In this bulletin:
1. B/VILLE — President Toroama rejects PNG stand on Bougainville vote, says Independence mandate cannot be denied
2. PNG — Date set for PNG Parliament to debate Bougainville’s referendum result
3. SOL — Solomon Islands PM Wale declares nationwide fee free education by 2027
4. PACIFIC — NZ Foreign Minister to meet Pacific counterparts in Suva
5. PACIFIC — Pacific backs regional youth framework for 2027 to 2036
6. PACIFIC — COP 31 President invites Public Services International to Pre-COP Meeting in Fiji
7. TAIWAN — Taiwan launches annual war games as pressure from China grows
8. PACNEWS BIZ — French Polynesia lifeline vessel in wind power first
9. PACNEWS BIZ — PM Wale declares end to ‘elite capture’ in logging sector
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Vanuatu registers first certified Organic Farmers Cooperative
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Global sugar market determines cane prices, Fiji Minister tells farmers
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Hooked on diesel: the economy looking to kick the habit Pacific island of Palau is fundraising for a pivot to clean energy
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Inside a GOARN deployment: what outbreak experts learned from supporting Pacific dengue preparedness
B/VILLE – INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
President Toroama rejects PNG stand on Bougainville vote, says Independence mandate cannot be denied
By Pita Ligaiula
PORT MORESBY, 06 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has launched a strong defence of Bougainville’s push for independence, rejecting Papua New Guinea’s position that Parliament can refuse to affirm the 2019 referendum result and warning that such a move would undermine the peace process.
Addressing the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting in Port Moresby on Wednesday, Toroama said Bougainville entered the talks determined to uphold agreements reached by both governments since the 2019 referendum and called on PNG to honour the Joint Consultations Report and the Melanesian Framework.
“We are compelled by legal, political and moral responsibilities to respect, accept and adhere to the Joint Consultation Report and implement the Melanesian Framework.
“These are compliance documents. They reference nothing but the truth.
“They hold us accountable to our own signatures, Prime Minister,” he said.
Toroama took direct aim at the National Government’s recently adopted position describing Parliament’s role as a “non-affirming decision”, saying it wrongly suggests Parliament has unrestricted authority to reject the overwhelming referendum vote.
“I have read the text, and I must tell you frankly: it is a masterpiece of bureaucratic evasion and historical revisionism,” he said.
He rejected suggestions that Bougainville could remain under its current autonomy arrangements if Parliament declines to endorse independence.
“The National Government is treating our constitutional right to self-determination as if it were a performance review or some corporate evaluation subject to external yardsticks or the shifting political tides of the national parliament.
“Bougainville is moving away from the Autonomy space, let me make that clear,” Toroama stressed.
Toroama also criticised proposals that Bougainville could revisit its political status after meeting further conditions.
“This insults the intelligence of our people. By doing this, the National Government is asking us to trade a constitutional, internationally witnessed referendum result for an ambiguous promise of future political charity.
“We do not need a ‘clear pathway to revisit the question’—the question has been asked, answered, and sealed in ink and blood,” he emphasised.
He argued that rejecting the referendum outcome would contradict the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
“The Peace Agreement was built on the promise that the choice of the people would be negotiated in good faith toward a definitive conclusion.
“It was never intended to be an endless loop of consultations where Waigani holds a permanent veto.
“Any attempt by the National Parliament to vote down the referendum result, freezes us in a dead autonomy framework, or demand constitutional amendments just to kick the can down the road, is a rejection of the peace process itself. It’s unacceptable,” Toroama stressed.
Toroama also challenged recent parliamentary decisions on voting thresholds and sessional orders, saying they were introduced without the joint consultation required under previous agreements.
“Let it be very clear that the voting threshold and the Sessional Order were introduced in Parliament without the joint consultation, explicitly required under the Melanesian Agreement and the JSB resolution of 5 December 2025.
“Bougainville had no part in those decisions as required by law. Those were unilateral decisions made by the national government and the speaker of the national parliament.
“Bypassing mandatory consultation was, and is, actually, stepping away from the very spirit of our partnership,” he explained.
Calling on PNG lawmakers to study the Joint Consultations Report, Toroama described it as the blueprint for Bougainville’s transition to self-government and eventual sovereignty.
He said Bougainville’s final position on independence had been endorsed by the Autonomous Bougainville Government, the Bougainville House of Representatives and Bougainville’s national MPs through a series of consultations culminating in the July 2026 Kuri Resolution.
