In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Forum Strategic Plan sets six priorities to drive 2050 Blue Pacific Vision
2. PACIFIC — Pacific preparations underway ahead of Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau
3. SOL — Independent group clarifies position on Solomon Islands- U.S Ship Rider Agreement
4. FIJI — People First Party sounds Fiji debt warning as it outlines consultation-driven manifesto plan
5. NZ — New Zealanders living across Pacific urged to check enrolment before key election deadlines hit
6. UN — Mothers still lack support to breastfeed, UN warns
7. FIJI — Fiji TV & Mai TV receive equipment kit boost from BBC Media Action
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Solomon Islands government unveils Economic reset, Bank revival plans
9. PACNEWS BIZ — $1 billion lost as Solomon Islands Public Service absenteeism runs unchecked
10. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG national broadcaster NBC gives illegal squatters 21 days to vacate property
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Strait of Hormuz disruption hits energy, fertiliser and industrial trade
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Niue boosts climate negotiation skills ahead of COP31
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fieldwork assessment advances Samoa’s mangrove carbon stock management project aspirations
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — A fairer Pacific migration system starts with Kiribati — Part 2
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Forum Strategic Plan sets six priorities to drive 2050 Blue Pacific Vision
SUVA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has adopted a new five-year Strategic Plan that sets six strategic goals to strengthen regional political solidarity, security, economic resilience, ocean governance and institutional performance in support of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
The Pacific Islands Forum Strategic Plan 2025-2030 aligns the work of the Forum Secretariat with the long-term vision of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, endorsed by Forum Leaders in 2022, and its Implementation Plan.
The Strategic Plan acknowledges that the Pacific continues to face significant challenges, including climate change, disasters, economic vulnerabilities, geopolitical tensions and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional recovery.
It outlines a vision of a resilient Pacific region characterised by peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity, with all Pacific people able to live free, healthy and productive lives.
The Plan is underpinned by ten political commitments made by Forum Leaders to strengthen regionalism and collective action. These include deepening regional cooperation, advancing the Blue Pacific identity, protecting people and the environment, accelerating economic growth, safeguarding future generations and ensuring a well-connected Pacific.
To achieve these commitments, the Strategic Plan is organised around seven thematic areas: Political Leadership and Regionalism; Peace and Security; Resource and Economic Development; Ocean and Environment; Technology and Connectivity; People-Centred Development; and Climate Change and Disasters.
The Forum Secretariat will deliver the Strategic Plan through four core functions: providing policy advice, strengthening partnerships and coordination, advancing international engagement and advocacy, and supporting the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of regional priorities.
The Plan identifies six strategic goals for the period 2025-2030:
* Enhanced and Inclusive Regional Political Solidarity;
* Strengthened Regional Peace and Security;
* Enhanced, Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth;
* Strengthened Regional Trade and Investment;
* A Secured Future for Our Ocean; and
* Excellence in Service Delivery.
The Strategic Plan also outlines four organisational values that will guide the Secretariat’s work: leadership, empathy, innovation and accountability.
According to the Plan, its development involved extensive consultations with Forum members and stakeholders to ensure it reflects regional priorities and remains aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
The Strategic Plan will guide the Forum Secretariat’s work over the next five years as it supports Forum members in advancing regional priorities and implementing the 2050 Strategy….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS/PIFS PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Pacific preparations underway ahead of Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau
SUVA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS/PIFS)—The Pre-Forum Officials Committee (FOC) Meeting has begun, bringing together senior government officials to discuss key governance issues for the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and review progress on regional priorities under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
The meeting is being chaired by the newly appointed FOC Chair and Papua New Guinea High Commissioner to Fiji, Jacinta Tony-Barrion.
Senior officials are using the meeting to assess implementation progress across the seven thematic areas of the 2050 Strategy and consider matters related to the effective delivery of regional initiatives.
The discussions form part of preparations for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which will be hosted by Palau.
Officials are also reviewing outcomes from recent regional ministerial meetings, including the Pacific Islands Forum Women Leaders Meeting and the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting, to ensure key recommendations and priorities are reflected in upcoming leaders’ discussions….PACNEWS
SOL – POLITICS: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Independent group clarifies position on Solomon Islands- U.S Ship Rider Agreement
HONIARA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— Solomon Islands Opposition Independent Group has clarified that its concerns regarding the Solomon Islands–United States Ship Rider Agreement are focused on parliamentary oversight and governance principles, rather than questioning the legal validity or operational benefits of the agreement.
The group welcomed the contributions of legal and policy experts Dr Transform Aqorau and Dr Joseph Foukona, saying their views had enriched the national discussion on the maritime cooperation arrangement.
