In this bulletin:
1. FIJI — Fiji says COP31 must put ocean at centre of climate action
2. FIJI — Tourism industry ready to host pre-COP 31 summit: Minister Gavoka
3. PALAU — Palau expects more than 2,000 attendees for 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting
4. NEW|CALE — New Caledonia’s President Tukumuli outlines a six-month recovery roadmap
5. COOKS — Cook Islands election: First 12 seats declared as final count enters day two
6. FIJI — UN drives regional revival of Pacific cooperatives in Fiji
7. FIJI — Corrupt voters face four-year poll ban under proposed law
8. NMI — ICE detainee dies in CNMI prison
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji’s tourism tax puts Pacific air links under pressure, experts warn
10. PACNEWS BIZ — TAANZ Welcomes Fiji TST Decision Providing Certainty for Kiwi Travellers
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Kiribati detains Chinese ship over banned shark fin
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji and Japan deepen cooperation on maritime and energy security
13. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Stronger outbreak responses in the Pacific start with locally embedded knowledge
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Land degradation is costing far more than restoring UN deputy chief
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific Fuel Crisis Poised to Become a Water, Food and Health Crisis
16. PACNEWS DIGEST — The Pacific strengthens commitment to international humanitarian law
FIJI – PRECOP/COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Fiji says COP31 must put ocean at centre of climate action
By Sanjeshni Kumar
SUVA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS) — Fiji will push for greater recognition of the Pacific Ocean as central to climate action at the upcoming UN climate negotiations, saying COP31 must move beyond promises and focus on implementation.
Speaking ahead of the Pacific pre-COP and COP31, Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua said Pacific Island countries had an opportunity to change how the world understands the climate crisis by placing the ocean at the centre of global climate discussions.
“As we approach the Pacific Pre-COP and COP31, I believe we as Pacific Islanders have an important opportunity to change the way the world understands the climate crisis,” she said.
For Pacific communities, she said, climate change could not be separated from the health of the ocean, given the dependence of island economies and communities on marine resources.
“When the ocean warms, when the sea levels rise, when coral reefs decline and when our fisheries are disrupted, the consequences are felt directly in our homes and in our economies,” Qereqeretabua said.
“This is why I believe that the ocean must move from the margins of the climate conversation to being the centre of it.”
Fiji and Tuvalu will jointly host the Pacific pre-COP, giving Pacific countries an opportunity to put their experiences, knowledge and solutions directly before international decision-makers.
Qereqeretabua said Pacific countries should use the opportunity not simply to highlight their vulnerability, but to demonstrate leadership and show the world the realities faced by island communities.
She said Fiji’s priority at COP31 would be implementation, particularly on climate finance.
“For Fiji and for the Pacific, COP31 must be about implementation,” she said.
“We need climate finance that is not only accessible, but predictable and is appropriate for Small Island Developing States. We need adaptation finance to reach the communities that are already experiencing the impacts of climate change.”
She also called for meaningful progress on loss and damage and adequate support for the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is designed to channel finance towards climate resilience at the community level.
Qereqeretabua said the ocean itself should be recognised as part of the solution to the climate crisis, pointing to reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, wetlands and fisheries as forms of natural infrastructure.
“These are not simply environmental assets. They are natural infrastructure. They protect our coastlines. They sustain our people. They support tourism and fisheries. They store carbon and underpin the Blue Pacific Economy,” she said.
She also reiterated the Pacific’s position that efforts to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius must remain a priority.
“For the Pacific, 1.5 is not a negotiating slogan. It’s about the future of our communities, our economies, our cultures, and ultimately the security and viability of our island nations,” she said.
Responding to a question on what Pacific countries would seek at COP31, Qereqeretabua said the region wanted to see an end to unfulfilled financial commitments.
“The Pacific delegates to the pre-COP and to COP will insist that this COP will be the COP where we stop making promises and start implementing,” she said.
“We have come away from numerous COPs with promises of millions of dollars for loss and damage, money that still has not been seen.”
She urged international leaders and negotiators to visit Pacific communities and witness the impacts of climate change directly.
“This is going to be our strongest message. Come and see what we’ve been going on about for decades. This is your opportunity to come and see for yourselves,” she said.
Qereqeretabua added the Pacific would arrive at COP31 not simply seeking protection, but offering solutions.
“The Pacific does not come to the global climate process simply asking to be protected. We come with solutions, we come with Pacific knowledge, and we come with an ocean that sustains us, and we have a responsibility to protect it,” she said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – PRECOP: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Tourism industry ready to host Pre-COP 31 summit: Minister Gavoka
SUVA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka says Fiji’s tourism industry is fully prepared to host an influx of world leaders for October’s Pre-COP31 summit, drawing on the country’s experience in hosting Commonwealth leaders two decades ago.
“We can do it. Our people know what to do, from the airport to the hotel, all the excursions,” Gavoka said Tuesday. He described Fiji’s tourism product as among the best in the world.
Gavoka said tourism, which contributes nearly 40 per cent of economic activity, would handle the added spotlight.
“We are fully prepared,” he said.
The pre-COP31 meeting will be held in Nadi from 5 to 8 October, with a special leaders’ component in Tuvalu before the main COP31 summit, hosted by Türkiye in Antalya in November.
