In this bulletin:
1. SOL — Bougainville Independence talks may feature in Marape-Wale meeting
2. UN — IPCC warns funding shortfall threatens Climate Assessment cycle
3. ISRAEL — Israel to open representative office in PNG, FM Sa’ar announces after talks with PM Marape
4. UN — Nuclear weapons spending hits record high amid new ‘arms race’: studies
5. PACIFIC — Pacific voyagers change course as looming El Niño threat reshapes ocean conditions
6. VAN — Qetu to voluntarily resign as Vanuatu health minister this week
7. PNG — Pumice clogs island shores after PNG eruption, stoking fears of food shortage
8. SAMOA — Samoa foreign officer highlights nuclear security work at UN academy
9. PACNEWS BIZ — ADB provides $10 million to help Solomon Islands respond to tropical Maila
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fuel sufficient for now, Samoa government starts reducing fuel use
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Bill to increase age of retirement fails in PNG parliament
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji tourism earns $455.7 million in first quarter
13. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — The Pacific’s fuel shock extracts a price from women
14. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Rangers across FSM unite to strengthen Conservation and Community resilience
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — From Classrooms to Coastlines: Department of Environment and R2R Partner for World Environment Day Action in Tonga
SOL – DIPLOMACY: PASIFIKA TV ISLANDS BUSINESS /SIBC PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Bougainville Independence talks may feature in Marape-Wale meeting
HONIARA, 11 JUNE 2026 (PASIFIKA TV/ISLANDS BUSINESS/SIBC) — Bougainville’s independence could be on the agenda when Pacific leaders meet in Palau later this year.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale – the current Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat chairperson – indicated that the issue would be part of talks soon with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape.
“I’ve just been communicating with Prime Minister Marape on that and other regional matters,” Wale said in response to prominent Pacific journalist, Stefan Armbruster in Honiara.
“We’re trying to work out some dates. So I will be going to Moresby any time over the next few weeks to further those discussions and then have a much clearer idea.”
The process surrounding Bougainville’s path to independence has been debated in PNG parliament over the past two weeks.
Bougainville voted 97.7 per cent for independence in November 2019 in an act guaranteed by PNG’s constitution as a result of a 2001 peace agreement which ended a 10-year civil war.
“I recognise Bougainville’s independence aspirations and the overwhelming result wea kamaot lo (which came out of the) referendum but at the same time recognising that they are still part of Papua New Guinea and therefore we must respect that fact also,” Wale said.
On whether the matter of Bougainville should have been raised by his predecessor, wale said: “Solomon Islands position has always been not to anger PNG but to facilitate whatever the two agree on we will play that facilitative, supportive role.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Wale says visa access and travel arrangements for Solomon Islanders were discussed with Australian and New Zealand officials as part of broader treaty negotiations.
Speaking to local media upon his return from official visits to Australia and New Zealand Wednesday, Wale said the treaty aims to foster closer economic relations.
“We raised all these matters with them. These are issues that will also be part of our treaty negotiations,” he said.
“They will consider some initial steps to make it easier for Solomon Islanders, but we are seeking a long-term understanding that will form part of our discussions.”
Wale explained that the discussions are part of efforts to strengthen economic ties between Solomon Islands and the two countries.
He said both Australia and New Zealand are open to talks on easing travel requirements for Solomon Islanders. However, he noted that long-term arrangements will require further negotiation through the treaty process.
“These matters will also be part of our treaty negotiations,” Wale reiterated.
The government is focused on building closer economic relations and creating more practical travel arrangements for citizens moving between Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand…. PACNEWS
UN – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
IPCC warns funding shortfall threatens Climate Assessment cycle
BONN, 11 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that a major funding shortfall is raising concerns over the successful completion of its Seventh Assessment Cycle, even as work on a series of landmark climate reports continues to advance.
Speaking at the 64th Session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA64) in Bonn, Ermira Fida said all planned reports for the current assessment cycle have been scoped, authors selected, and work is progressing across the board.
“On behalf of the IPCC, I thank you for giving me the floor to update you on the progress made by the IPCC, nearly three years into the seventh assessment cycle.”
“I am pleased to inform you that all planned reports for this cycle have been scoped, all authors have been selected, and we are making steady progress on each report.”
Fida said the first publication of the cycle, the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, is currently undergoing expert and government review, with work also underway on the Summary for Policymakers.
“The first IPCC report to be published in this cycle is the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities. Its second-order draft is currently being reviewed by experts and governments, through early July, while the initial draft of the Summary for Policymakers is under way.”
She said two key methodology reports are also moving forward toward their scheduled release next year.
“Both methodology reports – the one on Short-Lived Climate Forcers and the one on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage, are also progressing towards their release next year.”
Fida noted that the expert review of the First Order Draft of the Methodology Report on Short-Lived Climate Forcers concluded in February and that the next review phase will begin in September.
She added that work has also advanced on the methodology report covering carbon dioxide removal technologies and carbon capture, utilisation and storage.
