In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific media must stay independent while reaching remote communities
2. PACIFIC — Solomon Islands Media Industry warns of growing journalist shortage
3. PACIFIC — Pacific defence ministers warn missile tests threaten ‘Ocean of Peace’
4. FIJI — Japan, Fiji commit to stronger regional cooperation
5. PACIFIC — India to provide 20 sea ambulances to Pacific island nations by March 2027
6. PACIFIC — Fiji offers to host Pacific Response Group
7. UN — ‘We can meet this challenge’: Aust PM pushes climate action
8. PACIFIC — Australia commits AUD$312 million to Pacific maritime security
9. PACIFIC — Aust PM warns global order ‘not fit for purpose’
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Pacific seabed mining divide laid bare at UN
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — From Palau to New York: A Pacific perspective on meaningful participation
PAC – PACIFIC MEDIA SUMMIT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fr 25 Sep 2026
Pacific media must stay independent while reaching remote communities
By Pita Ligaiula in Savusavu
SAVUSAVU, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific newsrooms must protect their core values while finding practical ways to reach remote communities, speakers at the Pacific Media Summit in Fiji have said.
President of Vualiku Media and Fijian Media Association North member, Peceli Naviticoko, said journalists covering Fiji’s Northern Division faced long distances, high transport costs, poor connectivity and small newsroom numbers, but continued to find ways to report from communities.
“The North has no shortage of stories. The challenge is reaching them,” Naviticoko said.
Naviticoko said journalists covering Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata often travelled for hours by road and boat to reach communities, with some assignments taking them into areas with little or no connectivity.
He said the Northern Division’s maritime communities also faced high fuel and transport costs, while cyclones and floods could cut off access to outer islands.
“Being resourceful, we find a way,” he said.
Naviticoko said community networks had become an important part of reaching remote areas, allowing journalists to identify stories, arrange interviews and maintain contact when conventional communication was difficult.
He said journalists also had to make the most of whatever equipment was available.
“Resourceful is not having everything, it is making the most of what you have,” Naviticoko said.
He said collaboration between journalists could improve access to communities and information, but should not compromise editorial independence.
“We can share access, we can share knowledge, we can share resources, but our journalism remains,” he said.
Naviticoko said journalists could travel together and share logistical resources while still producing independent reports and different angles on the same story.
“We can collaborate on access without collaborating on the journalism itself,” he said.
He said the need for journalists to physically reach communities remained important as old or inaccurate information continued to circulate online.
“We are the one on the field,” he said, stressing the role of local journalists in verifying information and providing updates from communities.
Naviticoko also highlighted the importance of modern technology, training and investment in regional newsrooms.
He said journalists in the North needed greater access to professional development, equipment, digital tools and opportunities to participate in regional and international programmes.
Publisher of Cook Islands News, John Woods, said his newspaper had also relied on innovation and diversification to survive difficult economic conditions.
Woods said Cook Islands News nearly collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic after the country’s economy effectively shut down.
“We nearly died during COVID,” Woods said.
He said the company’s owners had injected personal funds to keep the business operating before shifting more strongly towards digital journalism.
The newspaper continues to print a nightly tabloid edition, with families working through the night to hand-fold and distribute copies to subscribers.
Woods said the publication’s website now had more than 50,000 regular readers, many of whom paid for access, while its digital strategy also targeted about 100,000 Cook Islanders living overseas, mainly in New Zealand, and another 50,000 in Australia.
He said technology had also helped the newspaper reach Cook Islands communities outside the main island.
The Cook Islands consists of 15 islands spread across about 2,000 kilometres, making reliable communication and distribution a major challenge.
Woods said Starlink had helped the newspaper reach outer islands after repeated problems with the government-owned undersea cable.
“We can reach our outer islands,” he said.
President of the Media Association of Vanuatu, Sale Sumbe, said trusted journalism became even more important when disasters disrupted communication systems.
Referring to the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Port Vila on 17 December 2024 and killed 14 people, Sumbe said mobile networks and other infrastructure were badly affected.
He said people continued searching for information despite communication disruptions, creating a greater risk of rumours and misinformation.
“People don’t stop looking for information simply because the mobile network is down,” Sumbe said.