Fiji’s tourism boom, which saw a record of more than 100,000 visitors in July alone, comes as Government finalises preparations alongside Australia, which is supporting the Pacific-hosted Pre-COP under an agreement with Türkiye.
Leaders invited to attend include United States President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sakiasi Ditoka said last week that invitations had been personally delivered to Malaysia and South Korea, though the exact number of leaders attending remained unconfirmed.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has previously said Fiji had signed security cooperation agreements with Australia and New Zealand for the summit…. PACNEWS
PALAU – PIFLM55: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Palau expects more than 2,000 attendees for 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting
KOROR, 26 AUGUST 2026 (ISLAND TIMES) — More than 2,000 people are expected to arrive in Palau for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, as the country prepares to host Pacific leaders, government officials, security personnel, media and development partners next week.
President Surangel Whipps Jr. said during a presidential press conference 21 August that 15 of the 18 heads of state from Pacific Islands Forum member countries are expected to attend the leaders meeting.
About 10 ministers or deputy ministers from PIF Dialogue Partners are also expected to participate.
The meeting will be accompanied by about 30 side events organised by United Nations agencies, development partners, nongovernmental organisations, civil society groups and other partners throughout the PIF Leaders Meeting period.
Security preparations will include about 100 law enforcement officers from across the Pacific region who will come to Palau to support local authorities during the event.
The Office of the President also reported that slightly more than 100 media representatives have been accredited to cover the meeting. About 70 are expected to come from international media organisations, while about 30 are from Pacific Island media outlets.
Whipps said the gathering provides an important opportunity to strengthen partnerships across the region, emphasising that cooperation with development and other partners will be essential to building a “prosperous and resilient” Pacific.
“This is an opportunity to bring in partners” in areas including energy, tourism and conservation, Whipps said, with the goal of working together toward a “prosperous, resilient Pacific together” in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
Whipps said engaging partners is particularly important to advancing the goals of this year’s PIF Leaders Meeting theme, BELAU, which stands for Building Economies, Life, Action and Unity.
He described the previous PIF Leaders Meeting in Solomon Islands as a “missed opportunity,” referring to the decision there to limit participation in the event to Pacific Islands Forum countries.
The 55th PIF Leaders Meeting is expected to bring a large international and regional presence to the country while creating opportunities for governments, development partners, civil society and other stakeholders to strengthen cooperation on issues affecting the Pacific…. PACNEWS
NEW|CALE – POLITICS: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
New Caledonia’s President Tukumuli outlines a six-month recovery roadmap
NOUMEA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — New Caledonia’s President Milakulo Tukumuli on Monday outlined the urgent issues facing the French Pacific territory.
In a special address at New Caledonia’s Congress, Tukumuli, who was elected president of the collegial multi-party government on 31 July following provincial elections, said he gave his government six months to tackle the most pressing issues facing New Caledonia.
After this, he said his government would start to focus on other issues.
He said there the most immediate urgencies included necessary efforts to salvage the French territory’s pension and health insurance schemes, currently facing a short-term risk of total collapse.
He added, if nothing is done, over 40,000 New Caledonian pensioners could find themselves pensionless “within a few months”.
New Caledonia’s healthcare system was also under direct threat with a cumulated current deficit to the tune of US$420 million.
Another urgency was to examine the local political system’s expenditures in order to reduce costs.
“The fall is now receding, but recovery has not started yet. When a canoe is taking water, it’s not time to take stock of what is onboard. You begin by fixing the hull and restoring the course,” he told local Congress members, as part of his general policy speech.
“I did not request this position just to manage impotency”, he said, stressing that New Caledonia was still recovering from the damage caused by the 2024 civil unrest.
On the crucial nickel mining sector in New Caledonia, where most of the stakeholders and operators are still searching for new investors, Tukumuli said his government would support any “coherent” offer by “solid” and “durably engaged” stakeholders.
But he said New Caledonia’s economy also needed to reduce its long-term dependency on nickel through other economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture, the blue economy or digital-based projects.
“Let’s make sure that a future New Caledonia remembers us as those who have chosen to put it back on its feet”.
He said economic recovery must include “social justice”.
“These are the two sides of the same coin: wealth without justice does not hold. And justice without wealth cannot last”, he told the Congress, saying one of his priorities was to bring New Caledonians a “dignified life”.
Being the first New Caledonian government of Wallisian heritage, he also mentioned the need for all citizens of all ethnic heritages to “feel at home”.
“Our country is made of all these components, the Kanak people, first inhabitants of New Caledonia. But also, women and men who came from Europe, Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna, Asia, Vanuatu and elsewhere, and who, generation after generation, have also made this land theirs and know no other one”.
“The events of May 2024 have reopened fractures that we knew were there but preferred not to see”.
He said New Caledonia’s social cohesion cannot be dictated, but “is built also within our institutions, through the words we use and the way we speak to each other”.
Reactions from across the political chessboard were generally positive, including in the pro-independence ranks.
Pro-independence member for Kanaky-NC (mostly consisting of member of Union Calédonienne) Omaira Naisseline said the speech was “responsible”, but that her political group remained “attentive”.
On the pro-France side, Congress members (who have struck a coalition pact with Tukumuli’s Eveil Océanien party), hailed Tukumuli’s “truthful and responsible” roadmap.
“It’s a make-or-break situation. We’re up against a wall”, Congress member for pro-France Les Loyalistes-Rassemblement told the media after the speech, saying his party would support Tukumuli’s government reform efforts.