In a statement, the Independent Group said its earlier position was not directed at the effectiveness of the Ship Rider Agreement itself, but rather the broader issue of how international treaties and agreements are considered and approved.
The group highlighted Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s public commitment that international agreements should be tabled before Parliament for scrutiny.
It said the commitment, made after the Prime Minister’s official visits to Australia and New Zealand, represented a shift from previous practices where treaty negotiations and signings were largely handled by the Executive without parliamentary oversight.
“The Independent Group welcomes and fully supports this commitment by Prime Minister Wale,” the statement said.
The group said greater parliamentary involvement would support transparency, accountability and democratic governance, adding that Parliament must have its constitutional role in reviewing agreements with legal, financial or strategic implications for Solomon Islands.
The Independent Group also raised questions over the United States’ status outside the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), noting that while Washington recognises many UNCLOS provisions as customary international law, its non-party status warranted parliamentary consideration in agreements involving maritime jurisdiction and law enforcement cooperation.
The group further said Parliament should examine how bilateral maritime agreements align with existing regional frameworks, including the Niue Treaty and related cooperative mechanisms.
It said Solomon Islands had invested heavily in regional maritime surveillance and fisheries enforcement, and future agreements should strengthen rather than duplicate or undermine those efforts.
The Independent Group said if Ship Rider Agreements were considered effective tools to address illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, transnational crime, human trafficking and drug trafficking, the Government should also consider similar arrangements with other trusted partners where they served the national interest.
The group said Dr Aqorau’s contribution had opened a wider policy discussion, including whether a similar maritime cooperation arrangement with the People’s Republic of China could complement existing partnerships and enhance Solomon Islands’ ability to monitor and protect its vast exclusive economic zone.
The Independent Group reaffirmed its support for an independent foreign policy based on national interest, respect for international law, regional cooperation and ensuring Parliament maintains its oversight role on matters of national importance….PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: MAI TV PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
People First Party sounds Fiji debt warning as it outlines consultation-driven manifesto plan
SUVA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (MAI TV)—The newly formed People First Party has launched its political platform in Nadi, with party leader Inia Seruiratu warning that Fiji’s rising public debt poses a threat to the country’s economic independence.
Speaking at the launch at Korovuto College over the weekend, Seruiratu said Fiji’s debt was approaching $12 billion(US$6 billion), nearly three times higher than a decade ago, with the debt-to-GDP ratio nearing 85 percent.
He said rising debt servicing costs were putting pressure on essential services such as health and education.
“A nation that cannot control its own finances cannot control its own destiny,” Seruiratu said.
He said the party’s economic priorities would focus on fiscal discipline, supporting industries beyond tourism, targeted cost-of-living relief and expanding development beyond the Suva-Nausori corridor.
The People First Party, formed by former FijiFirst parliamentarians following the deregistration of FijiFirst in 2023, said its constitution included measures to protect party independence, including restrictions on foreign funding and influence.
The party also released its first 14 provisional candidates for the next general election.
The candidates are:Sitiveni Weleilakeba, Arisi Tabuasei, Apakuki T. Nalaukai, Saiyaz Khan, Ritambhara, Shushila Ramesh, Ravina Lata, Jasmine Lal, Kalesi Toga, Ashley Amrita Singh, Luisa Vusnimasei, Hazrat Ali, Adi Laisa Tora Balavu, and Sudhakar
Seruiratu also highlighted the inclusion of Shushila Ramesh, an 82-year-old women’s rights advocate, saying her candidacy was aimed at encouraging greater participation by young Fijians, especially young women.
“We have chosen an 82-year-old because the young ones are not putting their hands up,” he said. “I want to challenge you. Join us. Join this movement when you still have breath and when you still have strength.”
Seruiratu said the party would develop its manifesto through nationwide consultations, saying policies would be shaped through a talanoa process with ordinary Fijians.
“People come first,” he said. …PACNEWS
NZ – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
New Zealanders living across Pacific urged to check enrolment before key election deadlines hit
WELLINGTON, 05 AUGUST 2026 (PMN)—New Zealanders living across the Pacific are being reminded they do not have to be in Aotearoa to have their say in this year’s general election.
From Sāmoa and Tonga to the Cook Islands, Niue and beyond, eligible overseas voters can still take part in the 07 November election.
But Elections NZ says the time to check enrolment is now.
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Hone Fowler – Elections NZ Northern Manager for Community Engagement, says people travelling or living overseas during the voting period should not assume they are unable to vote.
“If you’re travelling overseas, if you’re going to be overseas during the voting period this year, you can actually vote,” Fowler says.
Overseas voters can download and upload their voting papers through vote.nz or vote in person at selected New Zealand High Commission offices in Apia, Nuku’alofa, Rarotonga and Alofi.