Toroama also defended Bougainville’s record on weapons disposal and the referendum process, noting both had been overseen and certified by the United Nations.
He said the 97.7 percent vote for independence remained beyond dispute.
“During those 40 days, not a single objection, dispute, or challenge was raised against the Referendum result by any party or citizen, including the National Government and the international community.
The 97.7 percent vote for independence is a sealed, certified, and immutable historical fact,” he emphasised.
Toroama urged both governments to protect the credibility of the peace process while delivering a final message to PNG Prime Minister James Marape.
“In the eyes of my people, THERE IS LEGAL JUSTICE, AND THERE IS MORAL JUSTICE. WITH DUE RESPECT PRIME MINISTER, “BOUGAINVILLE DEMANDS BOTH,” he said……PACNEWS
PNG – INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE: THE NATIONAL/ABG GOVT PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
Date set for Parliament to debate Bougainville’s referendum result
PORT MORESBY, 06 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL/ABG GOVT) — The governments of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville have agreed for the Bougainville Referendum results to be tabled in Parliament later this month.
A Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting in Port Moresby on Wednesday endorsed 27 August as the date Parliament will debate the Bougainville Referendum results.
The Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) has also endorsed the Melanesian Framework and the Joint Consultation Report (JCR).
The meeting, held at the Melanesian Haus in Port Moresby, was co-chaired by Prime Minister James Marape, and Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael Toroama,
The Melanesian Framework and the Joint Consultation Report were jointly developed by the ABG and the National Government in accordance with the resolutions of the Melanesian Agreement signed by both governments on 26 June 2025.
Together, the two documents provide an agreed pathway for progressing Bougainville’s political future through a peaceful, stable and Melanesian-led process that is consistent with the Constitution of Papua New Guinea while continuing an enduring relationship between Papua New Guinea and an independent Bougainville.
Addressing the Joint Supervisory Body, President Toroama described the Joint Consultation Report as the culmination of years of engagement between the two governments.
“The Joint Consultation Report is a record of facts and an account of everything we have consulted over since the 2019 Referendum, culminating in the defining Melanesian Agreement. They capture jointly-agreed resolutions of both our governments.”
In its resolutions, the JSB endorsed the Melanesian Framework as the agreed pathway jointly designed by the two governments to give effect to an affirmative decision by the National Parliament should it endorse the Bougainville Referendum Results.
The meeting resolved that the Bougainville Referendum Results, together with the Joint Consultation Report and the Melanesian Framework, will be tabled in the National Parliament on 27 August 2026 for Parliament’s consideration. The Prime Minister and the President will jointly determine the date on which Parliament will consider the question arising from the Referendum Results.
The JSB also directed the Independent Facilitator and the Joint Technical Team, supported by the Joint Ministers, to conduct awareness for Members of the National Parliament on both the Joint Consultation Report and the Melanesian Framework before the matter is debated.
President Toroama said the two documents now provide the agreed roadmap for the next phase of the peace process.
“Combined with the Melanesian Framework, this is the institutional pathway to Bougainville’s self-government and ultimately, to full sovereignty. This pathway reflects Bougainville’s Final Position on our timeline for self-government and for political independence” he said.
The Joint Consultation Report, Melanesian Framework and the Referendum Results will be tabled in the National Parliament on 27 August 2026 by the National Minister for Bougainville Affairs……PACNEWS
SOL – EDUCATION: SOLOMON STAR PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
Solomon Islands PM Wale declares nationwide fee free education by 2027
HONIARA, 06 AUGUST 2026 (SOLOMON STAR)—Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has announced that the Government will implement a nationwide fee-free education policy by 2027, describing the initiative as a major investment in the country’s future workforce.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Wale said the policy aims to remove the financial burden that prevents many Solomon Islands families from educating all of their children.
“The free education policy will be implemented nationwide by 2027,” Prime Minister Wale said.
He stressed that the policy did not originate with the current Government.
“The case for free education was made in this House many years before, first under the Sikua-led Government.
“We all know, the burden our parents carry. Many must choose which of their children will be educated. That is the injustice this policy seeks to put to an end,” he said.
Prime Minister Wale also said the policy is a key part of the Government’s long-term economic vision.
