In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific must stand united as One Blue Pacific Continent: Forum Chair Wale
2. NAOERO — President Adeang backs Winston Peters economy comments as Naoero’s economic progress is called world’s best
3. FIJI — ‘The over-consumption of yaqona is affecting the ministry’: Methodist Church in Fiji president
4. PACIFIC — Japan-Pacific relations strengthened ahead of PALM11
4. FIJI — Drug crime generates more than $40M annually in Fiji
5. SAMOA — Sāmoa’s ocean has a warning and a way forward, survey finds
7. PACNEWS BIZ — Tokelau loses nearly two-thirds of revenue after fisheries pact expulsion
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Nearly 40,000 returns lodged under Fiji tax amnesty in 2024-2025
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Solomon Islands government opens Tax reform Plan to Public
10. PACNEWS BIZ — PNG Coffee could benefit from timing of El Nino: Authority
11. PACNEWS BIZ — 54 boxes of Fijian-grown produce exported to Naoero
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting advances journey to build a resilient Pacific environment
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Digital Transformation in Asia and the Pacific: Why Digital Is the New Concrete
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Preventing suicide in the Western Pacific
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Pacific must stand united as One Blue Pacific Continent: Forum Chair Wale
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific Islands Forum members must remain united and speak with one voice as the Blue Pacific Continent faces growing geopolitical pressures, says outgoing Forum Chair and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale.
Wale made the remarks ahead of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and Related Meetings in Palau from 30 August to 04 September 2026.
Wale said the Pacific’s strength lies in its unity and its ability to set its own priorities when engaging with partners outside the region.
“So small, with specks, in a vast ocean, of course the ocean in itself is as of right now, we say a continent, and rightly so,” Wale said.
He said being recognised as the Blue Pacific Continent also carries responsibilities for Pacific Island countries to work together.
“It comes with responsibilities of course, on us, to be acting together, but it also comes with responsibilities of the rest of the world as they engage with us, and because we’re a small island community of island nations, we are stronger together,” he said.
Wale said maintaining regional unity and speaking with one voice was increasingly important as the Pacific navigates a changing geopolitical environment.
“And so it’s important we continue to aspire to maintain that unity and to continue to speak with us one voice as is possible on many of these challenging issues, especially nowadays in the geo-strategic contestation that we find ourselves in,” he said.
He stressed that Pacific countries must engage external partners on the region’s own terms and ensure their priorities remain at the centre of regional engagement.
“It is important that we engage with our partners outside of the region on our terms, on what is important to us, as opposed to on their terms and on their interests,” Wale said.
He said this requires the Pacific Islands Forum to strengthen its ability to anticipate developments and prepare the region for emerging challenges.
“And that requires the Pacific Islands Forum having radar capability, being able to see forward, and being able to map our way forward through challenging times,” he said.
The meeting will bring together the Forum Family to discuss collective aspirations, shape regional goals and identify common solutions to the challenges facing the Pacific.
As outgoing Chair, Wale is expected to hand over the leadership of the Forum to Palau President Surangel Whipps Jnr, as Pacific leaders reaffirm the importance of regional unity and a collective voice in dealing with partners and global powers.
The call for unity comes as Pacific Island countries face increasing strategic competition in the region, making a coordinated and Pacific-led approach a key priority for the Forum. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: NAEORO GOVT PACNEWS 1: Thu 20 Aug 2026
President Adeang backs Winston Peters economy comments as Naoero’s economic progress is called world’s best
YAREN, 21 AUGUST 2026 (NAEORO GOVT) —As the region prepares for the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau, Naoero President David Adeang has supported a call from New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for Pacific leaders to shift their focus from aid to strengthening their own economies.
Peters told Pacific Mornings that stronger economies are vital if island countries are to have more control over their future.
He said, “I go to ASEAN, and it’s all about the economy, the economy, economy, economy. I go to the Pacific, it’s all about aid.”
President Adeang said his Government had been pursuing that approach since he was elected in 2023 and its long-term economic strategy is delivering strong results.
He said the progress has been driven by bold thinking, innovation, close friendships with Australia, China, and the ADB, and long-term planning to create a stronger future.
“From the outset we said that our future will not be defined by the UN’s ranking of Naoero as the world’s fifth most vulnerable nation to economic and climate shock.”
Naoero’s success has now been hailed in a recently published analysis by Australian National University’s director of the Development Policy Centre, Professor Stephen Howes.
