In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — UNICEF Pacific Ambassador calls for action against deep-sea mining
2. NZ — ‘Sign up to NZ’: Winston Peters defends citizens-only voting proposal amid Pacific concerns
3. PACIFIC — Pacific Islanders seek participation in precision medicine studies
4. PACIFIC — Pacific families face new migration hurdles as New Zealand and Australia tighten rules
5. PACIFIC — Forum Secretariat, Türkiye’s TİKA explore stronger development cooperation
6. GUAM — Congressional candidates lay out strategies to get Guam listed under US radiation exposure pay programme
7. VAN — Customary adoption recognised under new Bill in Vanuatu
8. PAC — Japanese defence minister urges Pacific islands to jointly ensure maritime security
9. ACP — OACP SG Moussa Batraki appoints Joseph Clifford Birungi as Chief of Staff
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Federal court throws out lawsuit seeking to halt Guam hospital project
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Agriculture Secretary calls for stronger partnerships to build a food-secure and nutrition-resilient PNG
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Tonga and IFAD reaffirm four decades of partnership as new US$19.4 million rural innovation project gets under way
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — From goldfields to the PNG bid: rugby league, policy and nationhood
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
UNICEF Pacific Ambassador calls for action against deep-sea mining
By Sanjeshni Kumar
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS) — Former Miss Samoa, Miss Pacific Islands and UNICEF Pacific Ambassador Moemoana Schwenke has called on Pacific Islanders to oppose deep-sea mining, warning that it threatens the ocean that has sustained Pacific communities for generations.
In a Facebook post Thursday, Schwenke described the Pacific Ocean (Moana) as central to the identity, culture and heritage of Pacific peoples.
“From every shoreline, she is the same ocean. As Pacific peoples, we are connected by our Moana. Our genealogies are woven through her tides and islands.”
She said the ocean has nurtured Pacific communities for generations and should not be viewed simply as a resource.
“The ocean is not just where we live, she is who we are. She has carried and cared for our ancestors since time immemorial.”
Schwenke said Moana “”is not a frontier to conquer or a resource to exhaust,” adding that ‘she is life itself.”
She warned that deep-sea mining poses an irreversible threat to ecosystems that scientists are only beginning to understand.
“Today her deepest places are under threat from deep sea mining, an irreversible harm for the sake of short-term gain. We risk destroying ancient ecosystems we are only beginning to understand, for something that can never replace the living ocean we stand to lose.”
Schwenke urged Pacific communities to honour the wisdom of their ancestors by protecting the ocean for future generations.
“We must honour the wisdom of our ancestors by protecting the ocean that has always protected and sustained us. We must ensure future generations inherit a Moana still abundant with life, beauty and wonder.”
She also encouraged people to learn more about deep-sea mining, share their connection to the ocean and advocate for its protection.
“Our Moana has given us everything. Now we must protect what has always protected us. Stop deep sea mining. Learn why it matters. Share your ocean story. Because people protect what they love,” she said…. PACNEWS
NZ – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
‘Sign up to NZ’: Winston Peters defends citizens-only voting proposal amid Pacific concerns
WELLINGTON, 31 JULY 2026 (PMN) — Who should have the right to vote in New Zealand is shaping up as a key election issue.
New Zealand First (NZ First) is defending its Citizens Only proposal that would remove voting rights from permanent residents.
The party wants only New Zealand citizens to be able to vote in general elections, local council elections, and referendums.
Under current rules, permanent residents can vote after living in the country for at least one year.
The proposal has raised questions about its impact on Pacific communities, where some long-term residents have not yet taken up New Zealand citizenship.
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, NZ First Leader Winston Peters rejected suggestions the policy would unfairly disadvantage Pasifika.
“Where in the world do they allow that to happen? My point is, if you’re going to sign up to New Zealand, then sign up,” Peters says.
“The great thing about the Pacific countries is they’re allowed to have dual citizenship. They’ll have no difficulty in doing this at all.
Peters said becoming a citizen showed a long-term commitment to Aotearoa.
“As somebody who comes from a people who left probably a thousand years ago before we came to New Zealand, some of us have signed up and committed to this place. If you’re coming to New Zealand, why aren’t you?”
Peters also pointed to Pacific nations that restrict voting to citizens, saying countries like Sāmoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands do not allow non-citizens to vote.
The debate comes as political parties sharpen their campaigns 100 days before the election later this year.