Congress President Virginie Ruffenach (pro-France) said the address was “very pragmatic” and “tough”.
Tukumuli also confirmed he will lead a bipartisan delegation in Paris next week, with the main objective being to re-negotiate with the French government the terms of massive loans contracted in the past few years.
This included loans contracted a result of the Covid crisis, and later following the massive damages incurred during the May 2024 unrest, which resulted in 14 deaths, over €2.2 billion (US$2.56 billion) in material damages, thousands of jobless and a drop of some 13.5 percent in New Caledonia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Despite French assistance packages, New Caledonia was still short of over €100m (US$116.74 million) just to finish the 2026 financial year.
The delegation (which will consist of Tukumuli, some of his government members, Congress members and New Caledonia’s two MPs from the French National Assembly) mainly aims at convincing the French government to turn the massive loans into non-refundable grants.
“The loans have avoided total collapse, but they have also generated a debt course that we cannot sustain. Our debt has now reached a level New Caledonia has never seen before”, Tukumuli said on Monday.
Speaking shortly after his election in July, he described the situation as a very real short-term risk of “shutdown”.
“We’re not asking for charity … New Caledonia will not pass 2027 without fresh financial support from the French State”, he said on Monday.
New Caledonia’s Congress has to vote its 2027 budget before the end of 2026.
“This budget will have to be sincere and balanced. It will greatly depend on France’s financial support. What we are proposing is a contract of responsibility with known amounts and reciprocal commitments. New Caledonia will pursue its reforms”.
Even though the delegation’s trip to Paris does not include further negotiations on New Caledonia’s future political status, Tukumuli also called on politicians to remain mobilised in view of future institutional talks with France about the French territory’s future political status.
“Uncertainty about tomorrow does not authorise us to remain motionless today”.
The general feeling among the current majority of New Caledonia’s politicians is that those talks, which have currently stalled earlier this year due to a rejection from the French National Assembly, would be likely to resume after France’s presidential and general elections, starting in April 2027…. PACNEWS
COOKS – ELECTION: COOK ISLANDS NEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Cook Islands election: First 12 seats declared as final count enters day two
RAROTONGA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (COOK ISLANDS NEWS) — Twelve seats were declared following the final count of the 2026 general election, which started Monday local time at Sinai Hall, with 11 more to be counted today before the final list of MPs is determined.
The remaining seats include the closely contested constituencies of Rakahanga, Pukapuka-Nassau, Ngatangiia and Matavera.
The Cook Islands Electoral Office Tuesday finalised results for 12 key constituencies, affirming initial leads across Tupapa Maraerenga, Takuvaine-Tutakimoa, Ruaau, Akaoa, Murienua, Amuri-Ureia, Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara, Tamarua, Teenui-Mapumai, Mitiaro, Mauke and Manihiki. While preliminary winners maintained their victories, final tabulations reflected increased vote counts across the contested electorates.
In Tupapa Maraerenga, newcomer Tamaiti Maru Willie of the Cook Islands Party (CIP) crossed the 600-vote mark with 617 total votes to win the constituency. Former Tupapa MP George “Maggie” Angene, who ran as an independent, was confirmed as the new Manihiki MP following a five-vote victory over the incumbent, CIP’s Akaiti Puna.
CIP leader and caretaker Prime Minister Mark Brown was also confirmed as the Takuvaine-Tutakimoa MP, winning the seat for a fifth consecutive term with 312 votes.
Meanwhile, the Cook Islands United Party (CIUP) completed a sweep of Puaikura, retaining all three seats, with Akaoa MP Robert Stanley Heather extending his lead to secure 324 votes.
The CIP has secured 12 seats following the preliminary count, while independent candidates hold eight seats – including two from Atiu (Independent-Enuamanu) and one from Mauke (Independent Party).
The Cook Islands United Party has secured four seats.
At least six independent candidates have confirmed their allegiance to the CIP.
Final results
– Tupapa Maraerenga: Tamaiti Maru Willie (CIP) – 617, Rota Tama Williams (CIUP) – 227, Edward Victor Drollett (Demo) – 117
– Takuvaine- Tutakimoa: Mark Brown (CIP) – 312, Davina Hina Te Raurea Joan Hosking-Ashford (Demo) – 115, Venetia Mere Jacqueline Tuara (CIUP) – 91
– Ruaau: Tim Tunui (Shadow) Varu (CIUP) – 370, Arama Joseph Wichman (CIP) – 301, William (Smiley) Heather (Demo) – 44
– Akaoa: Robert Stanley Heather (CIUP) – 324, Teakaau Tex Tangimetua (CIP) – 68
– Murienua: Teariki Heather (CIUP) – 344, Nooroa Baker (CIP) – 169, Samuel Mataroa (Demo) – 17
– Amuri-Ureia: Toanui Isamaela (CIP) – 165, Nicholas Henry (IND) – 98, Terepai Maoate (Demo) – 106, Tumutoa Nicholls (CIUP) – 25
– Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara: Tereapii Maki Kavana (CIP) – 179, Maitoe Henry (CIUP) – 113, Tekura Bishop (IND) – 91
– Tamarua: Tetangi Matapo (IND) – 34, Ngatamaroa Ngatokorua (CIP) – 23
– Teenui-Mapumai: Rose Toki Brown (IND Enuamanu) – 81, Charles Amaru Koronui (IND) – 23
– Mauke: Stephen Matapo (IND Party) -175, James Beer (IND) – 21
– Mitiaro: Tuakeu Tangapoto (CIP) – 60, Makara Murare (CIUP) – 35, Paul Allsworth (Demo)- 2
– Manihiki: George ‘Maggie’ Angene -IND – 56, Akaiti Puna (CIP) – 51, Puapii William (IND) – 15
– Ivirua: Agnes Armstrong (IND) – unopposed…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DIPLOMACY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
UN drives regional revival of Pacific cooperatives in Fiji
SUVA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Pacific Island nations must harness the power of community-driven development to combat pressing economic and environmental challenges, says UN Social Affairs Officer Andrew Allimadi.
