In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Australia may be forced to loosen attendance requirements at UN climate event in Pacific, foreign officials say
2. PACIFIC — Pacific nations secure millions to prepare for climate disasters before they strike
3. FIJI — Fiji has the world’s fastest growing HIV epidemic – and it is struggling
4. PACIFIC — 30-nation Pacific drill winds down; Integrated forces beef up regional defence, RIMPAC chief says
5. FIJI — NextGen Alliance launches with promise to put people before politics
6. PACNEWS BIZ — New rules could leave Pacific workers with less time off – union
7. PACNEWS BIZ — ANZ Fiji opens new Lami lending centre to support customers with home lending and personalised banking
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Inflation hovers above 6 percent, Reserve Bank of Fiji reports
9. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG attractive place for investment: Businessman
10. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — The Pacific nation caught between two superpowers
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fiji advances national action on Marine Litter with launch of CleanSeas Programme
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — World Mangrove Day: Project Halo cultivates tomorrow’s mangrove experts
13. PACNEWS SPORT — Tiny island nation win first ever Commonwealth Games medal without even having to compete
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: ABC PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Australia may be forced to loosen attendance requirements at UN climate event in Pacific, foreign officials say
CANBERRA, 31 JULY 2026 (ABC PACIFIC) — Australia may be forced to drop its insistence that only prime ministers and presidents attend a high-profile climate meeting in Tuvalu as it struggles to convince them to fly to a United Nations gathering in the Pacific ahead of the main COP in Türkiye.
The federal government has been pressing leaders to attend the pre-COP meeting in early October, where officials, civil society and business representatives gather in Fiji, with a much smaller group of world leaders then flying on to the low-lying nation of Tuvalu, which is expected to be effectively inundated this century due to climate change.
The government won a commitment to hold the event with Pacific nations as part of its agreement with Türkiye.
Climate Minister Chris Bowen will take charge of global climate negotiations, while Türkiye retains the COP presidency and hosting rights for the main summit in November.
It has repeatedly spruiked the pre-COP as a chance to draw global attention to the Pacific’s exposure to the ravages of climate change, while also driving greater climate ambition and mobilising funding for a key Pacific adaptation fund.
But multiple sources say Australia has not yet succeeded in convincing world leaders from outside the Pacific to attend the gathering, with several countries hesitating to commit.
If the government fails to convince any leaders to join the meeting, it will be a severe diplomatic embarrassment for Australia, which has enjoyed several conspicuous foreign policy successes in the Pacific over the last few years.
“It has been very difficult for them,” one diplomat told the ABC.
A second senior foreign official was scathing, saying they were worried the event was heading towards a “disaster” because Australia had spent months insisting that only leaders attend the gathering in Tuvalu.
The official said that bar was “far too high”, and convincing leaders to make a long trip to the Pacific so close to the main COP event was never going to be easy, adding that several nations would prefer to send ministers or more junior representatives instead.
“They need to be more flexible, and more realistic,” they said.
Other foreign officials were more sympathetic, saying Australia was facing serious headwinds, including uncertainty over pre-COP outcomes, scheduling clashes, the event’s proximity to the main summit in Türkiye, and anxieties about political and energy security shocks from the ongoing chaos in the Strait of Hormuz.
Australia has been keen for world leaders to use the pre-COP to commit additional money to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), a Pacific-led financing mechanism for climate adaptation.
So far, countries have pledged US$172 million (AUD$246 million) to the fund, well short of the initial capitalisation target of US$500 million by December this year.
But raising money for the PRF has been difficult in the current global economic climate, with several developed countries already moving to cut development assistance.
Some countries may also prefer to make any announcements about PRF contributions at the main COP summit in Türkiye rather than the pre-COP.
Tuvalu’s high commissioner to Australia, Samuelu Laloniu, told a clean energy forum in Sydney on Wednesday that while he was not aware of any leaders who had committed to attend the meeting, Australian and Pacific officials were still working hard to convince them.
“We want them to see how we are coping, how we are adapting, and how we are building our resilience, how we, for example, are growing our food crops on lands that are frequently flooded with seawater,” he said.
“Tuvalu has an opportunity to really showcase the need for immediate transformational changes in terms of how we adapt to the climate crisis.”
The ABC has been told that Australia is now considering shifting course and allowing countries to send ministers or other political representatives instead, although it is expected to continue to pursue leaders as its top priority.
A spokesperson for the climate minister said Australia was “focused on bringing the world to the region to see climate impacts and solutions firsthand and deliver on Pacific priorities”.
“That involves convening a range of actors and leaders, across government, industry and civil society,” they said.
“Pre-COPs are critical to setting the main COPs up for success, and by bringing attention to the Pacific, we will be able to influence global negotiations to focus on our region. That’s good for the Pacific and Australia.”
The spokesperson also declined to say whether any leaders had agreed to head to Tuvalu.
“Australia does not announce the travel plans of other nations,” they said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PMN PACNEWS 2: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Pacific nations secure millions to prepare for climate disasters before they strike
AUCKLAND, 31 JULY 2026 (PMN) — Pacific countries are stepping up efforts to protect communities from climate disasters before they happen.
Four island nations have secured millions of dollars to strengthen early warning systems and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved NZ$24.2 million (US$14.23 million) in grants for Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The funding is expected to unlock a further NZ$74.3 million (US$43.70 million) in co-financing for projects across the region.
The projects will help countries complete technical planning and design work before construction begins with a focus on reducing the impact of floods, rising seas, cyclones and coastal erosion.
“The projects are designed to help communities, critical infrastructure, and ecosystems better withstand the growing impacts of climate change, including flooding, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, cyclones, and other extreme weather events,” a GEF said in a statement.
