In this bulletin:
1. NAURU — Naoero moves to establish Embassy in Israel, deploys scoping mission
2. AUST — Pacific minister says government won’t ‘dictate’ to PIF on China missile statement
3. PACIFIC — More joint sea patrols on cards after China missile
4. NZ/PNG — NZ and PNG strengthen Defence ties
5. PAC — Pacific ICT officials meet to advance digital priorities ahead of Ministers’ talks
6. A/SAMOA — American Samoa receives US$493,000 CDC grant to strengthen disease surveillance
7. FIJI — Strong El Niño to persist as Fiji waters cool: Met Office
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Solomon Islands Finance Minister Lilo orders 15 percent export duty on alluvial gold and concentrates
9. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG must strengthen cyber resilience, says expert
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji ruling People’s Alliance explores China’s poverty alleviation strategies
11. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — China’s missile test exposes lack of unity among Pacific island nations
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Moana Blue Pacific deadline for side event submissions extended
NAURU – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
Naoero moves to establish Embassy in Israel, deploys scoping mission
YAREN, 23 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS)—The Naoero Government has announced plans to establish an embassy in Israel and will send a scoping mission to assess the requirements for setting up the diplomatic mission.
The government said Cabinet had endorsed the deployment of a mission to Israel to examine the diplomatic, operational and logistical arrangements needed for the establishment of an embassy.
“The Government of the Republic of Naoero hereby announces its intention to further strengthen diplomatic engagement with the State of Israel through the establishment of an official diplomatic mission,” it said in a statement.
According to the statement, the mission will explore opportunities for deeper cooperation across areas of shared interest and identify practical pathways to strengthen long-term partnership and mutual development.
“A diplomatic presence in Israel will serve as an essential platform for advancing Naoero’s foreign policy priorities, promoting sustainable development, and deepening bilateral engagement with one of the region’s key partners.”
The government said the move reflects its commitment to peaceful and constructive international relations.
“The Government reaffirms its commitment to fostering peaceful, constructive, and mutually beneficial international relations that contribute to the long-term prosperity and resilience of the Republic of Naoero.”
The statement described the establishment of an embassy in Israel as a significant step in the country’s diplomatic engagement.
“The creation of an Embassy in Israel represents a significant milestone in Naoero’s diplomatic outreach and underscores the nation’s dedication to expanding its global partnerships in support of national development and strategic cooperation.”.
Naeoro’s Vice President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Justice, Lionel Eangimea, formally conveyed the decision to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, following an agreement reached between the two during a meeting in Fiji in June, where Sa’ar attended the opening of Israel’s embassy in the country.
The new Naeoro embassy is expected to open in the coming months and will join the diplomatic missions based in Jerusalem…PACNEWS
AUST – DIPLOMACY: ABC PACIFIC PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
Pacific minister says government won’t ‘dictate’ to PIF on China missile statement
ADELAIDE, 23 JULY 2026 (ABC PACIFIC)—Pacific Minister Pat Conroy has brushed off questions about whether the Pacific’s premier regional body will issue a statement condemning China’s intercontinental ballistic missile test earlier this month.
A couple of days after the launch the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) were drafting a “very strong” joint statement criticising the test, suggesting that it would be issued soon.
But almost two weeks on, PIF has remained silent on the launch so far.
The main problem is that PIF works by consensus, which means it can only issue a statement once all its member nations have signed off on it.
And the ABC has been told that consensus remains elusive, with both Nauru and Kiribati (who both maintain very warm ties with Beijing right now) declining to back it.
Pat Conroy told journalists in Adelaide that Australia wouldn’t try to “dictate” to PIF on the issue.
“That’s a matter for the Pacific Islands Forum, and I invite you to ask the PIF Secretariat that question,” he said.
The ABC has done exactly that, but the PIF Secretariat declined to comment, saying only it would keep media updated on “any developments.”
Conroy also pointed out that several Pacific nations have already issued fairly strong statements condemning the launch, which is true.
PNG, Palau, Solomon Islands and multiple other Pacific nations have all criticised China’s actions, with the region responding much more forcibly to this test than it did to the China’s one in 2024…..PACNEWS
PAC – DEFENCE: AAP/REUTERS PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
More joint sea patrols on cards after China missile
MANILA, 23 JULY 2026 (AAP/REUTERS)—Australia is not ruling out stepping up joint patrols of the South China Sea following “destabilising” missile testing in the region.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked on Wednesday about the potential of more regular regional sea patrols in tandem with the United States and Japan, following China’s launching of nuclear-capable missiles.
