In this bulletin:
1. VAN — Chiefs demand PM Napat resign over Nakamal name
2. VAN — Bilateral negotiations over, time for next step – Vanuatu’s DPM
3. PACIFIC — U.S declares public health emergency for CNMI and Guam after Super Typhoon Bavi
4. PACIFIC — South Sea Islanders welcome Vanuatu-Australia Nakamal Agreement
5. PACIFIC — Pacific climate forum to become biennial platform
6. FIJI — Fiji helps steer global plastics treaty talks
7. AUST — Australian South Sea Islanders welcome Blackbirding as a landmark contribution to national truth-telling
8. PACNEWS BIZ — U.S Coast Guard reopens Port of Guam, works to clear channel hazards as Northern Marianas port assessments continue
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Tourism is booming but Cook Islands families are still feeling the pinch, hotel boss says
10. PACNEWS DIGEST — U.S-Iran war leaves shipping at near-standstill in Hormuz again
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — An important reckoning with Australia’s unspoken history of slavery.
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — FAO and Government of Fiji sign Forest Restoration Agreement to strengthen Climate Resilience
VAN – POLITICS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
Chiefs demand PM Napat resign over Nakamal name
PORT VILA, 10 JULY 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — Paramount chiefs representing five of Vanuatu’s six provinces have called on Prime Minister Jotham Napat to resign before 30 July 2026, over the use of cultural names in foreign agreements.
The chiefs have also called on the Governments of Vanuatu and Australia to remove the name Nakamal from the agreement and replace it with another name.
The call follows criticism from traditional leaders over the Government’s use of cultural names and identities in bilateral agreements with Australia and the People’s Republic of China.
Speaking on behalf of kastom chiefs from Shefa, Malampa, Penama, Sanma and Torba provinces, paramount Chief Bong Meleun Tempes of Ambrym and Chairman of the Lolehor Council of Chiefs accused the Government of using sacred cultural symbols without proper consultation.
The Nakamal Agreement refers to the bilateral agreement signed between PM Napat and Australian PM Anthony Albanese in Canberra on 29 June 2026.
The Namele Agreement refers to a development cooperation agreement being negotiated with the People’s Republic of China.
Chief Tempes, serving as spokesperson for the kastom leaders, questioned the use of these names in foreign agreements, saying neither the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs nor the respective Island Councils of Chiefs were consulted.
“The Government has no right to decide how our custom identities are used. Our custom identity is not a commodity.
It is the soul of our people, the heritage of our ancestors and the promise we hold for future generations. To sell it cheaply in agreements with foreign powers is to betray the very essence of Vanuatu,” Chief Tempes said.
The chiefs said customary culture and Christian principles form part of the foundations of Vanuatu’s identity under the National Constitution.
They argue that cultural identities should be protected and not used as political tools.
Chief Tempes criticised PM Napat, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tanna Constituency, saying politicians do not own kastom.
“This is not a minor oversight. It is a direct affront to the guardians of our culture. Yet the Government now treats these sacred identities as bargaining chips in foreign diplomacy. Any Prime Minister or government of the day must respect chiefs and the Constitution. Stop trading culture for diplomacy,” Chief Tempes said.
In Vanuatu, the Nakamal is a traditional meeting place where community leaders consult, mediate and make decisions based on mutual respect and understanding.
The Namele leaf is a traditional symbol associated with peace, taboo and customary law.
While the Napat-led Government has used the names to represent respectful partnerships with foreign countries, traditional leaders argue that their use was not authorised and undermines the role of customary leadership.
The chiefs have set a deadline, calling on PM Napat to step down before the country celebrates its 46th Independence Day on 30 July.
Chief Tempes said if PM Napat does not resign, traditional leaders across the country will take further customary and administrative steps to ensure the voices of the Malvatumauri and Island Councils of Chiefs are heard.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) previously responded to the issue through VBTC News, saying the agreements protect Vanuatu’s sovereignty while supporting economic development. However, the issue has created tension between Government diplomacy and customary leadership.
Asked about the next step if Napat does not resign, Chief Tempes said, “it will be known later”.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China said the name Namele was proposed by the Government of Vanuatu, not China.
Daily Post understands that China is opting to use only “Vanuatu-China Cooperation” rather than Namele for the proposed agreement.
The agreement between Vanuatu and China has yet to be signed.
It is understood that China had been prepared to sign the agreement before the Nakamal Agreement with Australia, but the signing was delayed by Vanuatu.
The PMO has been informed of the chiefs’ demand and has indicated it will not comment on the matter…. PACNEWS
VAN – POLITICS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
Bilateral negotiations over, time for next step – Vanuatu’s DPM
PORT VILA, 10 JULY 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — The Vanuatu Government has declared it will pursue international legal avenues after the second round of talks with France failed to resolve the long-standing sovereignty dispute over Matthew and Hunter islands.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Johnny Koanapo told the media after briefing the Council of Ministers (COM) Thursday that the two countries were unable to reach an agreement during their two-day negotiations.