The Opportunity Party Leader Qiulae Wong said New Zealanders were becoming frustrated with political division and wanted parties to work together. “But I do think if we could sit down around the table …. maybe we can find common ground.”
Wong earlier told RNZ voters were tired of the “tribalism” of politics and believed parties should be willing to work across political lines.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has ruled out working with The Opportunity Party after the election.
Peters also dismissed Wong’s prospects of entering Parliament.
“We’re not wasting our time with that, those sorts of people. Nobody’s going to be interested in them and they’re not going to get up in the polls,” he says.
“The mainstream media have created this thing and they’ve got 100 days to try and keep it alive. Now stand back and watch how difficult this is.”
The electoral debate comes as political parties target issues they believe will resonate with voters. tThe debate over who gets to vote is likely to be one of the more closely watched issues in the months ahead.
The 2026 general election will be held on Saturday, 07 November, with advance voting opening on Monday, 26 October….PACNEWS
PAC – MEDICINE STUDIES: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Pacific Islanders seek participation in precision medicine studies
APIA, 31 JULY 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Indigenous health experts in the Pacific Island region are seeking active participation in medical research, particularly in the field of precision medicine, an emerging approach to treating diseases based on individual factors.
“Precision medicine has the potential to transform healthcare by ensuring people receive the right medicine, at the right dose and at the right time,” said Natalie Netzler from the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
“However, Indigenous peoples, including Māori and Pacific communities, have historically been excluded from genetics and genomics research,” added Netzler, who is among the organisers of the Polynesian Precision Medicine Symposium in Samoa.
Around 110 health leaders, researchers, clinicians and community advocates from across the Pacific, New Zealand, Australia and the United States gather in Apia for the symposium.
The inaugural symposium will explore how emerging advances in genomics and precision medicine can be developed in ways that are equitable, culturally grounded and responsive to Indigenous communities.
“As precision medicine becomes embedded in healthcare, there is a real risk that existing health inequities could widen if our populations continue to be left out,” Netzler said.
Precision medicine takes into account individual variability in genes, environment and lifestyle for each patient, allowing doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people.
“Pacific peoples must be active participants in shaping the future of healthcare research rather than simply being recipients of decisions made elsewhere,” said Satupaitea Viali, Asiata professor from Oceania University of Medicine.
“Bringing together leaders from across the region allows us to share perspectives, build relationships and develop approaches that genuinely reflect Pacific priorities and values,” he added.
Viali said training more scientists in the Pacific and New Zealand will ensure that precision medicine benefits extend to Pacific communities.
Symposium organizers said participants will examine both the opportunities and challenges associated with precision medicine, including Indigenous data sovereignty, ethical governance, community engagement, participant protection, data storage and the sharing of research findings with communities.
“Precision medicine is advancing rapidly across the world, but unless we actively address inequities in research participation, many Indigenous populations will miss out on these developments,” said Peter Shepherd, a professor from the University of Auckland, who co-organized the event.
“This symposium provides an important opportunity for researchers, clinicians and communities to work together to create models that are effective, ethical and equitable,” he said.
Netzler noted that the symposium comes at a critical time as health systems worldwide increasingly adopt personalised approaches to diagnosis, treatment and disease prevention…. PACNEWS
PAC – IMMIGRATION: PMN PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Pacific families face new migration hurdles as New Zealand and Australia tighten rules
WELLINGTON, 31 JULY 2026 (PMN) — For many Pacific families, migration has never just been about moving countries: it is about building a future while staying connected to home.
But new migration changes being considered in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia are raising fresh questions for Pacific communities about how families will settle, reunite, and belong.
In New Zealand, the government is expected to announce changes to the parent category resident visa, which allows migrants to bring their parents to live permanently in the country.
The visa system, which reopened in 2022, currently allows 2500 parent residence visas each year through a ballot system.
Thousands of families have expressed interest with critics saying the process feels like a lottery for people who have waited years to reunite with their parents.
The changes come as Pacific Settlement Support Services (PSSS) expands its work supporting Tongan migrants before they arrive in Aotearoa.
Speaking on PMN, PSSS founder Mandy Siitia said preparing families before they leave home is critical because many arrive without knowing how life in New Zealand works.
“Often by the time they come, they haven’t prepared themselves,” she said. “The obvious is just like not even wearing the right clothes.
“As simple as that, right down to the smallest things like organising car seats for cars when they get picked up from the airport, understanding whether or not they can use their driver licence here, and more importantly, bringing the right documentation.”