“The maritime zone is critical to stability in the region so, when we have a conversation about the South China Sea, that is something I’m sure we should all keep in mind,” she told reporters.
“We are concerned about some of the aggression we are seeing, we are concerned about some of the destabilising conduct we are seeing, and the countries of the region have a choice to make about how we all respond to that.”
Senator Wong met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of ASEAN talks in Manila on Tuesday evening to highlight her concerns.
“You speak about the importance of mutual understanding,” she said.
“I agree, and I expect we will discuss our concerns … including around peace and stability in our region, safe and professional military conduct, and the importance of transparency and reassurance of intent.”
China’s foreign ministry hit back at Senator Wong’s comments, saying Australia was not party to the South China Sea issue and had no right to intervene.
“China urges relevant countries to stop stirring up tension and inciting confrontation,” spokesman Lin Jian told a regular briefing in Beijing.
Senator Wong also noted the “strong concerns” expressed by many Pacific Island countries about China’s submarine-launched missile earlier in July.
“You’ve often heard me say that we will co-operate where we can and disagree where we must, and we want to continue to engage because we believe that is in our national interest,” Senator Wong said.
Australia was only given a few hours’ notice by China of the test, which was launched within hours of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signing a new defence alliance with Fiji.
The missile is understood to have landed near Tuvalu.
In a statement published by Chinese state media, r Wang is reported to have voiced his hope Australia would uphold the principle of “non-interference in internal affairs and abandon double standards”.
“Wang emphasised that both sides should address differences with mutual respect and equality, seek common ground while managing disagreements, and foster a virtuous cycle of positive growth in the relations, rather than allowing it to be disrupted or undermined by prejudice,” the statement said.
Albanese slammed the launch as a “provocative act” while other Pacific nations including New Zealand, Tuvalu and Fiji condemned the incident.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale was standing beside his Australian counterpart in Honiara in early July when he said the test was “not the act of a friend”.
Albanese has previously flagged a strong statement would be issued by the Pacific Islands Forum, but the group’s disagreement on the wording of the text has resulted in a delay.
A foreign ministers’ meeting of the forum will be held in August, where the issue is likely to be discussed…..PACNEWS
NZ/PNG – DEFENCE: NZ GOVT PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
NZ and PNG strengthen Defence ties
WELLINGTON/PORT MORESBY, 23 JULY 2026 (NZ GOVT) —New Zealand and Papua New Guinea’s Defence relationship continues to grow, with the two countries Wednesday signing an agreement to deepen cooperation and engagement, Defence Minister Chris Penk says.
“In an increasingly volatile world, Pacific nations like ours are stronger when we work closely together to respond to the complex security challenges affecting our region,” Penk said.
“PNG Defence Minister Elias Kapavore and I today signed the Statement of Intent on Defence Cooperation 2026-2029, which will further deepen our cooperation and engagement, through more defence dialogue, training, exercises and personnel exchanges.”
Wednesday’s signing builds on the New Zealand-Papua New Guinea Statement of Partnership 2025-2029 signed last year, which reaffirmed our nations’ security, defence and economic ties.
Penk will also attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministers Meeting while in Papua New Guinea.
“As digital technologies become increasingly central to the security and prosperity of the Pacific region, New Zealand is focused on remaining an active and constructive partner, driving digital transformation, boosting economic growth and strengthening cybersecurity,” Penk says.
“The ICT Ministers’ Meeting is a recently established part of PIF architecture, bringing together technology leaders from across the Pacific to help to shape the region’s approach to digital transformation and emerging technologies.
“New Zealand is committed to Pacific regional cooperation. We are stronger when we act together, supporting the Pacific to become a digitally inclusive and connected region.”
New Zealand will host the Pacific Islands Forum in 2027…..PACNEWS
PAC – ICT MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
Pacific ICT officials meet to advance digital priorities ahead of Ministers’ talks
PORT MORESBY, 23 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS)— Senior ICT officials from across the Pacific met in Port Moresby Wednesday to finalise recommendations for ICT ministers, with discussions focusing on artificial intelligence, social media and implementation of the Pacific’s digital transformation agenda.
