In this bulletin:
1. FIJI — Fiji targets 24 December for new Constitution
2. PACIFIC — Pacific Ministers renew commitment to stronger, more integrated weather, climate and early warning service
3. PACIFIC — Pacific friends to suffer from fossil-fuel ‘hypocrisy’
4. FIJI — Young men top male-to-male HIV cases in Fiji, Mandatory HIV testing ‘not under the HIV Act’: Minister
5. PNG — PNG leaders urge action as nation enters next 50 years
6. JAPAN — Japan PM adviser holds regional security talks in Australia, New Caledonia
7. FIJI — Fiji Police probe seven missing cocaine bars from Suva High Court exhibits
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Australia treaty committee clears Air services deals with Kiribati, Naoero
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji demands fairer returns from global Tuna trade
10. PACNEWS BIZ — ANZ Timor-Leste recognised for excellence in financial literacy
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fifth Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference amplifies “One Pacific Voice for Action on 1.50C to Stay Alive”
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific countries set priorities for waste and climate action under regional climate finance programme
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fighting antimicrobial resistance through better patient care – ordering the right test from the right patient to determine the right treatment
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW REPORT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Fiji targets 24 December for new Constitution
SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Fiji could have a new Constitution in place by 24 December 2026 if Parliament approves the proposed changes and they pass a referendum, as the Government moves the constitutional review into its next phase.
Cabinet has endorsed the tabling of the Constitution Review Commission’s Report in Parliament and supported a special sitting on 22 September.
The Commission, established in March 2026, conducted nationwide consultations, received written and collective submissions, engaged stakeholders and reviewed constitutional, legal and policy materials.
It submitted its Report and Draft Constitution Bill to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu on 31 August.
The Report sets out proposed constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening democratic governance, accountability and constitutional institutions, based on the Commission’s review of the 2013 Constitution and views gathered during its consultations.
Cabinet has made clear that tabling the Report does not amount to accepting or adopting all of the Commission’s recommendations.
The Cabinet Subcommittee on the Review of the Constitution will continue examining the proposals, including their legal, practical and policy implications, before reporting back to Cabinet on the way forward.
It will also consider transitional arrangements that may be required if constitutional changes are approved.
Under the proposed timetable, Parliament will debate the Commission’s report during the sitting beginning 28 September.
Subject to passage of the Draft Constitution Bill and completion of the required parliamentary processes, the Government proposes holding a referendum between November and mid-December.
The proposed new Constitution would come into effect by 24 December 2026 if it is approved through the required processes.
Opposition MP Ketan Lal has questioned the compressed timetable, saying fundamental changes to Fiji’s supreme law require more time for public scrutiny and debate.
“I strongly object to any attempt to rush fundamental changes to Fiji’s Constitution through Parliament and into a referendum within the space of just a few months,” Lal said.
He said consultation conducted during the review process should not be treated as consultation on the final constitutional text.
“Once Government decides which recommendations it accepts, rejects or changes, that proposed text must go back to the people for genuine and extensive consultation,” he said.
Lal called for further consultations across Fiji, including Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Rotuma and rural and maritime communities, as well as with Fijians living overseas.
He said the Government had previously committed to meaningful public participation, transparency and dialogue throughout the review.
“Those commitments must now be honoured,” Lal said.
He also rejected the idea that a referendum alone would provide sufficient public consultation.
“A referendum cannot become a substitute for consultation,” he said.
“Giving people a ballot paper at the end of a rushed process and asking them to vote YES or NO is not the same as allowing them to influence what is actually written in the document.”
Lal also questioned the need to have a new constitutional arrangement in place by 24 December.
“So why the rush?” he asked.
“Why must everything be completed so that a new constitutional arrangement can potentially come into effect by 24 December 2026?”
He said constitutional reform should not be driven by a political deadline or election timetable and called for sufficient time for independent legal experts, civil society, young people, women, religious organisations, businesses and citizens to scrutinise the proposals.
“The Constitution belongs to the PEOPLE OF FIJI, not Cabinet, not one political party and not one Government,” Lal said.
The review now moves to Parliament, with the proposed referendum and the final constitutional outcome dependent on the parliamentary process and any subsequent approval by voters…PACNEWS
PAC – MET MEET: SPREP PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Pacific Ministers renew commitment to stronger, more integrated weather, climate and early warning service
NUKU’ALOFA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—The fourth Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology (PMMM-4) officially concluded Wednesday with a renewed political commitment to strengthening sustainable weather, climate, ocean, and water services in the Pacific.
The Siu-i-Alaimoana Ki Likutapu Declaration reaffirmed Pacific Ministers’ commitment to the Weather Ready Pacific Programme as the Pacific-led mechanism for strengthening hydrometeorological services and multi-hazard early warning systems, and called on governments, development partners, regional organisations, and the private sector to align investments.
The Prime Minister of Tonga, newly appointed Chair of the PMMM-4, and Weather Ready Champion, Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua, said he takes the responsibility entrusted to him by Forum Leaders to serve as Weather Ready Champion very seriously.
“My message to the Forum Leaders in Koror only weeks ago was simple – Weather Ready Pacific is not a proposal under development. It is a regional priority endorsed by Leaders in 2021, reaffirmed in 2023 as the Pacific’s vehicle for delivering Early Warnings for All, and underpinned by an agreed investment framework and a proven return on investment.”
Fakafanua stated that the programme is already delivering, with the commissioning of a new C-band radar for Tonga as the first deliverable of its Regional Radar Strategy, with Samoa and Solomon Islands to follow, as well as hundreds of observing stations across fifteen countries and territories that have been assessed for upgrades in its bid to reverse the long decline in Pacific weather and climate data.
He called on multilateral partners, including the development banks, to join the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in aligning their investments behind the Weather Ready Pacific programme in recognition of the Leaders’ endorsement.
The Declaration also recognised the growing risks posed by severe weather, climate change and geohazards, and that they are interconnected through the Earth System and cannot be managed in separate rooms.
Fakafanua, spoke about the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai eruption as an example and reminder that the hazards faced by the Pacific do not arrive one at a time.
“A volcano, a tsunami, and ash cloud, and the severing of our communications came together within hours,” Fakafanua said.
“Our region sits on the Ring of Fire and in the path of the cyclone belt. Meteorological, hydrological, oceanic, and geographic hazards are interconnected, and they compound and cascade.”
“I therefore welcome the commitment to an integrated Earth-system approach under the new Pacific Islands Meteorological Strategy (PIMS) 2026 – 2037, drawing our meteorological, hydrological, ocean, geological, and disaster management agencies into closer collaboration on observations, data, and coordinated warnings,” he added.
The Ministers welcomed the new PIMS, which was endorsed at the recently concluded eighth meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-8) as the new framework that will guide the Pacific’s vaka towards stronger weather, climate, oceans, and water services for the next decade.
The Declaration also recognised the increasing vulnerability of Pacific island countries to the current intensifying El Niño, and called for stronger, resilient infrastructure systems to strengthen and sustain Pacific-led programmes and platforms to ensure resilience for Pacific peoples and communities.
The PMMM-4 convened under the auspices of the Pacific Meteorological Council, and was hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Fakafanua expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the Secretariat to his Government, and for the enduring partnerships that helped make the PMMM-4 a reality.
“I extend the sincere appreciation of my Government to SPREP for coordinating these meetings on behalf of its Members, and for the confidence placed in Tonga to host so important a convening.
Lord Fakafanua also acknowledged the World Meteorological Organisation for its enduring partnership, and the Tonga Meteorological Service and every member of the Secretariat and support teams whose quiet work made the two weeks possible.
“To host both the Eighth Meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council and this Ministerial Meeting, and to assume the Chairmanship for both meetings, is a responsibility that Tonga has accepted with humility and with resolve.”
“The strength of this community lies in its unity, and in the trust that has grown between our services, our Ministers, and our partners,” he added.
“May the work we have done here protect lives across our Blue Pacific Continent, and may God bless us all,” he concluded as saying.
The Pacific Meteorological Council is a specialised subsidiary body of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) established to facilitate and coordinate the scientific and technical programme and activities of Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services…..PACNEWS
PAC – FOSSIL FUEL/CLIMATE CHANGE: AAP PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Pacific friends to suffer from fossil-fuel ‘hypocrisy’
SYDNEY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AAP)—Australia needs a firmer plan to transition away from fossil-fuel production to help protect Pacific nations from the effects of climate change, according to a new report.
The Australia Institute has bemoaned the government for letting words speak far louder than any climate action, repeatedly approving coal and gas projects since taking office in 2022.
The institute’s report outlines three principles the government should adopt, including stopping new gas and coal mines being approved, halting subsidies for gas and coal projects, and significantly reducing fossil-fuel exports.
The report insists that the government needs to legislate for a 25 per cent tax on all gas exports to fund this transition.
Global warming and rising sea levels have become a truly existential threat for Pacific countries like Tuvalu, which according to UNICEF will be 95 per cent underwater by 2100.