Professor Howes highlighted Naoero’s economic transformation over the past decade, noting strong growth in national income, increased employment and the success of new sources of foreign income in supporting the nation’s development.
He noted that Naoero experienced average annual growth in national income of 4.9 percent per person between 2009 and 2024. With major advances coming in the years President Adeang served as finance minister, Naoero is once again soon to be classified as a high-income country by the OECD.
His report also highlighted major economic improvements between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, including a 36 percent increase in jobs for men, a 74 percent increase in jobs for women, and employment growth from 47 percent to 64 percent of the population.
In the report, Professor Howes noted the available economic indicators suggest Naoero’s strong economic performance has continued beyond the 2021 Census.
“While the 2021 census data is now a bit old, there is no sign of Naoero’s boom having ended,” Professor Howes wrote.
“If any other boom worldwide has delivered similarly stunning results in such a short period, I am not aware of it.”
Reflecting on Naoero’s economic recovery journey, President Adeang has previously highlighted the importance of transparency, trust and working closely with communities.
He said dei-Naoero understood the importance of the Intergenerational Trust Fund which was securing the financial future for generations to come, and are embracing initiatives like advances in crypto, the citizenship programme, new fishing initiatives and third-party resettlement arrangements with Australia.
“We are succeeding because we were transparent, because we spoke directly with our people, and because they trust that the sacrifices were for Naoero’s future,” he said.
President Adeang said those same values continue to guide the government’s approach to leadership and nation building.
“Faith, family, and community remain our compass. Leadership means keeping community relationships close and never forgetting who we serve,” he said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – CHURCH: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Fri 21 Aug 2026
‘The over-consumption of yaqona is affecting the ministry’: Methodist Church in Fiji president
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Excessive yaqona consumption among Methodist ministers is weakening pastoral care, sermon preparation and evangelism, and in some cases driving church members away, Methodist Church in Fiji president Reverend Dr Semisi Turagavou has warned.
Addressing the opening of the ministerial meeting of the annual Bose Ko Viti Thursday, Rev Turagavou said the concern was not about yaqona or its cultural significance, but the lack of discipline surrounding its consumption.
“Excessive conception of yaqona. I raise this matter not to shame anyone or to attack our culture or our tradition, but because it has become a genuine burden upon our ministry and our witness. Let me be clear, this is not a cultural issue. yaqona has an honoured place within our vanua and among our people.
“It remains an important expression of our identity and hospitality. The issue before us is not yaqona itself, but the absence of discipline.”
Reverend Turagavou warned ministers against allowing yaqona to control their lives.
“Whenever something begins to master us rather than us mastering it, it ceases to be a blessing and becomes a burden.”
He said the impact was already being felt in the work of some ministers.
“The over-consumption of yaqona has affected the ministry of many of our ministers.
“It has reduced our effectiveness in pastoral visitation. It has weakened our commitment to Bible study and sermon preparation. It has affected our attendance at training programmes. It has diminished our energy for evangelism and social outreach.
“In some cases, it has even weakened our witness before our own congregation and the wider community, becoming a source of ridicule rather than respect.”
Reverend Turagavou said the physical effects of excessive consumption were also damaging the image of church leaders.
“We must also recognise that our image matters alongside our message.
“Too often, the very bodies and bearings of our ministers and lay pastors tell a story before we even preach a sermon.
“Bloodshot eyes, weary appearances, dryness of skin, unsteady speech, and visible fatigue communicate the effect of excess. Whether we intend it or not, this thing undermines the gospel we proclaim.”
He reminded ministers of their responsibility to set an example for their congregations.
“Paul’s exhortation to Timothy remains God’s word to every minister today. Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity. First Timothy chapter 4 verse 12.
“Our conduct, even our appearance, must reinforce our message rather than contradict it.
“We cannot proclaim wholeness while our lives visibly reflect a lack of control. Some of our people openly question the example we set.”
Rev Turagavou said some members were leaving churches because they believed they were not receiving the spiritual leadership and pastoral care they needed.
“Others quietly leave our churches, seeking for what they believe to be greener pastures. Not because the gospel has failed, but because they have been unable to find the spiritual leadership and pastoral care they long for.
“They are hungry for shepherds, who are present, attentive, prayerful, spiritual, alive. Every member who quietly slips away should cause us to examine ourselves before we examine anyone else.”
Reverend Turagavou also reaffirmed the Church’s position on smoking, extending his call for discipline to lay pastors.