Sumbe said connectivity tools could help restore communications during emergencies, but journalists still had to ensure the information being distributed was accurate and verified.
“Technology can help us reach the remote, but also trust is what allows us to reach the world,” he said.
He said audiences were increasingly turning to social media for information, but established media organisations continued to be trusted, particularly during crises and major public events.
Sumbe said Pacific media should not try to compete with social media only by being faster.
“We should not try to compete with social media simply by being faster but by being more accurate, more trusted and also more relevant to our communities,” he said.
He said remote communities should not only consume information but should also have opportunities to tell their own stories, raise concerns and contribute to national discussions.
“Technology can help us reach further and faster, but our values determine whether people can trust what we deliver,” Sumbe said.
He said the development of artificial intelligence and changing patterns of media consumption would continue to reshape journalism, but the fundamental responsibility of journalists would remain unchanged.
The speakers said the challenge for Pacific media was therefore not simply reaching remote audiences, but doing so while maintaining independence, accuracy, relevance and public trust….PACNEWS
PAC – PACIFIC MEDIA SUMMIT: FIIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands Media Industry warns of growing journalist shortage
SAVUSAVU, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—-The growth and continuation of journalists joining the media industry in Solomon Islands are at risk.
Solomon Islands-based news outlet Tavuli News director Elizabeth Osifelo raised concerns about the future of the industry.
Osifelo said that while her media outlet was only in its fourth year of operation after opening following the COVID-19 pandemic, sourcing journalists to enter the profession remained challenging.
She said Tavuli News had a small group of young journalists, most of whom were under the age of 30.
“So, most of my team, my leader team, are very young reporters, most of, all the reporters are multi-skilled,” Osifelo said.
Accredited journalism programmes in Solomon Islands remain limited.
“We are very short of reporters and journalists in Solomon Islands and we don’t have ample media certificate programmes,” she said.
Osifelo described the situation as a red flag, based on her experience, as recruiting journalists had become increasingly difficult because of the low numbers.
“My personal observation is a red flag, because where will the next crop come of journalists come from,” she said.
To help fill the gap in journalism training, Tavuli News engaged in and decided to host an internship programme.
“I would also like to thank BBC Media for supporting us with that initiative,” she said.
Osifelo said if nothing was done to improve the media industry through upskilling and training new journalists, its viability would become a major problem.
“One day we will die and the next crop of journalists need to be trained to take our place,” she said.
However, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Fijian Media Association (FMA) and Fiji National University (FNU) to establish a Pacific Centre for Communication and Journalism provides aspiring journalists in the region with an opportunity to gain tertiary education…..PACNEWS
PAC – DEFENCE MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Pacific defence ministers warn missile tests threaten ‘Ocean of Peace’
NADI, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— South Pacific defence ministers have expressed grave concern over a recent ballistic missile test into the Blue Pacific, warning that conducting such activities without appropriate notice risks undermining the region’s commitment to an “Ocean of Peace”.
Defence ministers and representatives from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga made the statement at the 11th South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) in Nadi from 22 to 24 September.
The ministers said the missile test was the second such test in the region within two years and echoed the concern expressed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders at their 55th meeting.
They said the manner in which the test was conducted risked undermining the PIF Leaders’ declaration of the Blue Pacific Continent as an Ocean of Peace, as well as their call for engagement that honours the Pacific Way, respects national sovereignty and supports Pacific-led approaches.
The ministers also identified El Niño, the fuel crisis, transnational and serious organised crime and cyber threats as compounding pressures on the Pacific security environment.
The meeting, held under the theme “Securing the Blue Pacific: Collective Responsibility, Resilient Futures,” reaffirmed the ministers’ commitment to working together against traditional, non-traditional and hybrid security threats.
Ministers also agreed to take a phased approach to expanding the Pacific Response Group (PRG), with an initial focus on strengthening its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities before considering a future stabilisation role.
They welcomed the PRG’s evolution as a regional asset following the rotation of its headquarters to New Zealand on 1 July 2026 and year-round co-location.
Fiji has expressed interest in hosting the PRG from July 2028.
Ministers also welcomed progress on a Status of Forces Agreement for the SPDMM and tasked the Intersessional Working Group to begin formal negotiations in line with national processes.