The country’s climate change minister, Maina Talia, was in Canberra on Wednesday and pleaded with the Australian government to do more as a leader in the Pacific region.
Australia was continually “saying ‘we love our Pacific neighbour and we continue to be part of the Pacific family’,” Dr Talia told reporters.
“(They) are not on board on what needs to be done in order for countries like mine to stay above the water.
“We want to ensure that we bring something to the people, real solutions, not a false solution.”
The co-chief executive of the Australia Institute, Richard Denniss, labelled Australia a hypocrite when it comes to climate change.
“Australia’s hypocrisy is so great that Australia has joined the coalition of countries to plan a transition away from fossil fuels while still opening new fossil-fuel projects,” Dennis said.
“We give far more in taxpayers’ subsidies to the fossil fuel industry than we give in green finance or indeed foreign aid to the Pacific.”
Also under fire is the carbon offset scheme, which energy companies regularly use to parade supposedly positive environmental contributions while actively investing in more fossil fuels.
“We need to stop hiding behind carbon offsets as an excuse for fossil-fuel expansion.”
Independent MP Zali Steggall said the decision should be simple, and the actions needed to line up with promises made to Pacific nations.
“Whilst on one hand continuing to approve coal and gas expansions, (the government) makes false promises to our Pacific region neighbours that it cares and that it will help them,” Steggall said.
“There is a very clear pathway to a world without fossil fuels, and we have to start by stopping approving (fossil-fuel projects),” she said……PACNEWS
FIJI – HIV/AIDS/HEALTH: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Young men top male-to-male HIV cases in Fiji, Mandatory HIV testing ‘not under the HIV Act’: Minister
SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Male-to-male sexual transmission accounted for 144 reported HIV cases in Fiji last year, with young men aged 20 to 24 recording the highest number of cases, according to the Fiji HIV Surveillance Report 2025.
The report recorded 46 cases of male-to-male sexual transmission among those aged 20 to 24, followed by 37 cases among those aged 25 to 29.
Heterosexual transmission was also highest among people aged 20 to 24, with 102 cases reported.
Across all age groups, sexual transmission accounted for 430 cases, or 50.6 per cent of the 849 cases where a transmission route was identified.
Of these, 286 were attributed to heterosexual transmission and 144 to male-to-male sexual transmission.
Injecting drug use accounted for 362 cases, or 42.6 per cent of cases with a known transmission route, making it the largest single identified transmission category.
However, 1,167 reported HIV cases – 57.9 per cent of all cases – were classified as having an unknown mode of transmission.
The figures come as the Government called for a whole-of-society response to HIV after declaring it a national crisis, a year after declaring a national outbreak.
The 20 to 24-year age group recorded the highest number of cases associated with injecting drug use, at 131, followed by 70 cases among those aged 25 to 29 and 56 among those aged 30 to 34.
Mother-to-child transmission accounted for 57 cases, with 56 recorded among children aged four and under.
The report’s findings show that young adults in their 20s and early 30s accounted for a significant proportion of reported HIV transmission through both sexual activity and injecting drug use.
Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services Penioni Ravunawa said the Government’s message remained one of prevention rather than stigma.
“HIV can be transmitted through certain infected body fluids, including blood, semen and vaginal fluids. It can also be transmitted through sharing contaminated needles and injecting equipment, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding,” he said.
“Our message is therefore one of prevention, testing, treatment and compassion – not stigma. Know your HIV status, practise safer sexual behaviour, never share needles or injecting equipment, and seek medical advice and treatment early.”
Minister for Health Dr Atonio Lalabalavu said the identified transmission modes showed the scope of testing carried out so far.
“The findings also show the seriousness of the epidemic and the gaps we must close in prevention, treatment and continuing care. An outbreak-level response is no longer sufficient; it requires co-ordinated action across Government, alongside communities and our partners,” he said.
Both have reiterated that with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives
Meanwhile, Fiji’s HIV crisis is worsening, but the Government will not make HIV testing mandatory for Fijians, with Health Minister Atonio Lalabalavu saying people must decide for themselves whether to get tested.
Dr Lalabalavu said mandatory testing was not an option under Fiji’s HIV Act.
“We’re not introducing HIV mandatory testing because it’s not under the HIV Act,” he said.
His comments come as Fiji faces a rapidly growing HIV epidemic, with Cabinet declaring the outbreak a national crisis last week.
Ministry of Health figures show Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, up 27 per cent from 1,583 in 2024.
Health authorities have also warned that thousands of people are estimated to be living with HIV, highlighting the need for early testing, treatment and prevention.
The Ministry’s latest report said the increase in diagnoses reflects both rising transmission and improved detection through expanded testing and surveillance.
Dr Lalabalavu said HIV and tuberculosis were also closely linked, particularly when a person living with HIV was not receiving treatment.
“With HIV, someone who’s not on treatment, the immune system is down. Opportunistic infection would be commonly TB,” he said.
He said the Government’s HIV response would also include TB and Hepatitis C as part of a broader approach to tackling the crisis.
“We’re looking at it in a holistic view,” he said.
In another development, Fiji has sufficient supplies of sterile needles and syringes for a national harm-reduction programme, but their distribution is awaiting Government approval and amendments to legislation.
Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the Cabinet sub-committee was working to have the programme approved by the next Parliament sitting on 28 September.
“We plan to have it endorsed in Cabinet and it will need some amendments to the legislation. Probably by the next sitting of Parliament, it should be approved,” he said.
National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce chair, Dr Jason Mitchell, said swift Government approval would allow the programme to be fully rolled out.
“The Fiji Government has procured all the needles and syringes and they’re currently sitting in our warehouse in Suva. We have sufficient supplies and we have engaged the services of UNDP who are able to procure additional resources if required, if we ever do run short.”
Dr Mitchell emphasised that the programme was aimed at encouraging “safer drug use”.
“From the public health side, our job is to make sure that people who are engaged in drug use are doing so safely and that they have access to sterile needles and syringes to reduce HIV infection and Hepatitis C that is currently rising as a result of risky behaviour associated with drug use.”
He said the Government had made its position clear on the distinction between drug use and supporting safer drug use.
“The industry is about supporting safe drug use. It is in no way saying that drug use is appropriate.”
Dr Mitchell said more than 90 countries around the world had adopted needle and syringe programmes, making sterile needles and syringes available to people who use drugs…..PACNEWS
PNG – INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY: NBC PNG NEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
PNG leaders urge action as nation enters next 50 years
PORT MORESBY/LAE, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (NBC PNG) —- Papua New Guinea must use its 51st Independence anniversary to decide what kind of country it wants to build for future generations, deputy Prime Minister John Rosso says.
Rosso, the Lae MP, made the call while speaking as principal guest at Lae’s 51st Independence anniversary celebration at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium on Wednesday.
Reflecting on 16 September 1975, Rosso recalled watching the Australian flag being lowered and the Papua New Guinean flag raised as the country gained independence.
He paid tribute to the leaders who helped guide PNG to independence, including Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan.
Rosso said PNG’s peaceful transition to independence was achieved despite its many languages, cultures and communities, and stressed that unity remained critical as the country moved into its next 50 years.
“What do we want for the next 50 years?” Rosso asked.
He said Independence Day should not only be a celebration of the country’s achievements but also an opportunity for Papua New Guineans to consider what they want to leave for their children and grandchildren.
Rosso also paid tribute to former Lae MP and Morobe leader Songar Luthawake, whose first anniversary of death falls this week.
He urged Papua New Guineans to honour the sacrifices of previous generations by taking responsibility for the country’s future.
Bulolo MP Sam Basil Jr says independence should be measured not only by celebrations but by what citizens do every day to improve their communities and the country.
In his Independence message, Basil said freedom came with responsibility and called on Papua New Guineans to contribute to the common good.
“It is our individual contribution and what we do every day that contributes to our common good and determines our value as the people of Bulolo and PNG,” Basil said.
Basil said Bulolo had changed significantly since independence but continued to face challenges including poor roads, limited access to services, unemployment, law and order concerns and gaps in education.
He also called for stronger support for agriculture, food production and other income-generating activities.
Reflecting on Bulolo’s past, Basil said the district once had a busy airstrip, theatres, libraries, stores and other services during its mining and forestry development.
He said the challenge now was to build on that history and create communities capable of meeting the needs of today.
Basil said his priorities in Bulolo included health supplies, support for schools, food and cash crops, describing these as investments in social and economic empowerment.
“These are small activities and programs and we may not see the results now or in five years,” he said.
“But if we continue and our people become strong and healthy, respect the law and ensure order, we can have strong independent communities with improved living standards.”
Basil also called on political, government, business, church and community leaders to have a clear vision and make a difference in the lives of the people they serve.
“Every leader at every level of leadership … must have a vision of how we want to make a difference in the lives of the people which we lead,” he said.
He said citizens also had a responsibility to respect other people, their property and privacy to help maintain safe and secure communities.
Basil thanked past and present leaders, churches, businesses and communities for their contribution to Bulolo’s development.