“For this reason, I also affirm that the church’s discipline regarding smoking remains unchanged. I now ask not only every ordained minister, but also every lay pastor to embrace this standard with equal seriousness.
“This is not merely a regulation imposed by the church. It is an expression of our calling to honour our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit and live lives worthy of the gospel we preach,” he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS/PIFS PACNEWS 1: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Japan-Pacific relations strengthened ahead of PALM11
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS/PIFS) —Pacific Islands Forum Acting Secretary General Desna Solofa has met with Takayuki Kobayashi, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and Chair of the Liberal Democratic Party’s Policy Research Council, to discuss strengthening Japan-Pacific relations.
The meeting covered economic security, Japan’s updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision, diplomatic and security consultations, regional stability, the Ocean of Peace, and preparations for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.
Discussions also focused on strengthening cooperation ahead of the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM11), with both sides highlighting opportunities for sustained Japan-Pacific partnerships in support of Pacific priorities.
The engagement also reinforced the importance of cooperation in advancing the implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent….PACNEWS
FIJI – DRUGS FIGHT: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Drug crime generates more than $40M annually in Fiji
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Narcotics-related offences are estimated to generate more than $40 million (US$20 million) in criminal proceeds annually in Fiji, with the country facing a growing money-laundering threat from the illicit drug trade.
The assessment is contained in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs’ review of the Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit 2024 Annual Report, tabled in Parliament.
The report describes narcotics-related crime as a “high and increasing” money-laundering threat, with Fiji being used as a transhipment point for methamphetamine and cocaine moving from the Americas to Australia and New Zealand.
It said Fiji’s role in international drug trafficking had also resulted in a “spillover” of illicit drugs into the domestic market.
“While foreign actors primarily handle the shipment of narcotics, local criminal gangs, including outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs), have begun to dominate the supply of narcotics in the domestic market,” the report states.
The report also points to Fiji’s growing locally produced marijuana market, with increasing cases involving cultivation and possession.
It highlighted the 4.15-tonne methamphetamine seizure in Nadi in 2024, valued at about $2 billion (US$1 billion), describing it as the largest drug bust in Fiji’s history.
According to the report, the seizure demonstrated the scale and value of transnational trafficking operations using Fiji as a transit and storage location and, to a lesser extent, as a destination.
However, much of the money associated with major trans-Pacific drug shipments does not pass through Fiji.
“Most financial flows from these drug transhipments avoid Fiji’s financial system, transferring directly between source and destination countries,” the report states.
Money generated from drugs sold within Fiji presents a more direct money-laundering risk.
The report said proceeds from locally grown marijuana and “spill-over” cocaine and methamphetamine are being laundered through the domestic economy, with sectors at risk including banks, payment service providers, remittance services, legal practitioners and real estate agents……PACNEWS
SAMOA – OCEANS: PMN PACNEWS 1: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Sāmoa’s ocean has a warning and a way forward, survey finds
APIA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PMN)—Sāmoa’s ocean shows two very different sides of its health – pristine coral habitats thriving in deeper waters while shallow reefs bear the scars of climate change and overfishing.
That is the picture emerging from a four-week National Geographic Pristine Seas (NGPS) expedition now surveying Sāmoan waters with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE).
The 37-member team has been working around Savai’i and other parts of Samoa’s waters, using divers, deep sea cameras, submersibles and environmental DNA sampling to build a clearer picture of what is living beneath the surface.
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Paul Rose, an NGPS expedition leader, says the contrast between deep and shallow reefs has been striking.
“Sāmoan waters are absolutely brilliant, but it’s equally on a par with some of the damage we’ve seen due to climate change and overfishing through history,” Rose says.
The team completed four submersible dives to depths of 500 metres during its first week off north-western Savai’i, while also recording humpback and pilot whales.
Rose says some of the heaviest reefs were found much deeper.
“Our science team and our underwater media team regularly come back and say, ‘the reefs down at 40 to 50 metres were amazing’. Large table corals and unbelievable, pristine, beautiful things.
But closer to the surface, the story changes.
“Then they’ll say, ‘actually, the shallow reefs have been damaged by heat. Where are the big fish? Where are the sharks?’ That reinforces everybody’s knowledge on the effect of climate change and protection.”
Rose says the findings also point to what can happen when Pacific communities protect their ocean.
“When we protect places as Sāmoa is going to, we soon see very remarkably quickly, that the ocean has this ability to regenerate itself. We’ll see those areas where the habitat is still beautiful and with a bit of protection, it can be pristine once again.”