Opening the Forum ICT Senior Officials Meeting, Chair Lume Polume acknowledged the leadership of Solomon Islands in preparing the work leading to the meeting.
“Colleagues, before we proceed to the substance of today’s discussions, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the leadership of Solomon Islands as the Chair of the Forum ICT Sub-Committee and the Informal Working Group.
Under Solomon Islands’ stewardship, we have done important preparatory work to bring us to this moment, where we have papers with clear recommendations that will take our work forward in the implementation of the Lagatoi Declaration.”
“So on behalf of all Members, I extend our sincere appreciation to Solomon Islands for your contribution and commitment.”
Polume said the meeting would help shape recommendations for the Forum ICT Ministers Meeting.
“Colleagues, today’s meeting is an important opportunity for Senior Officials to consider the key issues that will be advanced to the Forum ICT Ministers Meeting.
“Our discussions will help ensure that the recommendations presented to the Ministers is practical, strategic, and firmly grounded in the realities and priorities of our Blue Pacific Continent,” he said.
He said the agenda would focus on the regional strategic context for ICT and key issues requiring ministerial attention.
“The agenda before us will guide our consideration of the regional strategic context for ICT, key issues for ministerial attention, including artificial intelligence, the impacts of social media platforms, and the implementation of the Pacific ICT and Digital Transformation Action Plan 2024–2030, as well as updates from our regional and international partners.”
Polume encouraged delegates to work towards practical outcomes.
“I encourage us to engage openly and constructively, so that our discussions can support clear outcomes and a strong collective way forward for Ministers’ consideration,” he said…PACNEWS
A/SAMOA – HEALTH GRANT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
American Samoa receives US$493,000 CDC grant to strengthen disease surveillance
WASHINGTON/PAGO PAGO (PACNEWS)—American Samoa has secured a US$493,002 grant from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to strengthen epidemiology, laboratory capacity and infectious disease surveillance across the territory.
The funding, announced through the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was welcomed by American Samoa Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata.
The discretionary continuation award, administered by the CDC’s National Centre for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, will continue supporting the American Samoa Department of Health’s epidemiology laboratory and infectious disease surveillance programmes.
The grant covers the 2026–2027 budget period as part of a five-year project that runs through July 2029.
“This continued federal investment helps ensure that American Samoa has the resources needed to strengthen public health preparedness, improve laboratory capacity, and enhance our ability to detect and respond to infectious diseases,” Congresswoman Amata said in a statement.
“Congratulations and thank you especially to Epidemiologist Adam Konrote and the entire American Samoa Department of Health team for their continued good work in securing this important federal support to protect the health of our people,” she said.
The funding will support disease surveillance, improve public health data collection and analysis, and strengthen the Department of Health’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats.
“Thank you to the leadership of the CDC and the National Centre for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases for their support and continued partnership with our health professionals in American Samoa,” Congresswoman Amata said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – WEATHER WATCH: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Thu 23 Jul 2026
Strong El Niño to persist as Fiji waters cool: Met Office
NADI, 23 JULY 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—A strong El Niño is expected to persist for the remainder of 2026, with the Fiji Meteorological Service forecasting cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures across much of Fiji’s waters between August and October.
In its latest Fiji Ocean Outlook, the Fiji Met Service says below-normal sea surface temperatures are likely around the Western and Central divisions, Kadavu and the southern Lau Group, despite above-normal temperatures being recorded across Fiji’s waters during June.
The report says the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) is also expected to shift south of its normal position, just outside Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone, a movement that can influence the distribution of skipjack tuna across the Pacific.
Despite the ongoing El Niño, the outlook brings positive news for Fiji’s reefs, with the four, eight and 12-week coral bleaching outlook remaining at “No Stress” across Fiji and Rotuma.
The Met Service also forecasts below-normal sea levels across most of the Fiji Group during the August to October period, while Rotuma is expected to experience near-normal sea levels.
The report notes that El Niño conditions are typically associated with reduced rainfall in Fiji, often increasing the likelihood of prolonged dry conditions across the country…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
SOL – EXPORT DUTY: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 23 Jul 2026
Solomon Islands Finance Minister Lilo orders 15 percent export duty on alluvial gold and concentrates
HONIARA, 23 JULY 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS) —Solomon Islands Finance minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has directed the Customs and Excise Division to immediately enforce a 15 percent export duty on alluvial gold and gold concentrates exported from Solomon Islands.