He said the district’s future would depend on the combined efforts of its people.
“We will continue to celebrate our Independence and our destiny, if we also continue to contribute our bit,” he said….PACNEWS
JAPAN – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Japan PM adviser holds regional security talks in Australia, New Caledonia
TOKYO/CANBERRA/NOUMEA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Japan has stepped up discussions on defence, security and regional cooperation during a visit by Prime Minister’s Special Adviser Sadamasa Oue to Australia and New Caledonia.
Oue visited Australia and New Caledonia from 06 – 12 September, holding talks with senior government officials, defence industry representatives and regional policy experts.
In Western Australia, Oue visited the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, where he received a briefing on defence industry capabilities and highlighted the importance of Japan-Australia cooperation in defence equipment and technology.
He also met Western Australia Premier Roger Cook and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Industries Amber-Jade Sanderson to discuss economic and energy relations, as well as security cooperation.
Oue later visited BAE Systems Australia at the Osborne Naval Shipyard and received a briefing on construction of the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigates.
In Canberra, Oue met Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry and Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy for discussions on bilateral defence industry cooperation and regional affairs.
He also held talks with experts from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Australian National University on Japan-Australia relations, foreign and security policy, people-to-people links and regional issues.
In New Caledonia, Oue met Brigadier General Gabriel Soubrier, Commander of the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia, to discuss security and defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
He also met French High Commissioner Jacques Billant and New Caledonia Government President Milakuro Tukumuli.
Discussions with Tukumuli included cooperation between Japan and New Caledonia and preparations for the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM), scheduled to be held in Japan in summer 2027.
Oue also met France’s Ambassador for the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, for discussions on Japan-France cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The visit comes as Japan, Australia and France continue to deepen engagement on security, defence and cooperation across the Pacific and wider Indo-Pacific region.
Oue also paid respects at Japanese memorial sites in Noumea, including the Japanese Cemetery and the cenotaph for submarine crews of the former Imperial Japanese Navy who died in and around New Caledonia….PACNEWS
FIJI – DRUG MISSING: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Fiji Police probe seven missing cocaine bars from Suva High Court exhibits
SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Fiji Police have launched an investigation after seven bars of cocaine were discovered missing from drug exhibits held in the custody of the Suva High Court.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Loraini Seru said the missing exhibits were identified during a physical inspection on Tuesday, 15 September 2026.
The inspection was conducted in the presence of senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Police and a Crime Scene Investigations officer who documented the process.
Seru said the exhibits, which were linked to a high-profile drug case, had allegedly been tampered with.
A total of 39 bars had been exhibited to the Suva High Court Exhibit Room, but seven were found to be missing during the inspection.
The Criminal Investigations Department has assigned a team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing exhibits.
Police have not disclosed further details about the case while investigations continue….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Australia treaty commitee clears Air services deals with Kiribati, Naoero
CANBERRA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Australia’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has recommended binding treaty action on air services agreements with Kiribati and Nauru, alongside a similar agreement with Cambodia and a defence procurement agreement with NATO.
The committee tabled a report recommending that Australia proceed with four treaties, including agreements establishing the legal framework for scheduled international air services between Australia and Kiribati and Naoero.
The agreements with the two Pacific island countries are intended to provide a legal foundation for scheduled international air services between Australia and each country.
The agreements are based on Australia’s model air services treaty and contain provisions substantially similar to other air services agreements recently considered by the committee.
The committee also recommended binding treaty action on an agreement between Australia and the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation (NSPO) covering acquisition and support cooperation.
The NSPO agreement would allow Australia to participate in NSPO services and programmes and establishes provisions covering the organisation’s legal status in Australia, including certain privileges and immunities.
The agreement also provides a framework for future implementing arrangements and expanded cooperation between Australia and NSPO.
The fourth treaty is an air services agreement between Australia and Cambodia.
The committee’s recommendations now form part of the Australian parliamentary treaty process before the agreements can proceed to binding treaty action….PACNEWS
PAC – FISHERIES: PACNEWS/FIJI GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Fiji demands fairer returns from global Tuna trade
BANGKOK, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS/FIJI GOVT) — Fiji is pushing for greater transparency in the global tuna industry and a fairer share of the economic benefits for Pacific countries that manage and protect the region’s tuna resources.
Speaking at the 19th INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference and Exhibition (TUNA 2026) in Bangkok, Thailand, Minister for Fisheries and Forests Alitia Bainivalu said Pacific coastal states must receive equitable returns from the industry.
“True synergy must guarantee equitable outcomes for the coastal states that steward these resources,” Bainivalu said.
She highlighted Fiji’s recent decision to become the first Pacific Island country to sign a national Memorandum of Understanding to fully implement Fisheries Transparency Initiative standards.
Bainivalu said Fiji was also strengthening measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through real-time satellite tracking, electronic monitoring and port inspections.
The Minister said stronger transparency and accountability were critical as Pacific countries faced growing pressures on tuna resources from climate change.
Fiji is calling for greater regional cooperation, stronger conservation measures and a sustainable tuna industry that protects Pacific marine resources while delivering long-term economic benefits to Pacific economies and communities.
The global tuna industry remains a major economic sector for Pacific Island countries, making the management, sustainability and equitable distribution of tuna benefits a key regional priority……PACNEWS
TIMOR – BANK: ANZ PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026
ANZ Timor-Leste recognised for excellence in financial literacy
DILI, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ANZ)—ANZ Timor-Leste has been awarded the Central Bank Award for Excellence in Financial Literacy in recognition of its ongoing commitment to improving financial capability and economic opportunity across Timor-Leste through its MoneyMinded program.
The award acknowledges the impact of ANZ’s flagship financial education programs, which between October 2024 and July 2026 reached more than 7,300 people through MoneyMinded, Business Basics and Train the Trainer workshops delivered in partnership with universities, schools, community organisations and volunteer facilitators.
Jennie Bolang, Customer Experience Manager, who leads the programme in Timor-Leste, said the award was a powerful recognition of the difference financial education can make in people’s lives.
“MoneyMinded is about more than understanding money. It’s about giving people the confidence to make informed financial decisions, plan for the future and create opportunities for themselves, their families and their broader communities.
“We have seen participants build budgeting skills, develop saving habits and gain greater confidence to manage both household and business finances. This award recognises the commitment of our facilitators, partners and volunteers who work tirelessly to bring these programs to communities across Timor-Leste,” said Bolang.
Brent Turner, ANZ Timor-Leste Country Head, said the recognition reflected ANZ’s long-term commitment to supporting economic development and financial inclusion.
“At ANZ, we believe stronger financial capability contributes to stronger communities.
“While our retail banking operations have changed over time, our commitment to Timor-Leste has not. Through programs like MoneyMinded and Business Basics, we continue to invest in helping people build skills, confidence and resilience.
“This award reflects the positive impact these programs are having and reinforces ANZ’s broader commitment to creating social and economic value in the communities where we operate.”
MoneyMinded is ANZ’s flagship financial literacy program and is a key part of the bank’s social impact strategy across the Pacific. Together with Business Basics, the program provides practical financial education and supports individuals, families and small business owners to make informed financial decisions and build long-term financial wellbeing.
Across the Pacific, MoneyMinded has reached more than 70,000 people and remains central to ANZ’s commitment to advancing financial wellbeing and economic empowerment throughout the region….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 Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference amplifies “One Pacific Voice for Action on 1.50C to Stay Alive”
HONIARA, 11 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—The 5th Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference (5POPCCC) is underway in Honiara, Solomon Islands guided by the theme, “Amplifying One Pacific Voice for Action on 1.5°C to Stay Alive”.
The Pacific Oceans Pacific Climate Change Conference (POPCCC) is a Pacific-owned, Pacific-led event organised to provide an informative and collaborative Pacific research platform for academics, researchers, climate change practitioners, private sector, civil society, and students to share their research findings with Pacific-based and global researchers.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Mathew Cooper Wale opened the conference. Reflecting on the impacts of climate change on his home island of Langalanga in the Malaita Province, the Prime Minister encouraged that the peoples lived reality, not the comfort of the sceptic, must anchor policies and dialogues on climate action in the Pacific and global fora.
“For the Pacific, 1.5°C is therefore a survival threshold and must remain a political red line,” he said.
“Every fraction of a degree matters. Every year of delay increases the burden on our communities and our public finances. We cannot allow dangerous levels of warming to be treated as normal or inevitable. The Pacific did not create this crisis, and our patience must never be mistaken for acceptance of a future imposed on us by the emissions of others.”
Previous editions of this conference were hosted in Wellington, New Zealand (2016 and 2018), online in 2020 and most recently in Apia, Samoa in 2024.
The POPCCC is a multi-disciplinary conference, bringing together experts from the private, public, and civil society, and a variety of participants from the arts, faith communities, industry, and other backgrounds to look at ways where, together, we can all play our part to address climate change. The conference is a platform to examine the persistent challenges faced by Pacific Island countries in developing and improving adaptation strategies and ensuring easier access to finance.