Sāmoa has already taken a major step towards that protection.
Its Marine Spatial Plan (MSP), brought into effect earlier this year, establishes nine new offshore marine protected areas and formalises coastal community reserves.
Together, they cover 30 percent of Sāmoa’s ocean, about 36,000 square kilometres.
Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Polataivao Fosi Schmidt says the expedition will provide important information as Sāmoa puts the plan into action.
“Effective ocean management must be supported by strong scientific information,” Laaulialemalietoa says.
“The findings will provide an important baseline for long-term monitoring and help guide effective implementation and management of our MSP.”
The expedition is also being shaped by Sāmoan knowledge, with local researchers joining different legs of the voyage.
In a media statement, Tye Kindinger, the scientific lead for National Geographic Pristine Seas, says communities are an important part of understanding and protecting Sāmoa’s waters.
“[They are also] essential partners in designing this expedition,” Kindinger says.
Sāmoa’s waters are home to nearly 1000 recorded fish species, about 2000 species of sea snails and 200 coral species. They are also important migration routes for humpback whales and breeding grounds for endangered hawksbill turtles.
Kevin Chand, the Senior Director of Pacific Ocean Policy at NGPS, says Sāmoa is setting a global example ahead of an international nature summit in Armenia this October.
With the expedition continuing, the research is aimed at giving Sāmoa a stronger scientific base to protect those waters and ensuring the beauty found beneath the surface is not lost to the damage already being seen in its shallow reefs…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
TOKELAU – FISHERIES: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Tokelau loses nearly two-thirds of revenue after fisheries pact expulsion
NUKUNONU/WELLINGTON, 21 AUGUST 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC)—Tokelau has lost more than 60 percent of its fishing revenue between February and June, according to New Zealand officials, following its expulsion from a key Pacific fisheries agreement.
The small self-governing territory was expelled from the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS) of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), which allows Pacific member countries to license fishing time in their waters, but no clear reason for the decision has yet emerged.
Correspondence released under the Official Information Act (OIA) revealed that Tokelau had been forced to revise its government budget “following significant loss of revenue” since the expulsion.
Offshore fisheries are Tokelau’s only source of independent revenue.
The minutes of a June meeting between New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Ulu o Tokelau Alapati Pita Tavite stated that: “NZ officials are working to better understand the matter in detail with a view to supporting Tokelau to seek readmission.”
Tokelau’s finances are not readily available. However, the latest estimate of revenue from its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), was about NZ$15 million (US$8.91 million) in 2024.
Based on that figure, the loss could be near to NZD$9m (US$5.34 million) – and that is just in five months.
As a result, Tokelau has become more dependent on New Zealand monetary assistance.
The New Zealand government has budgeted $138m(US$81.95 million) for Tokelau between June 2024 and 2027, although no allowance has been made for the shortfall in Tokelau’s revenue.
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) has maintained that it is actively lobbying the PNA, the coalition of Pacific countries that administers the VDS, to re-admit Tokelau.
However, PNA officials may not be persuaded by MFAT’s lobbying, as concern has been raised about the degree to which New Zealand influences Tokelauan fisheries. New Zealand is not a PNA member.
RNZ Pacific has seen minutes taken from a PNA summit in November that included an “expression of regret at Tokelau’s situation with New Zealand”, but did not outline any clear path to readmit Tokelau to the scheme.
“Tokelau’s latest update in their letter to Parties was that New Zealand’s position was not likely to change, which meant that Tokelau could no longer operate as it used to.”
“Certain Parties were already experiencing the effects of this in their dealings with Tokelau which were now proving difficult; past activities done in the past, such as trading of days were now proving difficult to undertake with Tokelau.”
Shortly after this was reported, the minutes were removed from the PNA website.
A Tokelau government spokesperson refused to comment, calling the matter “sensitive”.
An MFAT spokesperson said New Zealand is voicing its support for Tokelau at regional fora.
“Tokelau is seeking readmission to the PNA Vessel Day Scheme as a priority and is engaging with PNA members directly.”
“The decision on Tokelau’s readmission to the VDS is a matter for PNA Ministers to consider.” the MFAT spokesperson said……PACNEWS
FIJI – TAX AMENESTY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Nearly 40,000 returns lodged under Fiji tax amnesty in 2024-2025
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Nearly 40,000 tax returns were lodged under the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service’s tax amnesty programme, with about $75 million (US$37.5 million) in payments and declared liabilities associated with the lodgements.