The funding also comes as Pacific meteorological leaders warn that stronger forecasting and earlier warnings are becoming just as important as rebuilding after disasters.
Rossy Mitiepo, Weather Ready Pacific Steering Committee chair and Niue Meteorological Services Director, said even the region’s smallest weather services were carrying a growing responsibility.
“Even for Niue as a small Met service… there’s only six of us, and we are carrying all this work together along with other Pacific Met services,” Mitiepo told PMN.
“We have established this in order to help our Pacific meteorological services set up in a way that we can provide early warning… and also help Pacific countries to be more resilient in terms of severe weather, climate impacts, and also climate change in the long term.”
In Fiji, the funding will support planning for the Climate Adaptation in the Rewa Delta (CARE) project, aimed at reducing flood risks in one of the nation’s most important economic and population centres.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Climate Change and Environment, Dr Sivendra Michael, said more than 300,000 people depend on the Rewa catchment while ageing flood protection and drainage systems continue to increase the area’s vulnerability.
“About 40 percent of the existing floodgates are already non-functional, drainage capacity has dropped 30 to 40 per cent from sedimentation, and annual climate-related losses are estimated at FJD$44-67 million (US$22- US$33.5 million),” Dr Michael told PMN News.
“Because it sits at the intersection of national economic importance and worsening climate exposure, the Rewa Delta sits at both the area of greatest need and the site most likely to demonstrate a replicable model for other Fijian catchments.”
Once approved, the project will restore floodgates, improve drainage, modernise river monitoring stations and restore mangroves to help reduce future flood damage.
Elsewhere, FSM will strengthen emergency warning systems for remote islands, Tuvalu will build coastal defences on Vaitupu to protect homes and infrastructure from rising seas, and Vanuatu will make its electricity network more resilient to cyclones.
Mitiepo said the long-term goal was to build a stronger regional network so Pacific countries could better protect their people.
“Ultimately, I think one of the long-term dreams that we’ve had was getting a radar for Niue,” Mitiepo said, explaining that localised technology gives forecasters the capability to track approaching storms earlier and issue actionable warnings before destruction occurs.
“We are working towards a place where we can standardise equipment, where we can support each other… only just to reach the main goal of saving lives and being more climate resilient.”
With climate risks increasing across the Pacific, Mitiepo says investing before disasters happen will save lives, protect communities and reduce the cost of recovery…. PACNEWS
FIJI – HIV/AIDS/HEALTH: HEALTH POLICY WATCH PACNEWS 2: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Fiji has the world’s fastest growing HIV epidemic – and it is struggling
RIO DE JANEIRO, 31 JULY 2026 (HEALTH POLICY WATCH) — A graph showing the progression of HIV infections in Fiji resembles a cobra poised to strike.
For years, the 330+ islands that make up Fiji had almost zero HIV cases, but the country’s 14-fold increase in infections over the past five years is represented by a near-vertical line rearing up over the country.
Around 12,000 people are believed to have HIV in a country of less than a million people spread over 100 or so habitable islands.
“What is driving this epidemic now is risky injecting drug use of people who currently inject methamphetamines,” said Dr Jason Mitchell, chair of Fiji’s National HIV Outbreak Cluster Response Task Force.
People share needles to inject the crystal meth, another exploding epidemic, and sometimes also deliberately share their blood after taking the drug to make it go further.
The Pacific islands – positioned between East Asia, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand – have long been a gateway for drug traffickers. But during COVID-19, the drugs were unable to move, and a domestic market for crystal meth was cultivated.
“In January 2025, we declared a national HIV outbreak, which was initially confined to the population of people who inject drugs. The epidemic is now spilling over into every other population group in the country,” Mitchell told a media briefing at the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026).
“UNAIDS estimates that we currently have 1.2 percent prevalence in people between the ages of 15 to 49, and that of course continues to increase. That’s roughly one in every 60 adults,” said Mitchell.
‘The prevalence in our antenatal population now exceeds 2 percent and, in 2025, one child was born with HIV every week, and we lost one child to HIV-related matters every month,” Mitchell added.
“In a country of less than a million people, this is very significant, and perhaps for me it is the greatest crime and shame of all because this is all preventable.”
Last year, around 18 percent of mothers with HIV passed the virus on to their babies – the highest vertical transmission rate in the world.
Two in three of last year’s people diagnosed with HIV were aged between 20 and 34, and 94 percent are in the indigenous iTaukei population. Men initially outnumbered women by over 2:1, but the rates in women are increasing.
There has been a 45 percent increase in children aged 10 to 19 becoming infected with HIV, said Mitchell.
Mitchell attributes the rapid spread among people who inject drugs to two things: the culture of communality in indigenous Fijans and a shortage of clean needles and syringes.
“We typically share everything,” explained Mitchell, giving the example of kava, a root that is used in traditional ceremonies that has an antidepressant effect.
“The practice of consuming kava is you have one mixing bowl and one receptacle or glass that we all share. The practice of kava has spilt over into our consumption of alcohol. Anyone who has grown up in Fiji will be introduced to this practice of one glass and one alcohol. You would never have your own glass.”
Similarly, with crystal meth, people pool resources to buy the drug, which they then share along with the needles and blood.
Mark Shaheel Lal, founder of Living Positive Fiji and one of the few people to come out publicly with his HIV status, says that “a needle and syringe programme is something that really needs to be implemented, and it is not”.
“We constantly run out of [antiretroviral] medication, which has just been introduced, and no one really knows about antiretrovirals themselves.”