“The authors of the 2027 Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage, began their work in mid-April and will meet again in August to advance their work on the report.”
The IPCC Deputy Secretary said all three Working Groups contributing to the Seventh Assessment Report have progressed their First Order Drafts.
“Progress has also advanced across other reports: our three Working Groups have advanced First Order Drafts of their contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report.”
She noted that Working Groups I and II met in person earlier this year, while Working Group III met virtually because of travel restrictions in the Middle East and plans to convene in person in September.
Fida also highlighted progress on a range of expert meetings and workshops covering issues including inventories, land use, carbon removal, inclusivity, climate tipping points, adaptation metrics, health and agriculture.
“Work has progressed on several Panel-mandated expert meetings and workshops across diverse topics, including inventories, land use, carbon removal, inclusivity, tipping points, atlas, adaptation metrics and indicators, health and agriculture.”
She said consultations are continuing among member governments on timelines for the reports produced by the three Working Groups, with the goal of reaching agreement at the next IPCC Plenary Session in October.
“As the timelines for the three Working Groups’ reports are yet to be agreed by the Panel, the Chair of the IPCC is currently conducting consultations with member governments on this matter, with a view to reaching consensus at the next Plenary Session scheduled for October.”
Fida also invited delegates attending the Bonn climate meetings to participate in upcoming IPCC side events focused on the Seventh Assessment Cycle and diverse knowledge systems.
However, she warned about the financial challenges facing the organisation.
“We thank all our member governments for their continued scientific and financial contributions. However, with only 19 percent of the approved 2026 budget received to date, this raises serious concerns for the successful completion of the Seventh Assessment Cycle and the long-term sustainability of the IPCC Trust Fund.”
“We therefore strongly encourage increased and sustained contributions to ensure a fully functional Trust Fund and to support the effective participation of developing countries in the IPCC’s work.”
The IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Cycle is expected to provide the latest scientific guidance for governments as they respond to climate change and prepare future climate commitments under the UN climate process…. PACNEWS
ISRAEL – DIPLOMACY: THE JERUSALEM POST PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Israel to open representative office in PNG, FM Sa’ar announces after talks with PM Marape
JERUSALEM, 11 JUNE 2026 (THE JERUSALEM POST) — Israel will open a representative office in Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced after a conversation with Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape on Wednesday.
Sa’ar said in a post on X/Twitter that he thanked Marape for his support and friendship with Israel, specifically noting that Marape had decided to move Papua New Guinea’s embassy to Jerusalem in 2023.
“We will advance bilateral relations!” he declared…. PACNEWS
UN – NUKE WEAPONS: AFP PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Nuclear weapons spending hits record high amid new ‘arms race’: studies
NEW YORK, 11 JUNE 2026 (AFP) — Worldwide spending on nuclear weapons soared to a record high last year as atomic-armed countries moved more warheads from storage onto delivery systems, experts said Tuesday.
The nine nuclear-armed states jointly spent nearly US$119 billion on their arsenals last year, up 19 percent from 2024, according to the International Campaign to Abolish nuclear weapons (ICAN).
“A new nuclear arms race is upon us,” its report warned.
ICAN, and a separate study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released on Monday, voiced alarm at the growing nuclear risk amid swelling geopolitical tensions.
The dramatic spending hike on nuclear weapons came as countries rushed to modernise their arsenals and deploy more of their stockpiles, the studies showed.
Susi Snyder, ICAN’s director of programmes and co-author of the latest report, said the scale-up, coupled with fears that artificial intelligence could increase the risk of nuclear weapons use, was deeply alarming.
“To be perfectly honest, I’m terrified,” she told AFP.
SIPRI’s report highlighted that the total estimated number of nuclear warheads had been declining for decades, falling to 12,187 at the start of this year, but warned the number of weapons available for potential use had risen, to 9,745.
“Even though we have lower numbers of nuclear weapons, the level of nuclear dangers and nuclear risks are rising,” SIPRI director Karim Haggag told AFP.
He pointed to worrying signs, including the breakdown in strategic arms controls and competition between great powers with nuclear arms.
SIPRI predicted that overall nuclear arms stockpiles were likely to begin growing again in coming years “as the pace of dismantlement is slowing, while the deployment of new nuclear weapons is accelerating”.
The United States and Russia together hold around 83 percent of the world’s nuclear arms stockpile, with more than 5,000 warheads each. China is expanding its nuclear arsenal faster than any other country, SIPRI said, estimating that it counts around 620 warheads.
“Intensifying geopolitical competition means a very strong incentive on the part of China to increase its reliance on nuclear weapons,” Haggag said.
ICAN’s report indicated that all nuclear-armed states, which also include Britain, France, India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan, were increasing investments in their arsenals.
The nine countries jointly spent nearly US$17 billion more last year than in 2024 on the weapons of mass destruction.
Washington spent more than all the other countries combined, dishing out US$69.2 billion on nuclear weapons in 2025 — an increase of US$12.4 billion from a year earlier, ICAN said.