Siitia said Pacific migrants should not automatically be viewed as people needing welfare support, but as people needing the right information to settle successfully.
“Just because we’re Pasifika, we’re immediately labeled as a group of people that need support when we first get here, but not the support that we should be giving, which is settlement support.”
She said many new migrants arrive with skills, jobs and the ability to contribute.
“They come over quite intelligent, they’re already quite skilled, they can speak good English, they can even understand it well.”
PSSS is now working with Siaola to provide pre-migration workshops in Tonga, helping people understand the cultural and practical changes ahead.
Cassandra Vaea from PSSS also said the goal was to help migrants prepare mentally before making the move.
“We need to assist them in a way, there’s the shift of mindset, the expectation of cultural shock, embrace a learning mindset, accept temporary discomfort, and there’s nothing that is going to be perfect,” Vaea told PMN.
Meanwhile across the Tasman, Australia is also moving towards tougher citizenship requirements.
The proposed changes include stronger English language testing, a longer pathway before applying for citizenship and a greater focus on demonstrating Australian values.
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the changes were designed to ensure migrants were better integrated.
“It is important that they understand that they are making a commitment to our Australian values,” he told media.
For Pacific communities living across New Zealand and Australia, migration policies affect more than individuals – they shape how families stay connected across generations.
As governments look at tighter rules, Pacific organisations like PSSS say the focus must remain on helping people settle well while recognising the important role migrants play in both countries…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Forum Secretariat, Türkiye’s TİKA explore stronger development cooperation
SUVA, 31 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has held talks with a delegation from Türkiye’s Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) to strengthen cooperation in support of Pacific priorities.
Director of Policy Virginia Dawson welcomed the TİKA delegation, comprising Fatih Yilmaz and Seylan Imre, to the Secretariat for discussions on enhancing development cooperation.
The discussions focused on opportunities to advance climate resilience, sustainable development and capacity building, while exploring more structured approaches to development cooperation aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continen.
Türkiye has been a Pacific Islands Forum Dialogue Partner since 2016.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to explore renewed cooperation following TİKA’s collaboration with the Forum Secretariat in 2014….
GUAM – POLITICS: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Congressional candidates lay out strategies to get Guam listed under US radiation exposure pay programme
HAGATNA, 31 JULY 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — The three candidates for Guam delegate unveiled their strategies Tuesday during a forum hosted by the Pacific Association of Radiation Survivors at the University of Guam.
Incumbent Guam Delegate James Moylan leaned on his network in Congress to maintain the momentum he has forged in Washington, D.C.
Former U.S Attorney Alicia Limtiaco cited her legal background to push Guam into the centre of federal decision-making.
Former Senator Mary Torres will build coalitions with a GOP-controlled House of Representatives to secure the votes needed to get Guam included in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.
The three outlined their prospective action plans to push for Guam’s inclusion in RECA, a federal compensation programme for people afflicted with cancer and other diseases associated with radioactive fallout from the U.S nuclear tests during the Cold War.
PARS President Robert Celestial had said in an earlier interview that newly declassified military documents have confirmed that Guam was exposed to radiation fallout and this finding has been confirmed by the National Academy of Sciences.
Over the years, efforts to have Guam be included in RECA have failed. The last failed attempt was in 2025, when Moylan tried to have Guam’s compensation be included in the National Defence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026. Although Guam was in the initial version of the bill, it was cut in the final version.
At Tuesday’s forum, PARS asked each delegate candidate to outline their proposed strategies in Congress to make sure it finally happens.
Moylan said he has always supported efforts to have Guam included in RECA.
During his time in the 35th and 36th Guam Legislature, Moylan said he voted in favour of all resolutions that pushed to make that happen.
During his first term in Congress, Moylan introduced a version of RECA that included Guam, and he has been doing that each time a RECA reauthorization bill comes up, he said.
RECA, first enacted in 1990, has already been reauthorized several times.
This time, Moylan believes building a national coalition with other states and communities that were omitted from RECA could do what Guam has failed to achieve on its own.
“It’s not just about Guam. There are other places that were left out. We left out New Mexico. We left out parts of Nevada. We left out Colorado. There are others. I’ve worked hard with these other folks to build a national coalition,” he said.
His next step is to introduce a bill in Congress that would include all states and communities that were omitted from RECA. “It includes all of us as a strong group of people,” he added.