The Pacific is the world’s largest ocean, covering nearly one-third of the Earth’s surface and home to many of the world’s marine species and supports Pacific Island ecosystems, traditions, and culture. It is our region’s largest resource, and it defines us as Pacific people, underpinning our livelihoods and way of life.
To welcome the delegates, Dr Vaeno Wayne Vigulu of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) reminded participants that the purpose of the conference is not to simply talk about climate change but to target realistic and ambitious climate action through innovative climate solutions, research that better serves our communities, deepened partnerships and strengthened pathways for climate finance.
This call for action was reiterated by the Deputy Director General of SPREP, Ms. Easter Chu Shing in her opening remarks inviting the participants to join the commitment by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in the 2026 Palau meeting where they once again reaffirmed that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and wellbeing of Pacific peoples.
“Through the B.E.L.A.U. Declaration for Urgent and Inclusive Climate Action, Leaders renewed the Pacific’s commitment to keep 1.5°C within reach, strengthen ambitious national climate plans, accelerate a just transition from fossil fuels, improve access to climate finance, and elevate the ocean-climate nexus, youth leadership, gender equality and intergenerational justice,” she said.
Chu Shing also used the opportunity to acknowledge the Pacific Academy of Sciences, Pacific governments, applied research institutions, the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Government of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United Kingdom, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector and friends of the Pacific who have supported this initiative through financial contributions and support shared in kind.
“The POPCCC is a Pacific-owned and Pacific-led initiative and conversation”.
Dr Emma Dunlop from the Victoria University of Wellington reminded that the conversation about climate change is not entirely about our vulnerability but also our resilience.
“We are peoples of extraordinary knowledge. Knowledge about our environment. Knowledge about our communities. Knowledge accumulated over generations. And knowledge that can help shape the future of our region, and indeed our planet. POPCCC is where Indigenous knowledge, contemporary science, technology and innovation comes together. Not with one displacing the other, but the creation of new knowledge that is richer, more holistic and better equipped to serve our peoples, our nations and our planet”.
The 5th POPCCC is taking place at the Friendship Hall in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 15th – 18th September 2026. As the Pacific region is building towards COP31 in November, the POPCCC is envisioned to be a space and opportunity to support the implementation of the COP31 Pacific Partnership and the work of the Pacific COP31 Envoys to advance regional priorities across the strategic pillars of keeping 1.5°C within reach, enhancing access to climate finance, elevating the ocean-climate nexus, and amplifying Pacific voices and leadership.
The Fifth POPCCC is jointly organised by Solomon Islands National University, the Pacific Climate Change Centre of SPREP, the Solomon Islands Government’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington and the National University of Samoa, continuing a lineage of Pacific-led gatherings held in Wellington in 2016 and 2018, online in 2020 and in Apia in 2024….PACNEWS
For more information, please contact yvettek@sprep.org
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific countries set priorities for waste and climate action under regional climate finance programme
PORT VILA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—Waste and climate change focal points from 14 Pacific Small Island Developing States gathered in Port Vila this week for a two-day workshop to determine the focus areas of Component 4 of the Regional Programmatic Approach to Climate Action (RPACA).
Hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) on 14–15 September, the workshop brought member country participants (representing climate change and waste management and pollution agencies) together to prioritise waste and pollution interventions with a clear climate rationale, identify what is best delivered at the regional and national levels, and begin shaping the funding proposal that SPREP will progress to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
RPACA is a country-led, long-term approach to securing climate finance at scale for the Pacific. Co-chaired and driven by the Cook Islands and Palau, it is delivered in partnership by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), SPREP and the Pacific Community (SPC) as accredited entities to the GCF. SPREP leads Component 4, which covers pollution and waste management together with knowledge sharing, communication and coordination across the programme.
Vanuatu’s Director of Environment, Osbourne Melenamu, said waste could no longer be treated separately from climate change.
“Waste is not only an environmental and public health challenge; it is also a climate challenge,” Melenamu said.
“Every tonne of waste avoided, reused, recycled, or properly managed contributes not only to healthier communities but also to reduced emissions and stronger climate outcomes.”
“This is not simply about managing waste better. It is about strengthening livelihoods, protecting our oceans and ecosystems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and building a more resilient Pacific for future generations.”
Over the two days, countries validated the mapping of their waste priorities against national climate commitments, and worked collaboratively to agree on the climate-waste problem being addressed under Component 4; and potential solutions to address this.
RPACA Co-Chair Wayne King of the Cook Islands encouraged countries to use the consultation to shape a programme that reflects their priorities and gives them the time to build their own capacity to deliver.
SPREP Director of Waste Management and Pollution Control, Mr Anthony Talouli, said the workshop was an opportunity to demonstrate clearer links between waste, pollution and climate outcomes, and to shape priorities that benefit Pacific communities and future generations.
Waste focal points will remain in Port Vila for a further three days of discussions on circular economy initiatives, in partnership between SPREP and ADB….PACNEWS
For further information, contact: Timoci Nakalevu, Climate Change Adaptation Officer, SPREP timocin@sprep.org
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fighting antimicrobial resistance through better patient care – ordering the right test from the right patient to determine the right treatment
TOKYO, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (WHO)—With the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mounting globally and regionally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Government of Japan convened seven countries in the WHO Western Pacific region to share their crucial experiences on strengthening the fight against AMR.
The three-day workshop in Tokyo brought together senior health officials to specifically discuss how to enhance antimicrobial stewardship and clinical diagnostic stewardship as key tools in the public health arsenal to tackle and mitigate AMR.
The workshop was convened by the AMR Clinical Reference Centre at the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) – a WHO collaborating centre – and co-hosted by the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. It was attended by AMR champions from Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Getting the right test to the right patient at the right time
AMR occurs when bacteria and other organisms that cause infections evolve to resist the medicines used to treat them. It is projected to contribute to more than 5 million deaths in the Western Pacific Region between 2020 and 2030, driven in large part by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
To address this growing danger, WHO recently published Strengthening Clinical Diagnostic Stewardship in the Western Pacific Region: A practical manual, a facility-oriented resource developed in response to requests from Member States. The manual aims to guide health facilities on strengthening clinical diagnostic practices.
Clinical diagnostic stewardship helps health providers order the right test for the right patient at the right time, and then interpret and act on the results correctly. Antimicrobial stewardship complements this by supporting the choice of the right antibiotic, at the right dose, for the right duration. Together, the two approaches lead to more accurate diagnoses, more targeted treatment, fewer adverse drug reactions and lower health-care costs, while slowing the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens.
This is central to the mission of the AMR Clinical Reference Centre. “We will pursue our mandate to improve the quality of patient care and address AMR by supporting WHO and Member States to strengthen implementation of antimicrobial stewardship and clinical diagnostic stewardship,” said Dr Norihiro Kokudo, President of JIHS.
Japan’s commitment to fighting AMR
Japan has built one of the Region’s most advanced AMR responses, described in its national AMR action plan, including sophisticated surveillance systems, incentives to improve hospital practice, and investments in new approaches to strengthen the antibiotic pipeline.
At the international level, Japan leads the Initiative to Accelerate Action to Fight AMR in the Asia-Pacific Region, in collaboration with the WHO regional offices for the Western Pacific and South-East Asia. The country also launched the Asia-Pacific One Health Initiative on AMR (ASPIRE) in 2016 and has convened the Tokyo AMR One Health Conference annually since 2017.
“Japan remains committed to the fight against AMR, including moving the ASPIRE initiative forward to strengthen surveillance, health-care management, antimicrobial access and research on AMR in countries across the Asia-Pacific region” said Dr Manabu Sumi, Director-General of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.
Turning ideas into action
Drawing on the collective expertise and experience of delegates, the workshop identified feasible actions to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and clinical diagnostic stewardship policy, and to expand implementation across the national, hospital and primary care levels.
Each participating country prioritized actions suited to its own context, informed by the workshop discussions and grounded in the clinical diagnostic stewardship manual and other WHO resources. WHO, in turn, outlined the technical support it can provide to help Member States carry these plans forward.
The plans focus on concrete steps: strengthening governance, updating policy and guidelines to reflect clinical diagnostic stewardship principles, and building multidisciplinary workforce capacity across the health system. These steps aim to close gaps in diagnosis and treatment, curb the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens and improve patient safety. Delegates said they look forward to the continued support from WHO and the Government of Japan in turning these plans into lasting change in their own countries.
“The medicines we rely on today are a truly precious legacy. Our responsibility is to protect and preserve them for future generations,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
“Clinical diagnostic stewardship and antimicrobial stewardship are powerful tools that help us provide the best possible care to the person today while safeguarding the effectiveness of these medicines for future generations.”