The United States was followed by China, which was estimated to have spent US$13.5 billion last year, then Britain at US$12.6 billion and Russia at US$9.5 billion, it said.
Over the past five years, it determined that the nine countries had spent over US$470 billion on their arsenals.
Those investments are expected to grow going forward.
Examining longer term projections, ICAN highlighted figures from Britain, France and the United States showing plans to spend billions to develop and maintain nuclear weapons systems well into the next century.
Other countries too were introducing new weapons systems with long lifespans, it said.
The report pointed out that planned new U.S Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles were expected to remain operational past 2100, while swelling U.S plutonium pit production indicated that the country’s warheads would last through 2120.
That will mean significant investment, with US nuclear arms spending over just the decade between 2025 and 2034 projected at close to US$1 trillion.
Researchers said the huge sums were particularly jarring at a time when the global humanitarian system was reeling from dramatic funding cuts.
Just a single day of nuclear weapons spending last year could have provided food security to more than two million people, they said.
Instead of providing aid or healthcare for their populations, the nuclear-armed states were investing in “an arsenal that they themselves know they cannot use without committing a war crime”, Snyder said.
“There seems to be a total disconnect from reality,” she said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PMN PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Pacific voyagers change course as looming El Niño threat reshapes ocean conditions
AUCKLAND, 11 JUNE 2026 (PMN) — A major Pacific voyaging journey has been forced to change course as growing concerns over a looming El Niño event reshape weather patterns across the region.
The Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS) says its famed double-hulled canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia will follow a new route after climate forecasts raised concerns about conditions on their original path through the Pacific.
The change affects the Moananuiākea Voyage, a four-year journey connecting Pacific communities and promoting ocean stewardship.
For the past six months, the crews have remained in Aotearoa New Zealand, waiting out the cyclone season and carrying out heavy-weather training.
They had planned to sail north towards Asia but shifting climate conditions have forced a rethink.
The decision comes after the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations warned there is a 90 percent chance of El Niño conditions developing between now and August.
El Niño is a natural climate pattern caused by warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which can disrupt weather patterns across the region and around the world.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said the event could “fuel more extreme weather and climate events” across many parts of the globe.
Scientists say unusually warm ocean temperatures beneath the tropical Pacific could strengthen the climate pattern and bring widespread impacts across the region.
In his latest update, Nainoa Thompson, PVS chief executive and master navigator, said the voyage team had to respond to conditions unfolding around them.
“Our sail plans are based on our historical knowledge and understanding of the general weather patterns in the Pacific,” Thompson said.
“This year is turning out to be anything but general or average or usual. It’s really quite different.”
Under the revised plan, the canoes will leave Aotearoa in August and sail through Tonga, American Sāmoa, Sāmoa and Fiji.
They aim to reach Fiji by mid-October for a major international ocean conference ahead of the United Nations climate talks.
Voyage leaders will then assess updated climate forecasts before deciding whether it is safe to continue north towards Japan or return to Aotearoa.
The caution reflects wider concerns across the Pacific. Climate experts warn El Niño could bring drought to parts of Melanesia and Polynesia while increasing rainfall in some low-lying atoll nations.
The Pacific Islands Climate Outlook Forum has also warned of impacts on fisheries as tuna stocks shift eastward across the equatorial Pacific, which could affect government revenue in several island countries.
Marine heatwaves linked to warmer ocean temperatures are also raising concerns about coral bleaching in parts of the region.
Thompson says adapting the voyage is part of a long Pacific tradition of reading and respecting the ocean.
“The world is changing. It’s getting hotter, and it’s changing us, and we’re going to have to adjust to that change. We’re going to have to adapt to that change,” he said.
Despite the route change, he said the voyage remains on track.
“On the canoe, we choose to pay respect. We choose to be humble. We choose to pay attention and make our decisions not based on what we say we’re going to do, but what the Earth tells us to do.”
“This is not a delay. It’s not a setback. To me, it’s a stepping stone of learning.”
As Pacific communities prepare for the impacts of a changing climate, Thompson says the revised route offers an early sign of how even the region’s most experienced navigators are being forced to adapt to an ocean that no longer behaves as it once did…. PACNEWS
VAN – POLITICS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Qetu to voluntarily resign as Vanuatu health minister this week
PORT VILA, 11 JUNE 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST)—-Iauko Group (IG) President and Vanuatu Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Ati has confirmed to the Daily Post that IG Member of Parliament for Ambae and Minister of Health, John Still Tari Qetu, will voluntarily resign as minister this week while the legal matter concerning him is before the court.
Minister Qetu pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional assault in April, but not guilty to breaching the Leadership Code Act [CAP. 240].
However, he later changed his plea and pleaded guilty to breaching the Leadership Code on 05 June and is awaiting sentencing on 10 July…. PACNEWS
PNG – PUMICE: REUTERS PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Pumice clogs island shores after PNG eruption, stoking fears of food shortage
PORT MORESBY, 11 JUNE 2026 (REUTERS) — Thick rafts of volcanic pumice ejected by an undersea eruption in Papua New Guinea’s Bismarck Sea have blocked boats, damaged fishing grounds and fuelled fears of food shortages, the leaders of remote coastal communities on Manus Island said.