Mitchell concedes that Fiji is struggling: “Our 90-90-90 [global HIV] targets are 40-22-3.2,” he says. This means that, instead of 90 percent of people knowing their HIV status, only 40 percent do. Instead of 90 percent of those living with HIV being on treatment, only 22 percent are and of those, only 3.2 percent have undetectable viral loads instead of the 90 percent target.
Many HIV cases are being diagnosed through routine HIV testing when people donate blood.
The government has introduced pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and “we’re trying to strengthen our condom programming in a region that does not use condoms”, said Mitchell.
However, he agrees with Lal that “what is missing from this response is the availability of a needle and syringe programme”.
“That is a central part of a harm reduction programme,” said Mitchell. “There’s a lot of will, especially from our politicians and government, but we need to introduce the systems first.”
However, Mitchell concedes that police crackdowns on pharmacies selling needles and syringes have exacerbated the situation.
He also recognises that it will be hard to convince people that “the practices they have adopted from consuming kava and alcohol should not be used in the situation where you’re injecting drugs”.
The country is also struggling with resources. Australia and New Zealnd are assisting Fiji, both with resources and technical support, and India has made a significant donation of ARVs, but Mitchell says the islands need more.
Despite getting a small grant from the Global Fund, Fiji is heavily dependent on this – although it is due to transition off Global Fund money within three years.
“We need a full upscaled response,” said Mitchell, warning that the epidemic also poses a threat to other Pacific islands…. PACNEWS.
PAC – DEFENCE: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Fri 31 Jul 2026
30-nation Pacific drill winds down; Integrated forces beef up regional defence, RIMPAC chief says
HONOLULU/HAGATNA, 31 JULY 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Against the backdrop of China’s missile earlier this month, the Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaii brought together 30 nations, more than 30,000 personnel, 31 surface ships, five submarines and over 190 aircraft for the largest maritime in the region.
As RIMPAC winds down, Vice Admiral Jeffrey Jablon noted how the integrated forces strengthened the Indo-Pacific region’s “collective capability, which is essential to today’s security environment.”
“RIMPAC participants work together to strengthen regional security, protect against coercion, and preserve sovereignty across the Pacific,” said Jablon, deputy chief for Naval Operations and commander who commands this year’s RIMPAC.
RIMPAC began 24 June and will conclude on 31 July.
When asked about China’s recent test-launch of a ballistic missile, Jablon replied: “RIMPAC isn’t about signaling to one country. It’s really about readiness.”
On 06 July, China test-fired a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the South Pacific. The state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the missile carried a dummy warhead.
It said a People’s Liberation Army submarine launched the missile toward international waters as part of China’s annual military training. China reportedly gave advanced notice about the launch.
Jablon, who was joined at Wednesday’s press briefing by Rear Admiral Takuo Kobayashi of Japan and Rear Admiral In-ho Kim of the Republic of Korea, said the Pacific is extremely vast and RIMPAC’s vast scale in terms of participants reflects a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
“No single nation can ensure security in the Pacific alone. The global maritime environment is too large and too complex for any one country to safeguard by itself,” Jablon said.
“When you see 30 nations improving their ability to operate together, respond to crisis and deter aggression, that’s significant.”
RIMPAC, which began in 1971, is conducted every two years. This year is the 30th edition of the world’s largest international maritime exercise.
Besides the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea (South Korea), other countries that participated in this year’s RIMPAC include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga and the United Kingdom.
Jablon said this year’s RIMPAC theme, “Partners: Integrated and Prepared,” strengthens collective capability, which is essential to today’s security environment.
As to why Guam was not included in this year’s RIMPAC, Jablon gave a short answer: “Guam is a part of the United States, and we had U.S forces obviously as part of RIMPAC.”
As part of its culminating exercise, nine nations joined together and destroyed two ships—the USS Peleliu, a decommissioned amphibious assault ship and the USS Mobile Bay, a guided-missile cruiser.
Besides its military and security goals, RIMPAC 2026 also strengthened humanitarian assistance and disaster response, Jablon said.
The training brought together military forces, interagency partners, non-governmental organisations and international observers to rehearse disaster response tasks, including mass casualty care, medical triage, logistics coordination and rapid delivery of relief supplies.
“These events sharpen our ability to respond in a moment’s notice and reinforce the trust in the interoperability we rely on when communities across the Pacific and the world need help,” he said.
This part of the exercise was so successful that they will be expanding HADR training in 2028, Jablon said.
“When nations know each other, train together and communicate well, they can respond faster and more effectively, whether it’s a security challenge, a humanitarian crisis or a natural disaster,” he added…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Fri 31 Jul 2026
NextGen Alliance launches with promise to put people before politics
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — The newly launched NextGen Alliance Party Party has pledged to reshape the way Fiji is governed, saying ordinary families have been left behind despite years of political change.
Launching the party at Rewasau Village in Naitasiri, party leader Apisai Moce said Fiji did not need another political party but a government that puts people before politics.
“Governments have changed. Prime Ministers have changed. Policies have changed. Yet too many ordinary families continue to face the same struggles year after year,” Moce said.
He said parents continued to struggle with the rising cost of living, young people were leaving Fiji in search of better opportunities, while farmers, teachers and health workers remained under pressure.
Moce said many rural communities were still waiting for better roads, reliable water supplies, improved health services and more employment opportunities.
“The time has come to stop asking which political party is in power and start asking whether government is truly working for the people,” he said.
He outlined the party’s priorities as honest government, stronger families, quality education, accessible healthcare, safer communities, meaningful jobs, prosperous farmers and modern infrastructure.
Moce said the party also wanted government ministries to work together rather than operate in isolation.