Lilo issued the Ministerial Instruction to the Comptroller of Customs and Excise, requiring the Division to strictly apply the Harmonised System (HS) 2022 tariff rates in line with international trade classification standards and Solomon Islands’ customs laws.
“I write to direct your office to comply with and strictly apply the Harmonised System (HS) 2022 tariff rates in accordance with international classification standards and the Customs and Excise Act and its associated regulations,” Minister Lilo stated.
The HS2022 framework, developed under the World Customs Organisation (WCO), provides updated international tariff classifications designed to ensure consistency in the way goods are classified and taxed in global trade.
Minister Lilo said Customs officers must apply the tariff rates consistently across all import and export transactions to protect government revenue, improve transparency and support efficient trade administration.
The Ministerial Directive confirms that the 15 percent export duty on alluvial gold and gold concentrates under HS2022 takes effect immediately.
It also overrides any previous directives relating to the export of these products.
Minister Lilo further directed Customs and Excise to review exports of alluvial gold and gold concentrates made since the gazetting of HS2022 and recover any outstanding revenue where the applicable export duty was not paid.
“The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will work closely with the Customs and Excise Division to ensure full implementation and compliance with the directive,” a government statement said….PACNEWS
PNG – CYBER SECURITY: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 23 Jul 2026
PNG must strengthen cyber resilience, says expert
PORT MORESBY, 23 JULY 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guinea must strengthen its cybersecurity and digital resilience as the country continues its digital transformation, according to Cyber CX manager for International Development, Alex Sallabank.
Sallabank said the rapid growth of digital services often moved faster than cybersecurity, creating opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit weaknesses.
“As digital transformation continues, cybersecurity often does not keep pace,” he said.
“That gap is where cybercriminals operate, leaving PNG vulnerable to cyber-attacks and exploitation.”
Sallabank said he had responded to several cybersecurity incidents in PNG and across the Pacific, with ransomware being the most common threat.
He explained that ransomware attacks involve cybercriminals locking sensitive data and computer systems and demanding payment before access is restored.
“As PNG becomes more dependent on digital systems and online services, there will be more opportunities for cybercriminals to target the country,” he said.
“Unfortunately, ransomware is part of PNG’s future if we do not prepare for it.”
Sallabank also warned that phishing attacks are becoming more common, where criminals use fake emails, text messages or phone calls to trick people into revealing passwords, banking details or other sensitive information.
He said many successful cyber-attacks begin with a phishing email containing a malicious link, and stressed that improving cyber awareness and education across the country would help reduce these incidents.
Another major concern, he said, was the continued use of outdated and unpatched computer systems.
Sallabank said many organisations still relied on legacy technology that was no longer secure, making it easier for cyber attackers to exploit weaknesses.
“As organisations invest in digital transformation, they should also replace outdated systems,” he said.
Sallabank said improving cyber resilience required investment in secure technology, better cyber hygiene and greater public awareness.
He said Cyber CX employed about 1,400 cybersecurity professionals and operated beyond Australia and New Zealand and to the wider Pacific region including PNG.
Meanwhile, the Government has been urged to support local cyber security companies and invest more in training people from growing cyber threats.
Cyber Security (PNG) Limited founder and chief executive officer Solomon Wesley Sua said the Government must invest in local companies and build a skilled workforce to improve the country’s cyber security.
“One of the biggest gaps we see is that the Government needs to support local companies in the industry.
Sua said local companies understood PNG better than overseas companies because they knew the country’s different cultures, languages and local challenges.
He said another major challenge was the lack of skilled people, especially in law enforcement agencies that investigated cybercrime.
He said cyber security, cyber forensics and cyber intelligence were highly skilled jobs that required proper education and training.
Australia’s assistant director general for active cybercrime defence, Georgina Fuller, said cybercrime was also a major problem in Australia.
Fuller said phishing attacks, ransomware and online scams continued to affect many people and businesses…..PACNEWS
FIJI – POVERTY ALLEVIATION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 23 Jul 2026
Fiji ruling People’s Alliance explores China’s poverty alleviation strategies
SUVA, 23 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) —People’s Alliance Party (PAP) president Ratu Josefa Dimuri says the party’s recent visit to China focused on learning poverty reduction models that could be adapted for Fiji.