This is a different approach, he said, and could take the issue even further in Congress and hopefully get it to the finish line.
Torres, who is challenging Moylan for the Republican nomination in the 01 August primary, said Guam’s radiation survivors deserve a congressional approach that will turn PARS’ advocacy into law.
Part of her strategy is attaching the RECA bill to key measures such as a reconciliation bill or the defence budget.
She said that building a coalition with the House majority party is crucial. “We work with the party controlling the agenda instead of introducing a bill without first building the votes needed to move it,” she said.
The Republican Party currently controls the U.S House of Representatives.
Torres said she intends to secure Republican support for Guam’s inclusion in RECA, particularly from members of the powerful Judiciary Committee and congressional leadership, while continuing to build bipartisan support.
“I will begin the first month of my term building the coalition and the record, so that when the RECA reauthorisation fight comes, Guam’s inclusion is negotiated in from the start, not requested at the end,” Torres added.
Limtiaco said her strategy rests on three pillars—crafting a legislative plan with comprehensive congressional committee reports, building strong alliances and moving the locus of control to Guam.
Limtiaco, who is running uncontested in the Democratic primary, vowed to develop a clear plan that would survive congressional scrutiny.
Congressional committee reports that can provide clear congressional intent are critical, Limtiaco said. “They can explain why Guam must be included and give guidance to federal agencies who are part of this process,” she added.
Limtiaco said it is important for Guam to build strong coalitions and alliances in Congress and she touts her experience and commitment to this effort.
Limtiaco emphasised the need to protect the non-adversarial nature of RECA as an alternative to litigation. She said she does not want families in Guam to endure expensive litigation costs when the federal government already has evidence that justifies Guam being included under RECA.
Limtiaco said Guam needs to assert control over federal decisions to ensure that all decisions affecting Guam will take into account the voice of the Guam community.
“We need to ensure that we shift the locus of control to Guam. We should not have here in Guam decisions that impact our families and survivors made very far away in Washington, D.C. We need to have that control here,” she said…. PACNEWS
VAN – ADOPTION: VBTC PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Customary adoption recognised under new Bill in Vanuatu
PORT VILA. 31 JULY 2026 (VBTC) — Customary adoption will be recognised under Vanuatu’s proposed Adoption Bill, as chiefs from Sanma Province and Luganville support new legislation aimed at strengthening child protection.
The proposed Adoption Bill, together with the Child Protection Bill, was discussed during a consultation led by the Child Protection Unit under the Ministry of Justice, where chiefs were briefed on how the new laws will protect children while recognising the role of traditional systems.
Child Social Welfare Coordinator with the Child Protection Unit, Tristelle Karae, said the Adoption Bill will recognise both formal and customary adoption, ensuring traditional practices are included in national law.
“Many people think child protection is a foreign concept, but it actually begins in the nakamal. Everything comes back to the nakamal. How we address issues affecting a child and support their recovery starts within our traditional system,” Karae said.
She said the proposed legislation will also strengthen cooperation between child protection officers and traditional leaders when responding to issues affecting children.
“We went through the Bills section by section with the chiefs, explaining what each part means, how it will affect their work, and how we can work together. As child protection officers, we work closely with communities and the nakamal to address issues affecting children,” she said.
Chief Jean Claude of the Luganville Council of Chiefs welcomed the consultation, saying it helped chiefs better understand the proposed laws.
“The consultation was very good because it is about protecting our children,” he said.
Karae said consultations began in 2020. While the Bills have not yet been passed by Parliament, the consultation process is helping prepare them for consideration during the November sitting…. PACNEWS
PAC – SECURITY: KYODO NEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Japanese defence minister urges Pacific islands to jointly ensure maritime security
TOKYO, 31 JULY 2026 (KYODO NEWS) — Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi urged Pacific island nations Monday to cooperate to ensure maritime security while stressing the need for “free and open” oceans
“Attempts to change the status quo by force must never be tolerated,” Koizumi said in his speech at a Japan-hosted meeting of defence authorities in Tokyo.
He expressed hope to reaffirm their “unwavering commitment to peace.”
“The Pacific may, at times, be rough. But if we can build a strong and multilayered network reaching beyond regions, then no matter how fierce the waves may become, the Pacific can and will remain the ocean of peace,” Koizumi told the third Japan Pacific Islands Defence Dialogue.
Attending parties included defence chiefs and other officials from island nations in the Pacific and partner countries.