“A struggling family may need education, healthcare, employment, agriculture and housing all at the same time. Governments must learn to work together the same way families live together.”
He said leadership should be measured by service rather than status.
“Leadership is not about sitting above the people. Leadership means walking beside the people, listening before speaking and serving before commanding.”
Moce said the party was built by ordinary Fijians, including farmers, market vendors, church members and volunteers who contributed food, fuel and their time to help register the party.
“This is not my party. This is the people’s movement,” he said.
He said the NextGen Alliance Party would campaign on transparency, accountability and practical reforms aimed at improving the lives of all Fijians…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
NZ – LEAVE RULES: PMN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 31 Jul 2026
New rules could leave Pacific workers with less time off – union
WELLINGTON, 31 JULY 2026 (PMN) — Changes to New Zealand’s leave system could leave thousands of workers with fewer paid days off, with Pacific workers among those most affected, according to the Public Service Association.
On Wednesday, the government replaced the 2003 Holidays Act with the new Employment Leave Bill. The change means annual leave will now be accrued over hours, instead of days.
Extra and casual hours will no longer increase annual or sick leave entitlements; instead, employers will pay a 12.5 percent leave top-up on those hours.
The government says the new system will make leave rules simpler, but the Public Service Association (PSA) says it could create financial pressure for workers who are already struggling with the cost of living.
In an interview on Pacific Mornings, PSA spokesperson Grace Millar said the changes could effectively mean a pay cut for some workers and make it harder for people to take time off.
“A lot of people aren’t going to be able to afford to take leave. And what that’s going to mean is that people are going to go to work sick because they will get paid less if they go on leave, she said.
Millar said Pacific workers could be hit harder because many are employed in industries where part-time and casual work is common.
“Pacific workers will be particularly hard hit because they do work in areas that are most likely to be affected,” she said.
The PSA estimates about 200,000 workers could be affected by the changes, which will be introduced over a two-year transition period.
Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono said the new rules would unfairly impact Pacific communities where many workers are in jobs with irregular hours.
“This is a completely anti-work government. And in this case, they’re punishing part-time workers and casual workers.
“The Employment Leave Bill will disproportionately impact Pacific workers. It just will. Many of our people in our communities are in those part-time jobs, are in those jobs with casual hours, which will be impacted.”
Tuiono also criticised New Zealand First, accusing the party of presenting itself as supportive of workers while backing the government’s changes.
“You have New Zealand First, in particular, cosplaying as pretending that they’re here to support workers. Well, they have not demonstrated that at all,” he said.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden defended the changes, saying the new system delivers a long-overdue overhaul of New Zealand’s leave laws.
Speaking in Parliament, Van Velden said the Holidays Act 2003 had become too complex and difficult for workers and employers to navigate.
“With this bill, we are delivering long-overdue reform to one of the most complex and problematic areas of our employment law: the Holidays Act 2003,” she said.
Van Velden said the new system would simplify how leave is calculated by replacing multiple calculations with a single hourly rate based on a worker’s current wage.
“Instead of multiple overlapping calculations, a single hourly rate based on the employee’s current base wage will apply across all leave types. This removes unnecessary complexity and ensures that people can be confident that they’re being paid correctly,” she said.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters rejected Tuiono’s criticism, saying opponents did not understand the issue.
“They wouldn’t know a worker if they tripped over him. So, I’m not concerned with what Teanau says” Peters said.
He said workers and unions should wait until after the election when he added changes could still be made.
“We’ve said to the people and the workers and in the unions, look, hang on until after the election. We can fix a lot of this stuff up,” Peters said.
“We’ve even had some of these laws deferred coming into place until April next year, giving us enough time to fix it after the election if we get people’s votes.”
The Employment Leave Bill has a two-year lead-in time so businesses and payroll experts can prepare for the changes to employment procedures…. PACNEWS
FIJI – BANK: ANZ PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 31 Jul 2026
ANZ Fiji opens new Lami lending centre to support customers with home lending and personalised banking
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (ANZ) — ANZ Fiji has officially opened its new Lami Lending Centre providing customers with easier access to home lending expertise, personalised banking services and digital banking support.
The new centre at Lami Plaza, has been established in response to changing customer banking behaviours, with more customers choosing digital and self-service banking options for simple banking needs while seeking specialist support for more complex financial needs.
The Lami Lending Centre will provide customers with services including customer onboarding, home and personal lending assistance, digital banking registrations, card issuance and financial wellbeing support.
Sarah Stubbings, ANZ Regional Executive, Pacific said the new centre reflects ANZ’s continued investment in improving how customers access specialist banking services.
“The way customers bank continues to evolve, with more people choosing digital channels for their everyday transactions while seeking personalised support for important financial decisions such as buying a home or securing finance.
“The new Lami Lending Centre allows us to spend more time with customers, understand their needs and connect them with the specialist support they need to achieve their goals.
“This investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to Fiji and our focus on helping our customers and communities thrive,” she said.
The centre is staffed by dedicated banking specialists including a Personal Banker and Senior Banker, with Home Lending Consultants and Financial Inclusion specialists also based at the location.
ANZ Fiji Country Head & Head of Commercial Banking Pacific, Sohaib Mahmood said the centre would improve convenience and accessibility for customers in the greater Suva area.
“The Lami Lending Centre has been designed around what our customers have told us they value most – personalised service, specialist advice and convenience.
“Customers can meet directly with lending specialists in a dedicated environment, with accessible parking and a location that is convenient for customers who prefer not to travel into the city centre.
“We believe this will make it easier for customers to access financial support, whether they are purchasing a home, growing their financial confidence or planning for the future.”