“I have said in this House before that free education is key to producing the highly skilled workforce our economy will need over the next 30 years as we move towards processing and manufacturing. That is the economy we must build,” he said.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Manasseh Sogavare raised several questions regarding how the policy will be implemented.
“What does fee-free education mean? Does it apply only to schools owned and administered by the Solomon Islands Government and provincial governments?
“Or does it extend to church-run schools and other authorised education providers?
“Does it cover tuition fees only, or does it also cover boarding fees, food, dormitory costs, uniforms and transport?” Sogavare asked.
He referred to the Education Act 2023 and the Education Regulations 2024, saying they already make a careful distinction between government-funded schools and self-funded schools.
Sogavare also cited the current government subsidy rates, noting that the existing support includes 800 per year for a non-urban secondary day student.
The debate on the Government’s proposed fee-free education policy is expected to continue as Members of Parliament [MP] examine its scope, funding arrangements and implementation ahead of its planned nationwide roll-out in 2027….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: MFAT PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
NZ Foreign Minister to meet Pacific counterparts in Suva
WELLINGTON, 06 AUGUST 2026 (MFAT)—New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters will attend the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting in Fiji later this week.
“We have seen recently the impacts of global events on our region.”
“It is timely to discuss those events and chart a common course for the Pacific,” Peters said.
The Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting, which will take place on 07 August, prepares the ground for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau in early September.
“As New Zealand prepares to host next year’s Pacific Islands Forum, we look forward to working with Members to advance the priorities of the Blue Pacific and reinforce the value of strong regional cooperation.”
While in Suva, Peters will also hold a range of bilateral discussions with Pacific counterparts.
Peters leaves for Fiji today and returns to New Zealand on Friday (07 August) ……PACNEWS
PAC – YOUTHS: NATIONAL INDIGENOUS TIMES PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
Pacific backs regional youth framework for 2027 to 2036
APIA, 06 AUGUST 2026 (NATIONAL INDIGENOUS TIMES)—Pacific youth ministry leaders have endorsed a regional framework intended to guide youth development, investment and accountability across the region from 2027 to 2036.
The endorsement was a key outcome of the Second Heads of Pacific Ministries of Youth Meeting in Apia, Samoa, which brought together government officials, youth councils, regional organisations and development partners.
The proposed Pacific Youth Development Framework will now be strengthened before it is submitted to the Fifth Pacific Ministers for Youth Meeting in December.
Samoa assumed the chairmanship of the regional process from Fiji during the three-day meeting, placing it at the centre of preparations for the ministerial talks.
Samoa Ministry of Family and Social Affairs Chief Executive Officer Loau Donina Tili Va’a said the role carried a responsibility to turn regional commitments into practical results.
“This Chairmanship is not simply a title for Samoa to hold,” Va’a said.
“It is a responsibility to help move our regional commitments from paper into practice and from consultation into measurable change in the lives of our young people.”
More than 15 Pacific island countries and territories participated in discussions on the framework, its implementation roadmap and arrangements for governance and accountability.
The meeting was co-chaired by Va’a and Pacific Youth Council Chairperson Mahoney Mori.
Participants identified strong governance, meaningful youth leadership, national ownership, sustained political commitment and coordinated partnerships as central to implementation.
Seven thematic priority areas were considered alongside funding, monitoring and evaluation, regional partnerships and the role of national youth councils.
The handover of the chairmanship included an anthem performed by Fiji’s National Youth Band to reflect the hopes and challenges embodied in the framework.
Va’a said the performance reinforced the purpose of the regional process.
“[The anthem] brought the Pacific Youth Development Framework to life and reminded us that this work is not simply about policies and documents,” she said.
“It is about the lives, hopes and future of our Pacific young people.”
Samoa used the meeting to call for youth representation that is inclusive, credible and accountable to the people it is intended to serve.
The delegation argued young people chosen to represent national youth bodies should remain connected to diverse youth voices and be supported by clear governance arrangements.
Regular communication and reporting to national youth constituencies were also identified as necessary to strengthen transparency, trust and meaningful participation.
Heads of ministries also asked the Pacific Community (SPC) to strengthen governance arrangements and review the role and structure of technical working groups.
Any resulting changes are intended to improve coordination, effectiveness and accountability as countries begin aligning national youth policies and programs with the regional framework.
Reliable evidence and demographic data were also identified as important tools for guiding youth policy, public investment, program delivery and accountability.