The Lead Negotiator for Vanuatu said that despite extensive exchanges between both countries, their positions “remain far apart”.
He said there were heated exchanges during the recent negotiations, but they were handled in a diplomatic and respectful manner.
He mentioned that France submitted a non-paper proposing joint management of Umaenupne (Matthew) and Umaeneg (Hunter), on the basis that the arrangement would allow Vanuatu access to the two islands.
Koanapo said he made it clear to the French team that Vanuatu should be the one allowing access to the islands, rather than France granting access to Vanuatu.
“I said firmly to them that we (Vanuatu) will allow access to you, instead of you allowing us access. It doesn’t work that way. Because of those heated discussions, we were not able to reach a consensus,” he said.
“Our positions regarding sovereignty over the two islands during the negotiations are seemingly too far apart.
“Vanuatu’s position in the negotiations has been very clear since Independence: Matthew and Hunter islands have been and will always belong to the people of Vanuatu.
“With COM’s blessings, I am reiterating that Vanuatu’s position remains unchanged.”
He said while Vanuatu had expressed its views, it understood that France needed to take the matter through its Parliament and that people from New Caledonia were not part of the discussions as elections were underway at the time.
He added that if France was relying on agreements made during the colonial period, it must remember that Indigenous people were stateless at the time and were never consulted.
The Deputy PM said the Vanuatu Government had approached the negotiations with France in good faith and with respect, but with bilateral avenues now exhausted, it would pursue legal action under international law.
Koanapo thanked the French Government, especially President Emmanuel Macron, for agreeing to engage in talks, which have now concluded without a resolution.
He said he was confident in the Government’s approach to pursuing the matter further. Koanapo acknowledged the support and solidarity shown by the people and chiefs throughout Vanuatu on the matter.
“It was not a waste of money. At least we pursued bilateral negotiations on friendly terms, exhausted all opportunities, and have now reached the point where we will consider other options, including arbitration or the International Court of Justice,” he said.
Koanapo believes Vanuatu’s independence is not fully achieved until its claim and ownership of Matthew and Hunter islands are recognised…. PACNEWS
PAC – HEALTH: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
U.S declares public health emergency for CNMI and Guam after Super Typhoon Bavi
SAIPAN/HAGATNA, 10 JULY 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has declared a public health emergency for the Marianas – the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam – following the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Bavi.
The declaration will allow federal authorities to expand healthcare support and emergency response efforts.
The declaration, announced by HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr, follows emergency declarations issued by U.S President Donald Trump for both territories.
“The people of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are not facing this storm alone,” Kennedy said.
“Today, I declared a Public Health Emergency so HHS can move faster, expand critical healthcare flexibilities, and deliver the support communities need.”
The declaration allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide emergency waivers and other flexibilities so healthcare providers can continue serving patients during the recovery.
The Department of Health and Human Services said existing emergency measures put in place after Super Typhoon Sinlaku will remain in effect while additional authorities are implemented under the new declaration.
Ahead of Bavi’s arrival, the department said it had pre-positioned federal medical teams in Guam and Saipan, including a Health and Medical Situational Assessment Team, two National Disaster Medical System Health and Medical Task Forces, and an Incident Management Team.
John Knox, the department’s principal deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said the advance deployment would help speed recovery efforts.
“Preparedness means getting the right people and resources into position before they’re needed,” Knox said.
The department said additional medical teams remain on standby and behavioural health personnel are also ready to deploy if required.
Federal officials are also using the HHS emPOWER programme, which identifies Medicare beneficiaries dependent on electricity-powered medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators and dialysis services, to help prioritise assistance during prolonged power outages.
The department said it continues to coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the governments of Guam and the CNMI, and other federal agencies as recovery operations continue…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
South Sea Islanders welcome Vanuatu-Australia Nakamal Agreement
PORT VILA, 10 JULY 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — The Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) (ASSIPJ) has welcomed the signing of the Vanuatu Australia Nakamal Agreement, describing it as a major step towards stronger Pacific partnership and the formal recognition of the long-standing cultural connections between Australian South Sea Islanders and the people of Vanuatu.
ASSIPJ said the agreement goes beyond bilateral cooperation by promoting Pacific-led partnership, cultural respect, climate resilience, economic cooperation and regional security, built on the Melanesian values of dialogue, trust and mutual understanding reflected in the concept of the Nakamal.
“This agreement represents far more than a bilateral treaty,” ASSIPJ said. “It reflects a shared commitment to Pacific-led partnership, cultural respect, climate resilience, economic cooperation and regional security, founded on the Melanesian values of dialogue, trust and mutual understanding embodied by the concept of the Nakamal.”