WHO and JIHS will continue working with countries to integrate these stewardship principles and approaches into everyday clinical practice, with the aim of stronger health systems, lower health-care costs and better outcomes for patients across the Western Pacific region….PACNEWS
In this bulletin:
1. FIJI — Fiji targets 24 December for new Constitution
2. PACIFIC — Pacific Ministers renew commitment to stronger, more integrated weather, climate and early warning service
3. PACIFIC — Pacific friends to suffer from fossil-fuel ‘hypocrisy’
4. FIJI — Young men top male-to-male HIV cases in Fiji, Mandatory HIV testing ‘not under the HIV Act’: Minister
5. PNG — PNG leaders urge action as nation enters next 50 years
6. JAPAN — Japan PM adviser holds regional security talks in Australia, New Caledonia
7. FIJI — Fiji Police probe seven missing cocaine bars from Suva High Court exhibits
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Australia treaty committee clears Air services deals with Kiribati, Naoero
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji demands fairer returns from global Tuna trade
10. PACNEWS BIZ — ANZ Timor-Leste recognised for excellence in financial literacy
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fifth Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference amplifies “One Pacific Voice for Action on 1.50C to Stay Alive”
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific countries set priorities for waste and climate action under regional climate finance programme
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Fighting antimicrobial resistance through better patient care – ordering the right test from the right patient to determine the right treatment
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW REPORT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Fiji targets 24 December for new Constitution
SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Fiji could have a new Constitution in place by 24 December 2026 if Parliament approves the proposed changes and they pass a referendum, as the Government moves the constitutional review into its next phase.
Cabinet has endorsed the tabling of the Constitution Review Commission’s Report in Parliament and supported a special sitting on 22 September.
The Commission, established in March 2026, conducted nationwide consultations, received written and collective submissions, engaged stakeholders and reviewed constitutional, legal and policy materials.
It submitted its Report and Draft Constitution Bill to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu on 31 August.
The Report sets out proposed constitutional reforms aimed at strengthening democratic governance, accountability and constitutional institutions, based on the Commission’s review of the 2013 Constitution and views gathered during its consultations.
Cabinet has made clear that tabling the Report does not amount to accepting or adopting all of the Commission’s recommendations.
The Cabinet Subcommittee on the Review of the Constitution will continue examining the proposals, including their legal, practical and policy implications, before reporting back to Cabinet on the way forward.
It will also consider transitional arrangements that may be required if constitutional changes are approved.
Under the proposed timetable, Parliament will debate the Commission’s report during the sitting beginning 28 September.
Subject to passage of the Draft Constitution Bill and completion of the required parliamentary processes, the Government proposes holding a referendum between November and mid-December.
The proposed new Constitution would come into effect by 24 December 2026 if it is approved through the required processes.
Opposition MP Ketan Lal has questioned the compressed timetable, saying fundamental changes to Fiji’s supreme law require more time for public scrutiny and debate.
“I strongly object to any attempt to rush fundamental changes to Fiji’s Constitution through Parliament and into a referendum within the space of just a few months,” Lal said.
He said consultation conducted during the review process should not be treated as consultation on the final constitutional text.
“Once Government decides which recommendations it accepts, rejects or changes, that proposed text must go back to the people for genuine and extensive consultation,” he said.
Lal called for further consultations across Fiji, including Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Rotuma and rural and maritime communities, as well as with Fijians living overseas.
He said the Government had previously committed to meaningful public participation, transparency and dialogue throughout the review.
“Those commitments must now be honoured,” Lal said.
He also rejected the idea that a referendum alone would provide sufficient public consultation.
“A referendum cannot become a substitute for consultation,” he said.
“Giving people a ballot paper at the end of a rushed process and asking them to vote YES or NO is not the same as allowing them to influence what is actually written in the document.”
Lal also questioned the need to have a new constitutional arrangement in place by 24 December.
“So why the rush?” he asked.
“Why must everything be completed so that a new constitutional arrangement can potentially come into effect by 24 December 2026?”
He said constitutional reform should not be driven by a political deadline or election timetable and called for sufficient time for independent legal experts, civil society, young people, women, religious organisations, businesses and citizens to scrutinise the proposals.
“The Constitution belongs to the PEOPLE OF FIJI, not Cabinet, not one political party and not one Government,” Lal said.
The review now moves to Parliament, with the proposed referendum and the final constitutional outcome dependent on the parliamentary process and any subsequent approval by voters…PACNEWS
PAC – MET MEET: SPREP PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Pacific Ministers renew commitment to stronger, more integrated weather, climate and early warning service
NUKU’ALOFA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—The fourth Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology (PMMM-4) officially concluded Wednesday with a renewed political commitment to strengthening sustainable weather, climate, ocean, and water services in the Pacific.
The Siu-i-Alaimoana Ki Likutapu Declaration reaffirmed Pacific Ministers’ commitment to the Weather Ready Pacific Programme as the Pacific-led mechanism for strengthening hydrometeorological services and multi-hazard early warning systems, and called on governments, development partners, regional organisations, and the private sector to align investments.
The Prime Minister of Tonga, newly appointed Chair of the PMMM-4, and Weather Ready Champion, Lord Fatafehi Fakafanua, said he takes the responsibility entrusted to him by Forum Leaders to serve as Weather Ready Champion very seriously.
“My message to the Forum Leaders in Koror only weeks ago was simple – Weather Ready Pacific is not a proposal under development. It is a regional priority endorsed by Leaders in 2021, reaffirmed in 2023 as the Pacific’s vehicle for delivering Early Warnings for All, and underpinned by an agreed investment framework and a proven return on investment.”
Fakafanua stated that the programme is already delivering, with the commissioning of a new C-band radar for Tonga as the first deliverable of its Regional Radar Strategy, with Samoa and Solomon Islands to follow, as well as hundreds of observing stations across fifteen countries and territories that have been assessed for upgrades in its bid to reverse the long decline in Pacific weather and climate data.
He called on multilateral partners, including the development banks, to join the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in aligning their investments behind the Weather Ready Pacific programme in recognition of the Leaders’ endorsement.
The Declaration also recognised the growing risks posed by severe weather, climate change and geohazards, and that they are interconnected through the Earth System and cannot be managed in separate rooms.
Fakafanua, spoke about the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai eruption as an example and reminder that the hazards faced by the Pacific do not arrive one at a time.
“A volcano, a tsunami, and ash cloud, and the severing of our communications came together within hours,” Fakafanua said.
“Our region sits on the Ring of Fire and in the path of the cyclone belt. Meteorological, hydrological, oceanic, and geographic hazards are interconnected, and they compound and cascade.”
“I therefore welcome the commitment to an integrated Earth-system approach under the new Pacific Islands Meteorological Strategy (PIMS) 2026 – 2037, drawing our meteorological, hydrological, ocean, geological, and disaster management agencies into closer collaboration on observations, data, and coordinated warnings,” he added.
The Ministers welcomed the new PIMS, which was endorsed at the recently concluded eighth meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-8) as the new framework that will guide the Pacific’s vaka towards stronger weather, climate, oceans, and water services for the next decade.
The Declaration also recognised the increasing vulnerability of Pacific island countries to the current intensifying El Niño, and called for stronger, resilient infrastructure systems to strengthen and sustain Pacific-led programmes and platforms to ensure resilience for Pacific peoples and communities.
The PMMM-4 convened under the auspices of the Pacific Meteorological Council, and was hosted by the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Fakafanua expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the Secretariat to his Government, and for the enduring partnerships that helped make the PMMM-4 a reality.
“I extend the sincere appreciation of my Government to SPREP for coordinating these meetings on behalf of its Members, and for the confidence placed in Tonga to host so important a convening.
Lord Fakafanua also acknowledged the World Meteorological Organisation for its enduring partnership, and the Tonga Meteorological Service and every member of the Secretariat and support teams whose quiet work made the two weeks possible.
“To host both the Eighth Meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council and this Ministerial Meeting, and to assume the Chairmanship for both meetings, is a responsibility that Tonga has accepted with humility and with resolve.”
“The strength of this community lies in its unity, and in the trust that has grown between our services, our Ministers, and our partners,” he added.
“May the work we have done here protect lives across our Blue Pacific Continent, and may God bless us all,” he concluded as saying.
The Pacific Meteorological Council is a specialised subsidiary body of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) established to facilitate and coordinate the scientific and technical programme and activities of Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services…..PACNEWS
PAC – FOSSIL FUEL/CLIMATE CHANGE: AAP PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Pacific friends to suffer from fossil-fuel ‘hypocrisy’
SYDNEY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AAP)—Australia needs a firmer plan to transition away from fossil-fuel production to help protect Pacific nations from the effects of climate change, according to a new report.
The Australia Institute has bemoaned the government for letting words speak far louder than any climate action, repeatedly approving coal and gas projects since taking office in 2022.
The institute’s report outlines three principles the government should adopt, including stopping new gas and coal mines being approved, halting subsidies for gas and coal projects, and significantly reducing fossil-fuel exports.
The report insists that the government needs to legislate for a 25 per cent tax on all gas exports to fund this transition.
Global warming and rising sea levels have become a truly existential threat for Pacific countries like Tuvalu, which according to UNICEF will be 95 per cent underwater by 2100.
The country’s climate change minister, Maina Talia, was in Canberra on Wednesday and pleaded with the Australian government to do more as a leader in the Pacific region.