The key deadline for enrolment is midnight on Sunday 25 October. Advance voting starts the following day, Monday 26 October and runs until election day on 7 November.
Unlike previous elections, voters will not be able to enrol once voting has started, making it more important for people overseas to check their details early.
Figures from the 2023 election show New Zealanders across the Pacific are already taking part in overseas voting.
Votes were returned from 584 people in the Cook Islands, 440 in Sāmoa, 396 in Fiji, 131 in Papua New Guinea, 106 in Vanuatu, 87 in Niue and 84 in Tonga.
Fowler says people should check whether they meet the requirements before assuming they are not eligible.
“Have I lived in New Zealand, Aotearoa, for 12 months or more in my lifetime? And do I visit New Zealand on a regular basis? If you meet those criteria, you might be eligible to vote at this year’s election,” he says.
New Zealand citizens living overseas must have lived in New Zealand continuously for at least 12 months at some point in their life and visited New Zealand within the past three years.
Permanent residents must have lived in New Zealand continuously for at least 12 months and returned within the past 12 months.
Fowler says families can play an important role by sharing the information with relatives and friends who may not realise they are eligible to vote.
He says people living in New Zealand’s Realm countries can also enrol if they meet the same requirements.
“Niue, Tokelau and Cook Islands, if you live there, if you’re from there, and you’ve also lived in New Zealand for 12 months or more, you are eligible to enrol to vote.”
He encourages eligible voters to make sure their enrolment details are up to date through vote.nz.
Fowler also clarified a common question around electoral rolls, saying people of Māori descent can choose between the Māori and general rolls.
“When it comes to ancestry, or when it comes to descent, if you whakapapa Māori, Aotearoa or New Zealand Māori, then you’re eligible to make that choice between the Māori roll or the general roll,” he says.
“That doesn’t include Cook Island Māori.”
Māori voters who are already enrolled have until midnight on Thursday, 06 August to switch between the Māori and general rolls. First-time voters can make their choice when they enrol before enrolments close.
Fowler says younger Pacific voters should also understand the importance of taking part.
“Decisions that are made for young people should involve the voices of young people,” he said. “And this is one way, one mechanism that young people can have their voices heard and reflected in who represents them in our Parliament,” says Fowler….PACNEWS
UN – HEALTH: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Mothers still lack support to breastfeed, UN warns
GENEVA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE)—Breastfeeding rates are rising worldwide, but millions of mothers and families still lack the services and protection they need to feed their babies safely, the UN has warned.
Health systems, workplaces and communities must do more to support mothers and newborns, children’s agency UNICEF and the World Health Organisation said, calling for stronger counselling, maternity protections and tougher safeguards against the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.
The appeal comes as countries mark World Breastfeeding Week from 01 to 07 August, under the theme Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.
Breastfeeding is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect a child’s health. It provides infants and young children with essential nutrition, increases immunity, helps protect against serious illness, and supports cognitive development.
Mothers also benefit as breastfeeding helps to reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as breast and ovarian cancers, and type 2 diabetes.
“Breastfeeding is vital,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a joint statement.
“By investing in proven solutions, we can give every child the best possible start in life and ensure every mother gets the care and services she needs.”
Scaling up breastfeeding could prevent almost 400,000 child deaths and around 140,000 maternal deaths each year, the agency chiefs said.
WHO and UNICEF have long recommended that breastfeeding begin within the first hour of birth, that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and that breastfeeding continue up to two years or beyond, alongside safe and appropriate complementary foods from six months.
These practices remain critical to raising healthy babies, even during crisis such as the war in Sudan.
“Breastfeeding is important because it is a readily available, clean and safe source of food and hydration for infants and it also provides an immunisation system for babies,” said Rawan, a nutrition assistant with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on the ground.
There has been measurable progress globally as exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months has increased from around 37 percent in 2012 to over 47 percent today, while the prevalence of breastfeeding up to two years of age has also risen in recent years, from 38 percent to 50 percent.
Yet progress is not happening fast enough, and many countries are lagging behind global targets.
“Coverage of services supporting breastfeeding remains low, policies are inconsistently enforced, and service quality is often inadequate, especially in low-income, fragile, and humanitarian settings,” the UNICEF and WHO chiefs noted in their statement.
With the world offtrack on breastfeeding goals, they stressed that “the evidence is clear: cost-effective interventions include skilled breastfeeding support in health systems, community-based counselling, maternity protection policies, and protection from the exploitative marketing of commercial milk formulas.”
This World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF and WHO call on countries to strengthen health systems so mothers and newborns can receive quality breastfeeding support before, during and after birth.
They also urged governments to expand community counselling, invest in paid maternity leave and workplace protections, enforce the International Code that regulates the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, and keep breastfeeding support available in emergencies and fragile settings.