ASSIPJ likewise welcomed the agreement’s recognition of the enduring cultural connections between First Nations Australians, Australian South Sea Islanders and the people of Vanuatu.
“For the first time in a bilateral agreement, the shared history of Australian South Sea Islanders and the legacy of the blackbirding era have been formally acknowledged. The commitment to strengthen dialogue between communities affected by this history and develop pathways that acknowledge the past, embrace the present and build for the future represents an important act of recognition, reconciliation and hope.
“As the nationally elected and uncontested representative body and National Secretariat for Australian South Sea Islanders, ASSIPJ has advocated for some two decades for the recognition of our community and the important role Australian South Sea Islanders continue to play as a living bridge between Australia and the Pacific.
“Our work is grounded in self-determination, community accountability, cultural authority and relationships that predate both Federation and the Commonwealth’s formal recognition of Australian South Sea Islanders in 1994. Those relationships continue today through long-standing partnerships with the Government of Vanuatu, chiefs, ministers, community organisations and grassroots communities built on trust, reciprocity and shared cultural values.”
ASSIPJ similarly welcomed the leadership of Prime Minister Jotham Napat and the Government of Vanuatu for their commitment to people-to-people diplomacy and recognising Australian South Sea Islanders as part of the wider Pacific family.
“We commend the Australian Government for reaffirming its commitment to strengthening Pacific partnerships through mutual respect, shared sovereignty and enduring friendship,” it said.
“The agreement’s recognition of Australian South Sea Islanders affirms what our communities have always known that our histories, identities and futures remain intrinsically connected to Vanuatu. It also creates an important opportunity to ensure descendants of the blackbirding era are meaningfully included in implementing Article 2, Enduring Cultural Connections, which commits both governments to strengthening community dialogue and developing pathways that acknowledge this shared history.”
ASSIPJ said implementation of this commitment should be guided by Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) principles, self-determination and community-led engagement.
Australian South Sea Islander descendants must be recognised not only as beneficiaries of this work but as partners in its design, delivery and future direction.
Through initiatives such as Yumi Olgeta: Crafting a More Inclusive Democracy and its partnership with the Government of Vanuatu and the City of Sydney Council since 2019, ASSIPJ said it has demonstrated how cultural diplomacy, truth-telling, women’s economic participation, heritage preservation and community leadership can strengthen Australia-Vanuatu relations through shared values and mutual respect.
“Our organisation has been recognised nationally and internationally for this work, including receiving the NSW Premier’s International Human Rights Award (2020) for our contributions across Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and the Pacific. These achievements demonstrate the power of community-led diplomacy in advancing reconciliation, climate resilience, cultural exchange and enduring Pacific partnerships,” ASSIPJ said.
“Today’s signing is not the end of a conversation; it is the beginning of a new chapter.”
ASSIPJ said it looks forward to working with both governments, the Vanuatu High Commission, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), First Nations leaders and Pacific communities to ensure the aspirations of the Nakamal Agreement translate into meaningful outcomes for future generations.
“The spirit of the Nakamal reminds us that the strongest agreements are built not only between governments, but between families, communities and peoples whose histories and futures are forever intertwined,” ASSIPJ said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE FORUM: NIT PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
Pacific climate forum to become biennial platform
PORT VILA, 10 JULY 2026 (NIT) — The Pacific Innovation Forum on Climate and Environment (PIFCE) will become a biennial regional platform after its inaugural gathering in Vanuatu closed with a regional commitment to strengthen climate innovation and cooperation.
Participants adopted the PIFCE 2026 Resolution in Port Vila, agreeing the forum should continue every two years as a space for climate innovation, knowledge sharing, regional collaboration and environmental action across the Pacific.
The forum brought together more than 500 Pacific leaders, students, entrepreneurs, government officials, civil society groups, private sector representatives and academic institutions.
Vanuatu Minister for Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazards and Disaster Management Ralph Regenvanu said the resolution showed a shared move toward action.
“The adoption of this resolution is more than a procedural outcome,” Regenvanu said.
“It represents a shared vision for a stronger, more innovative, more resilient Pacific region.
“It reflects our collective determination to move beyond dialogue into action, implementation, and measurable impact for our communities and future generations.”
The decision gives the forum a continuing regional role after its launch as a Pacific-led platform for practical responses to climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and disaster risks.
PIFCE was developed through a proposal by Regenvanu and V-Lab Vanuatu, with support from the Pacific Climate Change Centre and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The forum focused on locally led climate and environmental solutions, with students, community groups, businesses and governments sharing approaches across resilience, technology, environmental protection and sustainable development.
Regenvanu said Pacific countries would continue to lead through regional cooperation.