The ministers said the SPDMM remained the most effective forum for pursuing military peacekeeping cooperation in the South Pacific and identified further peacekeeping initiatives for consideration.
They also tasked the working group to explore stronger cooperation among defence organisations on emerging technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Transnational organised crime was another major focus, with ministers noting its intensification across the region and reaffirming their commitment to jointly detect, deter and disrupt such activity across the maritime domain.
They noted the agreement in principle by PIF Leaders to establish Waqa Moana, a regional mechanism aimed at strengthening collective maritime security response, information sharing and regional resilience.
Chiefs and Heads of Defence were tasked to explore a possible SPDMM contribution to regional efforts such as Waqa Moana and report back at SPDMM 2027.
Ministers also welcomed the participation of Acting PIF Secretary General Desna Solofa as a special guest and endorsed an update to the SPDMM Governance Framework to include a standing invitation to the PIF Secretary General.
They welcomed the PIF Secretariat’s Regional Peace and Security Action Plan 2026-2030 and ongoing cooperation between the SPDMM Secretariat and PIF.
The ministers also supported continued discussions on a possible SPDMM Defence Advisor position within the PIF Secretariat to contribute to the Forum’s peace and security pillar.
Ministers recognised climate change as an existential threat and discussed the role of defence forces in reducing emissions and supporting adaptation.
They welcomed the PIF climate peace and security agenda and encouraged continued consultation on Fiji’s proposal for a SPDMM Climate Peace and Security Advisor.
On women, peace and security, ministers recognised the role of women in preventing conflict, building peace and supporting recovery during crises.
They thanked Fiji for sharing the outcomes of its Gender Barrier Assessment, described as the region’s first, and endorsed priority recommendations from the SPDMM Women Peace and Security Guidance Note.
The Secretariat and Intersessional Working Group were tasked to develop a forward work plan for implementation.
Ministers also welcomed Fiji’s hosting of the third Pacific Defence Faith Forum in Nadi in March 2026 and recognised the role of faith and spirituality in supporting military personnel, their families and communities.
They agreed to continue developing regional defence cooperation through training, academic exchanges and emerging-leader programmes.
The Defence Training Hub-Pacific was launched to improve coordination of individual training opportunities across the SPDMM community.
Australia will host the meeting in 2027….PACNEWS
FIJI – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fr 25 Sep 2026
Japan, Fiji commit to stronger regional cooperation
NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Japan and Fiji have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation, including disaster risk reduction and support for Pacific resilience.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Fiji’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Sakiasi Ditoka held talks in New York on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September.
Motegi said Japan and Fiji shared fundamental values and principles and were important partners in maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law.
He welcomed the successful handover of patrol boats to Fiji under Japan’s Official Security Assistance programme in June and said Japan would further strengthen cooperation with Fiji and the wider region.
Motegi also outlined Japan’s intention, under its updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept, to provide concrete support to strengthen the resilience of Fiji and other countries in the region and their “freedom to decide for themselves”.
Ditoka expressed Fiji’s appreciation for Japan’s cooperation across a wide range of areas.
The two ministers also confirmed they would work closely towards the success of the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM11), scheduled to be held in Yokohama in the summer of 2027.
They exchanged views on regional affairs, including developments concerning Pacific island countries, and agreed to continue cooperation across a range of areas, including disaster risk reduction…..PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: FIRST POST PACNEWS 1: Fri 25 Sep 2026
India to provide 20 sea ambulances to Pacific island nations by March 2027
NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIRST POST)—India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has announced that India will provide 20 sea ambulances to Pacific island countries by March 2027 as part of its expanding development partnership with the region.
Jaishankar made the announcement during a meeting with Pacific foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations engagements in New York. The discussions focused on India’s ongoing development initiatives and its cooperation with countries in the Pacific.
A major part of the partnership is healthcare. India is building a 100-bed super-specialty hospital in Fiji, which is expected to serve not just the island nation but also people from other Pacific countries.
The hospital is intended to provide advanced medical treatment closer to home, reducing the need for patients to travel overseas for specialised healthcare.
The planned deployment of 20 sea ambulances is aimed at addressing another major challenge faced by Pacific island nations: geography.