Participants maintained youth development should be treated as a long-term investment in the social, cultural and economic future of the Pacific rather than a cost.
The framework is aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and its focus on sustainable and inclusive regional development.
Its endorsement follows Samoa’s launch of a National Youth Policy for 2026 to 2031 and the re-establishment of a national youth advisory mechanism.
The Samoa Youth Advisory Committee is intended to connect young people across the country’s 51 districts with policy development, implementation and decision-making.
Samoa has also called for greater alignment between national, Pacific and Commonwealth youth priorities, with programmes and resources reaching young people in villages, districts and remote communities.
The country has supported youth investment models that provide equitable resources for Small Island Developing States while maintaining clear governance and accountability.
Va’a urged ministry heads to continue discussions within their countries and prepare ministers for the decisions required in December.
“As Heads of Youth Ministries, our work must now continue at home,” she said.
“We must begin the internal discussions, strengthen our national partnerships and ensure that our Ministers are well informed and prepared to make the decisions required to carry this Framework forward,” Va’a said……PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PSI NEWSROOM PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
COP 31 President invites Public Services International to Pre-COP Meeting in Fiji
SYDNEY, 06 AUGUST 2026 (PSI NEWSROOM)—Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, who is also President of the COP31 negotiations, has invited Public Services International (PSI) to the upcoming Pre-COP conference in Fiji.
The invitation creates an important opportunity to bring the voices of frontline public service workers from the Pacific into global climate negotiations.
Bowen joined PSI’s Oceania Sub-Regional Advisory Committee meeting (OSRAC) on Thursday, 30 July.
The meeting was hosted by the United Services Union in Sydney, Australia and was attended by PSI affiliates in the region.
During the meeting, Minister Bowen invited PSI to attend the upcoming Pre-COP conference in Fiji and bring forward the experiences and demands of frontline public service workers from across the Pacific.
COP31 refers to the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The conference will be a critical international negotiation at a time when Pacific Island communities are already facing severe impacts of the climate crisis.
The meeting brought together public service worker representatives from across Oceania, including the Papua New Guinea Public Employees Union and the Fiji Nurses Association, to discuss the realities facing workers as the climate crisis intensifies across the Pacific.
Health and care workers, emergency service workers, local government workers, civil servants, utility workers and public administration workers are among those responding every day to the impacts of dangerous global warming. From extreme weather and rising seas to climate-related health emergencies, public service workers are increasingly carrying the burden of protecting communities in moments of crisis.
Pacific affiliates spoke directly to Minister Bowen about these challenges.
The Fiji Nurses Association (FNA) highlighted the dangerous conditions health workers face while delivering public health services to remote islands, often travelling by boats that were not designed for worsening climate conditions. This danger was painfully illustrated by the recent incident in Fiji, where six health workers were rescued after being stranded at sea for 36 hours.
“Pacific public service workers are not talking about climate change as a future threat — they are living it now,” said Tom Reddington, Sub-Regional Secretary, PSI Oceania.
“Nurses, emergency workers, local government workers, public administration workers and utility workers are holding communities together through floods, cyclones, rising seas and health emergencies. Their voices must be at the centre of COP31, and PSI welcomes the invitation to bring these frontline experiences to the Pre-COP in Fiji.”
Quality public services are central to both reducing carbon pollution and building resilience as the climate crisis escalates. Public service unions must have a seat at the table in climate negotiations to ensure a just transition, backed by grant-based climate finance and investment in quality public services for the benefit of all.
Climate finance must reach the workers and communities facing the crisis first and worst. A just transition cannot be built on austerity, privatisation or insecure work. It must be built through strong public services, decent jobs and real investment in the people who keep communities safe.
PSI welcomed Minister Bowen’s invitation and looks forward to continuing its engagement with the COP31 process to ensure that the experiences, expertise and demands of Pacific public service workers are heard in this critical international negotiation….PACNEWS
TAIWAN – DEFENCE: AFP PACNEWS 1: Thu 06 Aug 2026
Taiwan launches annual war games as pressure from China grows
TAIPEI, 06 AUGUST 2026 (AFP)—Taiwan’s largest military drills of the year began Wednesday as the island democracy attempts to prepare its population for a potential Chinese invasion.
The annual “Han Kuang” exercise, which runs from 05-14 August, stages combat scenarios for troops and reservists to practise responding to an attack on the island, defence officials say.