Speaking Tuesday at the opening of the Strengthening Pacific Cooperatives workshop at the Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi Monday, Allimadi urged regional leaders to rebuild cooperative traditions.
“I think it is very fitting that we are in Fiji today, a country that has recognised the power of collective action and community-driven development,” he said.
“Over the next three days, we will focus on a simple but powerful idea: when people work together, they can achieve far more than they can do so alone.”
Allimadi said that local development remains urgent across the Pacific, where isolated communities continue to confront geographic barriers, climate change, and youth unemployment.
“World leaders gathered in Doha for the Second World Summit for Social Development and reaffirmed a fundamental truth: development is ultimately about people.
“One way to solve a lot of these problems is to bring back the power of cooperatives.”
Allimadi highlighted that major global summits, including the Sustainable Development Goals initiatives, have consistently acknowledged cooperative models as vital engines for sustainable local progress.
“The Pacific has a proud cooperative tradition. The opportunity before us is to build a legacy by strengthening the skills, institutions, and enabling environment.
“We need strong political will and strong political leadership to drive this system forward,” he said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – ELECTION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Corrupt voters face four-year poll ban under proposed law
SUVA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fijians convicted of corrupt electoral practices could be named on a new public register and barred from voting for four years.
This is according to the proposed Electoral (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Bill 2026.
The Bill creates a “Corrupt Electoral Practices List” to be maintained by the Supervisor of Elections.
Anyone convicted of a corrupt electoral practice or found guilty by the Court of Disputed Returns during an election petition trial, would have their name, voter number, residence and conviction details entered on the list.
Their name would be removed automatically after four years.
The Bill also updates the wording used to assess a person’s eligibility to register as a voter, replacing the term “have a mental disorder” with “be of unsound mind” to align with language in the Constitution.
Acting Attorney-General Turaga, in the Bill’s explanatory note, said the amendments were designed to align with the wider Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2026, which categorises all election offences.
The Bill is yet to pass and must go before Parliament’s Standing Committee before any vote is taken…. PACNEWS
NMI – PRISON: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Wed 26 Aug 2026
ICE detainee dies in CNMI prison
SAIPAN, 26 AUGUST 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — An immigration detainee being held at the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Department of Corrections died early Sunday, authorities say.
Corrections Commissioner Anthony Torres identified the detainee as Lian Yong Wei and said staff found him during routine checks at the prison on Saipan.
Staff immediately initiated an emergency medical response, and Wei was transported to the Commonwealth Health Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The department said it would not release protected health information, including information about Lian’s medical condition.
The Department of Public Safety and other appropriate investigative authorities have been notified, along with U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The circumstances surrounding Lian’s death remain under investigation.
According to the Department of Corrections, Lian was initially brought into custody on charges of disturbing the peace, assault, assault and battery, aggravated assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon, and an immigration violation.
The department said it was reviewing its procedures following the death and will make any necessary changes to strengthen prevention and emergency response measures.
“The Department extends its condolences to the family of Mr Wei,” Torres said.
Further information will be released as the investigation progresses, the department said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – TOURISM TAX: PMN PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Fiji’s tourism tax puts Pacific air links under pressure, experts warn
SUVA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (PMN) — Fiji’s new tourism tax is set to hit travellers from 1 September, with Australia and New Zealand warning the levy could push up the cost of holidays and penalise people who have already booked.
The five per cent Tourism Services Tax will apply to tourism businesses with annual turnover above FJ$2 million (NZ$1.53 million/US$1 million) and is expected to raise about FJ$70m (NZ$53.56m/US$35 million) for Fiji Airways as the airline continues to recover from the impact of Covid-19.
The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) has criticised the move, saying its application to bookings already made.
“The design and rollout reflect a complete lack of understanding of how the travel booking ecosystem works, and it is travellers and travel businesses who will pay the price for that failure,” Dean Long, ATIA’s chief executive, said in a statement.
“Retrospective application is an absolute no-go. Once a customer has paid, that price is fixed.”
Julie White, CEO of Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand (TAANZ), also called for existing bookings to be protected.
“Grandfathering existing bookings is the fairest outcome,” her statement read.
The debate comes as Pacific countries face a wider challenge: how to keep air links affordable and reliable while tourism remains a major part of their economies.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters says the experience of the Cook Islands shows that supporting Pacific aviation can help tourism grow.
Speaking with William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Peters pointed to the Cook Islands’ national airline as an example of what can be achieved.
“I was providing them by three million a year to make sure the flights went to the Cook Islands, and they’ve gone from there to now having 175,000 a year coming,” he said.
“But that’s the kind of story we want to see over and over again in the Pacific. It can be done, and that’s why we see that. It’s inspiring.”