Many Pacific countries are made up of scattered islands, making access to emergency healthcare and medical facilities difficult. The sea ambulances are expected to help with emergency transportation and medical evacuations, particularly for communities located far from major healthcare centres.
Jaishankar also reviewed the broader rollout of India’s development roadmap for Pacific island countries during the meeting.
India’s engagement with the region extends beyond healthcare and includes areas such as capacity building, digital infrastructure and sustainable development.
The initiatives are part of India’s cooperation with members of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), which brings New Delhi and Pacific island countries together on development and regional priorities.
The latest healthcare commitments are aimed at strengthening access to essential services while building greater resilience among Pacific island nations. India has increasingly positioned its development partnership with the region around practical projects that address local needs and challenges…PACNEWS
PAC – DEFENCE MEET: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 1: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Fiji offers to host Pacific Response Group
NADI, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—Fiji has offered to host the Pacific Response Group (PRG) as regional defence cooperation strengthens to respond to humanitarian and disaster emergencies.
Minister for Defence Pio Tikoduadua announced this during the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting at Black Rock Camp in Nadi.
Tikoduadua said Fiji’s offer reflected its longstanding contribution to peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
He said Fiji’s experience in international peacekeeping demonstrated the country’s commitment to collective action and the belief that maintaining peace was a shared responsibility.
The Pacific Response Group was developed through the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting as a mechanism for Pacific militaries to coordinate responses to future crises.
Tikoduadua said Pacific countries faced shared challenges, including natural disasters, climate-related emergencies and other security threats that required regional cooperation.
“Through the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting, we have demonstrated through the development of the Pacific Response Group, or commonly known as the PRG, that we stand prepared to respond to future crises as one,” he said.
Tikoduadua said Fiji would be honoured to host the PRG and support its development as an effective regional response mechanism.
He said Black Rock Camp was well positioned to support regional military cooperation, with facilities designed for multilateral training, exercises and activities.
Hosting the PRG would allow Pacific partners to strengthen coordination, interoperability and collective capacity to respond to humanitarian and disaster situations.
“For Fiji, this is about putting our commitment to the Pacific family into practical action,” Tikoduadua said.
He said hosting the PRG would also allow Fiji to continue building close relationships with regional partners….PACNEWS
UN – CLIMATE CHANGE: AAP PACNEWS 1: Fr 25 Sep 2026
‘We can meet this challenge’: Aust PM pushes climate action
NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AAP)—Countries need to make the economic case for lowering emissions, rather than just environmental ones, the prime minister has urged.
In a speech to the UN’s Climate Summit on Wednesday, New York time, Anthony Albanese said the global shift towards renewables needed to be carried out in order to protect countries in the Pacific most at risk from climate change.
The summit was held on the sidelines of the United Nations’ General Assembly and before the the pre-COP climate summit being held in Fiji and Tuvalu, which is being supported by Australia.
Albanese said climate change remained an existential threat for Pacific nations, who have contributed the least to rising emissions.
“We can meet this challenge. We need to argue the economic case in order to have the environmental benefit,” he said in the speech.
“The truth is that it makes good macroeconomic policy to shift to a renewable and clean energy revolution.”
The prime minister said the benefits of cleaner air and equity would come from the shift to renewables, which was needed to protect the current way of life across the globe.
“For Australia, as it must be for all of us, that action starts at home,” Albanese said.
“The energy transition make (targets of 62 to 70 percent emission reductions by 2035) attainable is well under way.”
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also told the summit of the need to express the economic benefits of shifting to renewable energy.
“Renewables are the cheapest, fastest, and most secure source of new electricity almost everywhere. Clean energy has gone from alternative to unstoppable,” he said.
‘We must match an accelerating crisis with accelerating action. Match a revolution in energy with a revolution in finance and match rising impacts with rising protection.’
Albanese also said elevating the climate risks of the Pacific would be critical as part of Australia’s bid to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2029 and 2030.
A vote is not set to take place until mid-2028, but intense lobbying has been taken place on the sidelines of the UN….PACNEWS
PAC – DEFENCE MEET: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 1: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Australia commits AUD$312 million to Pacific maritime security
NADI, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—Australia has pledged AUD$312 million(US$218 million) over 10 years to Waqa Moana, a Pacific-designed security initiative aimed at tackling transnational organised crime and strengthening maritime security across the region.