ANZ has been part of the Pacific for more than 140 years and remains committed to helping people and communities thrive across the region. Supporting customer growth, improving access to banking services and investing in the future of Pacific communities continue to underpin ANZ’s Pacific strategy…. PACNEWS
FIJI – INFLATION: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Inflation hovers above 6 percent, Reserve Bank of Fiji reports
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — The Reserve Bank of Fiji has kept its Overnight Policy Rate at 0.25 percent, saying the economy is slowing while inflation remains elevated due to rising import costs.
Governor Ariff Ali said inflation surged to 6.1 percent in June, driven mainly by higher fuel, gas and electricity prices.
These costs alone contributed around 4.5 percentage points to June’s inflation rate.
The Bank warned Fiji remains vulnerable to global oil price shocks, particularly following recent tensions between the United States and Iran that pushed oil prices sharply higher.
With oil prices expected to keep domestic fuel, transport and production costs elevated, the Reserve Bank forecasts inflation will remain above 6 percent for the rest of the year, despite leaving its key interest rate unchanged…. PACNEWS
PNG – INVESTMENT: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 31 Jul 2026
PNG attractive place for investment: Businessman
PORT MORESBY, 31 JULY 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Chinese businessman Zhang Li says that China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) are common grounds to talk investment in the country.
Zhang told International Trade and Investment Minister Richard Maru in Port Moresby on Tuesday that PNG was “an attractive place for investment and we are one of the pioneers from the private sector coming into PNG to explore investment opportunities”.
Zhang is chairman of China’s R&F Group.
He is in the country for potential investment opportunities.
“In terms of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) led by our President Xi, and considering that PNG is an Apec country, it is better,” he said.
BRI is China’s main international cooperation and economic strategy.
“As a private company, R&F and Kinetic have the responsibility to also pay attention to the call from the President (Chinese President Xi Jinping) to be more active in the Belt and Road Initiative and how it relates to any investment activities,” Zhang said.
“PNG is a developing country and has a new development model and is quite attractive place to invest in.
“We have two major pillars of our business, one pillar is property, real estate and housing sector, and another one is mining, minerals and refinery especially in our outlook for the future.” …. he said…. 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 nation caught between two superpowers
By Tys Occhiuzzi
KOROR, 31 JULY 2026 (SBS) — Amid escalating rivalry between the United States and China, a pristine paradise in the western Pacific is confronting what it means to be part of the “tip of America’s spear” in the region.
Home to around 18,000 people, the nation of Palau is comprised of hundreds of tiny, uninhabited, volcanic islands jutting out of the surrounding ocean. The archipelago is covered in lush vegetation and surrounded by turquoise lagoons and coral reefs.
The distinctive limestone islands that make the nation such an international drawcard are just a short walk from 18-year-old Dior Imaim Ngiraboi’s home.
The recent high school graduate has fond memories growing up here, swimming in the crystal-clear water and playing in the nearby forest. Like so many Palauans, Ngiraboi has a deeply personal and cultural connection to the natural environment.
She meets SBS News at the water’s edge on a typically warm morning. A few street dogs have risen from their slumber, watching with curiosity. It’s here that Ngiraboi tells us about the traditional conservation concept of ‘bul’.
“It’s a very, very big part of Palauan culture,” she says.
“It’s something our ancestors knew was a necessity, to allow our environment to heal, to be able to continue providing for us. Growing up, we were told to take care of the environment because it’s taking care of us.”
For Ngiraboi, that connection to the land is being reshaped by a changing strategic reality in the region.
Amid growing rivalry with China, the US has expanded its military footprint across these islands, and many Palauans are balancing hopes for greater security with concerns about the environmental, cultural and social costs.
In late 2024, Ngiraboi was among seven Palauan high school students who filed a complaint to two United Nations Special Rapporteurs. The complaint alleged the expansion of the U.S military presence in Palau was harming local communities and the natural environment.
The allegations have not been tested in court. The U.S says it takes concerns about its projects seriously but broadly disputes the students’ claims.
Inside the U.S military expansion in Palau
The U.S has been steadily building and revamping military sites across Palau, including World War Two-era runways, naval facilities and sophisticated radar systems.
SBS News visited one of these sites, still under construction, which will eventually become an unmanned Tactical Mobile Over-the-Horizon Radar (TACMOR) transmitter.
According to its Environmental Impact Statement, the 22-hectare facility would “improve the United States’ and its regional partners’ ability to monitor air and maritime platforms in the vicinity of Palau and vastly beyond the horizon to enhance domain awareness, safety, and security”.
The U.S military declined to provide further details about the site, citing the “sensitivity and special capability of the TACMOR”.
However, the military showed SBS News its planned upgrade of Malakal Port, the main commercial hub serving Koror, Palau’s biggest city.
The multi-million-dollar project would expand the port’s length to approximately 250 metres, allowing large-scale vessels — including warships — as well as heavy equipment and personnel to move more quickly during times of crisis or regional contingencies.
Relations between Palau and the U.S are governed by the Compact of Free Association (COFA), a long-standing agreement under which Washington is responsible for Palau’s defence and provides significant economic support in exchange for exclusive military access and strategic rights.
Sergeant Major Jimmy Castro, senior enlisted leader of the Joint Task Force – Micronesia, says the U.S force in Palau is “committed to building regional stability and security for the Pacific region”.
“Our partnership with Palau serves as a warning to potential adversaries that any conflict in this region will be a grave miscalculation,” he tells SBS News.
Palau caught in U.S-China rivalry
U.S defence secretary Pete Hegseth has described the second island chain — a strategic arc stretching across the western Pacific that includes Palau — as the “tip of America’s spear in the Pacific”.