The agency chiefs stressed that the economic case is strong as every dollar invested in breastfeeding promotion generates an estimated $59 in economic returns through lower healthcare costs, improved cognitive development, higher educational attainment, and increased lifetime earnings….PACNEWS
FIJI – BROADCAST EQUPMENT: FIJI TV PACNEWS 2: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Fiji TV & Mai TV receive equipment kit boost from BBC Media Action
SUVA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TV)—Better equipment will now assist in stronger storytelling that could make a real difference to the stories reaching homes across Fiji.
This comes with the new donation from BBC Media Action and the British High Commission to two local television broadcasters, Fiji Television Limited and Mai TV with hopes that it will improve how important community stories are told, with new camera equipment expected to strengthen journalism across the country.
BBC Media Action Project Director, Dipak Bhattarai highlighted that the support is about giving media organisations the tools they need to better serve their audiences while continuing to strengthen journalism across Fiji.
“With the support from the British High Commission these are the equipment that BBC has donated”
“We hope this equipment will support Fiji TV and Mai TV, while our partnership continues through training, content grants and helping strengthen media organisations across Fiji” Bhattarai highlighted.
British High Commission Counsellor and Head of the UK Integrated Security Fund Programme in the Pacific, Josh Kemp, said quality journalism depends not only on skilled reporters but also on giving them the right equipment to tell stories that matter to communities.
“We depend not only on skilled media professionals to find the stories, but also on giving them the right tools and resources to tell important stories, amplify diverse voices and serve communities with accurate and reliable information” Kemp said.
Fijian Media Association (FMA) General Secretary and Mai TV Director, Stanley Simpson, said the equipment is a major boost after years of limited resources, allowing local broadcasters to continue delivering important stories to viewers.
“This equipment is valuable to us. We went for many years without receiving this kind of support”.
It will go a long way in helping Fiji TV and Mai TV tell great stories, and this practical support is exactly what the industry needs” Simpson said.
The equipment handover is expected to strengthen news coverage, improve storytelling, and help ensure more community voices and important local issues continue reaching audiences across Fiji…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – ECONOMY: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Solomon Islands government unveils Economic reset, Bank revival plans
HONIARA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)—Governor General Sir David Kapu says Solomon Islands is expected to see a moderate economic recovery in 2026, driven by growth in mining, fisheries, agriculture and business services, alongside major projects such as the Tina Hydro project.
Speaking in Parliament Tuesday, Sir David said the Government would pursue fiscal discipline by reducing deficits, rebuilding liquidity buffers and strengthening transparency in public financial management.
He said the Government would also consider introducing a medium-term fiscal framework to manage future mineral revenues.
The Governor General made the remarks during the opening of the fourth meeting of the first session of the 12th Parliament.
On taxation reform, Sir David said the Government’s objective was to establish a system that is fair, simple, broad-based and equitable.
“The Value-Added Tax legislation is expected before the House within the year, followed by reform of the Income Tax Act and reviews of excise and resource rent taxation,” he said.
The Governor General highlighted two key reforms that Cabinet would prioritise.
“First, Cabinet will soon endorse the establishment of a Sovereign Wealth Fund to preserve today’s resource wealth as enduring national wealth.
“Secondly, reforms will commence to re-establish the National Bank of Solomon Islands, restoring a national financial institution and widening access to banking across the islands.”
Sir David also confirmed that a suite of financial sector bills would be prioritised, while amendments to the State-Owned Enterprises Act would be submitted within the year.
He said the Coalition Government’s priorities would be reflected in the 2027 Budget, with ministries required to submit costed work plans to ensure government commitments are delivered “not merely proclaimed.”….PACNEWS
SOL- ABSENTEEISM: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 05 Aug 2026
$1 billion lost as Solomon Islands Public Service absenteeism runs unchecked
HONIARA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)—Solomon Islands Auditor General David Teika Dennis is urging the Ministry of Public Service to urgently enforce the Government’s Attendance Management Policy.
His call came after an audit his office carried out found ineffective implementation has contributed to an estimated $1 billion(US$124 million) in wasted public resources between 2023 and 2025.
The findings are contained in a performance audit report by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), which assessed the implementation of the policy introduced by Cabinet in 2015 to address high levels of absenteeism across the public service.
The audit, finalised in June this year, analysed attendance management data from only three of the 31 ministries and agencies reviewed, as these were the only entities able to provide sufficient information on policy implementation.
The Attendance Management Policy was designed to establish and sustain a productive, healthy, efficient and high-performing public service by reducing absenteeism, improving service delivery, increasing productivity and strengthening staff morale.