Pacific leaders developed Waqa Moana through the Pacific Islands Forum’s regional security discussions and endorsed it as a Pacific-led response to growing transnational organised crime and maritime security challenges.
Assistant Minister for Defence Peter Khalil acknowledged Fiji’s leadership in building regional consensus around the initiative, saying it reflected Pacific leaders’ priorities.
Australia’s investment will support air mobility, aerial surveillance, aviation engagement and regional maritime interdiction efforts.
The funding will also strengthen maritime security cooperation, information sharing and maritime domain awareness across the Pacific, while building Pacific partners’ capacity to detect, deter and disrupt illicit activity at sea.
Khalil said Australia’s contribution would provide practical capabilities to help Pacific partners respond to illicit maritime and transnational criminal activity, while strengthening maritime sovereignty and regional resilience.
The initiative will use existing regional security arrangements to support a coordinated response to shared security challenges.
The investment sits alongside Australia’s existing multi-billion-dollar Pacific Maritime Security Programme.
Australia has supplied 23 Guardian-class patrol boats and three landing craft to 12 Pacific partners, alongside training and support for their safe and effective operation.
Australia and Fiji are also negotiating the possible acquisition of two Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels.
Khalil said the vessels could provide “persistent, long-endurance surveillance”, helping Fiji detect, monitor and respond to illicit activity at sea.
He cautioned that he did not want to get ahead of a live tender, leaving the proposed acquisition subject to that process.
Khalil said the Waqa Moana investment, alongside Australia’s broader maritime security support, represented tangible outcomes from the Australia-Fiji partnership and efforts to build a peaceful, stable and secure Pacific…PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: AAP PACNEWS 1: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Aust PM warns global order ‘not fit for purpose’
NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AAP)—The world order established after World War II is no longer fit for purpose, the prime minister claims.
In a major foreign policy speech to the Atlantic Council in New York on Thursday, Australian time, Anthony Albanese said many of the institutions that were necessary post-1945 were not enough to meet present-day challenges.
The prime minister used the speech on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to argue partnerships with alliances remained crucial in a rapidly changing global environment.
“Since the end of the Cold War, the prevailing assumptions of international affairs were clear: openness was security, efficiency mattered more than resilience and international rules would be observed,” he said.
“Those assumptions rested on the expectation that the influence of the major democratic powers would remain largely unchallenged.
“The post-1945 world order is no longer fit for purpose. Universal institutions that remain necessary are now not always sufficient for the challenges we face.””
The prime minister said Australia needed to shape a world order that would replace the old one, while preserving diplomatic rules.
Albanese pointed to the strategic competition between the US and China in the Indo-Pacific as being the most consequential issue facing the region.
While Australia had ties with the U.S and China as its key security and trading partners respectively,Albanese told the Atlantic Council the competition between the two powers should not be the only lens the Pacific should be dealt through.
“The Indo-Pacific is not a chessboard on which superpowers move the pieces,” he said.
“its countries are not spectators, they are shaping its future and writing their own script.
“How Washington and Beijing manage their relationship matters profoundly.”
The prime minister made the speech after receiving the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen award, where he was recognised for his role in deepening alliances and promoting security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
He was among four award recipients at the event, including Formula One boss Stefano Domenicali, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and actress Cynthia Erivo.
He was introduced by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, who said Australia’s leader was a close friend and trusted ally.
Albanese understood that leadership was “ultimately not about power but about people”, Marape said.
“It is really the greatest honour of my life and a privilege to introduce my friend,’ he told the event.
The speech came a day after Mr Albanese met briefly with US President Donald Trump at a gala dinner hosted by the American leader.
The prime minister and Trump have issued divergent calls on how to approach AI following safety fears.
Relations with Pacific nations such as Papua New Guinea were highlighted by Albanese in the speech.
“The Pacific has been a priority for my government since day one,” he said.
“Our approach to the Pacific is characterised by respect. Respect for Pacific priorities, for their incredible culture and for their sovereignty.
“Our partnerships in the Pacific are building the security, prosperity and resilience of all our countries, so they can advance together, shaped by Pacific priorities.’