“As we depart from Port Vila, let us continue working together as champions and wave makers for climate resilience, innovation, and environmental stewardship across our Blue Pacific Continent,” he said.
“The Pacific voice is strong.
“The Pacific vision is clear.”
The forum also ended with Enviromesh, an Australia and Vanuatu collaboration, winning the inaugural PIFCE Private Sector Climate and Innovation Pitching Competition.
Enviromesh provides a low-carbon alternative to traditional steel mesh reinforcement for concrete.
The company was selected from five finalists after 10 organisations and businesses contested the semifinal round.
It received a cash prize of AUD$10,000 (US$6,940), while the People’s Choice award went to Eagle Vetiver Systems from Papua New Guinea.
SPREP Director of Climate Change Resilience Tagaloa Cooper congratulated all entrepreneurs who took part in the competition and said each had contributed to the forum’s climate innovation focus.
Young people were also part of the forum through the PIFCE Science Fair Project and Poster Competition, which invited schools from Vanuatu to present projects linked to climate change and environmental degradation.
Students used models, visual displays and interactive presentations to show science-based projects, traditional knowledge and creative responses to environmental challenges.
The competition included a poster category for junior secondary students and a science fair display category for senior secondary students.
Melemaat Junior Secondary School won the poster competition, while Epauto Adventist Senior Secondary School won the project display model category.
Cooper commended the students for showing leadership in climate innovation and said SPREP remained committed to youth engagement in environmental protection and climate resilience.
Tuvalu Minister of Home Affairs and Climate Change Dr Maina Talia said the forum had brought together a broad range of Pacific voices.
“The significance of this forum cannot be overstated,” Dr Talia said.
“It has been much more than a conference — it has been a platform that has brought together diverse voices from across our Blue Pacific Continent.
“Every voice has brought unique perspectives, experiences and ideas that enrich our understanding of the challenges we face and the solutions we must pursue.”
The biennial decision means the forum will continue as a regional platform for Pacific-led climate solutions, with a focus on moving ideas into action for communities across the region…. PACNEWS
FIJI – PLASTIC TREATY: NIT PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
Fiji helps steer global plastics treaty talks
SUVA, 10 JULY 2026 (NIT) — Fiji is helping steer global negotiations on how countries will finance and deliver a legally binding treaty to address plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
The country is serving as co-facilitator for Cluster C, the part of the treaty negotiations focused on means of implementation.
The cluster covers finance, capacity building, technical assistance, technology transfer and international cooperation.
These areas are expected to shape how countries will carry out treaty commitments once the instrument is adopted.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, is co-facilitating the work with Austria’s Elfriede More.
The role places Fiji at the centre of discussions on how the future plastics treaty can be supported in practice, not only agreed in principle.
Dr Michael said support for implementation was central to the negotiations.
“As co-facilitator, my role has been to help guide a constructive discussion on how the future plastics treaty can be supported by a financial mechanism that is predictable, adequate, accessible and responsive to country needs,” he said.
“The discussions have shown that ambition must be matched by implementation support, particularly for developing countries and Small Island Developing States.”
The global process brings together more than 190 governments through the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which is developing an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution.
The treaty process follows a historic resolution adopted in 2022 to develop a global instrument addressing plastic pollution, including its impacts on the marine environment.
The negotiations have moved through several sessions as governments work through the shape, obligations and delivery mechanisms of the proposed treaty.
For Pacific countries, the discussions are significant because they will influence how island states access practical support for waste management, pollution control and marine protection.
Plastic pollution remains a major pressure on marine and freshwater environments.
More than 19 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems each year, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.
More than 75 million tonnes of plastic are now estimated to be in the ocean.
Fiji’s co-facilitation role comes as Pacific negotiators continue to push for a treaty that recognises the needs of countries with limited resources but high exposure to pollution and marine impacts.
Dr Michael said the work was focused on finding areas of agreement while recognising where countries still differed.
“Together with my co-facilitator, Ms Elfriede More of Austria, our focus is to help delegations identify areas of convergence, clarify differences, and move toward a credible finance outcome that can turn treaty commitments into real action,” he said.
The Pacific has also been represented in leadership roles through Palau’s Gwen Sisior, who has served as a co-facilitator in the treaty negotiations.
Sisior has been involved in the process throughout the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee and was previously co-chair of the Finance and Means of Implementation Contact Group.
