns regarding the potential release of hazardous substances into surrounding ecosystems. Participants noted that these findings highlight the importance of improving waste collection and disposal systems, particularly in remote communities where waste management options remain limited.
The audit exercises helped participants better understand the types and sources of litter affecting their local environment and reinforced the importance of improving waste management systems. Discussions highlighted the particular challenges faced by remote and coastal communities that rely heavily on marine resources for their livelihoods and wellbeing.
Vasiti Vosabalavu from the Macuata Provincial Council said: “What I learned today is that there is a lot of responsibility within the communities themselves regarding waste management. It is not only the waste we can see, but also microplastics and other items that are less visible. These are the things we also need to consider.”
Wayne Fuakilau from Trashboom Pacific highlighted the value of data collection.
“The main takeaway from this workshop is understanding the different types of data that we find during beach audits,” he said.
“We really admire the statement that we cannot manage what we cannot measure. That is important for us to compare the waste intercepted in rivers with what is ending up on our beaches.”
The training also supports the implementation of Fiji Marine Litter Pilot Project under SWAP2, with the local support of Community Centred Conservation (C3). In parallel, discussions have already commenced between MECC, SPREP and Trashboom Pacific on opportunities to integrate litter audits into river-based waste interception systems, helping generate comparable data on waste collected from rivers and coastlines.
Through SWAP2, Fiji will continue implementing marine litter monitoring activities, awareness programmes, and waste management initiatives through to 2028, helping generate the evidence needed to inform policy development, strengthen community action, and reduce the impacts of marine litter and plastic pollution…..PACNEWS
For more information, please visit SWAP Project Website or contact Julie Pillet, SWAP Project Manager, at juliep@sprep.org
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