Civilians will also be put through their paces during exercises that include a temporary slowdown of mobile internet speeds as well as air raid drills.
China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize the island of 23 million people.
Beijing has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, deploying fighter jets and warships around the island on an almost daily basis and carrying out large-scale drills.
The Chinese coast guard has also stepped up its grey zone activities – actions that fall short of war – around Taiwan and its outer islands.
On Wednesday, dozens of reservists spread out along a beach facing the Taiwan Strait and fired Taiwanese-made assault rifles at targets on a shore where Chinese forces could land during an invasion.
“In recent years, we’ve constantly emphasised that the Han Kuang exercise must be closer to real combat scenarios, so that even without actually experiencing war our units can test their real operational capabilities,” a senior defence official said on the eve of the drills, on the condition of anonymity in order to speak to the media.
A key part of this year’s exercise is decentralising command and control to enable commanders and officers on the battlefield to make operational decisions without waiting for orders.
Another focus is drone “kill chain” operations involving “reconnaissance drones and attack drones operating together with other means of attack” the defence official said.
Taiwan has boosted defence spending and acquired smaller and more nimble weaponry, including drones, to enable its military to wage asymmetric warfare against China.
Under intense U.S pressure to cough up more on security, President Lai Ching-te’s government has vowed to increase defence spending to five percent of GDP by 2030.
But his government has been at loggerheads with the opposition parties, which control the parliament, over how much to spend on boosting the island’s defence capabilities.
In May, the KMT and the Taiwan People’s Party passed a US$25 billion special defence budget, slashing by a third the amount sought by Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party.
The opposition stripped out around US$15 billion that the government had wanted to use for domestic drone procurement and other efforts to boost defences.
Lawmakers are now considering rival proposals for drone investment worth billions of dollars.
“As the CCP’s (Chinese Communist Party’s) authoritarianism continues to expand, red terror is also spreading into every corner of the world,” Lai told a security forum on Tuesday.
‘We will continue to upgrade our national defence and build whole-of-society defence and resilience,” he said.
Urban resilience drills will be held at the same time as part of the government’s efforts to prepare the entire island for a potential war or natural disaster.
Mobile internet speeds will be slowed for 30 minutes during air raid drills in central and northern regions, as the government seeks to expose ordinary people to communications disruptions.
Taiwan will also deploy naval and coast guard ships to escort supplies during a simulation of a Chinese blockade in waters east the island.
And it will assess “the capacity of mobilised factories to support wartime production” and test the “wartime relocation” of military and civilian factories, defence officials said previously.
“Training can always be better,” Defence Minister Wellington Koo said Wednesday.
“We will therefore continue to train diligently and intensively, so that we are fully prepared in peacetime and able to carry out our missions in wartime,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
F/POLY – SHIPPING: SEATRADE MARITIME NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 06 Aug 2026
French Polynesia lifeline vessel in wind power first
PAPE’ETE, 06 AUGUST 2026 (SEATRADE MARITIME NEWS)—A newbuild multipurpose vessel that serves as a lifeline for the islands of French Polynesia has been delivered with a bound4blue suction sail, the first known example of a multipurpose vessel with a wind propulsion system, according to the company.
Na Hiro E Pae had a single 22-metre suction sail installed at Spain’s Astilleros Armon Vigo before delivery to owner Société de Navigation des Australes Tuha’a Pae Shipping Company (SNA THP).
The ship connects French Polynesia’s main island Tahiti with the remote Austral islands to the south, carrying up to 200 passengers and 1,500 tonnes of cargo. It will join a lineage of SNA THP vessels that have served the islands since 1970.
The first wind assisted propulsion system deployed in the region is expected to reduce the ship’s energy consumption by around 10%, and sits alongside biofuel and e-fuel capable engines, and electric pod propulsion.
Na Hiro E Pae will fulfill a contract to provide at least 26 rotations of its route, as well as a monthly call at Rapa, an island with no airport.
The multipurpose vessel becomes the 12th ship with eSails installed, a tally of 50 eSails when bound4blue’s orderbook of six vessels is counted.
Austral Islands Cruises is taking its first bookings on Na Hiro E Pae from December 2026 for services currently served by 2012-built Tuhaa Pae IV.
The French government gave support to the fleet renewal project, and bound4blue was selected to provide wind propulsion in January 2024 after an international tender process.