Australia was continually “saying ‘we love our Pacific neighbour and we continue to be part of the Pacific family’,” Dr Talia told reporters.
“(They) are not on board on what needs to be done in order for countries like mine to stay above the water.
“We want to ensure that we bring something to the people, real solutions, not a false solution.”
The co-chief executive of the Australia Institute, Richard Denniss, labelled Australia a hypocrite when it comes to climate change.
“Australia’s hypocrisy is so great that Australia has joined the coalition of countries to plan a transition away from fossil fuels while still opening new fossil-fuel projects,” Dennis said.
“We give far more in taxpayers’ subsidies to the fossil fuel industry than we give in green finance or indeed foreign aid to the Pacific.”
Also under fire is the carbon offset scheme, which energy companies regularly use to parade supposedly positive environmental contributions while actively investing in more fossil fuels.
“We need to stop hiding behind carbon offsets as an excuse for fossil-fuel expansion.”
Independent MP Zali Steggall said the decision should be simple, and the actions needed to line up with promises made to Pacific nations.
“Whilst on one hand continuing to approve coal and gas expansions, (the government) makes false promises to our Pacific region neighbours that it cares and that it will help them,” Steggall said.
“There is a very clear pathway to a world without fossil fuels, and we have to start by stopping approving (fossil-fuel projects),” she said……PACNEWS
FIJI – HIV/AIDS/HEALTH: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Young men top male-to-male HIV cases in Fiji, Mandatory HIV testing ‘not under the HIV Act’: Minister
SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Male-to-male sexual transmission accounted for 144 reported HIV cases in Fiji last year, with young men aged 20 to 24 recording the highest number of cases, according to the Fiji HIV Surveillance Report 2025.
The report recorded 46 cases of male-to-male sexual transmission among those aged 20 to 24, followed by 37 cases among those aged 25 to 29.
Heterosexual transmission was also highest among people aged 20 to 24, with 102 cases reported.
Across all age groups, sexual transmission accounted for 430 cases, or 50.6 per cent of the 849 cases where a transmission route was identified.
Of these, 286 were attributed to heterosexual transmission and 144 to male-to-male sexual transmission.
Injecting drug use accounted for 362 cases, or 42.6 per cent of cases with a known transmission route, making it the largest single identified transmission category.
However, 1,167 reported HIV cases – 57.9 per cent of all cases – were classified as having an unknown mode of transmission.
The figures come as the Government called for a whole-of-society response to HIV after declaring it a national crisis, a year after declaring a national outbreak.
The 20 to 24-year age group recorded the highest number of cases associated with injecting drug use, at 131, followed by 70 cases among those aged 25 to 29 and 56 among those aged 30 to 34.
Mother-to-child transmission accounted for 57 cases, with 56 recorded among children aged four and under.
The report’s findings show that young adults in their 20s and early 30s accounted for a significant proportion of reported HIV transmission through both sexual activity and injecting drug use.
Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services Penioni Ravunawa said the Government’s message remained one of prevention rather than stigma.
“HIV can be transmitted through certain infected body fluids, including blood, semen and vaginal fluids. It can also be transmitted through sharing contaminated needles and injecting equipment, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding,” he said.
“Our message is therefore one of prevention, testing, treatment and compassion – not stigma. Know your HIV status, practise safer sexual behaviour, never share needles or injecting equipment, and seek medical advice and treatment early.”
Minister for Health Dr Atonio Lalabalavu said the identified transmission modes showed the scope of testing carried out so far.
“The findings also show the seriousness of the epidemic and the gaps we must close in prevention, treatment and continuing care. An outbreak-level response is no longer sufficient; it requires co-ordinated action across Government, alongside communities and our partners,” he said.
Both have reiterated that with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives
Meanwhile, Fiji’s HIV crisis is worsening, but the Government will not make HIV testing mandatory for Fijians, with Health Minister Atonio Lalabalavu saying people must decide for themselves whether to get tested.
Dr Lalabalavu said mandatory testing was not an option under Fiji’s HIV Act.
“We’re not introducing HIV mandatory testing because it’s not under the HIV Act,” he said.
His comments come as Fiji faces a rapidly growing HIV epidemic, with Cabinet declaring the outbreak a national crisis last week.
Ministry of Health figures show Fiji recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, up 27 per cent from 1,583 in 2024.
Health authorities have also warned that thousands of people are estimated to be living with HIV, highlighting the need for early testing, treatment and prevention.
The Ministry’s latest report said the increase in diagnoses reflects both rising transmission and improved detection through expanded testing and surveillance.
Dr Lalabalavu said HIV and tuberculosis were also closely linked, particularly when a person living with HIV was not receiving treatment.
“With HIV, someone who’s not on treatment, the immune system is down. Opportunistic infection would be commonly TB,” he said.
He said the Government’s HIV response would also include TB and Hepatitis C as part of a broader approach to tackling the crisis.
“We’re looking at it in a holistic view,” he said.
In another development, Fiji has sufficient supplies of sterile needles and syringes for a national harm-reduction programme, but their distribution is awaiting Government approval and amendments to legislation.
Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the Cabinet sub-committee was working to have the programme approved by the next Parliament sitting on 28 September.
“We plan to have it endorsed in Cabinet and it will need some amendments to the legislation. Probably by the next sitting of Parliament, it should be approved,” he said.
National HIV Outbreak and Cluster Response Taskforce chair, Dr Jason Mitchell, said swift Government approval would allow the programme to be fully rolled out.
“The Fiji Government has procured all the needles and syringes and they’re currently sitting in our warehouse in Suva. We have sufficient supplies and we have engaged the services of UNDP who are able to procure additional resources if required, if we ever do run short.”
Dr Mitchell emphasised that the programme was aimed at encouraging “safer drug use”.
“From the public health side, our job is to make sure that people who are engaged in drug use are doing so safely and that they have access to sterile needles and syringes to reduce HIV infection and Hepatitis C that is currently rising as a result of risky behaviour associated with drug use.”
He said the Government had made its position clear on the distinction between drug use and supporting safer drug use.
“The industry is about supporting safe drug use. It is in no way saying that drug use is appropriate.”
Dr Mitchell said more than 90 countries around the world had adopted needle and syringe programmes, making sterile needles and syringes available to people who use drugs…..PACNEWS
PNG – INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY: NBC PNG NEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
PNG leaders urge action as nation enters next 50 years
PORT MORESBY/LAE, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (NBC PNG) —- Papua New Guinea must use its 51st Independence anniversary to decide what kind of country it wants to build for future generations, deputy Prime Minister John Rosso says.
Rosso, the Lae MP, made the call while speaking as principal guest at Lae’s 51st Independence anniversary celebration at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium on Wednesday.
Reflecting on 16 September 1975, Rosso recalled watching the Australian flag being lowered and the Papua New Guinean flag raised as the country gained independence.
He paid tribute to the leaders who helped guide PNG to independence, including Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan.
Rosso said PNG’s peaceful transition to independence was achieved despite its many languages, cultures and communities, and stressed that unity remained critical as the country moved into its next 50 years.
“What do we want for the next 50 years?” Rosso asked.
He said Independence Day should not only be a celebration of the country’s achievements but also an opportunity for Papua New Guineans to consider what they want to leave for their children and grandchildren.
Rosso also paid tribute to former Lae MP and Morobe leader Songar Luthawake, whose first anniversary of death falls this week.
He urged Papua New Guineans to honour the sacrifices of previous generations by taking responsibility for the country’s future.
Bulolo MP Sam Basil Jr says independence should be measured not only by celebrations but by what citizens do every day to improve their communities and the country.
In his Independence message, Basil said freedom came with responsibility and called on Papua New Guineans to contribute to the common good.
“It is our individual contribution and what we do every day that contributes to our common good and determines our value as the people of Bulolo and PNG,” Basil said.
Basil said Bulolo had changed significantly since independence but continued to face challenges including poor roads, limited access to services, unemployment, law and order concerns and gaps in education.
He also called for stronger support for agriculture, food production and other income-generating activities.
Reflecting on Bulolo’s past, Basil said the district once had a busy airstrip, theatres, libraries, stores and other services during its mining and forestry development.
He said the challenge now was to build on that history and create communities capable of meeting the needs of today.
Basil said his priorities in Bulolo included health supplies, support for schools, food and cash crops, describing these as investments in social and economic empowerment.
“These are small activities and programs and we may not see the results now or in five years,” he said.
“But if we continue and our people become strong and healthy, respect the law and ensure order, we can have strong independent communities with improved living standards.”
Basil also called on political, government, business, church and community leaders to have a clear vision and make a difference in the lives of the people they serve.
“Every leader at every level of leadership … must have a vision of how we want to make a difference in the lives of the people which we lead,” he said.
He said citizens also had a responsibility to respect other people, their property and privacy to help maintain safe and secure communities.
Basil thanked past and present leaders, churches, businesses and communities for their contribution to Bulolo’s development.