However, the audit identified several weaknesses in implementation, including the failure to install attendance monitoring systems in public offices, the absence of a clear rollout strategy, limited monitoring and evaluation of the policy, and incomplete enforcement of policy requirements.
The report also found that around 25 percent of payroll costs within the audited entities were associated with unauthorised absences, resulting in significant losses in productivity and public resources.
Other findings included incorrect implementation of the policy and a lack of alignment with Cabinet-approved directives.
Auditor General Dennis said the findings highlight the urgent need for stronger oversight, communication and enforcement of the Attendance Management Policy across the public service.
“This report highlights that the policy is not being taken seriously,” Dennis stated.
“When policies are approved, they must be effectively communicated to those responsible for implementing them, supported by clear rollout plans and timelines for ministries and agencies,” he added.
“The policy was approved by Cabinet in 2015, yet at the time of the audit last year, only two ministries and one government agency had taken steps to enforce it.”
Dennis urged the Ministry of Public Service to ensure the policy is fully implemented to improve accountability and ensure public funds are used effectively for essential government services.
“I am urging the Ministry of Public Service to ensure the policy is rolled out and implemented effectively, so that public funds are spent wisely and directed towards much-needed services,” he said…..PACNEWS
PNG – NATIONAL BROADCASTER: NBC PNG NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 05 Aug 2026
PNG national broadcaster NBC gives illegal squatters 21 days to vacate property
PORT MORESBY, 05 AUGUST 2026 (NBC PNG NEWS)—Papua New Guinea’s National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has given illegal squatters residing behind the 5 Mile headquarters in Port Moresby 21 days to leave the property or face eviction by police.
Managing Director Kora Nou made the announcement today following an alleged attack on the son of a senior NBC staff member over the weekend. The victim was taken to hospital and the family has reported the matter to police.
Nou said NBC has started discussions with the Metropolitan Superintendent, and police officers will begin awareness with the squatters so they can voluntarily move out within the next 21 days.
“Failure to do so will result in NBC requesting the Courts and police to evict them,” Nou said
He also called on the squatters to identify those responsible for the attack and hand them over to police for investigation.
“May I remind everyone that the officers of the NBC throughout the country provide an essential service to our people every day, on weekends, and public holidays.
“These officers and their families do not deserve such unprovoked physical attacks or daily intimidation as they carry out their work, especially within the confines of our institutional housing premises.
“Harassment, physical attacks and unruly drunken behaviour in the vicinity of our 5 Mile staff residences have also increased since more illegal settlers have moved in from eviction exercises in other parts of Port Moresby.
“We will work with the Courts, the police, and NCDC to immediately stop this, as well we remove the illegal squatters already there,” Nou said.
Nou said the eviction is also part of NBC’s plans to develop the land. Funding has already been secured to build 38 new staff houses at the 5 Mile site, with construction expected to begin once a building permit is issued.
He said the land currently occupied by the illegal squatters is needed for the new housing project…..PACNEWS
UN- TRADE: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 05 Aug 2026
Strait of Hormuz disruption hits energy, fertiliser and industrial trade
GENEVA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the vulnerability of global trade to a single maritime chokepoint, with early data showing sharp falls in exports of energy, fertilisers and industrial products.
Exports of natural gas dropped by a staggering 95 percent.
The finding comes in analysis published by the International Trade Centre (ITC), a multilateral agency that has a joint mandate with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and UN trade and development body UNCTAD.
The Strait, located south of Iran, is responsible for around one quarter of global seaborne oil trade and a significant share of liquefied natural gas flows and fertilisers, including a third of globally traded urea.
Since the military escalation in late February, reduced commercial passage, concerns over navigational safety and higher transport and insurance costs have affected trade flows far beyond the region.
Although recent lulls in the fighting have raised hopes that shipping could resume more fully, traffic remains far below normal levels.
The analysis focuses on 12 strategically important energy, fertiliser and industrial products for which Hormuz-dependent economies are important global suppliers.
This group comprises Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Trade data for April reveals that combined merchandise exports across all products from these economies declined by 21 percent in value.
The ITC noted, however, that export values are also affected by sharp movements in international commodity prices triggered by the disruption itself, therefore changes in physical quantities provide complementary evidence on the extent of the disruption to actual trade flows.
Across all 12 products, export volumes fell between April 2025 and April 2026. Combined export volumes declined by 54 percent, with liquified natural gas recording the steepest contraction, 95 percent.
Urea exports declined by 83 percent, followed by methanol (80 percent) and ammonia (75 percent. Polymers of propylene (or polypropylene) – used for plastic packaging in consumer goods – were the least affected, declining by 24 percent.