The sides discussed maritime challenges such as navigation freedom, securing sea lanes and fighting climate change and disasters.
Some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including Indonesia and the Philippines, were invited for the first time as observers to forum.
Japan also plans to start a program to invite junior and mid-level officials from Pacific Island countries who are involved in security policy to Tokyo’s Defence Ministry in order to strengthen personnel exchanges.
After the meeting, Koizumi told reporters that cooperation with the island nations is of “great importance” in realising a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region…. PACNEWS
ACP- DIPLOMACY: ACP SECRETARIAT PACNEWS 3: Fri 31 Jul 2026
OACP SG Moussa Batraki appoints Joseph Clifford Birungi of Uganda as Chief of Staff
BRUSSELS, 31 JULY 2026 (ACP SECRETARIAT) — The Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Moussa Saleh Batraki, has announced the appointment of Joseph Clifford Birungi of Uganda as his Chief of Staff.
Birungi joins the Cabinet of the Secretary-General after nine years at the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), where he held, at different times, positions of Acting Chief of Political Affairs and Political Affairs Officer, providing strategic policy advice and supporting the strengthening of African Union–United Nations partnership in peace, security and political affairs.
Birungi brings more than 25 years of experience in policy analysis, strategic advisory services, regional integration, multilateral diplomacy, political affairs, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and stakeholder engagement in complex political environments across Africa.
Before joining the United Nations, he also served as a Foreign Service Officer, Uganda, Principal International Relations Officer at the East African Community Secretariat in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, and Head of the East African Community Liaison Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
His professional experience also includes administrative responsibilities in the Office of the President of Uganda and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, as well as consultancy work with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Birungi holds a Master of Arts in International Peace Studies from the University for Peace in Costa Rica and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, French and German from Makerere University in Uganda.
He has also undertaken professional training in diplomacy, governance, leadership, conflict resolution, management and regional integration…. PACNEWS
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GUAM – HOSPITAL PROJECT: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Federal court throws out lawsuit seeking to halt Guam hospital project
HAGATNA, 31 JULY 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Attorney General Douglas Moylan’s lawsuit challenging the governor’s plan to build a new hospital on private properties condemned by the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority.
Judge John Coughenour of the District Court of Guam adopted Magistrate Judge Michael J. Bordallo’s report and recommendation, finding a lack of jurisdiction and thus leaving out discussion of the merits of the case.
The lawsuit filed in December 2024 entailed a patchwork of claims against the legality of GHURA’s land acquisition and Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero’s move to earmark a portion of the American Rescue Plan funds for her proposed US$1.4 billion medical campus.
“Today’s ruling allows us to turn the page. The people of Guam deserve cranes instead of courtrooms, construction instead of conflict, and a government focused on delivering results,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
“We will continue moving forward with urgency to build the Mangilao medical campus because the need for a world-class hospital did not pause while this lawsuit was pending. If anything, it became even more apparent,” the statement reads.
Moylan said he had anticipated Coughenour’s ruling, which he plans to elevate to the Ninth Circuit Court.
“We have 30 days to appeal the decision,” he said, noting that the federal court’s procedural ruling did not touch on the core arguments of the case.
“The decision appears to simply adopt the recommendations by the lower magistrate Judge Bordallo, which were on procedural legal grounds” Moylan said.
“We respectfully disagree and will exercise our right of appeal on behalf of our client to protect us from indebting our people for amounts the Guam legislature did not appropriate,” he added.
The governor’s office had argued from the very beginning that the lawsuit was outside of federal court’s jurisdiction.
In a 2024 civil action filed in the Superior Court, GHURA listed 169,795 sqm. of land for taking under eminent domain. They are owned by Hong Yi Inc., Dr Joel Joseph and “other unknown owners.”
“The use for which the property is to be taken is for use as a site for a new hospital and medical complex and community development projects,” states GHURA’s court filing.”
The properties were to be purchased with US$12.5 million in ARPA funds the governor loaned to GHURA, in an agreement that Moylan described in his lawsuit as “surreptitious” and riddled with legal anomalies.
In dismissing the case, Coughenour pointed out that “rather than raise specific objections” to Bordallo’s analysis, the attorney general presented “a variety of procedural arguments.”
Coughenour also dropped “government of Guam” as Moylan’s co-plaintiff in the lawsuit, upholding Bordallo’s argument that
“The governor holds the supreme executive power for the government of Guam.”