Boris Piel, technical director, SNA THP, said: “The completion of this installation brings us one step closer to welcoming a new generation of vessel into service for the people of the Austral Islands. Sustainability was a key objective throughout the design process, and the eSAIL forms an important part of a wider package of technologies that will help us reduce energy consumption and environmental impact, while maintaining the reliable transport services our communities depend upon”.
José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO and co-founder of bound4blue, said: “Multipurpose vessels have traditionally been seen as a challenging segment for wind power, due to the required flexibility of operations and related integration demands. This project demonstrates how systems suppliers, naval architects, shipowners and other key stakeholders can solve such issues, collaborating closely to empower progress” …..PACNEWS
SOL – LOGGING: SOLOMON STAR PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 06 Aug 2026
PM Wale declares end to ‘elite capture’ in logging sector
HONIARA, 06 AUGUST 2026 (SOLOMON STAR) —Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has declared that his government is determined to end what he described as decades of “elite capture” in the country’s logging sector, pledging major reforms in the management of the nation’s forests.
Speaking in Parliament, Prime Minister Wale said the way Solomon Islands’ forests have been managed over the years is a clear example of elite capture.
“The management of our forests has been proof of elite capture. Our islands have been stripped, a few have been enriched, and that era ends,” Prime Minister Wale said.
The Prime Minister’s remarks signal the government’s commitment to reforming the forestry sector, with a focus on ensuring that the country’s natural resources are managed sustainably and that the benefits are shared more fairly among Solomon Islanders.
His statement comes as the government continues to outline its priorities during the Fourth Meeting of the 12th Parliament, including strengthening governance, promoting sustainable development, and increasing value-added industries across key sectors…..PACNEWS
VAN – AGRICULTURE: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 06 Aug 2026
Vanuatu registers first certified Organic Farmers Cooperative
PORT VILA, 06 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—- Vanuatu has established its first Certified Organic Farmers Cooperative following the official registration of the Vanuatu Organic Farmers Cooperative, marking a milestone for the country’s organic agriculture sector.
The newly registered cooperative begins with 35 certified organic farmers producing mainly copra and cocoa, with members based across Maewo, Santo and Malekula.
The cooperative aims to strengthen organic production, improve market access and create greater commercial opportunities for smallholder farmers.
African Pacific (Vanuatu) Ltd has committed to supporting the cooperative by offering premium prices for organic copra, guaranteeing a minimum price for organic green copra, contributing to community development projects, supporting farmer savings initiatives and helping develop markets for cocoa, kava and other organic products.
The cooperative has set an ambitious long-term target of expanding its membership to 2,000 farmers across Vanuatu.
The registration is expected to boost the country’s organic farming industry by promoting sustainable agricultural practices while ensuring farmers receive better returns for their produce…..PACNEWS
FIJI – SUGAR INDUSTRY: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 06 Aug 2026
Global sugar market determines cane prices, Fiji Minister tells farmers
SEAQAQA, 06 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The price paid to Fiji’s sugarcane farmers is determined by the global sugar market, not by the Government, Minister for Sugar Tomasi Tunabuna told growers during a consultation in Seaqaqa.
Responding to a question from farmer Merenaisi Waqavakatoga on whether there was a strategy to keep cane prices attractive, Tunabuna said Fiji’s sugar industry worked backwards from the markets it supplied.
‘The buying price of sugar cane is determinant on the buying price of sugar of the particular market that we supply to,” he said.
Tunabuna said Fiji currently produced raw sugar, which was sold on the raw sugar market, affecting the value returned to farmers.
“Our buying price for sugarcane of farmers received is basically based on how we process sugarcane and sell to that particular market,” he said.
He said the Government had provided a top-up payment this year to ensure farmers received the guaranteed minimum price of $85(US$42.50) a tonne.
Tunabuna said the top-up was separate from Government assistance through subsidies for fertiliser, chemicals and other farming costs.
He said if world sugar prices declined further, the Government would need to increase its top-up payment to maintain the guaranteed minimum price.
Tunabuna said that, despite lower global sugar prices in previous years, the Government had still paid above the guaranteed $85(US$42.50 a tonne.
He said improving farmers’ incomes also depended on reducing production costs and increasing returns from sugarcane land.
Tunabuna encouraged farmers to diversify into other crops to supplement their sugarcane income and help offset rising production costs.
He added that the Fiji Sugar Corporation would provide further clarification on deductions for fertiliser and other assistance.