However, other Pacific airlines are struggling to keep services running.
John Wopereis, Solomon Airlines commercial manager, said last month that the airline has to balance its commercial pressures with its role connecting communities.
“There’s only so many ways we can respond when we’re relying on government as well, it’s quite a big challenge for us,” he said.
The pressure is not limited to airlines.
Palau is seeing a strong tourism recovery, with visitor arrivals up 27 per cent in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
More than 51,000 visitors arrived between January and July, with Australia one of the fastest-growing markets, up 68 per cent year-on-year.
Improved air links have helped drive the growth, including Qantas’ weekly Brisbane service and new links from Japan and the Philippines.
For Pacific destinations, the figures highlight the importance of keeping air connections open as countries compete for visitors.
But the cost of doing so is rising.
David Tohi, the Association of South Pacific Airlines secretary-general, says Pacific carriers face a difficult operating environment, including “small markets, high costs, infrastructure and resourcing challenges, lack of access to capital, and not a lot of margins for error.”
That leaves Pacific governments facing a difficult balance: raising revenue from tourism while making sure higher costs do not discourage the visitors the industry depends on.
As Fiji prepares to introduce its new levy, the debate is likely to be closely watched across the region…. PACNEWS
PAC – TOURISM TAX: TAANZ PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 26 Aug 2026
TAANZ Welcomes Fiji TST Decision Providing Certainty for Kiwi Travellers
WELLINGTON, 26 AUGUST 2026 (TAANZ) — The Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) has welcomed confirmation from the Fijian Government that the new five percent Tourism Services Tax (TST) will apply only to new bookings made on or after 1 September 2026.
Bookings made before 1 September will not attract the new tax, even where the holiday or tourism service takes place after that date.
TAANZ Chief Executive Julie White says the decision is practical, sensible and very good news for New Zealand travellers, particularly those who have already booked and paid for their Fiji holidays.
“This gives Kiwi travellers the certainty they needed. Those who made their bookings before 1 September can now travel knowing they will not face an unexpected additional tax on an existing booking,” White says.
“TAANZ has been very clear that our concern was never about Fiji’s right to introduce the tax. Our concern was the way it would apply to existing bookings, the short implementation timeframe and the uncertainty this was creating for travellers and the travel industry.
“We are therefore very pleased the Fijian Government has listened to the concerns raised by the tourism and travel sectors and adopted a practical transition approach.”
Fiji remains one of New Zealanders’ most popular international holiday destinations, supported by strong aviation links, close cultural and family connections, and a longstanding relationship between the two countries.
“New Zealanders love travelling to Fiji. It is a destination people return to time and again for its people, hospitality, beaches and the ease of getting there from New Zealand,” White says.
“Providing certainty around existing bookings is important for maintaining that confidence. It allows travellers to look forward to their holiday rather than worrying about whether the cost may change after they have already booked and paid.”
TAANZ also acknowledged the constructive engagement between the Fijian Government, tourism industry representatives and international travel industry partners as the implementation issues were worked through.
“This is a good example of what can be achieved when government and industry listen to each other and work through the practical impacts of a policy,” White says.
“We appreciate the engagement from our industry colleagues in Fiji and Australia, and the willingness of the Fijian Government to respond to the concerns that were being raised.”
For bookings made from 1 September 2026, the TST will apply to qualifying tourism services and operators in accordance with Fiji’s Tourism Services Tax Act 2026. The tax is scheduled to operate until 31 August 2027.
TAANZ encourages New Zealanders considering travel to Fiji to speak with their TAANZ-Accredited Travel Advisor about how the new tax may apply to bookings made from 1 September.
“Today’s announcement removes a significant area of uncertainty and is a positive outcome for travellers, travel businesses and Fiji’s tourism industry.
“Fiji remains very much open for business, and we expect it will continue to be a firm favourite with New Zealand travellers,” White says…. PACNEWS
KIRIBATI – MARITIME: AFP PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Kiribati detains Chinese ship over banned shark fin
TARAWA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (AFP) — Kiribati, a tiny Pacific neighbor to Hawaii that has grown ties with Beijing, detained a Chinese vessel this month for illegally harvesting shark fins, its maritime police said.
The practice of cutting fins off live sharks and throwing the carcasses back into the sea is banned in much of the Pacific Ocean but persists due to demand in East and Southeast Asia.
The Chinese ship was among four vessels detained in a surveillance crackdown by 11 Pacific island nations from 03 August to 14, assisted by the U.S Coast Guard in some areas and an Australian military aircraft. Kiribati, however, operates its own patrol boat.
The vessel was licensed to ply Kiribati’s waters but was detained by the maritime police after inspectors found shark fins on board, commander Tom Redfern said.
“It was escorted back to Christmas Island for further investigation,” he said, referring to a large atoll belonging to Kiribati and located south of Hawaii.
Kiribati has an exclusive economic zone spanning 3.5 million square kilometres of ocean and has drawn interest from Chinese state companies since switching diplomatic ties from Taiwan in 2019.
It also hosts Chinese police, a decision the U.S has said risks fueling regional tensions.
“A Kiribati Police maritime boarding officer, not under a shiprider agreement, boarded and inspected it, finding that the vessel was breaching its condition of licence by keeping and retaining shark fins onboard,” Redfern said.
Kiribati has recently strengthened cooperation with France, with French military personnel due to arrive next month on Christmas Island to rebuild local police stations.