Pacific countries represented in the process include the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The countries are supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
For Fiji and other Pacific nations, the outcome will help determine whether the final treaty can meet the scale of the pollution challenge while supporting the countries most affected by its environmental impacts…. PACNEWS
AUST – BLACKBIRDING: ASSIPJ PACNEWS 2: Fri 10 Jul 2026
Australian South Sea Islanders welcome Blackbirding as a landmark contribution to National Truth-Telling
CANBERRA, 10 JULY 2026 (ASSIPJ) — The Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) (ASSIPJ) has welcomed the release of Blackbirding: A Reckoning with the Australian Slave Trade by acclaimed Australian author Ryan Butta as a significant contribution to Australia’s truth-telling journey and an important reckoning with one of the nation’s least acknowledged histories.
Drawing on extensive research and powerful storytelling, Butta’s work examines the trafficking and forced labour of more than 60,000 Pacific Islanders who were brought to Australia between 1860 and 1906 to work in Queensland’s sugar industry under conditions many contemporaries recognised as slavery.
The book shines a light on the systems, industries and political interests that enabled and concealed this history for generations.
Importantly, Blackbirding has been written from a culturally sensitive and inclusive standpoint, with meaningful consultation and engagement with Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) throughout its development.
Waskam Emelda Davis says, “As founding chair of Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson), national representative advocacy body for Australian South Sea Islanders, and as a descendant of the South Sea Islander diaspora connected to Tanna, Ambae and Santo in Vanuatu, I was honoured to undertake the cultural sensitivity reading for the publication and to write the foreword to the book.
As part of this process, I worked closely with Ryan Butta to ensure cultural safety, historical integrity and respect for community knowledge holders and descendants whose lived histories remain deeply connected to the legacy of blackbirding.
Ryan approached this work with humility, respect and a genuine commitment to consultation, recognising the importance of cultural authority in telling stories that continue to shape Australian South Sea Islander communities today.
In 2014, during a customary ceremony in Vanuatu, I was gifted the kastom name Waskam, recognising my ancestral and cultural responsibilities to family, community and chiefly networks across the Pacific. That responsibility continues through my work leading ASSIPJ and advocating for the recognition of Australian South Sea Islanders, who were formally recognised by the Commonwealth Government in 1994 but whose histories remain largely absent from mainstream Australian narratives.
“The truth-telling unearthed through Ryan Butta’s Blackbirding is not simply historical revelation; it is a chilling confirmation of what our grandparents and elders have carried in oral testimony for generations.”
The book explores issues of profound national significance, including the role of colonial entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd in introducing Pacific Island labour schemes to Australia, the links between Australian interests and the Peruvian slave trade, the development of Queensland’s plantation labour system under merchants such as Robert Towns, and the political mechanisms that normalised and protected exploitation.
Importantly, Blackbirding also centres stories of Pacific Island resistance, resilience and survival, challenging longstanding stereotypes that portray Islanders solely as passive victims of history.
The work further highlights the ongoing issue of more than 1,000 Pacific Islander ancestral remains that continue to be held within Australian museums and institutions, reinforcing growing calls for repatriation and the return of ancestors to descendant communities.
For Australian South Sea Islanders, this is not simply a historical account of Queensland’s sugar fields. It is a national story that reaches deeply into New South Wales and Sydney, where merchants, shipowners, investors and political figures played a central role in financing and sustaining the trade.
The release of Blackbirding arrives at a time when Australia is increasingly prepared to confront difficult histories and engage in meaningful truth-telling with First Nations peoples and Australian South Sea Islander communities.
The audiobook narration is performed by acclaimed singer, songwriter and actor Marcus Corowa, a proud man of Tanna heritage and First Nations ancestry from Queensland. Marcus carries a broad cultural diaspora footprint that spans Australia and Vanuatu through family and chiefly connections and has long used music, storytelling and cultural leadership to strengthen understanding between communities and generations. His voice brings an additional layer of cultural resonance and authenticity to this important work.
ASSIPJ commends Ryan Butta and the publishing team for approaching this project with integrity, care and respect, and for recognising that the stories of Australian South Sea Islanders are not merely historical artefacts but living histories carried by descendants today.
Blackbirding represents an important step toward acknowledgement, recognition and national understanding of Australia’s direct involvement in the Pacific slave trade and its enduring consequences for Australian South Sea Islander families and communities…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – PORTS: USCG PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 10 Jul 2026
U.S Coast Guard reopens Port of Guam, works to clear channel hazards as Northern Marianas port assessments continue
SAIPAN/HAGATNA, 10 JULY 2026 (USCG) — The U.S Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands reset Port Heavy Weather Condition (PHWC) WHISKEY for the Port of Guam, effective 2 pm ChST on Thursday, 09 July, reopening the port to 24/7 commercial traffic and cargo operations without waterway restrictions. All operators must coordinate operations with the Port of Guam and the harbormaster.
A U.S Coast Guard Station Apra Harbor 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew working with U.S Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five removed Buoy 2 at the Outer Apra Harbor entrance, which moved off station during the storm into the channel, where vessels expect safe water.