The figures are contained in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs’ review report of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service annual report 2024-2026, tabled in Parliament.
According to the report, the amnesty programme was primarily intended for taxpayers with outstanding returns, unpaid principal tax or unresolved historical obligations.
“Nearly 40,000 returns were lodged during the programme and approximately $75 million(US$37.5 million)in payments and declared liabilities were associated with those lodgements,” the report states.
However, the report noted that the 40,000 figure represents returns rather than individual taxpayers, as a single taxpayer may have lodged several outstanding returns.
It said the number of individual taxpayers who participated, including how many had previously been non-compliant, still needed to be confirmed by FRCS’s Taxation Division.
The report said the programme had nevertheless produced compliance benefits.
“The Amnesty has improved the accuracy of taxpayer accounts and returned a substantial number of taxpayers to the filing system.”
The committee also questioned how many taxpayers had benefited from more than one tax amnesty and what safeguards were in place to prevent repeated reliance on such programmes.
FRCS said it had not, at the time of the review, carried out a matching exercise across previous amnesty programmes to determine whether taxpayers had benefited multiple times.
It stressed that completing an amnesty did not remove a taxpayer’s future obligations, with normal filing and payment requirements resuming after the relief period.
Late filing and payment penalties can also apply, while taxpayers who default may face audits and recovery action.
FRCS maintained that tax amnesties should not become an alternative to meeting normal tax obligations.
Its policy position, according to the report, is that amnesties should be “exceptional and time-limited, not a recurring substitute for compliance.”
Meanwhile, the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service recorded 29 cases investigated by its Ethical Standards Unit, including disciplinary matters and one referral to the Fiji Police Force, according to its 2024–2026 Annual Report review.
The figures are contained in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs’ review report presented to Parliament.
Responding to questions on whether FRCS officers had been investigated, disciplined, suspended or prosecuted, the committee was told that of the 29 cases, six resulted in disciplinary cases.
Another three cases were referred to FRCS’s People, Capability and Culture division, while one was referred to the Fiji Police Force.
Fourteen cases were found to have no merit, while five resulted in improvements to internal processes.
However, the report noted that the figures covered FRCS operations organisation-wide and did not identify how many cases specifically involved officers working at Fiji’s border operations.
The committee also sought details on measures being taken to strengthen integrity at border points.
FRCS identified a range of safeguards, including segregation and rotation of duties, restricted system access, electronic audit logs, supervisory reviews, CCTV and physical security.
Other measures include declarations of conflicts of interest and gifts, ethical standards training, intelligence-led targeting, joint agency operations and whistleblower and complaint channels.
FRCS said further improvements would include stronger automated controls, enhanced background screening for high-risk roles and more consistent monitoring of privileged system access….PACNEWS
SOL – TAX PLAN: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Solomon Islands government opens tax reform Plan to Public
HONIARA, 21 AUGUST 202 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)—Solomon Islands GREAT Coalition government has released its Draft Formal Tax Policy Work Programme 2026–2028, inviting taxpayers, businesses and the wider public to have their say on the future direction of Solomon Islands’ tax system.
The draft programme sets out the Government’s proposed tax policy and legislative priorities for the next two years.
The Government says the initiative marks a move towards a more open, transparent and participatory approach to developing tax policy.
“For the first time, taxpayers, businesses, community organisations and other interested groups can review the Government’s proposed tax policy agenda and provide feedback before it is finalised,” a government statement said.
It added the programme identifies the key areas of tax policy and legislation that the Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s Economic Division and the Inland Revenue Division (IRD) expect to work on between 2026 and 2028.
It also sets out a process for prioritising proposals based on their potential impact on government revenue, taxpayers, businesses and the wider economy.
The programme is overseen by the Economic Division/IRD Work Prioritisation and Review Committee, which is responsible for deciding which tax policy initiatives should be progressed and when, based on Government priorities and available resources.
The draft programme focuses on five main areas.
1. Protecting the integrity of the tax system
This includes measures to strengthen the tax system and address tax avoidance and evasion.
2. Modernising and strengthening the tax system
The Government will review and update tax laws in response to changes in technology, business practices, court decisions and other developments.
This will also include work to reform indirect taxes, including consideration of a single tax rate and a broader-based indirect tax system.
The Government says the reforms aim to simplify tax rules and create a more level playing field for businesses.
3. Strengthening domestic and international information sharing
This work will strengthen Solomon Islands’ ability to share and respond to tax information in line with domestic and international obligations.