The eruption, still underway, began on 08 May about 125 km (78 miles) southeast of the island, NASA satellite observations show, sending floating pumice and discoloured water outwards from the site.
Villages along the coast were badly affected, said local government official Jayso James So-on, calling for disaster response efforts by the provincial government.
“Our livelihoods are based on saltwater, and with the influx of the pumice now, it’s really affecting daily activities,” he said, adding that reefs had been covered and sea transport to Lorengau, the provincial capital, disrupted.
The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Media have said Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape ordered agencies to assess the undersea activity.
Images show brown pumice rock lines the island’s coast, in places two or three meters deep, say residents, allowing them to walk in areas once covered in water.
Such pumice rafts, as they are known, form only in certain conditions, such as when gas-rich magma erupts at the right depth to foam and float, said volcanologist Mike Rosenberg of Earth Sciences New Zealand.
“The pumice itself is not dangerous,” Rosenberg said. “The main issue is that it’s just massive and you can’t move through it easily.”
The rafts can take months or years to sink after getting waterlogged by sea currents and tides that swamp them, he added.
Residents say they are struggling with basic daily tasks such as catching fish for food and travelling to Lorengau for supplies and services.
“Food will run out first and then water,” head teacher Michael Kuam said in Timoenai, a settlement of about 800, where outboard motors cannot be used because pumice has stacked up two to three metres deep in some areas.
“People can’t afford food too because they sell fish to get money,” added Kuam, who has organised students and villagers to spend the morning trying to clear the pumice to avert longterm damage to the fishing grounds.
Bags of pumice collected in this way are being used to fill swampy areas around the school and level its sports field, he said.
The volcanic eruption continues, the Smithsonian Institutes Global Volcanism Programme said in its latest update…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – DIPLOMACY: SAMOA OBSERVER PACNEWS 3: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Samoa foreign officer highlights nuclear security work at UN academy
APIA, 11 JUNE 2026 (SAMOA OBSERVER) — A foreign service officer says Samoa is strengthening its understanding of global security issues after completing a United Nations training programme on nuclear terrorism prevention.
AL Dalmar Chu Ling, 27, from Faleula, is a Foreign Service Officer with the Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
He took part in the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) Academy, organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). During the programme, he also presented a draft cabinet memorandum on Samoa’s accession to the convention.
He said he joined the programme to better understand how small island states like Samoa can respond to global security threats and ensure the country has a voice in international discussions.
“I wanted to learn how we can better protect our communities from global security threats and make sure Samoa has a voice in those important rooms,” he said.
He described the experience as challenging but rewarding, saying he worked alongside participants from different regions and security backgrounds.
He said one key lesson was that countries of all sizes face similar security risks, even if their circumstances are different.
“While our countries are vastly different in size, we all face the same global security challenges,” he said.
“Stopping international threats requires a united front.”
Chu Ling also highlighted the importance of Pacific perspectives in global security discussions, saying Samoa’s voice is valuable in shaping international responses.
He said Samoa’s planned accession to the ICSANT framework would strengthen legal protections against the misuse of nuclear materials and improve cooperation with international partners.
Although Samoa does not possess nuclear materials, he said its large maritime zone means it must remain alert to transnational security risks.
He added that joining the convention would improve access to technical support, training, and intelligence-sharing networks.
Chu Ling said he plans to use what he learned from the academy to support Samoa’s legal and security agencies and help progress the Cabinet submission on ICSANT accession.
“I want to ensure Samoa stays ahead of the curve,” he said.
Chu Ling was invited by UNODC to represent the Polynesian region in the programme alongside participants from other parts of the Pacific and the world…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
SOL – CYCLONE RESPONSE: ADB PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
ADB provides $10 million to help Solomon Islands respond to tropical Maila
HONIARA, 11 JUNE 2026 (ADB — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Solomon Islands signed withdrawal applications providing US$10 million to help expedite recovery from Tropical Cyclone Maila which caused extensive damage across multiple provinces in April 2026.
The agreement was signed by Gordon Darcy Lilo, Minister Finance and Treasury and the Country Director of ADB’s Solomon Islands Resident Mission, Anthony Gill.
“When disaster strikes, quick disbursing finance is needed to help Solomon Islands respond rapidly to a disaster,” said Mr. Gill.
“This contingent disaster financing delivers help to Solomon Islands people at a time when they need it most in the initial recovery phase.”
Tropical Cyclone Maila is estimated to have impacted over 120,000 people, causing widespread destruction of housing and critical infrastructure, disruption of livelihoods, disruption to health and education services, and large-scale population displacement.