In May, during a speech to the Shangri-La Dialogue — Asia’s premier defence summit held in Singapore — Hegseth warned of “China’s historic military buildup” in the region.
The following month, the Palauan government complained to the Chinese government about a Chinese-flagged research vessel that allegedly entered Palau’s Exclusive Economic Zone without warning.
The complaint alleged that “the vessel appeared to conduct questionable research-related activities without authorisation, activities that threaten Palau’s national security and disregard its sovereignty and rules-based order”.
China did not publicly respond to the complaint but has previously defended similar actions as compliant with international maritime law.
Jodean Remengesau, a Palau-based expert with the Pacific Centre for Island Security, says: “It seems like they’re testing the waters.”
“It’s not as aggressive, but they’re making their presence known,” she tells SBS News.
Remengesau says the strategic competition between the US and China is shaping the security environment across the Pacific, including in Palau.
“We’re in an oasis mindset. It seems like things these days are quite peaceful, but it’ll impact us sooner or later,” she says.
“It’s almost like the big elephant in the room that no-one wants to acknowledge”.
Kambes Kesolei is a veteran Palau-based journalist and founder of the Compass Point Institute, the country’s first locally established think tank.
Kesolai says he’s never seen this level of US military engagement since the COFA entered into force in 1994.
‘Every time you put military installations in an area where there’s high tension and geopolitical rivalry, you make yourself a target; you’re in the crosshairs,” Kesolei tells SBS News.
Palau’s Taiwan dilemma
Palau is one of just three Pacific Island nations to recognise Taiwan as a sovereign nation.
Across the country, SBS News observed several development projects jointly funded by Taiwan, including the government’s main administrative office and its capital building in Ngerulmud.
U.S Army veteran and Palauan resident, Tutii Chilton, says tensions between Beijing and Washington over Taiwan have left Palau “between a rock and a hard place”.
“This is not our issue. Palau doesn’t have any enemies. Our only enemies are our friends’ enemies,” he tells SBS News.
Despite having served in the military, Chilton says he now has serious concerns about his country’s growing closeness to the U.S.
‘I respect the military, I was a veteran, and I believe in it. And yet, people forget about the target that is put on your back.’
Chilton says the COFA means Palau has given the U.S significant responsibility over its defence and strategic affairs.
“It’s not democracy. It’s profits, military expansion to hold on to profits, and businesses. That’s the bottom line … it’s still colonisation, 2026 style’.
The U.S rejects the suggestion that the relationship is unequal, pointing to the compact’s economic benefits, security arrangements and the voluntary service of many Palauans in the U.S military.
Asked whether he’d describe the relationship as “equal”, Castro responds, “absolutely”.
“The significance of the U.S-Palau partnership is definitely based on trust to maintain peace in the Pacific,” he says.
The military also points out that Palauans serve in the U.S military at a higher rate per capita than any other nation, as well as most U.S states and territories, which it says “speaks volumes” about the relationship.
Former vice-president of Palau, Elias Camsek Chin, is another veteran with the U.S military. He served for 23 years across multiple continents and says the US presence in Palau has been a force for good.
“The U.S has been trying to maintain peace throughout the world for a long, long time,” the 77-year-old tells SBS News.
“It’s the other countries that don’t want to be friends with us.”
‘Deep concerns’ from UN rapporteurs
Dior Imaim Ngiraboi and her fellow students submitted their complaint to the UN after interviewing residents across Palau through the community-based NGO Ebiil Society.
She says some residents described the lasting legacy of major World War Two battles, fought by US and Japanese forces on the southern island states of Peleliu and Angaur.
Unexploded ordnance from the conflict remains a safety issue in parts of Palau.
“When the military first came to Palau in World War Two, the damage was irreversible, and you can still see the effects to this day,” she says.
“So, if that was then, what will happen now?”
In October, the students received a response from the group of UN-appointed Special Rapporteurs, expressing “deep concern” over reported breaches of Palau’s environmental protection laws.
The UN Special Rapporteurs’ response was based on the information provided in the complaint and did not constitute a legal finding against the U.S…. PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fiji advances national action on Marine Litter with launch of CleanSeas Programme
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (SPREP) — The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and the Pacific Community (SPC), in partnership with Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), have launched the CleanSeas – Marine Litter Prevention in Pacific Island Countries programme in Fiji, marking an important milestone in the country’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution and protect its marine environment.
The launch followed the Fiji National Inception Workshop at the Holiday Inn, Suva, which brought together representatives from government, development partners, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector to strengthen collaboration, identify national priorities and lay the foundation for implementation of the four-year initiative.
Funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) under its Grant Programme Against Marine Litter, the CleanSeas project is jointly implemented by GIZ, SPREP and SPC in partnership with governments in Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, and Tonga.
The project aims to strengthen and protect marine biodiversity by reducing the generation of plastic waste and preventing its entry into the environment through stronger policies, improved waste management systems, private sector engagement, enhanced recycling, and behaviour change initiatives.
In Fiji, implementation will be undertaken in close partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, building on the country’s commitment to sustainable waste management, marine conservation and the transition towards a more circular economy.
Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, welcomed the launch of the CleanSeas programme, saying it reinforces Fiji’s commitment to protecting its marine environment.
“As a Large Ocean State, Fiji has a responsibility to protect our oceans, rivers and coastal ecosystems for current and future generations. Addressing marine litter is essential not only for environmental protection but also for climate resilience and sustainable development,” Dr Michael said.
Speaking at the inception workshop, GIZ Representative in the South Pacific and Head of Project CleanSeas, Frauke Bartels, said the scale of plastic pollution demands stronger partnerships across every sector of society.