The practice of removing shark fins is banned across the region.
Andrew Chin, a fisheries researcher at Australia’s James Cook University, said finning had led to “massive declines” in shark numbers, prompting stringent controls in the Pacific.
“Because it is now illegal, if people are doing it, it is going to be hidden and really hard to detect,” he said.
Research on the DNA of thousands of shark fins sold in Hong Kong markets pointed to its origins in the region.
“We have seen evidence of illegal trade from the western and eastern sides of the Pacific,” said Demian Chapman, who conducted the research as director of the Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Programme at Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida.
There have been other cases of Chinese vessels breaking the finning ban, he said.
Reduced demand in China for shark fin soup, including a ban on serving it at government functions, had contributed to a fall in the number of fins being traded in Hong Kong, he added…. PACNEWS
FIJI – MARITIME/ENERGY: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 26 Aug 2026
Fiji and Japan deepen cooperation on maritime and energy security
SUVA. 26 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Fiji and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to stronger bilateral cooperation, with maritime security, energy resilience and public health among the key areas discussed during a high-level meeting in Suva.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Sakiasi Ditoka received Takayuki Kobayashi, Chairperson of the Policy Research Council of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, during a courtesy visit to Parliament last week.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation under the Lomavata Kizuna Partnership. Key areas included maritime surveillance, security, energy and other emerging issues of mutual interest.
Ditoka highlighted growing maritime security challenges facing Fiji and the wider Pacific. These include monitoring vast exclusive economic zones against transnational trafficking and other illicit activities.
He welcomed Japan’s continued interest in supporting stronger maritime surveillance and security cooperation.
Energy security was also discussed amid continued global fuel price volatility. Ditoka highlighted Fiji’s need for more resilient and diversified energy systems.
Japan indicated its willingness to support Fiji’s efforts in this area.
Kobayashi also expressed Japan’s readiness to assist Fiji in tackling illicit drugs and the HIV epidemic, building on existing support.
He described Fiji as an important regional hub and said Japan looked forward to the sixth PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting in December.
The meeting will be a key step ahead of the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting in Yokohama next year.
Ditoka acknowledged Kobayashi’s contributions to Japan’s foreign policy, economic security and engagement with the Global South. He encouraged stronger dialogue between Pacific countries and Global South partners.
He also reiterated the Pacific’s vulnerability to climate change. Ditoka stressed the importance of high-level participation in Pre-COP engagements to keep Pacific concerns on the global agenda. Both sides expressed optimism that continued high-level exchanges would expand cooperation and deliver meaningful outcomes for Fiji and Japan…. 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
Stronger outbreak responses in the Pacific start with locally embedded knowledge
By Aleesha Kalulu and Wendy Williams
PORT VILA, 26 AUGUST 2026 (DEVPOLICY) — In June 2025, health workers in Tafea Province, Vanuatu, reported a cluster of severe respiratory illness among infants. Laboratory testing later confirmed Bordetella pertussis, the bacterium that causes pertussis, also known as whooping cough. The cluster became part of a prolonged outbreak across Tafea and Shefa provinces that continued until it was officially declared over in July 2026, prompting a sustained Ministry of Health response.
Whooping cough is highly infectious and can be especially dangerous for babies and young children. It can also be difficult to recognise early. Initial symptoms may look much like those of a common cold, before the characteristic coughing fits appear.
This matters in the Pacific, where health services often support populations spread across many islands and transport and laboratory confirmation can take time. The first sign of an outbreak may be noticed by a nurse in a health centre, a provincial surveillance officer reviewing reports or a village health worker who sees that an illness is appearing more often than usual.
This is where 7-1-7, a global target for outbreak detection and response, can make an impact. It calls for a suspected outbreak to be detected within seven days of emergence, notified to the relevant public health authorities within one day, and then key early response actions initiated within seven days.
The numbers are deliberately simple, and the tool does not require expensive technology. It can be used by health workers at different levels of a system and applied during an outbreak, while there is still time to adjust the response, rather than waiting for a review after the event.
The target was proposed in a 2021 Lancet commentary by Tom Frieden, former director of the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and colleagues at Resolve to Save Lives. It was a response to the observation, sharpened by COVID-19, that global health-security frameworks had measured capacity (does a country have a laboratory or a surveillance system?) rather than performance (how quickly was the last outbreak detected and contained?). The format echoes China’s earlier 1-3-7 malaria-elimination target, which helped drive that country to WHO malaria-free certification in 2021. The 7-1-7 Alliance was formed in 2023 to support adoption, and by 2024-25 more than 90 countries were using or piloting the approach.
Time-based targets make sense because infectious diseases grow exponentially: each day of delay in detection or response translates into many more cases. A 2023 retrospective study in Lancet Global Health across Brazil, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda and Vietnam found that applying 7-1-7 was feasible, helped identify concrete bottlenecks and was associated with improved timeliness after adoption. Because the metric needs only dates rather than sophisticated informatics, it works in resource-limited and geographically dispersed settings, where delays are typically longest and outbreak consequences most severe.
When Burnet Institute began supporting the adoption of 7-1-7 in Vanuatu in 2025, we worked alongside the Vanuatu Ministry of Health to understand where the approach could fit within existing surveillance and response systems, and how it could be adapted to the realities of a small island state.