“Our thanks to our partners at EOD for assisting with freeing Buoy 2 and working alongside our Station Apra Harbor crew to relocate it,” said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander, U.S Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and Captain of the Port Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. “Their efforts not only allowed us to reopen the waterway and get commerce flowing but also freed up our U.S Coast Guard divers to head north and begin to address discrepancies in Tinian and Rota.”
The U.S Coast Guard continues to work with the Port of Guam, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, and commercial partners to reopen ports and address all discrepancies caused by the storm.
The USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) departed Guam and arrived in Rota Thursday conducting assessments of Rota’s harbors. The cutter crew intends further surveys in Tinian Friday and will support U.S Coast Guard divers working the buoys that are off station in CNMI. Crews aboard the HC-130J Hercules airplane from Hawai’i headed to Rota with an assessment team and aids to navigation parts and, in concert with that mission, transported eight pallets of water donated by the community and local non-profit organisations.
The Marianas operate on a hub-and-spoke model, with most cargo and vessels transiting Guam before reaching the CNMI, a function of commercial logistics and routes rather than anything the U.S Coast Guard regulates. Reopening Guam and Saipan are vital to reaching Rota and Tinian, not a substitute for it. Rota sustained infrastructure damage during Typhoon Sinlaku, and the Bavi further damaged the region.
The U.S Coast Guard is coordinating with the Port of Guam and the Commonwealth Ports Authority to fully assess the ports, address already identified hazards as well as new issues. Multiple navigational aids are reportedly discrepant, off station, or simply missing. The U.S Coast Guard issued a Broadcast Notice to Mariners and reminds all operators to exercise extreme caution when transiting waterways as restoration efforts continue.
Three things the U.S Coast Guard continues to ask of the public:
– Report any emergency on VHF Channel 16 or by calling 911. Social media is not monitored for distress. Significant VHF outages persist, so carry more than one way to call for help.
– Trust official sources for reopening and safety updates: NWS Guam, Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, and the CNMI EOC State Warning Point.
– Stay out of the water and off jetties, piers, and docks. Dangerous surf, rip currents, and hazardous seas persist with advisories in effect through Friday…. PACNEWS
COOKS – TOURISM: PMN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 10 Jul 2026
Tourism is booming but Cook Islands families are still feeling the pinch, hotel boss says
RAROTONGA, 10 JULY 2026 (PMN) — The Cook Islands’ tourism industry may be enjoying one of its strongest seasons in years but a leading hotel operator says many families and businesses are still struggling with the rising cost of living.
Liana Scott, the General Manager of Muri Beach Hotel, says the recent 50-cent (US$0.20) increase to the minimum wage is a positive step, but it does little to address the everyday costs placing pressure on households.
“It’s not about wages,” Scott tells William Terite on Pacific Mornings. “If there are measures that government can introduce, that actually can support that cost of living reduction, then there’s of course things that they can do.”
Scott says the biggest pressures are power, water and the high cost of imported goods.
She says households and businesses are now paying for water for the first time, while electricity costs remain significantly higher than in New Zealand.
“Five, six times more than you pay in New Zealand. And that’s without a dishwasher, and without a dryer,” Scott says.
The Cook Islands government’s latest Budget includes a $2.5 million (US$1.43 million) subsidy for the water network, a $673,333 (US$387,833.72) household water allowance and a $7.5m (US$4.31 million) Energy Response Support Fund for 2026/27.
But Scott believes reducing power prices and import duties would provide longer-term relief.
About 90 per cent of goods sold in the Cook Islands are imported, she says. Budget figures show imports rose 19 per cent to a record $327.2m (US$188.4 million) in the year to June 2025, with most coming from New Zealand.
While tourism continues to drive the economy, Scott says businesses are now facing another challenge – finding workers and housing them.
Visitor numbers reached 175,757 in the year to June 2025, putting pressure on accommodation, rental vehicles and the local workforce.
Many tourism businesses now rely on workers from Fiji, the Philippines and Indonesia, but bringing them to the Cook Islands comes with high costs.
“We are having big problems with long-term accommodation where it’s so scarce that it’s becoming more and more expensive to rent long-term,” Scott says.
She says those earning the minimum wage are finding it increasingly difficult to get by.
With the Cook Islands heading to the polls on 12 August, Scott is also calling for the next government to look closely at the size of the public service.
“What we’d like to see as a private sector is actually a bit of a reduction in the numbers that government is currently holding in terms of public sector staff,” Scott says. “I know that in New Zealand, they’ve been talking about making some reductions. But I see us going the other way here.”
Budget figures show government spending on staff is expected to rise from $84.7m (US$84.7m) to $92.6m (US$53.33m) in 2026/27 as salaries increase across the public sector.
Prime Minister Mark Brown has cited the tourism rebound as a sign the economy is tracking well.