The US$10 million comes from the 4th phase of the Pacific Disaster Resilience Programme, which also supported progress in strengthening the country’s capacity to manage and reduce disaster risks. The funds will support the government as it manages its emergency response and early recovery…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – FUEL CRISIS: SAMOA OBSERVER PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Fuel sufficient for now, Samoa government starts reducing fuel use
APIA, 11 JUNE 2026 (SAMOA OBSERVER) — As of 10 June, Samoa has 41 days of petrol, 32 days of diesel and 64 days’ worth of kerosene.
This was disclosed by the Disaster Advisory Committee on Wednesday.
Petroleum Products Supplies Ltd (PPS) representative Leiataua Peter Ripley said PPS continues to work closely with the Ministry of Finance in managing fuel imports into Samoa.
He said a fuel tanker that arrived on 1 June replenished the country’s fuel storage tanks. Following the vessel’s arrival, fuel reserves were sufficient for approximately 51 days of petrol, 42 days of diesel and 47 days of DPK (Dual Purpose Kerosene).
Leiataua said the next fuel vessel is scheduled to arrive on 04 July, unless delayed by weather or other unforeseen circumstances. Additional shipments are scheduled for 12 August and between 21 and 24 September. He said the arrangements provide approximately three months of planning to maintain a stable fuel supply.
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), Lealaisalanoa Frances Brown-Reupena, said the government was providing another preparedness update through the collaborative efforts of partner agencies.
Ministry of Finance Assistant Chief Executive Officer Faiva Finau said the government continues to work closely with relevant agencies during the current period.
He said conservation measures have been introduced to reduce fuel consumption, including guidelines for government vehicle use. Only five vehicles have been approved by the Government Vehicle Committee for use across government ministries and agencies.
The Ministry has also introduced plans to centralise fueling operations. Beginning 13 June, government ministries will be required to fuel vehicles exclusively at the government fuel station in Sogi. State-Owned Enterprises will transition to the same arrangement from 1 July.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Tiumalu Malcolm Esera, said preparations are continuing in case Samoa reaches a Red Level response stage where fuel restrictions become necessary.
He said the Authority is also reviewing public transportation services, particularly bus operations, while public awareness campaigns on fuel conservation will continue.
Representing the Samoa Police sector, Maiava Tele Falanisisi said authorities are prepared to implement enforcement measures if conditions worsen.
Police will continue monitoring government vehicle use, particularly during nights and weekends. Vehicles operating outside normal working hours must carry valid authorisation documents issued by the Ministry of Finance or the relevant committee.
The weekly situation updates will continue until the Amber Level is downgraded to the Green Level…. PACNEWS
PNG – RERIREMENT AGE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Bill to increase age of retirement fails in PNG parliament
PORT MORESBY, 11 JUNE 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — A bill to increase the retirement age of certain constitutional office holders did not muster the support of Papua New Guinea Parliament Tuesday to be passed.
The vote result was 74-13.
The bill needed the support of a two-thirds majority of the 118-Members of Parliament (MP) or 79 MPs to be passed.
Justice Minister and Attorney-General Pila Niningi, who tabled the bill in Parliament on 06 August last year, had proposed an amendment to the Organic Law on Certain Constitutional Office holders and Organic Law on National and Local Level Government Elections.
It would raise the retirement age from 55 to 72 years, and the compulsory retirement age from 60 to 75.
Niningi said that it was consistent with the retirement age of other constitutional office holders such as the Chief Ombudsman, judges and independent commission against corruption commissioners.
Abau MP Sir Puka Temu said that increasing the age of certain constitutional office holders, particularly the Electoral Commissioner, was a cause for concern.
“With increasing the retirement age of the Electoral Commissioner position, I strongly recommend that this be delayed until the permanent appointment is confirmed.
“While the minister (Niningi) is guaranteeing the House this is not to allow the former to be also shortlisted and participate, but we don’t think those who failed managing the last election should be brought back again,” he said.
Sinasina-Yongomugl MP Kerenga Kua said the timing of the amendment was questionable and needed to be delayed.
“This bill can be brought back and we can vote on it,” he said.
“At the moment, it smells really bad so we are hesitant about supporting it.”
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird said there was no logic behind the amendment as the life expectancy of Papua New Guineans was about 66 years, adding that it was “suspicious” given the vacancy in the positon of a permanent Electoral Commissioner.
“We should be passing laws that are applicable to all citizens and not just to be giving special treatment to a particular group of people,” Bird said.
However, Prime Minister James Marape said such preconceived notions were unnecessary and due process would be followed, particularly in the appointments of any constitutional office holder.
Parliament was adjourned to 14 July…. PACNEWS
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Fiji tourism earns $455.7 million in first quarter
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji’s tourism industry generated $455.7 million (US$227.85 million) in visitor spending during the March quarter of 2026, underscoring the sector’s continued importance as a major contributor to the national economy.
Fiji Bureau of Statistics tourism earnings figures show the industry recorded a 3.7 percent increase compared to the $439.3 million (US$219.65 million) earned during the same period in 2025.
The earnings figure is derived from the estimated average daily expenditure of international visitors and the total number of visitor days spent in Fiji.