In the event of a conflict over the government of Guam’s interest, the attorney general must yield control over litigation to the governor, Bordallo wrote in his earlier report.
“Today’s decision undermines the U.S Congress’ mandate that the attorney general be the chief legal officer of the government of Guam to protect the people of Guam and government of Guam against illegal and improper spending, especially when the Guam legislature has not authorised US$1.4 billion in debt and spending,” Moylan said.
“Most disconcerting is that one of the legal errors in the decision includes the attorney general not being able to represent the government of Guam and the People of Guam and to petition the courts in the name of our client,” he added.
Moylan cautioned that the court’s decision “has lingering and longer-lasting negative impact” on the government’s structure and the attorney general’s role as a watchdog.
The governor’s office, for its part, argued that the lawsuit “had real consequences.”
“Every month spent in unnecessary litigation was another month the people of Guam waited for a modern hospital capable of expanding access to care,
strengthening our emergency preparedness, supporting our military and civilian communities and saving lives,”” it added…. PACNEWS
PNG – AGRICULTURE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 31 Jul 2026
Agriculture Secretary calls for stronger partnerships to build a food-secure and nutrition-resilient PNG
PORT MORESBY, 31 JULY 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — The Secretary for the Papua New Guinea Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Dr Sergie Bang, has called for stronger multi-sectoral partnerships and greater accountability to address PNG’s persistent food security and nutrition challenges while delivering the country’s ambitious agricultural development agenda.
Speaking at the opening of the PNG Food and Nutrition Conference 2026 at the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (UNITECH) in Lae on 1st July 2026, Dr Bang said the conference provides an important platform for researchers, policymakers, development partners and the private sector to work together in developing practical solutions to improve food security and nutrition across the country.
The conference, held under the theme “Building a Resilient Papua New Guinea through Food Security and Nutrition,” brought together government agencies, researchers, universities, development partners, civil society organisations and farmers to discuss evidence-based approaches to addressing food and nutrition issues in Papua New Guinea.
Dr Bang acknowledged the contributions of researchers, universities and development partners whose work continues to generate the scientific evidence needed to guide national policy and investment decisions.
“Research and reliable data are essential in helping us develop the right policies and strategies to build a resilient food system. The knowledge shared during this conference will help shape the future of agriculture and nutrition in Papua New Guinea,” Dr Bang said.
He expressed concern that despite more than 50 years of independence, Papua New Guinea continues to experience high levels of child malnutrition, with approximately 46 percent of children under the age of five affected by stunting, while many households continue to face uncertain daily food supplies.
“We must ask ourselves why, after 50 years, we are still facing these challenges. These are issues that require all sectors to work together with a shared commitment to deliver lasting solutions,” he said.
Dr Bang outlined the Department’s commitment to achieving the key development targets contained in the National Agriculture Sector Plan and the Medium-Term Development Plan, including increasing agriculture’s contribution to the national economy, creating one million jobs, supporting 450,000 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), improving child nutrition, and increasing household incomes across the country.
He stressed that these national outcomes cannot be achieved by the agriculture sector alone.
“We need universities, government agencies, development partners, the private sector and our farmers working together. Through genuine partnerships and shared accountability, we can achieve these national development goals and improve the lives of our people,” Dr Bang said.
During the conference, Dr. Bang also officially launched the publication “Agriculture in Papua New Guinea 1975–2025,” a commemorative publication marking Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary.
The publication documents five decades of agricultural development, highlighting the achievements, challenges and transformation of Papua New Guinea’s agriculture sector while providing a foundation for planning the country’s agricultural development over the next 50 years.
Dr Bang said the publication comes at a critical time as Papua New Guinea prepares for the potential impacts of another severe El Niño event, recalling the devastating droughts experienced in 1972, 1982, 1997 and 2015, which resulted in widespread food shortages and hardship for many rural communities.
He said the lessons captured in the publication, together with the research presented during the conference, should help strengthen the country’s preparedness and resilience to future climate-related shocks.
The DAL Secretary reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to transforming the agriculture sector through stronger coordination, evidence-based policy, innovation and regular performance monitoring to ensure development targets are achieved.