It will also help the country respond to changes in the domestic and global economy.
4. Social policy
This area will consider tax measures that may affect the wellbeing of Solomon Islanders.
5. Other Government agency priorities
This work will address initiatives from other government agencies that may have tax implications or affect the delivery of Inland Revenue services.
The Government says public consultation will be a key part of the tax policy process.
The consultation will take place in four phases.
Phase One will involve preliminary meetings with stakeholders likely to be directly affected by proposed tax policies, including the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.
Phase Two will focus on public awareness and education through platforms including the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, the IRD website and sessions at Solomon Islands National University.
Phase Three will involve one-on-one consultations with key stakeholder groups, including the Solomon Islands Small Business Enterprise Centre, Institute of Solomon Islands Accountants, Women in Law and the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Phase Four will involve a broader public consultation meeting involving government, non-government and business stakeholders.
The Government says the work programme will be a living document and reviewed regularly to ensure it remains aligned with national priorities.
Any changes will be reflected in the publicly available version, allowing stakeholders to track the Government’s tax policy agenda.
The Government is encouraging everyone with an interest in the tax system to review the draft programme and provide feedback….PACNEWS
PNG – AGRICULTURE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
PNG Coffee could benefit from timing of El Nino: Authority
PORT MORESBY, 21 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guinea National Coffee Authority says that the coffee industry may benefit from El Nino if rain returns at the right time to help flowers to develop into cherries.
National Coffee Authority acting managing director Charles Dambui explained that the dry period could stimulate coffee flowering, but the final crop depended on the rainfall that followed.
“Dry conditions can induce flowering and if adequate rain follows, the flowers can develop into cherries and produce a larger crop,” he said.
Dambui said that based on historical records, El Niño-related dry conditions “can increase coffee production in PNG when drought-induced stress is followed by adequate rainfall”.
Referring to the 1997 drought, Dambui said coffee trees showed widespread flowering when rain returned, contributing to PNG’s record crop of about 1.2 million bags in 1998.
He said research at Aiyura in Eastern Highlands found that the dry period stimulated heavy flowering and increased production in the following season.
“However, prolonged or severe drought can damage coffee trees, cause flowers to abort and kill young plants,” he said.
“Farmers must, therefore, protect their trees and prepare for both drought risks and a possible concentrated crop.”
Dambui urged coffee farmers to protect their trees, food gardens and water sources during El Niño.
Farmers were advised to:
*Maintain shade trees and apply mulch to conserve soil moisture;
*Clear firebreaks and avoid uncontrolled burning;
*Protect springs, creeks and other water sources;
*Prioritise water for nurseries and young coffee plants;
*Use compost and other organic material to improve soil moisture retention;
*Prepare labour, pulpers and storage facilities for a possible concentrated harvest; and,
*Stack food-crop planting to reduce the risk of total crop loss.
“The 1997-1998 experience shows that drought can be followed by a bumper coffee crop when rain returns at the right time so farmers should protect their coffee trees now and prepare for increased flowering and production,” Dambui said…..PACNEWS
FIJI – EXPORT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
54 boxes of Fijian-grown produce exported to Naoero
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN)—A major milestone was achieved on Tuesday night with the export of the first pilot consignment of Fijian-grown agricultural produce to the Republic of Naoero.
The 54 boxes of export-quality fruits, vegetables and root crops were sent under a Memorandum of Understanding partnership between the Pacific Islands Devel-opment Forum (PIDF) and New Valley Processors (Fiji) Limited (NVPL), signed on 23 July.
The produce was grown and harvested by farmers across Viti Levu and included eggplants, long beans, telegraph cucumbers, English cabbage, cassava, watermelons, pineapples, tomatoes, taro leaves, taro, papayas, bananas, kumquats and lemons.
PIDF Secretary-General Arpana Pratap said the successful shipment demonstrated the potential for Fiji’s agriculture sector to expand beyond the domestic market.
“The export of Fijian-grown agricultural produce to Pacific neighbours such as the Republic of Nauru demonstrates that Fiji’s agriculture sector has the potential to expand beyond the local market,” she said.
Pratap said Fiji’s fertile land, favourable climate and hardworking farmers positioned the country to meet demand in Northern Pacific markets.
She acknowledged that challenges were encountered in pre-paring the first consignment but said these were overcome through the support of project partners, including NVPL, Nauru Airlines and participating farmers.
The export is part of the Pacific Fresh AirLink initiative under PIDF’s Food and Nutrition Security Project.