Scott says tourism is creating opportunities for the Cook Islands but unless the cost of living is brought under control, many households and businesses will continue to feel the pressure despite the industry’s success…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
U.S-Iran war leaves shipping at near-standstill in Hormuz again
NEW YORK, 10 JULY 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — Renewed hostilities between the United States and Iran reportedly brought shipping to a near-standstill in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, leaving around 6,000 seafarers stranded aboard hundreds of vessels and Gulf countries on high alert for further attacks.
Echoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s alarm at the resumption of strikes and counterstrikes between the US and Iran, UN International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council Member States on Thursday condemned Iran for its “continued threats” and alleged attacks against multiple Gulf States and their territorial waters.
In a call to protect “vital shipping lanes”, several countries – including Bahrain, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia – underscored the impact on sea transport “particularly in and around the Strait of Hormuz”, a key global energy lifeline.
In a separate submission, Iran alleged “armed interference with Iranian commercial vessels” and “aggression carried out by the United States” and Israel.
The agency’s Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez insisted that all transit through the Strait should be avoided “until the necessary safety conditions are in place” and noted that the evacuation of stranded seafarers would remain on hold for security reasons.
According to IMO data, 136 ships have been evacuated along with 2,900 seafarers to date.
Deadly toll
According to Iranian health authorities, 14 people have been killed in the last two days of hostile exchanges, while dozens more have been injured in strikes across five provinces.
Tuesday’s reported attacks in the Strait of Hormuz also caused a temporary spike in crude oil prices which recovered on Thursday to around $77 per barrel, still higher than pre-war levels.
The renewed hostilities came after three merchant ships were reportedly struck on Tuesday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, despite a truce agreement signed by Iran and the U.S on 17 June.
Truce deal under pressure
That 14-point memorandum of understanding called for the “immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon”.
It also specified 60 days of negotiations to achieve a “final deal” on issues including uranium enrichment by Iran, which also had to reaffirm that it does not intend to develop a nuclear weapon.
Other requirements listed in the memorandum’s text include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping and an easing of U.S and UN Security Council sanctions on the Middle East nation.
The waterway carries about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies and before the war around 130 commercial ships passed through it each day.
Global economy ‘broadly resilient’
The heads of the International Energy Agency (IAEA), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group and World Trade Organisation said on Wednesday that the global economy has been broadly resilient to the shock from the simmering war in the Middle East, even as some economies have experienced a slowdown in growth and an uptick in inflation.
Meeting as part of a coordination group set up in April, the four institutions encouraged further progress toward a resolution to the conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, noting fuel and fertiliser prices have eased since June.
They urged governments to uphold freedom of navigation and strengthen energy and food security as uncertainty over the conflict’s economic fallout persists…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
An important reckoning with Australia’s unspoken history of slavery.
By Ryan Butta
CANBERRA, 10 JULY 2026 (ASSIPJ) — As Australia becomes more willing to confront the violence and trauma of its colonial past, one chapter has remained largely hidden: the Australian slave trade known as blackbirding.
Between 1860 and 1906, more than 60,000 Pacific Islanders were brought to Australia to work in the Queensland sugarcane fields. Men, women and children were taken from their homelands through coercion, deception or outright abduction. Forced into contracts they could not read, unpaid until the end of their service and denied basic rights, they endured brutal working conditions that led to the deaths of nearly 15,000 people. Yet despite its scale and devastating human toll, this history has remained largely hidden from Australia’s national memory.
In this powerful work of narrative nonfiction, bestselling author Ryan Butta uncovers Australia’s forgotten slave trade and the forces that sustained it. Through meticulous research and powerful storytelling, he traces the origins of blackbirding from the schemes of pastoral magnate Benjamin Boyd in the 1840s, through the rise of Queensland’s sugar industry, to the politicians, merchants, plantation owners and ship captains who transformed human lives into commodities.
Butta reveals how powerful colonial interests repeatedly denied, justified and sanitised what was happening, creating what scholars have described as an “engineered forgetting” that pushed this history to the margins of national memory. He shows how wealth, political influence and entire industries were built on a labour system that many contemporaries recognised as slavery, even as governments and business leaders sought to disguise it.
At once a gripping historical narrative and an urgent act of truth-telling, Blackbirding shines a light on one of the nation’s least acknowledged injustices. It asks what it means to confront uncomfortable histories, whose stories are remembered, and what is lost when a nation chooses to look away. Timely, revelatory and deeply moving, Blackbirding is an important reckoning with Australia’s forgotten slave trade and its enduring consequences.
The Man Who Brought Slavery to Australia
The forgotten story of colonial entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd and how his his importation of 192 kidnapped Pacific Islanders laid the foundations for Australia’s slave trade.