“Plastic pollution is one of the defining environmental challenges of our generation. For Pacific Island Countries, where economies, cultures and identities are closely connected to the ocean, protecting our marine environment is not only an environmental priority but also an economic and social imperative.”
Bartels said the project would support countries through four key areas: strengthening policies and financing mechanisms, working with businesses to reduce plastic waste across supply chains, improving waste collection and recycling systems, and empowering communities through education and behaviour change.
Representing SPREP, Pollution Adviser Mr. Zullah Mohammed described the Fiji inception workshop as an important step in translating regional commitments into national action.
“This workshop marks a critical milestone as we move from regional planning to national implementation, working collaboratively with GIZ and SPC to reduce plastic pollution while protecting the precious marine biodiversity of our Blue Pacific.”
The Pacific Community (SPC) will provide technical expertise to strengthen monitoring, data collection and evidence-based planning across participating countries. Mr. Nicholas Metherall from SPC’s Earth and Ocean Observation Section, said science and innovation would play an important role in understanding how waste moves through Pacific environments.
“SPC is excited about this opportunity to work alongside our partners in CleanSeas. Through this project we aim to apply Earth observation satellite data monitoring, drone surveys, hydrological modelling and broader geospatial analysis to help identify the pathways of waste transport in order to inform interventions and policies addressing the expansion of marine litter.”
The Fiji National Inception Workshop explored national priorities for plastic waste management, regional policy developments, private sector engagement, recycling initiatives, monitoring systems and opportunities to strengthen coordination among stakeholders.
Discussions also focused on identifying gaps, building complementary partnerships and establishing collaborative mechanisms to support implementation.
The CleanSeas project also supports partner countries in advancing the Pacific Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter, the Cleaner Pacific Strategy 2050, and participation in international processes, including negotiations towards a global legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution…. PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
World Mangrove Day: Project Halo cultivates tomorrow’s mangrove experts
In Fiji, Project Halo is empowering the next generation of Pacific researchers to build lasting climate resilience through mangrove restoration.
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (UNSW) — For a growing group of people across Oceania, the 26th of July is a day to celebrate not only mangroves, but the people who will help protect them into the future.
World Mangrove Day (officially the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem) is an opportunity to recognise how Project Halo, opens in a new window is cultivating the next generation of mangrove experts while creating a climate-resilient future for Pacific communities.
Project Halo is a collaboration between the University of the South Pacific, (USP) and UNSW Sydney, with support from Swire Shipping, the Government of Fiji, The Pacific Community (SPC) and UNESCO. The team is working with communities to harness the power of mangroves to protect coastlines, increase biodiversity, sequester carbon and support livelihoods.
Project Halo Co-lead Dr Isoa Korovulavula describes mangroves as much more than a plant, saying, “Mangroves keep us alive like a tireless beating heart, filters dirt that keep coral sparkling, calm the savaging waves that could wreck our homes, provider of sustenance to all.”
But across the Pacific and many other parts of the world, mangroves have been cleared or are severely degraded, leaving coastlines and communities increasingly vulnerable. Through the process of restoring these mangrove ecosystems in Fiji, Project Halo is also investing in the people who will protect them into the future.
Through scholarships and cotutelle PhD programmes, where candidates are jointly enrolled at both UNSW and USP, researchers are exploring issues related to ecology, engineering, social science, financing mechanisms, and governance. This is building expertise that supports the Pacific Island nation’s urgent call and need to respond to climate change.
Investing in future mangrove leaders
Project Halo’s eleven PhD and two Masters researchers come from diverse backgrounds and have different areas of expertise. Project Halo Co-Lead A/Prof Andrew Dansie says that the project has attracted some extraordinary people.
“Project Halo has attracted exceptional early career researchers and PhD students who are passionate about using science and engineering to solve important environmental and societal challenges.”
“The innovation and excellence they provide across a breadth of disciplines is essential to the success of Project Halo and we are fortunate to have such an outstanding and interactive team.”
Four of these researchers, based at USP, are bringing Pacific knowledge, lived experience and local expertise into the project.
One of these emerging mangrove experts is Salote Nasolo, a mangrove ecologist and passionate advocate for climate action. Salote says that many Pacific communities, particularly indigenous groups such as the iTaukei of Fiji, already possess a deep, embedded understanding of the value of mangroves.
“Mangrove ecosystems, as part of our vanua, hold profound cultural, spiritual, and ecological significance: they are sites of traditional rituals, habitats for totemic species, and essential to sustaining social cohesion and cultural knowledge systems,” says Salote.
Through her PhD, Salote’s research is contributing to the tidal restoration activities of Project Halo, determining the optimal conditions for Pacific species of mangroves to regenerate naturally in degraded coastal lands. PhD Candidate Jimmy Kereseka’s research is also focused on tidal restoration and the characteristics of both healthy and degraded mangrove ecosystems. He is assessing mangrove species composition across Fiji’s two main islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, and monitoring ecological changes over time to inform targeted restoration and conservation strategies, including the identification of suitable restoration sites.
Jimmy says that “Mangroves remind us that strong roots create a resilient future. By conserving them, we safeguard our environment, our communities, and generations to come.”
As Salote explains, “Within Pacific communities, awareness of mangroves is often cultural rather than framed in scientific or policy language.”