Despite the annual increase, tourism earnings were lower than the record levels recorded during the peak holiday season in the final quarter of last year.
The March quarter earnings were 36 percent, or $256.2 million (US$128.1 million), below the $711.9 million (US$355.95 million) recorded in the December 2025 quarter.
Australia remained Fiji’s dominant tourism market, contributing $222.8 million (US$111,4 million) in visitor spending. Australian visitors accounted for nearly half, or 48.9 percent, of total tourism earnings during the quarter.
New Zealand was the second-largest contributor with $77.2 million (US$38.6 million), representing 16.9 percent of total earnings, while visitors from the United States spent $54.5 million (US$27.25 million), contributing 12 percent of the total.
Pacific Island visitors contributed $22.4 million (US$11,2 million), accounting for 4.9 percent of tourism earnings.
Together, these key markets generated 82.7 percent of Fiji’s total tourism earnings for the March quarter.
The figures highlight the continued resilience of Fiji’s tourism sector, which remains one of the country’s largest sources of foreign exchange and employment.
The positive year-on-year growth comes as visitor arrivals continue to remain strong, with industry stakeholders targeting further expansion in key source markets and increased visitor spending as Fiji moves closer to the milestone of welcoming one million visitors annually…. 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
The Pacific’s fuel shock extracts a price from women
A fuel emergency is being measured in shipping routes and state declarations – but the cost is landing on women’s time, earnings and safety.
By Alison Davidian
SUVA, 11 JUNE 2026 (THE INTERPRETER) — Since April, the price of a litre of kerosene in Fiji has climbed 42 percent. Diesel is up 35 percent, with further increases since.
Kerosene is exempt from value-added tax precisely because it is the fuel of poorer households – yet of all the fuels, it rose the most.
The shock falls hardest on those who can afford it least, with much of the burden absorbed by women, and it began thousands of kilometres away, in a shipping lane most market vendors in Suva, Honiara and elsewhere in the Pacific Islands region will never see.
Walking through Nausori market just outside Suva this week, you feel it. The stalls are emptier than they should be because fewer women can afford to get there. The trucks that carry produce from farming communities are running less often. What arrives costs more – a sack of cucumbers that sold for FJ$80 (US$40) has climbed to FJ$150 (AU$96). One farmer I spoke to described it simply. Less fuel, she said, meant less time on the tractor, less ploughing and less selling. A fuel crisis measured in empty tables, missing vendors, and vegetables priced out of reach.
A price shock does not fall on an abstract household. It falls on the people who run the informal economy, who buy and prepare food, and absorb the unpaid labour of holding families together when money runs short. In the Pacific, those people are overwhelmingly women – between 75 percent and 90 percent of market vendors across the region.
The impact has been neither distant nor slow. Marshall Islands and Tuvalu have both declared states of emergency over fuel and power risks. Pacific governments are searching for ways to stretch dwindling supplies.
The region imports roughly 80 percent of its energy; it is through freight rates in Asian fuel markets that a Gulf conflict arrives at an island wharf.
Inside the home and on land, the crisis takes another form. The Strait of Hormuz carries a third of the world’s seaborne fertiliser as well as its oil. So, in the Pacific where women perform much of the subsistence food production, rising input costs mean lower yields, more labour and growing food insecurity. The fuel shock and the food shock arrive together, and often in the same hands.
When kerosene prices rise or electricity is rationed, the adjustment falls onto women’s time – more hours securing fuel and water, fewer available for income generation, rest or education. The crisis compresses the working day from both ends.
The gender data on this particular crisis will not exist for a year, perhaps longer – but absence of data is not absence of evidence. We are already seeing it: market stalls emptying, tractor hours cut, and rest hours gone.
Experience from previous crises shows that such shocks do not stop at livelihoods and food security. When the Covid pandemic’s economic contraction hit Fiji in 2020, calls to the national domestic violence helpline rose more than fivefold in two months; similar surges were recorded across Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, attributed not to lockdowns alone but to economic strain inside households.
Economic stress does not create patriarchal violence, but it intensifies it where it already exists. This matters in a region where rates of intimate partner violence are among the highest recorded anywhere in the world.
The risk is that the official response measures this crisis in fuel prices and energy reserves, missing the systems it is passing through. The informal economy, household food production and community safety are not peripheral to economic life – they are economic life, and they are disproportionately sustained by women. Community protection systems, women’s organisations and frontline livelihood support need resourcing now, not after coping mechanisms collapse.
There is also a longer-term answer, and the Pacific is already building it. The energy dependence that carries a Gulf conflict to a Honiara market stall is not a fact of nature – it is a policy choice. Replacing diesel generation with solar and storage would save the region hundreds of millions of dollars annually. For the women holding the Pacific’s informal economy together, it means more than lower bills: refrigeration that survives the next shock, markets that keep their lights on, and household budgets where fuel does not compete with food.