The largest absolute losses were in energy products such as crude petroleum oil exports, which fell by 28 million tonnes, followed by refined petroleum oils and liquefied natural gas which declined by 7.3 million tonnes and 5.5 million tonnes respectively
“Sizeable falls in fertilisers, chemicals, plastics and aluminium show that the disruption affected a broader range of industries and supply chains,” the authors noted.
Meanwhile, importing markets were not affected in the same way, depending on factors such as reliance on Hormuz suppliers, access to inventories and strategic reserves, domestic demand and ability to source from alternative suppliers.
Japan, for example, historically sourced 91 percent of its crude petroleum oil imports from Hormuz-dependent economies. In April, the country recorded a 64 percent decline in total imports. Other highly dependent markets such as the Republic of Korea and Malaysia faced the same situation.
In contrast, Thailand recorded a 62 increase as refiners moved to secure additional cargoes from alternative suppliers and maintain supplies during the disruption.
Alternative suppliers in fact increased shipments for 10 of the 12 selected products across all reporting markets, yet these gains fully offset lower imports from Hormuz-dependent economies only for ammonia and polymers of propylene.
The finding suggests that trade diversion had begun but had not fully replaced disrupted supplies by April as some markets may have drawn on inventories or strategic reserves, increased domestic production where possible, or reduced consumption.
The ITC update also examined other aspects of the crisis, including trade measures adopted in response to the disruption such as policies aimed at ensuring adequate access to supplies, particularly of crude and refined oil. ….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Niue boosts climate negotiation skills ahead of COP31
ALOFI, 05 AUGUST 2026 (SPREP)— Niue is strengthening its voice on the global stage, with government officials and key stakeholders completing a three-day national training programme to sharpen their climate negotiation skills ahead of the Pacific Preparatory Meeting and COP31.
The tailored workshop, delivered by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Government of Niue, is preparing the country’s delegation to advocate effectively for national priorities at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties- a crucial platform where small island developing states push for urgent global climate action.
For Niue, the stakes could not be higher. Despite contributing negligibly to global emissions, the island nation is already bearing the brunt of a changing climate.
“Niue’s carbon footprint is negligible on a global scale, yet we have suffered substantial loss and damage- not only from cyclones, but also from ongoing coastal erosion caused by storm surges and strong waves, as well as prolonged dry conditions. As Niueans, we know climate change is no longer a future threat; it is our daily reality,” said Minister for Natural Resources, Rhonda Tiakia, at the workshop’s opening.
The training comes at a critical time, with Niue set to participate in the pre-COP31 hosted in Fiji and Tuvalu from 05 to 08 October, and COP31 hosted in Turkiye from 09 to 20 November this year. The workshop is designed to ensure the country’s small delegation can engage effectively across a broad range of agenda items, including climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and the ocean-climate nexus- all issues of direct and urgent concern to Niue and the wider Pacific island nations/region.
“The COP process is an important forum where small island developing states like Niue can raise concerns about global inaction on phasing out greenhouse gases. It is crucial for safeguarding our island, our homes, and the future of our generations,” Minister Tiakia added.
SPREP’s Director of Climate Change Resilience, Tagaloa Cooper, said the training was developed in direct response to a request from the Niue Government to strengthen national capacity for international climate engagement.
“The strength of Pacific climate diplomacy rests on well-prepared delegates who understand both the technical issues and the negotiation process. Through presentations, panel discussions, practical exercises, and simulations, participants will gain valuable experience directly applicable to regional and international negotiations,” she said.
The workshop is supported by the Australian Government through the Strengthening Pacific Leadership in International Climate Change Engagement (SPLICCE) programme.
Vincent Paul Harrington, Australian High Commissioner to Niue addressed participants, saying “We thank SPREP for our partnership and leadership in this area. I hope this workshop will be helpful as you progress on your path towards the negotiations that are coming in the next few months.”
Beyond building individual skills, the workshop also aims to strengthen national coordination among government officials, technical experts, and stakeholders- ensuring Niue’s delegation presents a unified front at the negotiating table and contributes to a strong, collective Pacific voice.
The Niue National Negotiations training and COP31 Preparation Workshop is hosted in Alofi Niue from 03 -05 August, bringing together over 20 participants across a range of sectors. Coordinated by SPREP in partnership with the Government of Niue, it is supported by the Australia-funded Strengthening Pacific Leadership in International Climate Change Engagement (SPLICCE) programme…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fieldwork assessment advances Samoa’s mangrove carbon stock management project aspirations
APIA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (SPREP)— A key phase of a project designed to assess the carbon storage capacity and verify the condition of selected mangrove sites and ecosystems in Samoa has completed.
The fieldwork assessments phase for the “Ground truthing of Mangrove Areas in Samoa for Carbon Stock Management” project, implemented through a partnership between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the Pacific NDC Hub, and the Sabrina Virly Consultancy (SVC) team, was undertaken from 19-24 July.