Dimuri said six PAP members travelled to China to study approaches that could help address poverty challenges in Fiji.
“We looked at some of the poverty alleviation models that we can adopt and replicate here in Fiji,” Dimuri said.
He said the visit was fully funded and that PAP was among several political parties invited to take part in the programme.
The comments follow the delegation’s visit to the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China (IPRCC) on 02 July.
During the visit, the delegation, led by Ratu Josefa, met IPRCC Director General Liu Junwen to discuss poverty reduction initiatives.
Liu welcomed the delegation and shared China’s experience in targeted poverty alleviation.
Dimuri outlined Fiji’s poverty challenges and acknowledged China’s achievements in reducing poverty.
He said there was a need to deepen exchanges and cooperation with China on poverty alleviation.
Officials from the IPRCC’s Research Division, Training Division, International Exchange Division, Cooperation Division and Foreign Affairs Division also attended the meeting…..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
China’s missile test exposes lack of unity among Pacific Island nations
By Maria Siow
BEIJING, 23 JULY 2026 (SOUTHE CHINA MORINING POST)—Pacific island nations are facing a security challenge in responding to China’s recent missile launch near Tuvalu and keeping their vision of a region as an “ocean of peace”, as analysts say the diverse nature of their ties with Beijing is complicating efforts towards a united response.
On 06 July, China said one of its navy’s nuclear submarines launched a “strategic missile” carrying a dummy warhead towards “relevant high seas of the Pacific Ocean”, describing the test as routine annual military training that complied with international law and was “not directed at any specific country or target”.
Beijing said it had notified relevant countries in advance. Still, the move did little to ease the concerns of Pacific governments and partners, with some criticising the short warning period.
The missile appeared to have landed near the exclusive economic zones of Tuvalu and Kiribati, 1,000km (621 miles) northeast of the Solomon Islands.
The Pacific region has for decades been cautious of missile tests as a result of the hundreds of nuclear tests carried out by the U.S, UK and France in the second half of the 20th century.
While leaders from Tuvalu, Palau and the Solomon Islands have strongly criticised the Chinese missile test, the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) held in Suva, Fiji, on Wednesday failed to draft a united statement against it.
Member states are expected to reconsider the issue during a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Suva and a meeting of its leaders in Palau from 30 August to 04 September.
Bernard Singu Yegiora, an international relations lecturer at Divine Word University in Papua New Guinea, said many PIF countries maintained strong bilateral ties with China.
Papua New Guinea initially criticised China’s missile test but later closed the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Port Moresby, reaffirming its adherence to the one-China principle.
“Although there is no direct evidence linking these two developments, the timing may indicate the influence that China’s bilateral relationships can exert on the policy calculations of Papua New Guinea and other member states,” Yegiora said.
“These differing national interests will make it difficult for the PIF to reach a common position.”
Beijing strictly requires countries establishing diplomatic relations with it to recognise the one-China principle stating that Taiwan is part of China and forbid them from having any formal ties with the island.
Previous U.S missile tests in the Pacific had also not drawn a collective response from the PIF, said Yegiora, who noted that Washington and Beijing were aware of the long-standing opposition of Pacific island nations to nuclear weapons testing in the region.
Between 1946 and 1996, the U.S, UK and France conducted over 300 nuclear tests in the Pacific, particularly in French Polynesia and the Marshall Islands, resulting in radioactive contamination, mass displacement, high cancer rates and a generational trauma among the region’s residents.
Created in response to these tests, the 1985 Treaty of Rarotonga prohibits nuclear testing, dumping of radioactive waste and toxic matter at sea and commits member nations to non-proliferation and encourages nuclear powers to respect the region as a nuclear-free zone.
Comprising mostly South Pacific nations, the treaty includes five nuclear-power signatories – France, the UK, the U.S, China and Russia.
Oliver Nobetau, director of the Pacific Islands Programme at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute, said the absence of a statement by the PIF over Beijing’s missile test arose from the region’s diversity, with consensus limited to issues such as climate change and fisheries.
These nations do not have a common position on regional security, according to Nobetau. As such, there were doubts about whether a regional security treaty proposed by the Solomon Islands could succeed, he added.