“As we celebrate 50 years of nationhood, we must move beyond fragmented approaches and work together to build a resilient, prosperous and food-secure Papua New Guinea for future generations,” Dr Bang said…. PACNEWS
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Tonga and IFAD reaffirm four decades of partnership as new US$19.4 million rural innovation project gets under way
NUKU’ALOFA, 31 JULY 2026 (IFAD) — The Government of Tonga and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) this week reaffirmed their partnership spanning more than four decades with the launch of the new phase of the Tonga Rural Innovation Project (TRIP), a US$19.4 million investment to improve rural livelihoods for 128 rural communities across Tongatapu, Vavaʻu, ʻEua, Haʻapai, Niuafoʻou and Niuatoputapu islands.
Financed by IFAD, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Government of Tonga as well as the strong financial involvement of participating communities contributing US$3.11 million to the new investment, this third phase of the TRIP will reach 8,800 households – over 35,000 people – by promoting both the diversification of agricultural production and its commercialization.
Speaking at the launch, Prime Minister Fatafehi Fakafanua said: “TRIP III demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring that national development reaches rural communities throughout Tonga. It brings government, development partners, civil society and communities together in a partnership founded on trust, respect and shared accountability”.
The Prime Minister and Brown discussed the Fund’s investment in Tonga’s national priorities on rural development, food and nutrition security, climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods and outer-island development.
“TRIP has been at the heart of IFAD’s partnership with Tonga since 2012,” said Donal Brown, IFAD’s Associate Vice-President for the Department of Country Operations. “Building on the lessons from its predecessors, this third phase will empower communities and improve livelihoods through increased production and better market access. IFAD is backing Tongan communities not simply to endure a changing climate, but to thrive in it.”
TRIP III will contribute to Tonga’s national priorities by investing in community development plans aimed at building resilient livelihoods and value chains better prepared to withstand increasing climate variability. This includes enhanced agro-met services, as well as an innovation facility offering matching grants to pilot new ideas and practices.
The investment will be implemented by the Mainstreaming of Rural Development Innovations Tonga Trust (MORDI TT), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests, the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, and local government.
The IFAD delegation led by Brown also met partners at the New Zealand High Commission in Nukuʻalofa, to discuss collaboration in support of rural communities in Tonga and across the Pacific, an increasing priority for IFAD. Earlier this year, IFAD launched the Pacific Islands Regional Strategic Opportunities Programme (RESOP), which guides IFAD’s investment and engagement to address shared challenges of rural poverty, food insecurity, climate vulnerability, and geographic isolation across 13 Pacific Island Countries through 2033.
The delegation also visited the outer island of Vava’u, where Brown and the island’s governor discussed how TRIP III could support local development priorities and strengthen coordination among communities, local authorities, MORDI TT and partners. Despite playing a central role in Tonga’s food security, livelihoods and cultural identity, outer-island communities face serious challenges linked to remoteness, climate change, natural disasters and access to services and markets.
Tonga has been a member of IFAD since 1982, and IFAD’s first investment in the country – the Agricultural Credit Project – was approved in 1983. Since then, IFAD has invested in six projects in Tonga with total financing of US$53.1 million, including US$22 million from IFAD…. PACNEWS
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From goldfields to the PNG bid: rugby league, policy and nationhood
By Allan Donigi
PORT MORESBY, 31 JULY 2026 (DEVPOLCY.ORG) — Recent developments surrounding Papua New Guinea’s entry into Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) through the PNG Chiefs have generated understandable excitement. For many Papua New Guineans, the announcement confirms what has long been obvious: rugby league is not merely a sport in PNG; it is part of the country’s social fabric.
Yet the Chiefs project is about more than sport. The scale of investment, the involvement of both governments and the strategic context in which the deal emerged demonstrate that PNG’s NRL entry should be understood as both a nation-building project and an exercise in regional diplomacy.
Rugby league was first introduced during the gold rush era and later strengthened through Australian military presence during and after World War II. Over time, what began as an imported game evolved into a uniquely Papua New Guinean institution. Domestic competitions expanded throughout the 1960s and 1970s, representative matches drew large crowds, and rugby league became one of the few activities capable of uniting people across Papua New Guinea’s immense cultural and linguistic diversity.
The emergence of players such as Adrian Lam, Marcus Bai, David Mead and Justin Olam demonstrated that Papua New Guinean athletes could compete successfully at the highest levels of the game. The establishment of the PNG Hunters in 2013 further strengthened pathways into professional rugby league and laid important foundations for the Chiefs franchise.
Against that historical backdrop, the December 2024 announcement of a PNG-based NRL team represents the most significant development in the country’s rugby league history. However, the initiative also reflects broader strategic considerations.