National and provincial surveillance officers, disease control teams and One Health partners took part in training and practical exercises. The move from training to real-world use came during the 2025 pertussis outbreaks in Tafea and Shefa province — surveillance officers applied the approach on the ground and Burnet supported with technical mentoring.
In Tafea, the review recorded 26 days from outbreak emergence to detection, one day from detection to notification, and 24 days to complete the key early response actions.
The review gave the team a shared timeline and made visible what was already supporting the response. Vanuatu was not starting from scratch — existing vaccine-preventable disease guidelines provided clear technical direction, and an electronic notification system allowed reports from provincial health offices, laboratories and hospitals to reach the national surveillance team quickly. The activation of emergency operations helped coordinate action, while national surge support strengthened capacity in the province.
Provincial teams agreed that unusual clusters and suspected outbreaks should be notified and investigated as soon as clinical or surveillance concerns arise, rather than waiting for laboratory confirmation, which can take several days or weeks. They emphasised more consistent use of the electronic notification system and the establishment of clear after-hours and weekend notification procedures, including on-call surveillance focal point coverage for priority diseases. The assessments also highlighted the need for standard protocols and reminders to ensure suspected cases are tested promptly at first presentation.
During responses, responsibilities for key actions, including laboratory follow-up, liaison with pharmacy and medication provision, and overall response should be clearly assigned in advance.
Outbreak reviews can produce a long list of issues, some of which require considerable time and resources to address. Using 7-1-7, teams can separate the changes that can be implemented immediately from those that need longer-term planning, funding or system-strengthening. The same process also gives proper attention to the people, systems and earlier capacity-building efforts that are already working well.
The Vanuatu Ministry of Health has now included 7-1-7 in the country’s 2026 National Surveillance Workplan, and it is being incorporated into routine provincial surveillance training across all six provinces. Vanuatu health leaders are also presenting their experience internationally, allowing lessons from a small island state to contribute to wider learning about outbreak response timeliness.
There will not be a single model for applying 7-1-7 across the Pacific. In Fiji, discussions with the Ministry of Health, The Pacific Community (SPC) and others have identified possible pathways to integrate it into outbreak response teams’ work, standard operating procedures, training and national planning.
As the 7-1-7 technical lead organisation in the Pacific, Burnet’s role is to provide technical continuity by helping partners adopt the framework, build capability, apply it during outbreaks and share the lessons learned across the region.
7-1-7 may be a global target, but its value is realised locally. It helps ensure local healthcare workers have the knowledge, relationships and confidence to act so that each outbreak will leave the health system stronger and better prepared for the one that follows…. PACNEWS
Aleesha Kalulu is a Research Officer at Burnet Institute with experience in infectious disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness and applied research in Pacific Island settings, particularly Vanuatu.
Wendy Williams is a Senior Research Officer at Burnet Institute with experience in public health surveillance, outbreak response and health research in Vanuatu and the Pacific. Prior to joining Burnet, she worked with the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and The Pacific Community (SPC), supporting surveillance, emergency preparedness and field epidemiology training programmes at national and regional levels.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Land degradation is costing far more than restoring UN deputy chief
NEW YORK, 26 AUGUST 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — Countries are spending too little to restore degraded land even as the economic cost of doing nothing climbs towards $1 trillion a year, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned at a major UN land conference in Mongolia.
Speaking at the high-level opening of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Mohammed called on governments to move beyond individual restoration projects and put national plans into action, backed by predictable financing and greater decision-making power for the people who depend on the land.
Globally, up to 40 per cent of land is degraded, weakening food production and livelihoods, while droughts have increased in frequency and duration by 29 per cent since 2000.
By 2050, as many as three in four people could be affected.
More than 70 countries have developed national drought plans with UNCCD support. The challenge now, Mohammed said, is ensuring they have the resources to implement them.
“You should not be asked to develop national plans and then be left to search for the means to deliver them,” she said. “Finance has to be in place to invest in the priorities that countries have set for themselves.”
A costly investment gap
At a separate event at the meeting known as COP17 focused on finance, Mohammed warned of a major gap between what is needed to restore land and what is actually being invested.
“On current trends, we are on course to invest only around $77 billion a year of the $355 billion that is needed annually,” she said. The cost of inaction is a lot higher, at least $878 billion a year.
Restoring land, meanwhile, could generate around $1.8 trillion in annual benefits, with every dollar invested estimated to return between $7 and $30.
“Healthy land is not an environmental luxury. It is productive capital… Soil is infrastructure. Watersheds are infrastructure. Rangelands are productive assets,” the Deputy Secretary-General said.
Land degradation hits farmers’ and herders’ incomes, drives up food prices, reduces agricultural productivity and puts greater pressure on water and energy systems.
Drought adds to the economic toll, forcing governments to spend more on emergency responses, subsidies and reconstruction, while losing tax revenues and, in some cases, taking on additional debt.
Mohammed urged countries to integrate land and drought resilience into national development and fiscal planning, reform subsidies that encourage unsustainable practices and explore tools ranging from green bonds to drought insurance.
She also called on multilateral development banks to use guarantees, concessional financing and other instruments to attract more private investment, particularly for small farmers and local businesses.
The Great Green Wall
Africa’s Great Green Wall offers one example of what scaling up could look like. More than 20 million hectares have been restored through efforts associated with the initiative and beyond its original corridor, including five million hectares regenerated by farmers in Niger.