Project Halo is embedding these perspectives, along with scientific understanding of mangrove ecosystems, into sustainable solutions in Fiji. Jasma Devi’s research is socio-ecological in nature and has seen her interview 375 household interviews and hold 35 focus group discussions across 10 communities in Fiji. She is exploring how sustainable mangrove restoration practices in Fiji can maximise social, economic, and environmental benefits while enhancing community well-being and benefiting form traditional knowledge and local practices. She is working to create a Pacific-focused best practice framework that helps communities thrive while supporting broader sustainability and climate goals.
Through her own personal experience as well as her research, Jasma understands the urgency of protecting these precious ecosystems.
“Mangroves are our islands’ living lifeline, sequestering carbon to secure our future, standing firm as our first line of defence against storms, and providing fish and crabs that sustain our people today.”
“Just like a baby, they need our care and protection today so they can grow strong enough to safeguard our future generations.”
Another key focus of Project Halo is its world-first Mangrove Integrated Coastal Infrastructure (MICI)—floating pontoons that are designed to integrate the many benefits of mangroves into maritime infrastructure. With a background in mechanical engineering, Muzammil Ali is examining the ecological performance of the mangroves grown on these pontoons. His approach aims to develop floating systems that can support mangrove growth in areas where traditional restoration methods are limited by high wave energy and sea-level rise.
Supporting Pacific resilience through global collaboration
Six of the Project Halo PhD candidates based at UNSW: Sarah Wells, Giulia Fiantanese, Janani Priyanka, Emma Handley, Joshua Wilkinson, Dana Lanceman, Nikheel Sharma and Deepitika Chand; are also exploring diverse aspects of mangroves and Nature-based Solutions, covering ecology, ecohydraulics, engineering, greenhouse gas absorption, ecosystem evaluation, societal impact governance and financial mechanisms.
Together, the USP and UNSW cohorts are combining scientific expertise, engineering innovation and Pacific knowledge to develop approaches that are both globally informed and locally relevant.
Joshua Wilkinson says, “Mangroves can support community resilience in such diverse ways, so understanding what that resilience looks like for the community on a day-to-day scale is critical to the longevity of a restored ecosystem.”
Beyond their individual, overlapping research projects, the PhD candidates are building lasting relationships with each other. They’re creating a network of emerging mangrove experts who can share knowledge, collaborate on future challenges and support climate resilience efforts across Oceania and beyond for years to come.
Sarah Wells says, “The most rewarding part of Project Halo for me is working with a team who are all passionate about advancing our understanding of mangrove ecosystems.”
“The researchers in Fiji and Australia bring such diverse scientific expertise and perspectives, and being able to combine this knowledge to gain new insight into these ecosystems has been a privilege.”
Extending beyond Project Halo
As Project Halo continues to grow and implement on-ground research and restoration activities, the PhD candidates will continue to expand their breadth and depth of knowledge on mangroves and nature-based solutions more broadly, and more PhD students may even join the team.
Through academic research and on-ground experiences, this network of knowledgeable and determined PhD candidates are becoming equipped with a special set of skills and attributes that they will draw on throughout their careers. Not only will they be in a position to lead or contribute to future restoration efforts in Fiji and the wider Pacific, but as those prepared to tackle the serious sustainability challenges faced by current and future generations, they hope to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
For Principal Philanthropic Funding Partner Swire Shipping, this investment in future leaders is invaluable.
Head of Sustainability Lydia Pavlova says, “For Swire Shipping, backing Project Halo is not just about supporting vital mangrove research and rejuvenation work in Fiji, but also about investing in the next generation of Pacific researchers and practitioners who will carry this work forward.”
“By supporting the development of local expertise, scientific capability and collaboration networks, we are heartened to be part of a meaningful project that will help build the leadership and capability needed to protect ecosystems, strengthen community resilience and create lasting impact for Fiji and the wider Pacific, said Pavlova…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS SPORT
UK – COMMONWEALTH GAMES: THE SUN PACNEWS SPORT: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Tiny island nation wins first ever Commonwealth Games medal without even having to compete
GLASGOW, 31 JULY 2026 (THE SUN) — The fourth smallest country on the planet is guaranteed to stand on the Commonwealth Games podium for the first ever.
Despite a paltry population of under 11,000 people, tiny Tuvalu has managed to punch above its weight, bagging a monumental boxing medal in Glasgow.
Scientists estimate that low-lying Tuvalu could be drowned by rising seas in as little as 50 years, but that hasn’t stopped the nine-island nation from making sporting history in the meantime.
In an even more remarkable turn, Tuvalu do not need to land a single blow to secure their landmark medal.
Following organisational difficulties, just five boxers were listed to compete in the women’s 75kg middleweight class.
Tuvaluan Tarona Taafaki’s side of the draw has a mere two combatants, sealing her place in the semi finals without stepping into the ring.
The 20-year-old will have to face heavy-hitting former World Champion Lovlina Borgohain on Friday.
But even if the Olympic Bronze medallist gives Taafaki a bloody nose, the Tuvaluan flag will be proudly hoisted over the podium regardless.
An International Boxing Association (AIBA) decree dating back to 1950 did away with the typical bronze medal match.
In a move designed to protect fighters from a rapid turnaround between matches, both losing semi-finalists now end up with a medal draped around their necks.
Hopes had been high that a Tafaaki would finally break Tuvalu’s drought at the Games – but many thought Tarona’s brother Pasoni would be the one who gave the islands their first taste of glory.
The nation’s teenage flagbearer was guttingly knocked out in the first round however, and freak circumstances have now combined to ensure his sister will carry the flame instead.
All eight Tafaaki siblings are boxers, having grown up bare knuckle fighting back home.
Tuvalu made their Commonwealth Games debut in 1998, and athletes from the Pacific nation had to endure a multi-day journey just to get to this year’s Glasgwegian showdown…. PACNEWS