The fuel has already reached the wharf. As Pacific leaders prepare to gather in Palau this September for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, and in Fiji and Tuvalu for pre-COP discussions, the question is no longer whether this crisis will reach the region. It has. The question is whether the response will reach the women who will otherwise absorb it in their earnings, their time and their safety…. PACNEWS
Alison Davidian is the UN Women Representative for the Fiji Multi-Country Office, supporting programs and policy engagement across 14 Pacific Island countries.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Rangers across FSM unite to strengthen Conservation and Community resilience
KOSRAE, 11 JUNE 2026 (FSM) — Healthy ecosystems support food security, protect water sources, sustain livelihoods and preserve cultural heritage.
For the Pacific, where communities are closely connected to their natural environments, this work goes far beyond conservation alone. In FSM and across the wider region, restoring forests and controlling invasive species is also a critical part of building resilience to climate change and natural disasters.
To strengthen conservation efforts across FSM, Invasive Species practitioners from Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei Kosrae came together in Kosrae for the Resilient Ecosystems, Resilient Communities (RERC) Network Exchange Programme, a three-day learning exchange aimed at strengthening ecosystem restoration and invasive species management across the region.
The exchange programme provided a practical platform for participants to learn directly from Kosrae’s ongoing restoration work, particularly at the culturally and ecologically significant Lelu Ruins restoration site. It also enabled rangers attending the programme from other FSM states to identify priority restoration sites in states, discuss management needs and develop appropriate draft action plans.
Led by the Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA), the exchange aimed to share experiences, build skills, and develop coordinated actions through site-led approach to manage multiple invasive species and re-introduce lost native species and ecosystem structure over longer period of time as the last remaining option to restore and maintain such ecosystems.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) led RERC programme is one of six programmes of the Pacific Regional Invasive Species Management Support Service (PRISMSS) that focuses on the restoration of high-value ecological sites, community-led ecosystem recovery and building resilience through invasive species management.
While delivering the opening remarks, Mr Steven Palik, Director of the Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) commented “this exchange provides an important opportunity for our rangers and practitioners to learn from one another, share practical approaches, and explore new ideas in invasive species management and ecosystem restoration.”
“By working together, we strengthen the partnerships and networks that are essential for protecting our islands and we are grateful to SPREP, PRISMSS and all our partners for making this programme possible.
“Initiatives like this create space for collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation ensuring we are better equipped to safeguard both our ecosystems and communities.”
Throughout the programme, rangers explored key themes, including invasive weed management and forest restoration, predator control techniques targeting rats, cats, and pigs, site-based conservation planning and monitoring, community engagement and the cultural importance of restoration sites. Field visits enabled hands-on learning, where rangers observed real-world applications of restoration techniques and invasive species control methods.
SPREP Invasive Species Officer, Josef Pisi commented that, “this RERC Network Exchange Programme demonstrated that when knowledge is shared, capacity is built, and communities are placed at the centre of conservation efforts, meaningful progress can be achieved.”
“Across FSM and the wider Pacific, this growing network of rangers is playing a vital role in safeguarding ecosystems and ensuring more resilient communities.”
The PRISMSS RERC programme plays a critical role in bridging conservation and community resilience by supporting local practitioners especially rangers to restore degraded ecosystems, control invasive species threatening biodiversity, strengthen food security and livelihoods and protect culturally important landscapes.
Central to the exchange was the Lelu Ruins restoration site, a place of deep cultural and ecological significance in Kosrae. Through both presentations and field visits, conservation rangers were guided through ongoing work at the site, including invasive weed control, forest restoration techniques and site management strategies.
“Seeing the work on the ground at Lelu really helped connect the theory to what we do back home and it’s something we can adapt to our own islands,” said Charlie Tommy of Chuuk State, reflecting on how the field experience made the training more meaningful.
“We are not just managing weeds or pests, we are protecting our heritage and our future,” noted Francis Lyieg, Yap State Invasive Species Coordinator.
Another key component of the exchange programme was hands-on training in predator management, led by RERC technical partner, BirdLife International, which focused on controlling invasive species such as rats, cats, and pigs that threaten native biodiversity and fragile ecosystems.
Rangers learned how to design bait station grids, install control systems, and effectively monitor and record outcomes. These practical exercises helped build confidence and technical skills, particularly for rangers working in remote environments with limited resources.
“The hands-on training gave me confidence. I now understand how to set up and monitor a rat control programme properly,” shared Community engagement coordinator Killion Isisaki of Kosrae, highlighting the importance of practical, skills-based learning.
Another important outcome of the exchange was the strengthening of networks among rangers in FSM who worked together to identify priority restoration sites in their respective states and began developing site specific action plans that can guide future work.
These plans will feed into regional systems, like the PRISMSS Navigator platform, to help align funding and support with country priorities, ensuring that efforts are both locally driven and regionally coordinated.
“This programme helped us realise we are not working alone. We are part of a network across the Pacific,” reflected Fredson Ardos of Pohnpei State, emphasising the value of connection and shared learning.