The consultation gave farmers an opportunity to raise concerns about pricing and better understand how cane payments were calculated…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Hooked on diesel: the economy looking to kick the habit Pacific Island of Palau is fundraising for a pivot to clean energy
I’ve spent much of this summer writing about extreme weather in Europe and elsewhere, but today I wanted to come back to an issue I often think about and write about — the challenges of financing the energy transition.
By Attracta Mooney
Small islands: big problem
LONDON/KOROR, 06 AUGUST 2026 (THE FINANCIAL TIMES) —There is a lot of money going into renewable energy, with US$2.2tn expected to be invested this year, according to the International Energy Agency.
And for every US$1 spent on fossil fuels, US$2 is spent on clean energy. But nearly all of the green investment — 90 percent — is in advanced economies and China.
Now the president of Palau is trying to lure some of that money to the south Pacific island archipelago, which is located roughly 900km east of the Philippines.
“The Pacific as a whole consumes US$6bn in fuel every year. And there is a huge opportunity for investment in renewable energy,” Surangel Whipps said on a recent London visit.
As this year’s energy crisis sparked by the war in the Middle East played out, Pacific island leaders invoked the Biketawa Declaration, the region’s highest-level crisis response mechanism.
This was because those nations, which are at the forefront of the climate crisis because of rising sea levels, are heavily reliant on imported oil.
Excluding Australia and New Zealand, oil accounts for about 80 percent of the Pacific region’s total energy supply — and almost all of it is imported.
In Palau, the non-profit research group Zero Carbon Analytics estimates that diesel accounts for 70 percent of electricity generation.
“For us, diesel pricing more than doubled . . . those basic costs at home just skyrocketed and it’s tough when you have no options,” says Whipps. Consumer power bills were subsidised in Palau in response to the energy crisis, he said, while in the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, the authorities of the small island states implemented emergency measures aimed at conserving dwindling fuel supplies.
20 percent by 2020
For the citizens of Palau, the latest energy crisis highlighted how important a shift to renewable sources of power was for energy independence. Whipps told me: “This is a wake-up call.”
In 2015, Palau set a target for 20 percent renewables by 2020 — a target it missed.
Whipps said one of the biggest challenges at the time was around costs and convincing consumers “to pay more for power when diesel is less”. That is less of a problem now, as the cost of solar and wind has come down substantially while the oil price remains volatile.
Research this year suggests shifting to renewables could lower electricity costs by 55 per cent on average across small island states in the Pacific.
Palau is now aiming to add 60 megawatts of solar and battery storage — which Whipps said would mean 90 percent of its power needs were provided by green energy. Palau currently has about 22MW of installed renewable energy on its grid, the government says.
The island state wants to lure private-sector investors, multilateral development banks and others. “We’re here to get people to invest, get cheap financing and get this done,” Whipps said. About US$120mn is needed, he said.
Luring investment
But the relatively small investment combined with the logistics of getting to Pacific islands — which comes with additional shipping costs and longer procurement timelines — meant drumming up significant institutional interest could be a challenge, he admitted.
For many big investors there are questions about the cost-effectiveness of backing such projects. Many would rather put their money into projects in Europe or other rich economies, instead of taking on additional risks — whether real or perceived — elsewhere. And even if private-sector investors can be persuaded to invest outside of western economies, they often seek out bigger projects in bigger countries.
Still, in 2018 when Palau, with the backing of the Asian Development Bank and a loan from the Australian government, issued a request for a proposal during its initial foray into renewables, it managed to attract seven bidders, says Whipps.
In the end a Filipino group called Solar Pacific won the contract. The efforts revealed problems with grid stability, which have since been addressed, the government says.
“You need to open tender and you need to bring people in and you can really drive [down] the cost,” Whipps said.
Across the Pacific Islands, energy security financing peaked in 2019 at US$367mn, driven by a one-off surge in renewable energy spending, before falling back to an annual average of about US$193mn across 2020-22, according to the Australia-based Lowy Institute.
Palau will host a special climate event as part of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in August, while the region will also co-host the so-called pre-COP summit in October, ahead of the main annual UN climate talks the following month in Antalya, Turkey.
Whipps is hoping to pitch his project — and the need for the shift to renewable energy across the Pacific Islands.