The project team visited mangrove sites across Upolu and Savai’i, including; Asaga (Fa’asalelega), Vailoa(Palauli), Sa’anapu/Sataoa), Le Asaga(Safata), Siufaga/Faleatai, Vaitoloa,Lepea, Vailoa, Vaiusu.
During the visits, Professor Norman Duke, a leading mangrove ecologist and technical lead for field assessment and the SVC team, provided hands-on technical capacity building sessions for MNRE staff, representative from the Ministry of Lands and Survey, SPREP personnel, and selected community representatives.
Participants also received practical training on the field assessment methodologies, and sample collection procedures used to evaluate mangrove biomass, species composition, and carbon stocks.
Fatutolo Iene, of MNRE, said the fieldwork provided valuable practical experience for national staff and community representatives.
“This training has significantly strengthened our technical capacity to assess mangrove ecosystems and understand more on their contribution to carbon storage,” he said.
“The hands-on field experience has improved our skills in data collection and monitoring, which will support Samoa’s ongoing climate reporting and conservations efforts.”
The project supports Samoa’s climate commitments under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and contributes to strengthening national greenhouse gas accounting and climate resilience efforts.
SPREP – Regional Pacific NDC Hub representative, Ms Toiata Apelu-Uili said the fieldwork assessment phase contributed to a better understanding of the role of mangrove ecosystems in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
“The fieldwork focused on verifying and ground truthing mangrove biomass estimates, identifying mangrove species, assessing carbon stock levels and validating remote sensing imagery used to map and monitor Samoa’s mangrove ecosystems,” she said.
“These activities form a critical part of the scientific assessment process and will strengthen the accuracy of national data on mangrove carbon stock and storage capacity.”
This field mission represented the primary data collection phase of the assignment, with preliminary findings expected to be available for final validation between September and October 2026.
Uili added that the project team engaged directly with local communities to document traditional knowledge and local experiences relating to mangrove ecosystems.
“Discussions focused on historical environmental changes, management practices, ecosystem services and the important role mangroves play in support community livelihoods. This approach supports Samoa’s ongoing efforts to strengthen climate reporting, inform conservation planning and advance nature-based solutions to climate change.”
SPREP acknowledged participating communities, government representatives and its valued partners for this work, including, SPC (Pacific Community), the Government of Australia and Sabrina Virly Consulting team….PACNEWS
For more information, contact Vanda Faasoa Chan-Ting, Climate Change Mitigation Advisor vandac@sprep.org or Toiata Apelu – Uili, Pacific NDC Technical Officer toiatau@sprep.org
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
A fairer Pacific migration system starts with Kiribati — Part 2
By Amota Ataneka
TARAWA, 05 AUGUST 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG)—In Part 1 of this series, the author set out the census evidence that I-Kiribati are under-represented in Pacific migration pathways compared to Tuvaluans and citizens of states with Compacts of Free Association with the US. Part 2 moves from the numbers to what he has seen in Australia, and to the Falepili Union.
When I first arrived in Australia in 2009 to study at the University of Queensland, I remember walking into a bottle shop in Ipswich and being served by a Tuvaluan worker. That moment stayed with me. It may sound like a small encounter, but for me it was powerful.
In absolute terms, I later learned, there were actually slightly more I-Kiribati than Tuvaluans in Australia even then. But size alone does not characterise a diaspora. What struck me in Queensland was how much more settled, visible and organised the Tuvaluan community already was. The I-Kiribati I knew were scattered, mostly recent arrivals through marriage, study or unusual personal circumstances, without the churches, congregations and neighbourhood clusters that Tuvaluans had already built.
Because Tuvaluans already had a community, and they already had a church. In Logan, Queensland, there is an established Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu church — a proper congregation, with a Tuvaluan pastor, where the hymns and the preaching were all in Tuvaluan. I attended that church several times, and sitting there, listening to the hymns and the preaching in Tuvaluan, I felt something that was both beautiful and painful: beautiful, because I was happy to see another small island people who had built a spiritual and social home for themselves in Australia; painful, because I could not help thinking, where is our equivalent? Where is the I-Kiribati community with that level of stability, visibility and continuity?
That church in Logan was not an accident. It was the result of decades of movement, family networks, church networks and early migration pathways. One person moves first, then a sibling follows, then cousins, then whole families, until eventually a church forms and children grow up between two worlds. That is how a diaspora becomes real, and how a small island people build roots in a larger country.