“What we are doing here is about resilience. When we restore our forests, we protect our people,” said Annie Esau, Kosrae State Invasive Species Coordinator, highlighting the strong link between ecosystem health and community wellbeing.
As the programme concluded, conservation rangers from across FSM left Kosrae with new skills, practical tools and strengthened partnerships, along with a renewed commitment to protecting their islands.
The PRISMSS RERC programme, funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the United Kingdom International Development and SPREP, has completed rangers’ network and learning exchange programmes in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and FSM with more planned within the region…PACNEWS
For additional information please contact: Dominic Sadler, PRISMSS Manager on dominics@sprep.org
or Nitish Narayan, PRISMSS Communications & Liaison Officer on nitishn@sprep.org
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
From Classrooms to Coastlines: Department of Environment and R2R Partner for World Environment Day Action in Tonga
NUKU’ALOFA, 11 JUNE 2026 (UNDP) — Students planting mangroves in Popua, young people learning about climate action in classrooms, and communities coming together to clean Tonga’s coastlines were among the activities marking World Environment Day 2026 across Tongatapu.
Led by Tonga’s Department of Environment and supported by the Tonga Ridge to Reef Phase II (R2R) Project, the week-long programme brought together schools, civil society organisations, youth groups and environmental partners through a series of practical and youth-focused activities designed to promote environmental stewardship, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
Under the national call, “Call for Climate Action – No Delay, Act Today!” and the global World Environment Day theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For Our Future,” the activities highlighted one clear message: protecting Tonga’s environment begins with awareness, but it must lead to action.
Throughout the week, the Department of Environment led school awareness visits across Tongatapu, with R2R supporting the broader effort to engage young people in climate action, biodiversity conservation and environmental protection. The school visits reached Government Middle Schools in Nukuʻalofa, Halaʻovave, Fanga ʻo Pilolevu, Fatai, Pea and Haveluloto, as well as Alonga Centre and Lavengamalie Christian Elementary School.
Students learned about the importance of caring for Tonga’s land, ocean, coastal ecosystems and natural resources. By bringing environmental messages into schools, the Department of Environment and R2R helped connect young people to the national responsibility of protecting Tonga’s future.
On the morning of 05 June, the Department of Environment, R2R and partners joined the World Environment Day beach clean-up. This practical action reinforced the importance of keeping Tonga’s coastlines clean and protecting the ocean from pollution. It also showed that climate and environmental action can begin with simple, visible steps taken together by government, partners, communities and young people.
Following the beach clean-up, R2R continued the day’s programme through a mangrove awareness and restoration activity with ʻApifoʻou College. The initiative was implemented in partnership with the Department of Environment, Coastal Green Nursery, Tonga Citizen Science Initiative, Civil Society Forum of Tonga, Tonga National Youth Congress, and Langafonua ʻa Fafine Tonga (National Council of Women) — bringing together civil society organisations, including UNDP LVG grantees, to support youth-led and community-based environmental action.
At ʻApifoʻou College, students participated in a mangrove education and awareness session that explored the importance of mangroves in Tonga, including their ecological value, their role in protecting coastlines, supporting biodiversity, sustaining fisheries, strengthening livelihoods and building climate resilience. Students also learned about the pressures affecting mangroves and the need for long-term conservation and restoration efforts.
Following the training, students and partners travelled to the Popua mangrove area for hands-on mangrove tree planting and restoration. This field activity allowed students to move from classroom learning to practical environmental action. By planting mangroves, they contributed directly to Tonga’s wider effort to restore coastal ecosystems and strengthen resilience from ridge to reef.
For Tonga, mangroves are more than trees along the shoreline. They are living coastal infrastructure. They help reduce erosion, protect communities from storm surges, provide habitat for marine life, support fisheries and strengthen the health of lagoon and reef systems. Restoring mangroves is therefore both an environmental conservation action and a practical climate adaptation measure.
The partnership with Coastal Green Nursery brought practical restoration knowledge and local nursery expertise to the activity. The involvement of Tonga Citizen Science Initiative, Civil Society Forum of Tonga, Tonga National Youth Congress and Langafonua ʻa Fafine Tonga (National Council of Women) reinforced the important role of civil society, youth leadership, women’s leadership, community-based monitoring and local stewardship in protecting Tonga’s natural environment.
Together, the activities demonstrated how government, schools, civil society organisations, technical partners and young people can work together to protect biodiversity and strengthen resilience. From school visits to beach clean-ups, from classroom training to mangrove planting, the Department of Environment and R2R partnership demonstrated a practical model for youth engagement, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
The World Environment Day activities also reflected the core approach of the Tonga Ridge to Reef Phase II Project: integrated land, coastal and marine ecosystem management that connects people, biodiversity and climate action. Protecting Tonga’s future requires coordinated action across these interconnected ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
Through the leadership of the Department of Environment, the support of R2R, the energy of schools, and the contribution of civil society and technical partners, Tonga continues to build environmental and nurture a new generation of environmental stewards committed to protecting the country’s natural heritage for generations to come…. PACNEWS