The initiative aims to support the export of fresh produce from Fijian farmers to regional markets, creating new economic opportunities while improving access to fresh and nutritious food in Pacific communities.
NVPL chief executive Navita-lai Tuivuniwai said the company worked closely with farmers across Viti Levu to ensure the required quality and quantity were met.
“This first pilot consignment in-volved a lot of planning, discus-sions and meetings with farmers to ensure we were able to meet the flight deadline,” he said.
Tuivuniwai said the compa-ny would continue working with PIDF to expand exports to North-ern Pacific markets and improve farmers’ economic livelihoods.
A Biosecurity Authority of Fiji official conducted the necessary inspections before the consign-ment was loaded onto the Nauru Airlines flight, which departed Nadi International Airport last night and has since arrived in Naoero….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting advances journey to build a resilient Pacific environment
APIA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (SPREP)—The journey to build a resilient Pacific environment to sustain our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our Pacific cultures for the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) continues.
The journey is buoyed by the Fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting (5EBM), held from 12-13 August, in Apia Samoa, where members commended the Secretariat’s work over the past year, and approved the 2027 supplementary work programme and budget.
Chaired by Wallis-et-Futuna, the meeting reviewed SPREP’s work and discussed future strategic priorities, opportunities for new initiatives, funding, and partnerships. Board decisions are highlighted in the outcomes report of the Fifth SPREP Executive Board Meeting.
Jean Paul Mailagi, Wallis-et-Futuna Member of the Environment, Infrastructure and Planning Committee and Chair of 5EBM, congratulated SPREP on its work and reminded that the challenges facing our region extend beyond the borders of our countries and territories.
“None of us can address them alone,” he said. “Our countries and territories have different realities, but our issues are shared and our collective commitment to engage in dialogue, respect our diversity and work together continues to be one of the strengths of the Pacific.”
The membership of the Fifth Executive Board comprises of the Troika – the United Kingdom, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna and Fiji as representative for Melanesia, Cook Islands for Polynesia, the Federated States of Micronesia for Micronesia, Australia for the Metropolitan Members, and France for the French-speaking members.
SPREP Director General, Sefanaia Nawadra, acknowledged the Chair and members of the Executive Board for their ownership, guidance and confidence in SPREP.
“SPREP works according to the mandate given to us by our member states, and this Fifth Executive Board Meeting has provided directions for continuing our work,” he said.
“To all our members, partners and donors, thank you for the continued investment to the work of SPREP, this is a joint effort and it encourages all of us at the Secretariat to do our best for the Pacific communities we are here to serve.”
The Executive Board agreed that the 33rd SPREP Meeting will be held in September 2027, in Samoa…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Digital Transformation in Asia and the Pacific: Why Digital Is the New Concrete
By Antonio García Zaballos, Director, ADB’s Digital Sector Office
MANILA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (ADB)—Roads and power plants drove the past century’s growth—now digital infrastructure is doing the same job. But real transformation depends less on technology itself than on the institutions, skills, and trust needed to make it work.
For much of the past century, development was measured in concrete. Roads connected markets. Power plants energized industries. Ports opened economies to trade. Those investments remain indispensable, but they are no longer enough.
The next wave of development will be digital. But digital is the new concrete: a visible investment that guarantees nothing on its own. Just as it was never really about the roads, the power plants, or the ports, it will not really be about the technology either. What matters is the capability behind it—the institutions, skills, and trust that turn infrastructure, physical or digital, into results.
Artificial intelligence, shared public digital systems, data people can trust, and connectivity that reaches almost everyone are changing how governments deliver services, how businesses compete, and how societies create value. Digital transformation is no longer about automating old processes. It is about redesigning economies for a different era.
Digital is no longer just another sector competing for attention. Increasingly, it is becoming the infrastructure that every other sector depends on. Yet what digital transformation looks like differs sharply across Asia and the Pacific. That diversity should shape how development institutions think about investment.
Consider four very different realities.
In frontier economies, the priority is often building the basics: affordable connectivity, digital infrastructure that can withstand shocks, trusted data, cybersecurity, and rules that keep pace with new technology. Without these, more advanced digital services simply cannot take root.
In many Pacific island countries, geography is the defining constraint. The challenge is not merely connecting people to the internet, but delivering education, healthcare, financial services, and government across thousands of kilometers of ocean. Digital platforms can reduce the tyranny of distance, allowing governments to reach citizens wherever they live.