He said the district’s future would depend on the combined efforts of its people.
“We will continue to celebrate our Independence and our destiny, if we also continue to contribute our bit,” he said….PACNEWS
JAPAN – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Japan PM adviser holds regional security talks in Australia, New Caledonia
TOKYO/CANBERRA/NOUMEA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Japan has stepped up discussions on defence, security and regional cooperation during a visit by Prime Minister’s Special Adviser Sadamasa Oue to Australia and New Caledonia.
Oue visited Australia and New Caledonia from 06 – 12 September, holding talks with senior government officials, defence industry representatives and regional policy experts.
In Western Australia, Oue visited the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, where he received a briefing on defence industry capabilities and highlighted the importance of Japan-Australia cooperation in defence equipment and technology.
He also met Western Australia Premier Roger Cook and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence Industries Amber-Jade Sanderson to discuss economic and energy relations, as well as security cooperation.
Oue later visited BAE Systems Australia at the Osborne Naval Shipyard and received a briefing on construction of the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigates.
In Canberra, Oue met Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry and Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy for discussions on bilateral defence industry cooperation and regional affairs.
He also held talks with experts from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Australian National University on Japan-Australia relations, foreign and security policy, people-to-people links and regional issues.
In New Caledonia, Oue met Brigadier General Gabriel Soubrier, Commander of the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia, to discuss security and defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
He also met French High Commissioner Jacques Billant and New Caledonia Government President Milakuro Tukumuli.
Discussions with Tukumuli included cooperation between Japan and New Caledonia and preparations for the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM), scheduled to be held in Japan in summer 2027.
Oue also met France’s Ambassador for the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, for discussions on Japan-France cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The visit comes as Japan, Australia and France continue to deepen engagement on security, defence and cooperation across the Pacific and wider Indo-Pacific region.
Oue also paid respects at Japanese memorial sites in Noumea, including the Japanese Cemetery and the cenotaph for submarine crews of the former Imperial Japanese Navy who died in and around New Caledonia….PACNEWS
FIJI – DRUG MISSING: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Fiji Police probe seven missing cocaine bars from Suva High Court exhibits
SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Fiji Police have launched an investigation after seven bars of cocaine were discovered missing from drug exhibits held in the custody of the Suva High Court.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Crime Loraini Seru said the missing exhibits were identified during a physical inspection on Tuesday, 15 September 2026.
The inspection was conducted in the presence of senior judiciary officials, a senior official from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Police and a Crime Scene Investigations officer who documented the process.
Seru said the exhibits, which were linked to a high-profile drug case, had allegedly been tampered with.
A total of 39 bars had been exhibited to the Suva High Court Exhibit Room, but seven were found to be missing during the inspection.
The Criminal Investigations Department has assigned a team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing exhibits.
Police have not disclosed further details about the case while investigations continue….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Australia treaty commitee clears Air services deals with Kiribati, Naoero
CANBERRA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Australia’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has recommended binding treaty action on air services agreements with Kiribati and Nauru, alongside a similar agreement with Cambodia and a defence procurement agreement with NATO.
The committee tabled a report recommending that Australia proceed with four treaties, including agreements establishing the legal framework for scheduled international air services between Australia and Kiribati and Naoero.
The agreements with the two Pacific island countries are intended to provide a legal foundation for scheduled international air services between Australia and each country.
The agreements are based on Australia’s model air services treaty and contain provisions substantially similar to other air services agreements recently considered by the committee.
The committee also recommended binding treaty action on an agreement between Australia and the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation (NSPO) covering acquisition and support cooperation.
The NSPO agreement would allow Australia to participate in NSPO services and programmes and establishes provisions covering the organisation’s legal status in Australia, including certain privileges and immunities.
The agreement also provides a framework for future implementing arrangements and expanded cooperation between Australia and NSPO.
The fourth treaty is an air services agreement between Australia and Cambodia.
The committee’s recommendations now form part of the Australian parliamentary treaty process before the agreements can proceed to binding treaty action….PACNEWS
PAC – FISHERIES: PACNEWS/FIJI GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026
Fiji demands fairer returns from global Tuna trade
BANGKOK, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS/FIJI GOVT) — Fiji is pushing for greater transparency in the global tuna industry and a fairer share of the economic benefits for Pacific countries that manage and protect the region’s tuna resources.
Speaking at the 19th INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference and Exhibition (TUNA 2026) in Bangkok, Thailand, Minister for Fisheries and Forests Alitia Bainivalu said Pacific coastal states must receive equitable returns from the industry.
“True synergy must guarantee equitable outcomes for the coastal states that steward these resources,” Bainivalu said.
She highlighted Fiji’s recent decision to become the first Pacific Island country to sign a national Memorandum of Understanding to fully implement Fisheries Transparency Initiative standards.
Bainivalu said Fiji was also strengthening measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through real-time satellite tracking, electronic monitoring and port inspections.
The Minister said stronger transparency and accountability were critical as Pacific countries faced growing pressures on tuna resources from climate change.
Fiji is calling for greater regional cooperation, stronger conservation measures and a sustainable tuna industry that protects Pacific marine resources while delivering long-term economic benefits to Pacific economies and communities.
The global tuna industry remains a major economic sector for Pacific Island countries, making the management, sustainability and equitable distribution of tuna benefits a key regional priority……PACNEWS
TIMOR – BANK: ANZ PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026
ANZ Timor-Leste recognised for excellence in financial literacy
DILI, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ANZ)—ANZ Timor-Leste has been awarded the Central Bank Award for Excellence in Financial Literacy in recognition of its ongoing commitment to improving financial capability and economic opportunity across Timor-Leste through its MoneyMinded program.
The award acknowledges the impact of ANZ’s flagship financial education programs, which between October 2024 and July 2026 reached more than 7,300 people through MoneyMinded, Business Basics and Train the Trainer workshops delivered in partnership with universities, schools, community organisations and volunteer facilitators.
Jennie Bolang, Customer Experience Manager, who leads the programme in Timor-Leste, said the award was a powerful recognition of the difference financial education can make in people’s lives.
“MoneyMinded is about more than understanding money. It’s about giving people the confidence to make informed financial decisions, plan for the future and create opportunities for themselves, their families and their broader communities.
“We have seen participants build budgeting skills, develop saving habits and gain greater confidence to manage both household and business finances. This award recognises the commitment of our facilitators, partners and volunteers who work tirelessly to bring these programs to communities across Timor-Leste,” said Bolang.
Brent Turner, ANZ Timor-Leste Country Head, said the recognition reflected ANZ’s long-term commitment to supporting economic development and financial inclusion.
“At ANZ, we believe stronger financial capability contributes to stronger communities.
“While our retail banking operations have changed over time, our commitment to Timor-Leste has not. Through programs like MoneyMinded and Business Basics, we continue to invest in helping people build skills, confidence and resilience.
“This award reflects the positive impact these programs are having and reinforces ANZ’s broader commitment to creating social and economic value in the communities where we operate.”
MoneyMinded is ANZ’s flagship financial literacy program and is a key part of the bank’s social impact strategy across the Pacific. Together with Business Basics, the program provides practical financial education and supports individuals, families and small business owners to make informed financial decisions and build long-term financial wellbeing.
Across the Pacific, MoneyMinded has reached more than 70,000 people and remains central to ANZ’s commitment to advancing financial wellbeing and economic empowerment throughout the region….PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fifth Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference amplifies “One Pacific Voice for Action on 1.50C to Stay Alive”
HONIARA, 11 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—The 5th Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference (5POPCCC) is underway in Honiara, Solomon Islands guided by the theme, “Amplifying One Pacific Voice for Action on 1.5°C to Stay Alive”.
The Pacific Oceans Pacific Climate Change Conference (POPCCC) is a Pacific-owned, Pacific-led event organised to provide an informative and collaborative Pacific research platform for academics, researchers, climate change practitioners, private sector, civil society, and students to share their research findings with Pacific-based and global researchers.
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Mathew Cooper Wale opened the conference. Reflecting on the impacts of climate change on his home island of Langalanga in the Malaita Province, the Prime Minister encouraged that the peoples lived reality, not the comfort of the sceptic, must anchor policies and dialogues on climate action in the Pacific and global fora.
“For the Pacific, 1.5°C is therefore a survival threshold and must remain a political red line,” he said.
“Every fraction of a degree matters. Every year of delay increases the burden on our communities and our public finances. We cannot allow dangerous levels of warming to be treated as normal or inevitable. The Pacific did not create this crisis, and our patience must never be mistaken for acceptance of a future imposed on us by the emissions of others.”
Previous editions of this conference were hosted in Wellington, New Zealand (2016 and 2018), online in 2020 and most recently in Apia, Samoa in 2024.
The POPCCC is a multi-disciplinary conference, bringing together experts from the private, public, and civil society, and a variety of participants from the arts, faith communities, industry, and other backgrounds to look at ways where, together, we can all play our part to address climate change. The conference is a platform to examine the persistent challenges faced by Pacific Island countries in developing and improving adaptation strategies and ensuring easier access to finance.