Australia’s Direct Connection to the Peruvian Slave Trade
How Australian figures started the notorious Peruvian slave trade, how that system became a blueprint for blackbirding in Queensland and how that fundamentally reframes Australia’s place in the global history of slavery.
Robert Towns and the Creation of Queensland’s Labour System
The untold history of Robert Towns, the merchant whose demand for Pacific Island labour helped build Queensland’s sugar industry. Butta explores why Towns continues to be publicly commemorated while the thousands of Pacific Islanders exploited by the system he helped create remain largely absent from Australia’s public memory.
The Hopeful Trials: When Australia Prosecuted Slave Traders
How a recruiting voyage descended into kidnapping and murder, leading to rare convictions of those involved. Butta shares why these trials were so significant and what they revealed about a trade many preferred not to scrutinise too closely.
What Happened When Pacific Islanders Fought Back?
From communities defending their islands to captives fighting for their freedom, Blackbirding challenges the stereotype of Pacific Islanders as passive victims, sharing remarkable stories of resistance, and why these histories have been overlooked.
The Political Cover-Up: How Queensland Legalised the Trade
How governments, lawmakers and powerful industry figures created laws that protected the trade while claiming to regulate it.
The Death Toll on Queensland’s Sugar Plantations
The shocking mortality rates uncovered in official inquiries show evidence of disease, poor living conditions, inadequate medical care and the economic incentives that allowed these deaths to be normalised and reveal the human cost of building Queensland’s sugar industry.
The 1,000 Pacific Islanders Still Waiting to Come Home
Why the remains of more than 1,000 Pacific Islanders continue to be held in museums and institutions around Australia, what this reveals about the legacy of blackbirding, and the growing calls for their return to descendant communities.
Sydney – The Forgotten Heart of Blackbirding
Why blackbirding was not simply a Queensland story. Ryan reveals how Sydney merchants, shipowners, investors and political figures helped drive the trade for decades, showing that New South Wales was central to the development and expansion of Australia’s slave trade…. PACNEWS
Ryan Butta is an Australian author of narrative nonfiction that blends original research, history and literary storytelling. He is the author of The Balad of Abdul Wade, shortlisted for the South Australian Premier’s Awards Non-fiction Book of the Year 2024, and The Bravest Scout at Galipoli. His books focus on overlooked lives and the hidden histories that shape Australia. He lives and works on Dharawal country on the New South Wales south coast.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
FAO and Government of Fiji sign Forest Restoration Agreement to strengthen Climate Resilience
SUVA, 10 JULY 2026 (FAO) — The Government of the Republic of Fiji and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Thursday signed the agreement for the Forest Landscape Restoration for Climate Benefits and Resilience (Fiji FLR) Project, marking a major milestone in Fiji’s efforts to restore degraded landscapes, strengthen climate resilience, and protect biodiversity.
Backed by USD 52.5 million in financing, including a US$29 million Green Climate Fund (GCF) grant and USD 23 million in co-financing, the seven-year project will adopt a ridge-to-reef approach to restore more than 80,000 hectares of forest and agricultural landscapes while supporting the protection of over 90,000 hectares of coastal ecosystems.
The initiative will promote community-led restoration through forest planting, riverbank rehabilitation, assisted natural regeneration, and the establishment of protected forests in partnership with customary landowners. An expanded nursery network will produce more than 1.4 million seedlings annually to support restoration efforts.
The project is expected to directly benefit nearly 197,000 Fijians, with a further 150,000 people benefiting indirectly through improved climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, agroforestry, and greater access to higher-value markets for sustainable forest products.
The project will also make a significant contribution to global climate action by removing an estimated 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the next 20 years.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Guangzhou Qu, Representative and Subregional Coordinator for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), highlighted that “today is more than the signing of an agreement, it is a shared commitment to protect Fiji’s extraordinary natural heritage and invest in the wellbeing of future generations”. He acknowledged that the “agreement is also a testament to the power of partnership… [and] commends the leadership of the National Designated Authority, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry and Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways and all government, private sector, CSO, NGO, all stakeholders for their support.”
Saimone Tauvoli, Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry, Fiji, noted that “this Agreement is a transformational opportunity for Fiji – for our forests, our coastlines, our rural communities and our climate commitments. Signing today marks the start of implementation, not the end of the effort, the Ministry looks forward to working with FAO, the Green Climate Fund and all partners to deliver on what has been agreed.”
“The project aims to restore more than 80,000 hectares of forest landscapes in Fiji and benefit 40 percent of the country’s population,” said Hemant Mandal, GCF Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
The Fiji FLR Project aims to deliver healthier forests, cleaner rivers, more resilient coastal ecosystems, stronger rural livelihoods, and communities better equipped to withstand the impacts of climate change…. PACNEWS