The Deputy Secretary-General said the initiative has evolved from the idea of a line of trees across the Sahel into a broader African-led strategy linking restoration, food production, jobs and economic opportunity.
That connection is particularly important in areas of the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin where conflict and insecurity are putting additional pressure on communities already struggling with drought and degraded land.
“Restoring land will not end conflict. But it can help restore the livelihoods and opportunity that give people a stake in peace,” she said.
Restoration starts with people
Mohammed also stressed that farmers, pastoralists and other communities who manage the land should have a say in how restoration investments are made and secure rights over the land they restore.
“Healthy land gives people something fundamental: the ability to build a future where they already belong and can thrive,” she 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
Pacific Fuel Crisis Poised to Become a Water, Food and Health Crisis
WELLINGTON, 26 AUGUST 2026 (CHILDFUND NZ) — The United Nations warns that fuel shocks reach Pacific countries later and stay longer. This is expected to keep food, transport and energy costs high for longer than other countries.
“Unfortunately, we were right. Five months ago, ChildFund New Zealand warned that Pacific families would be hit hardest by the global fuel crisis. The headlines moved on. The crisis didn’t,” says ChildFund New Zealand CEO Josie Pagani.
The United Nations warns that fuel shocks reach Pacific countries later and stay longer. This is expected to keep food, transport and energy costs high for longer than other countries.
The immediate price shock is now a prolonged threat to essential services that children rely on.
“The crisis is not just fuel costs today. It is the long-term impact on these isolated communities when critical supplies are delayed and transport becomes unaffordable.” says Josie Pagani.
“El Niño brings an increased risk of cyclones, and will compound the pressure on water, food production and essential services. Pacific families are being forced to manage several interconnected crises at once-and each one makes the others harder to deal with.”
Kiribati, where ChildFund is the biggest international NGO, is particularly exposed. Remote, reliant on imported fuel, and served by irregular shipping with limited storage.
“When supply is disrupted, it doesn’t take long before families can’t access safe water, food, or transport to healthcare facilities. On the outer islands, there is no backup. In the previous La Nina national emergency 4 years ago, nearly 80 percent of the country’s population was affected by drought.”
Childfund New Zealand, in partnership with Plan International and with funding from the Australian government, is about to start a project to support 4,000 people across up to 800 Kiribati households to prepare for a potential fuel crisis.
The work will be delivered by ChildFund Kiribati, in South Tarawa and the outer islands of Abaiang, Makin, North and South Tabiteuea, and Nonouti.
ChildFund Kiribati will work closely with the Kiribati government to support those most impacted by the crisis.
The focus is practical, more water capture and storage. Portable desalination units. Local technicians trained to maintain water systems, so a broken part doesn’t stop the water flow. Continued food production using raised beds and container gardens suited to Kiribati’s waterlogged, saline conditions. Direct support for the most vulnerable – young mothers, people with disabilities, and those in remote communities.
“A fuel crisis quickly becomes a food, water and health crisis” Josie Pagani says. “Being prepared means having critical parts already on the island before something breaks. It means local technicians who can fix it. It means food grown locally so a shipping delay doesn’t empty the shelves.”
“The Pacific did not cause this crisis, but families in the Pacific are carrying some of its heaviest consequences. New Zealand must continue to work alongside Pacific governments and communities. Not only to manage the present emergency, but to reduce their exposure to the next one.”
“We cannot stop a war taking place thousands of kilometres away in the Middle East, but we can reduce its power to stop a child in Kiribati getting safe water, nutritious food or being able to get transport to healthcare.” …. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
The Pacific strengthens commitment to international humanitarian law
BRISBANE, 26 AUGUST 2026 (ICRC) — The 5th Pacific Islands Roundtable on International Humanitarian Law (IHL), co-hosted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Australian Government, reinforced the Pacific region’s leadership in promoting peace, humanitarian values, and respect for IHL.
The two-day Roundtable in Brisbane brought together representatives from 12 Pacific nations, 12 Red Cross National Societies and other organisations to share experiences, challenges and best practices in IHL implementation, and discuss collaborative actions to address the unique humanitarian challenges facing the Pacific.
Discussions also highlighted the value of global efforts to strengthen respect for and adherence to IHL, such as the ICRC’s Global Initiative to Galvanise Political Commitment to IHL and Australia’s leadership on the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel. Participants emphasised the importance of collective action to uphold respect for the laws of war and to protect civilians in times of conflict.
“As armed conflicts multiply and intensify globally, disregard for international humanitarian law is reaching alarming levels, inflicting devastating harm on civilians. Preserving international humanitarian law and securing respect for human dignity are non-negotiable priorities,” said Ann-Marie McCabe, Head of Mission for the ICRC in Australia. “The Pacific, anchored in its strong tradition of peace, plays an essential role in advancing these universal rules.”
Steve Scott, Australia’s Humanitarian Coordinator, said “National Societies and governments across this region have shown real leadership in championing IHL and the foundations of peace and humanity on which it is built. This is one of the reasons it is vital to bring a Pacific voice to global fora and humanitarian efforts”.
The Roundtable’s outcomes reflect Pacific participants’ firm commitment to advancing IHL through practical measures, including enhancing national legal frameworks and increasing treaty participation. They also highlight the value of regional collaboration, including between governments and civil society and in contributing to global efforts to ensure respect for IHL…. PACNEWS