“We should double down on [the energy transition] . . . because that makes you more energy secure, but it is also cheaper and more stable and reliable for your people,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Inside a GOARN deployment: what outbreak experts learned from supporting Pacific dengue preparedness
SUVA, 06 AUGUST 2026 (WHO PACIFIC) —Within days of arriving in Fiji, the team of overseas infectious diseases experts realised this would not be a technical mission like any they had experienced before.
Tropical cyclones disrupted travel. Power outages interrupted daily routines. Road closures reshaped carefully planned schedules. Yet for the health workers they had come to support, these were simply part of everyday life.
For three infectious disease experts from Singapore, the experience became as much about understanding the realities of Pacific health systems as it was about strengthening dengue preparedness.
Deployed through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), Drs Partha De, Chia Po Ying, and Tay Zong Min spent 3 weeks working alongside Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the Fiji Centre for Disease Control, the National Public Health Laboratory and regional public health partners to strengthen dengue clinical management and laboratory preparedness.
They returned home with something equally important: a deeper understanding of how context, collaboration and local knowledge shape effective outbreak preparedness.
More than a technical mission
GOARN deployments are built on partnership. Through requests for assistance issued by countries and regions, experts from institutions around the world contribute specialized expertise where it is needed most, helping strengthen preparedness before emergencies occur.
For the Singapore team from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the deployment quickly became an opportunity to experience the realities behind the health systems they had previously only discussed in workshops and technical meetings.
Working alongside clinicians, laboratory specialists and public health professionals, they gained firsthand insight into the logistical, operational and resource challenges that shaped dengue preparedness across Pacific island countries.
“Although we went over to help, we also experienced the local challenges and that was a great shift in perspective,” reflected Dr Chia Po Ying.
That perspective reinforced an important lesson: strengthening health systems begins with understanding the environment in which they function.
Learning from local expertise and lived experience
Rather than a one-way transfer of expertise, the deployment quickly became a genuine exchange of knowledge.
The team worked closely with clinicians, laboratory specialists and public health professionals, sharing technical expertise while learning from Fiji’s experience managing dengue in a resource-constrained island setting.
“What struck us most was [that] they were working with limited resources yet remained deeply committed to patient care and continuous improvement,” said Dr Chia.
The openness of Fiji’s health institutions became one of the defining features of the deployment.
“Trust allowed us to learn from each other and work more effectively, together,” said Dr Partha De.
Those relationships became one of the deployment’s most valuable outcomes. Beyond the immediate technical work, they laid the foundation for continued collaboration, future training opportunities and stronger professional networks between Fiji, Singapore and the wider Pacific.
Strengthening dengue preparedness for the Pacific
Through workshops, hospital visits and discussions with specialists from across the region, the experts developed a deeper understanding of both the shared and unique challenges Pacific island countries face in preparing for dengue outbreaks.
Those discussions informed the development of dengue management guidance tailored specifically for Pacific settings.
Rather than adapting international guidance without consideration of local realities, the approach centred on co-developing recommendations that reflect Pacific epidemiology, available resources and operational contexts.
The experience reinforced a lesson raised repeatedly throughout the deployment: effective outbreak preparedness begins long before patients arrive at hospital.
“By strengthening early environmental surveillance and community-level interventions, countries can flatten the curve of dengue outbreaks – reducing peak case numbers and protecting health systems from being overwhelmed,” explained Dr Chia.
Preparedness has no borders
The deployment also reinforced a broader lesson about today’s interconnected world.
With increasing travel between countries, infectious diseases do not respect national boundaries.
“With direct flights between Fiji and Singapore, what happens in one country matters to us all,” said Dr Tay Zong Min.
“Global preparedness is collective preparedness.”
That idea sits at the heart of GOARN.
By connecting more than 360 institutions worldwide, the network enables countries to access technical expertise while creating opportunities for experts to strengthen their own experience through collaboration in different health system contexts.
The lessons that stay with you
For the three experts, the deployment strengthened dengue preparedness in the Pacific while also transforming their own understanding of preparedness and partnership.
The experience also changed how they see preparedness itself.
After returning home, Dr Partha De found himself looking differently at something as ordinary as a small pool of water collected inside an upturned leaf.
Where he once saw only rainwater, he now saw the conditions that enable dengue to spread.
“That leaf wasn’t just a leaf anymore,” he reflected. “It reminded me of how easily outbreaks begin and why preparedness matters.”
Sometimes the most lasting impact of a deployment is not only the work left behind, but the perspective taken home….PACNEWS