Last month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, who took over from pro-China Jeremiah Manele in May, proposed a Pacific-wide security agreement centred on a “Pacific-led security architecture”.
The treaty aims to ensure that regional security challenges are primarily addressed by Pacific island nations and is seen as a plan to curb China’s security role in the region.
These nations had a different experience from past nuclear tests among themselves, and their diverse economic partnerships with China were a factor to consider, Nobetau said.
For instance, French Polynesia suffered the most detonations and was still dealing with generational health effects, while Papua New Guinea was not as significantly affected, Nobetau said.
“It is difficult to reach consensus when not all parties share the same historical reality,” he added.
Hideyuki Shiozawa, director of the island nations’ division at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, said Chinese embassies in Pacific countries had likely detailed explanations on the launch despite giving short notice.
“The incident did not appear to pose a problem under international law, as the missile landed in international waters,” Shiozawa said.
Although the missile was capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, it did not contain nuclear materials and was not a violation of the Treaty of Rarotonga, Shiozawa said.
Some Pacific island countries chose not to issue a strong statement to avoid provoking China even though the launch had fuelled their perception that they could become “targets within China’s strategic calculations”, Shiozawa said.
The test was a warning by Beijing against the growing security ties between Pacific island nations and Western powers, according to analysts. It occurred just hours after Australia and Fiji signed a landmark mutual defence agreement called the Ocean of Peace Alliance.
“For some Pacific island countries, this event likely served as a wake-up call, highlighting the direct security implications of intensifying great-power competition in the region,” Shiozawa said.
China has strengthened military and security ties with Pacific island countries in recent years, including signing a security agreement with the Solomon Islands and expanding law enforcement cooperation with Fiji and Kiribati.
On the economic front, China trades with Pacific island countries primarily in resources, such as seafood, timber, and minerals. It has also invested in the region’s infrastructure, ranging from ports to hydropower stations, and provided financial support, including grants and concessional loans…..PACNEWS
Maria Siow is a long-time China-based correspondent and analyst with keen interest in East Asia. Maria has a masters degree in international relations.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Moana Blue Pacific deadline for side event submissions extended
APIA, 23 JULY 2026 (SPREP)—The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has extended the deadline for side event applications for the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion at the Thirty-First Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), following requests from Pacific countries.
The new deadline is 14 August 2026, from the original closing date of 20 July 2026. The extension gives Pacific Island governments, civil society organisations, private sector partners and regional bodies more time to develop and submit proposals showcasing the region’s climate leadership on the global stage.
The Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion is a Pacific partnership with the Governments of New Zealand, Australia and SPREP. It serves as a platform for amplifying Pacific voices at the annual climate negotiations. At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion hosted 68 Pacific-led events over 10 days.
This year’s conference will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 09 to 20 November 2026.
‘Since COP24 in 2018, SPREP has managed this space which brings who we are as a Pacific Islands people, to the international climate change negotiations arena” said Tagaloa Cooper, Director of Climate Change Resilience at SPREP.
“Each year we have magnified the voices of our Pacific Islands people in the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion. We have welcomed thousands of people through our doors to experience aspects of our culture and hear our climate change stories of leadership, action and challenges. The extension reflects our commitment to ensuring that every Pacific voice with a story to tell has the opportunity to be heard at COP31.”
Side events will focus on two thematic areas: Building a resilient Pacific for a resilient world – covering adaptation, climate finance, loss and damage, and market mechanisms – and Pacific Climate Ambition, addressing the 1.5°C temperature goal, clean energy transition, and the Global Stocktake.
The Pavilion will operate under ‘Blue Wave’ environmental principles as a single-use plastic-free space. Applicants must commit to digital innovation and ensure complete removal of all event materials.
Event slots are 50 minutes, running from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, with evening sessions available. All attendance and participation costs are the responsibility of successful applicants.
The Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion will be hosted in the Blue Zone at COP31 from 9 to 20 November 2026. It is a Pacific partnership supported by the Governments of New Zealand and Australia, managed by SPREP. ….PACNEWS
Apply today at: https://forms.gle/93pep6yHkmoJkuTy8
You can learn more about Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion side events at: https://library.sprep.org/sites/default/files/2026-06/COP31-Side-Event-Flier.pdf