The Australian Census figures bear this out. According to Australian Census data, there were 995 Tuvaluans and 1,263 I-Kiribati in Australia in 2021 — roughly the same order of magnitude, and if anything slightly more I-Kiribati. But almost 30% of the Tuvaluans living in Australia were born in New Zealand, while those who identify as I-Kiribati are nearly all born in either Kiribati or Australia, with only 6% born in New Zealand. In other words, much of the Tuvaluan community in Australia has arrived via a well-established New Zealand diaspora built up over decades, whereas the I-Kiribati community is overwhelmingly first-generation and still finding its feet. And when you remember how much bigger Kiribati is than Tuvalu in population terms, the same under-representation of I-Kiribati that we see in New Zealand, Fiji, Nauru and RMI shows up in Australia too, just less obviously in the raw headcount.
For I-Kiribati people, we are only beginning to build that kind of presence. As noted in the previous article, the 4,659 I-Kiribati recorded in the 2023 New Zealand Census represent our largest diaspora anywhere (outside settled populations in Solomon Islands and Fiji due to colonial era migration), and it has quadrupled since 2006 — but even there our numbers remain very small relative to our population and to other island states. We are still decades behind, which is why census microdata matters so much: it shows who has already built a diaspora and who has been left behind.
This brings me to the Falepili Union between Australia and Tuvalu. The treaty is extraordinary: it gives Tuvaluans a special pathway to live, work and study in Australia, with up to 280 Tuvaluans able to move each year. I am genuinely happy for Tuvalu, because that is what leadership and long-term preparation can achieve for a small island people — playing the geopolitical game strategically.
Strategic because many do not believe this treaty was only about climate change. Climate vulnerability may figure prominently in the public language, and it is real, but the timing and the geopolitical context say a lot.
Kiribati switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019, while Tuvalu remained with Taiwan. Then, in November 2023, at a time when geopolitical competition in the Pacific had become impossible to ignore, Australia signed the Falepili Union with Tuvalu. The treaty was not just about mobility; it also included security arrangements. To me, it is difficult to separate that from the broader competition over China’s influence in the Pacific.
Again, I am not blaming Tuvalu. Tuvalu did what any small nation should do: it secured the best deal it could for its people, and I respect that. But from Australia’s perspective, this was clearly not simply a neutral climate-migration policy. If climate vulnerability were the only principle, then Kiribati would be an obvious candidate for the same kind of treaty: we live on the same kind of atolls, face the same rising seas and have a much larger population, with South Tarawa overcrowded and our people holding far fewer migration pathways and a less established diaspora in New Zealand and Australia.
Importantly, Kiribati has been one of the earliest and loudest voices in the global conversation on climate change. Anote Tong’s 2004 address to the UN General Assembly framed climate change and sea-level rise as existential threats to small island states, and Kiribati also advanced the idea of “migration with dignity“, framing labour migration as part of a long-term response to climate displacement.
So when Australia gives Tuvalu a treaty but gives Kiribati nothing comparable, the question must be asked: is this really climate justice, or is it climate language wrapped around geopolitical strategy?
The ocean does not discriminate between Funafuti and South Tarawa, and sea-level rise does not ask whether a country recognises Taiwan or China. If Australia wants to claim that its Pacific migration policy is based on climate vulnerability, dignity and fairness, then the policy should be consistent, and it should not appear to reward one diplomatic position while leaving another atoll nation behind.
This is the uncomfortable truth that many people may not want to say out loud, but I believe it needs to be said respectfully and clearly. Australia is not only making migration policy; it is making geopolitical choices, and those choices have human consequences for ordinary Pacific families.
Australia has a choice. It can allow fear-based politics to define migration, where immigrants are spoken of as threats and numbers are discussed without history. Or it can build a smarter, more humane, more Pacific-aware migration system: a system that recognises that not all countries, and not all migration needs, are the same.
If Australia wants to reduce pressure from very large migration sources, then it should not simply shrink the whole migration program in ways that hurt the smallest and most vulnerable countries. It should rebalance, making more room for the Pacific, and within the Pacific it should pay attention to per capita census data — to who already has pathways and who does not.
For me, the historical census data and my personal experience point in the same direction. I saw in Ipswich and Logan what Tuvaluans had already built, and how far ahead they were in establishing a community in Australia. But I also saw what was missing for I-Kiribati people, and I felt the absence of my own people in those spaces and how far behind we were.
That is why I believe Australia should give greater consideration to Kiribati in its migration policy — not as charity or pity, but as fairness. A fair Pacific migration system should be historically aware and should recognise population size, existing migration pathways, underrepresented countries and climate vulnerability consistently. And, as a result of all this, it should give I-Kiribati citizens much greater access to Australia…PACNEWS
In the third and final part of this series to be published later this week, the author turns to his own government, arguing that Kiribati must pursue permanent migration pathways as a national development strategy.