Australia has committed approximately $600 million over ten years to support the franchise and related rugby league development activities. Public reporting further indicates that the arrangement is linked to wider strategic objectives in the Pacific and was accompanied by undertakings concerning the ongoing security relationship between Australia and PNG. Reports suggest that Australian support is contingent upon PNG maintaining Australia as its principal security partner and not entering security arrangements that would undermine that relationship.
This places the Chiefs project firmly within the realm of soft power, indeed bordering on the realm of hard power. Unlike conventional aid programs, sports diplomacy seeks to strengthen influence through shared interests, cultural connections and public goodwill. Rugby league provides Australia with a uniquely effective vehicle for engagement because it already enjoys deep legitimacy within PNG. Rather than creating a new institution, the partnership invests in one that already commands widespread public support.
At the same time, the arrangement raises legitimate questions about opportunity cost. Supporters correctly observe that the funding does not come from PNG’s domestic budget and was specifically allocated by Australia for this purpose. In that sense, the Chiefs are not directly competing with PNG government expenditure on hospitals, schools or roads.
However, the broader question remains. Could A$600 million of Australian expenditure have generated greater developmental benefits through investments in health, education, infrastructure or governance reform? Critics have argued that the scale of the commitment invites comparison with other development priorities that continue to face significant resource constraints.
The answer ultimately depends on outcomes. If the initiative creates jobs, stimulates tourism, expands sporting opportunities, develops youth pathways and strengthens bilateral relations, the investment may prove justified. If those benefits fail to materialise, however, opportunity-cost concerns will become increasingly difficult to dismiss.
This is where governance becomes central.
PNG’s challenge has seldom been the absence of plans. More often, the problem has been translating policy commitments into sustained implementation. More often, challenges emerge during implementation. The Chiefs project therefore faces a governance test that extends well beyond sport.
The most immediate governance issue is accountability. Once hundreds of millions of dollars are committed across governments, sporting bodies and commercial partners, questions about who owns the project, who makes decisions and who answers for failures become unavoidable. Large-scale funding arrangements involving multiple governments, sporting organisations and private stakeholders inevitably create complex reporting and oversight challenges. Questions relating to ownership, expenditure, procurement processes and performance measurement will require clear answers throughout the life of the project. Transparency will be particularly important because a significant proportion of the funding originates from Australian taxpayers while the team’s legitimacy ultimately depends on support from Papua New Guineans.
The second risk concerns institutional capacity. Establishing a successful NRL franchise requires sophisticated administration, commercial management, talent development systems, corporate partnerships, player welfare programs and long-term financial planning. Building this capability is a substantially different challenge from organising domestic competitions. The success of the Chiefs will depend not only on athletic performance but also on whether robust institutions can be established and sustained over time.
A third risk arises from public expectations. The symbolism of a national NRL team is powerful. However, heightened expectations can become problematic if immediate results fail to materialise. Professional sporting organisations often require years to become competitive. Expansion clubs in elite competitions frequently experience difficult periods before achieving sustained success. If supporters expect instant success, disappointment may create public frustration and weaken enthusiasm for the project.
This risk has broader diplomatic implications. The Chiefs are being presented as both a sporting and strategic success story. If the team becomes competitive, financially stable and nationally admired, it could strengthen the soft-power objectives underpinning the arrangement. Conversely, if the franchise struggles on the field or encounters governance controversies off it, the initiative could become associated with waste, disappointment or dependency rather than partnership and national achievement.
The political risks should not be ignored either. Because the project is linked to a broader strategic partnership, future changes in regional geopolitics could affect public perceptions of the initiative. What is currently celebrated as a sporting opportunity may, in some circumstances, be criticised as an instrument of external influence. Maintaining public confidence will therefore require consistent evidence that the project serves PNG’s interests first.
None of these risks mean the initiative is misguided. On balance, the Chiefs project is probably a worthwhile investment. Rugby league remains one of the few institutions capable of transcending regional, linguistic and cultural differences within PNG. Few development initiatives possess comparable nation-building potential.
Nevertheless, success is not guaranteed. The long-term value of the project will depend on governance standards, institutional competence, financial accountability and realistic public expectations.
The main question is no longer whether PNG deserves an NRL team. A good number would argue that it clearly does. The more important question is whether the institutions responsible for the Chiefs can convert a historic opportunity into a sustainable national achievement…. PACNEWS