The Pacific is the world’s largest ocean, covering nearly one-third of the Earth’s surface and home to many of the world’s marine species and supports Pacific Island ecosystems, traditions, and culture. It is our region’s largest resource, and it defines us as Pacific people, underpinning our livelihoods and way of life.
To welcome the delegates, Dr Vaeno Wayne Vigulu of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) reminded participants that the purpose of the conference is not to simply talk about climate change but to target realistic and ambitious climate action through innovative climate solutions, research that better serves our communities, deepened partnerships and strengthened pathways for climate finance.
This call for action was reiterated by the Deputy Director General of SPREP, Ms. Easter Chu Shing in her opening remarks inviting the participants to join the commitment by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in the 2026 Palau meeting where they once again reaffirmed that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and wellbeing of Pacific peoples.
“Through the B.E.L.A.U. Declaration for Urgent and Inclusive Climate Action, Leaders renewed the Pacific’s commitment to keep 1.5°C within reach, strengthen ambitious national climate plans, accelerate a just transition from fossil fuels, improve access to climate finance, and elevate the ocean-climate nexus, youth leadership, gender equality and intergenerational justice,” she said.
Chu Shing also used the opportunity to acknowledge the Pacific Academy of Sciences, Pacific governments, applied research institutions, the Government of New Zealand through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Government of Australia through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United Kingdom, UN agencies, civil society, the private sector and friends of the Pacific who have supported this initiative through financial contributions and support shared in kind.
“The POPCCC is a Pacific-owned and Pacific-led initiative and conversation”.
Dr Emma Dunlop from the Victoria University of Wellington reminded that the conversation about climate change is not entirely about our vulnerability but also our resilience.
“We are peoples of extraordinary knowledge. Knowledge about our environment. Knowledge about our communities. Knowledge accumulated over generations. And knowledge that can help shape the future of our region, and indeed our planet. POPCCC is where Indigenous knowledge, contemporary science, technology and innovation comes together. Not with one displacing the other, but the creation of new knowledge that is richer, more holistic and better equipped to serve our peoples, our nations and our planet”.
The 5th POPCCC is taking place at the Friendship Hall in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 15th – 18th September 2026. As the Pacific region is building towards COP31 in November, the POPCCC is envisioned to be a space and opportunity to support the implementation of the COP31 Pacific Partnership and the work of the Pacific COP31 Envoys to advance regional priorities across the strategic pillars of keeping 1.5°C within reach, enhancing access to climate finance, elevating the ocean-climate nexus, and amplifying Pacific voices and leadership.
The Fifth POPCCC is jointly organised by Solomon Islands National University, the Pacific Climate Change Centre of SPREP, the Solomon Islands Government’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington and the National University of Samoa, continuing a lineage of Pacific-led gatherings held in Wellington in 2016 and 2018, online in 2020 and in Apia in 2024….PACNEWS
For more information, please contact yvettek@sprep.org
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific countries set priorities for waste and climate action under regional climate finance programme
PORT VILA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—Waste and climate change focal points from 14 Pacific Small Island Developing States gathered in Port Vila this week for a two-day workshop to determine the focus areas of Component 4 of the Regional Programmatic Approach to Climate Action (RPACA).
Hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) on 14–15 September, the workshop brought member country participants (representing climate change and waste management and pollution agencies) together to prioritise waste and pollution interventions with a clear climate rationale, identify what is best delivered at the regional and national levels, and begin shaping the funding proposal that SPREP will progress to the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
RPACA is a country-led, long-term approach to securing climate finance at scale for the Pacific. Co-chaired and driven by the Cook Islands and Palau, it is delivered in partnership by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), SPREP and the Pacific Community (SPC) as accredited entities to the GCF. SPREP leads Component 4, which covers pollution and waste management together with knowledge sharing, communication and coordination across the programme.
Vanuatu’s Director of Environment, Osbourne Melenamu, said waste could no longer be treated separately from climate change.
“Waste is not only an environmental and public health challenge; it is also a climate challenge,” Melenamu said.
“Every tonne of waste avoided, reused, recycled, or properly managed contributes not only to healthier communities but also to reduced emissions and stronger climate outcomes.”
“This is not simply about managing waste better. It is about strengthening livelihoods, protecting our oceans and ecosystems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and building a more resilient Pacific for future generations.”
Over the two days, countries validated the mapping of their waste priorities against national climate commitments, and worked collaboratively to agree on the climate-waste problem being addressed under Component 4; and potential solutions to address this.
RPACA Co-Chair Wayne King of the Cook Islands encouraged countries to use the consultation to shape a programme that reflects their priorities and gives them the time to build their own capacity to deliver.
SPREP Director of Waste Management and Pollution Control, Mr Anthony Talouli, said the workshop was an opportunity to demonstrate clearer links between waste, pollution and climate outcomes, and to shape priorities that benefit Pacific communities and future generations.
Waste focal points will remain in Port Vila for a further three days of discussions on circular economy initiatives, in partnership between SPREP and ADB….PACNEWS
For further information, contact: Timoci Nakalevu, Climate Change Adaptation Officer, SPREP timocin@sprep.org
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Fighting antimicrobial resistance through better patient care – ordering the right test from the right patient to determine the right treatment
TOKYO, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (WHO)—With the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mounting globally and regionally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Government of Japan convened seven countries in the WHO Western Pacific region to share their crucial experiences on strengthening the fight against AMR.
The three-day workshop in Tokyo brought together senior health officials to specifically discuss how to enhance antimicrobial stewardship and clinical diagnostic stewardship as key tools in the public health arsenal to tackle and mitigate AMR.
The workshop was convened by the AMR Clinical Reference Centre at the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) – a WHO collaborating centre – and co-hosted by the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. It was attended by AMR champions from Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Getting the right test to the right patient at the right time
AMR occurs when bacteria and other organisms that cause infections evolve to resist the medicines used to treat them. It is projected to contribute to more than 5 million deaths in the Western Pacific Region between 2020 and 2030, driven in large part by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
To address this growing danger, WHO recently published Strengthening Clinical Diagnostic Stewardship in the Western Pacific Region: A practical manual, a facility-oriented resource developed in response to requests from Member States. The manual aims to guide health facilities on strengthening clinical diagnostic practices.
Clinical diagnostic stewardship helps health providers order the right test for the right patient at the right time, and then interpret and act on the results correctly. Antimicrobial stewardship complements this by supporting the choice of the right antibiotic, at the right dose, for the right duration. Together, the two approaches lead to more accurate diagnoses, more targeted treatment, fewer adverse drug reactions and lower health-care costs, while slowing the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens.
This is central to the mission of the AMR Clinical Reference Centre. “We will pursue our mandate to improve the quality of patient care and address AMR by supporting WHO and Member States to strengthen implementation of antimicrobial stewardship and clinical diagnostic stewardship,” said Dr Norihiro Kokudo, President of JIHS.
Japan’s commitment to fighting AMR
Japan has built one of the Region’s most advanced AMR responses, described in its national AMR action plan, including sophisticated surveillance systems, incentives to improve hospital practice, and investments in new approaches to strengthen the antibiotic pipeline.
At the international level, Japan leads the Initiative to Accelerate Action to Fight AMR in the Asia-Pacific Region, in collaboration with the WHO regional offices for the Western Pacific and South-East Asia. The country also launched the Asia-Pacific One Health Initiative on AMR (ASPIRE) in 2016 and has convened the Tokyo AMR One Health Conference annually since 2017.
“Japan remains committed to the fight against AMR, including moving the ASPIRE initiative forward to strengthen surveillance, health-care management, antimicrobial access and research on AMR in countries across the Asia-Pacific region” said Dr Manabu Sumi, Director-General of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan.
Turning ideas into action
Drawing on the collective expertise and experience of delegates, the workshop identified feasible actions to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and clinical diagnostic stewardship policy, and to expand implementation across the national, hospital and primary care levels.
Each participating country prioritized actions suited to its own context, informed by the workshop discussions and grounded in the clinical diagnostic stewardship manual and other WHO resources. WHO, in turn, outlined the technical support it can provide to help Member States carry these plans forward.
The plans focus on concrete steps: strengthening governance, updating policy and guidelines to reflect clinical diagnostic stewardship principles, and building multidisciplinary workforce capacity across the health system. These steps aim to close gaps in diagnosis and treatment, curb the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens and improve patient safety. Delegates said they look forward to the continued support from WHO and the Government of Japan in turning these plans into lasting change in their own countries.
“The medicines we rely on today are a truly precious legacy. Our responsibility is to protect and preserve them for future generations,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
“Clinical diagnostic stewardship and antimicrobial stewardship are powerful tools that help us provide the best possible care to the person today while safeguarding the effectiveness of these medicines for future generations.”
WHO and JIHS will continue working with countries to integrate these stewardship principles and approaches into everyday clinical practice, with the aim of stronger health systems, lower health-care costs and better outcomes for patients across the Western Pacific region….PACNEWS