In South Asia, the picture is almost the opposite. Many millions of people use smartphones and digital payments every day. The constraint is increasingly institutional rather than technological. Citizens who can transfer money instantly may still wait in line to register a business, apply for a permit, or access social protection through fragmented government systems. Here, the opportunity lies in joining up government services so they work as one system rather than a maze of separate ones.
In mountainous countries such as Nepal and Bhutan, physical geography continues to shape economic opportunity. Satellite connectivity, AI-enabled mapping and analysis, and digital platforms can reduce the penalty imposed by distance, improving disaster response, infrastructure management, healthcare, and education where physical access remains difficult.
And across every country, one question cuts across all others: who risks being left behind? Digital transformation is not inherently inclusive. Women, rural communities, persons with disabilities, older populations, and those with limited digital skills often face multiple barriers at once. Closing the digital divide therefore requires building inclusion into digital systems from the start, rather than adding it on later.
These realities may differ, but they point to the same conclusion. The question is no longer whether a project contains a digital component. The question is whether every investment makes full use of digital technology to deliver real results.
Too often, digital initiatives have produced excellent pilots that never reached scale. Governments have accumulated disconnected platforms, duplicated databases, and incompatible systems. Individual projects succeeded technically while failing strategically.
The challenge is no longer digitalization. It is integration.
That means moving beyond isolated technology projects toward digital systems that combine connectivity, shared public digital platforms, data that different systems can actually use together, cybersecurity, institutional reform, and innovation suited to each sector.
Health systems cannot scale up without medical records that different systems can read and data people can trust. Agriculture increasingly depends on satellite imagery and AI-driven analysis. Coping with natural disasters relies on satellite mapping and early warning systems. Getting people access to financial services requires secure digital ID and digital payments. Digital has become the common denominator.
Yet technology alone will never deliver transformation.
Technology can be purchased. Capability must be built.
Success depends on governments capable of coordinating across ministries, regulators that can adapt to rapidly evolving technologies, procurement systems that reward innovation without sacrificing accountability, and institutions able to sustain digital platforms long after they launch.
Development institutions today therefore face a different challenge from previous generations. Financing infrastructure remains esential, but it is no longer sufficient. They must also help countries build governance, digital skills, institutions, partnerships, and trust so that technology translates into results that last.
The invisible infrastructure of the 21st century may prove as important as the highways, ports, and power plants of the 20th.
In the coming decade, the countries that prosper will not necessarily be those with the most advanced technologies. They will be those that build the strongest digital foundations upon which innovation, inclusion, durability, productivity, and long-term growth can flourish….PACNEWS
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Preventing suicide in the Western Pacific
PORT MORESBY, 21 AUGUST 2026 (WHO PACIFIC) —Suicide remains a major public health challenge in the World Health Organisation (WHO) Western Pacific Region, which accounts for nearly one quarter of global suicide deaths.
The Mental health atlas 2024 underscores persistent gaps in the region:
*Mental health budgets remain below 2 percent of total health spending.
*Workforce shortages: fewer than 2 psychiatrists per 100 000 population in many countries.
*Limited integration of mental health into primary health care (PHC).
WHO’s LIVE LIFE approach provides a practical, evidence-based framework for suicide prevention, focusing on four interventions:
*Limit access to means of suicide.
*Interact with media for responsible reporting.
*Foster life skills in adolescents.
*Early identification, management and follow-up.
These are supported by six pillars: situation analysis, multisectoral collaboration, awareness and advocacy, capacity-building, financing, and surveillance.
In addition, the Regional framework for the future of mental health in the Western Pacific 2023-2030 prioritises suicide prevention and calls for community engagement, digital innovation, PHC integration, and leadership to accelerate progress. Lived experience voices must also guide policy and service design to reduce stigma and improve care.
Through this webinar, WHO is highlighting regional efforts that demonstrate how leadership, community action and culturally sensitive approaches can help prevent suicide and save lives.
Objectives:
*Share regional evidence and priority actions for suicide prevention in the Western Pacific.
*Highlight country experiences implementing LIVE LIFE and culturally adapted strategies.
*Empower WHO Member States with actionable steps for scaling interventions and strengthening systems.
The following are welcome to join the webinar:
*Health policy-makers and programme managers
*Mental health professionals and PHC providers
*Community leaders and educators
*Media representatives
*Civil society organisations and advocacy groups…. PACNEWS
Register: https://who.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PmGLDmOpTPiE4z1NorC2Jg#/registration