Albanese pointed to ASEAN alliances in Southeast Asia as crucial to regional order.
The new global order has forced countries to place a bigger emphasis on building resilience through critical minerals and energy measures, the prime minister said.
That focus has been heightened by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Iran, which has led to supply chains coming under pressure and fuel prices surging.
‘The rules that connect our nations remain essential, and they matter to Australia, to the Indo-Pacific and globally,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: PMN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Pacific seabed mining divide laid bare at UN
NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN)—-A growing divide over deep sea mining in the Pacific has been laid bare at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week.
American Sāmoa is rejecting commercial extraction from the United States while Naoero, formerly Nauru, is calling for international rules to be completed on seabed mining.
American Sāmoa Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula has formally opposed the proposed US lease sale covering more than 31 million acres of seabed around the territory.
The proposed leases are for the Outer Continental Shelf off American Sāmoa and could open the way for commercial extraction of minerals from the ocean floor.
The U.S government is targeting a lease sale for November.
Pula says American Sāmoa does not support commercial deep sea mineral extraction at this time and warned there are still major gaps in understanding the possible effects on the ocean, fisheries and the territory’s economy.
“My position remains clear: American Sāmoa does not support commercial deep-sea mineral extraction at this time,” Pula said in response to the US Department of the Interior and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
“There remain too many unanswered questions about the potential effects of large-scale mineral extraction on deep-ocean ecosystems, fisheries, and the broader marine environment. Until those questions are better understood, moving into commercial mining would be premature.”
Pula says any early activity should be limited to scientific and environmental research. “Learn first. Protect what sustains us. Make informed decisions.”
“If the leaseholder wants to move from research to commercial mining, that step must be treated as a completely different matter, subject to comprehensive, independent environmental reviews and full territorial consultation,” Pula said.
The American Sāmoa position comes as Naoero President David Adeang used his address to the UN General Assembly to push for the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to complete its rules for deep sea mining.
Naoero is one of the Pacific states sponsoring exploration in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, an area of the Pacific seabed being assessed for mineral resources.
Adeang said Naoero had been waiting for the rules for years and called for the process to move forward.
“We were told then that we were rushing. That was five years ago, and today the rules remain unwritten,” Adeang told the General Assembly.
The Naoero delegation at the United Nations General Assembly where President David Adeang has called for international rules governing deep sea mining to be completed. Photo/Pacific Islands Forum
“A principle declared in 1970 and a bargain struck in 1994, both in this hall, still wait for the rules that would give them effect. When a multilateral process cannot deliver, the world does not stand still… Adopt the rules. Let the waiting end.”
Adeang has said Naoero supports responsible development of seabed minerals while warning that delays could lead countries to act without a completed multilateral framework.
Pacific civil society says the issue is also about whether governments have the same information as companies involved in seabed exploration.
Taholo Kami, Strategic Adviser to Blue Prosperity Fiji and a former Fiji COP23 Special Envoy for Oceans, says Pacific countries need to make sure the science is in place before signing agreements.
“Any agreement we’ve signed without equal information to the information that the company has, we lose. It leads to exploitation.
“That’s the history of mining in the Pacific,” Kami said during a plenary session at the 8th Pacific Media Summit (Pre-COP31 session) organised by the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) in Savusavu, Fiji, this week.
“It’s not about anti-seabed mining. It’s about doing the right thing at the right time… All we should be calling for is let’s make sure the research is done before we sign anything.”
The issue also comes as Pacific leaders and scientists push for stronger regional research and evidence to shape decisions about the ocean.
Speaking at the Fifth Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference in Honiara last week, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale called for Pacific science to have a greater role in policy and international decision-making.
“To the scientists and academics here, I say: produce knowledge that can travel beyond the journals and conference halls. To policymakers, I say: create pathways through which evidence changes laws, budgets, and public investment,” Wale said.
Kami has also urged Pacific media to keep following deep sea mining and the information available to Pacific countries as negotiations and exploration continue.
The debate comes as the US moves towards its first proposed deep sea mining lease sale in domestic waters while several Pacific countries have called for moratoriums or bans on commercial seabed mining in their waters.
Kami says the issue is no longer only about what lies beneath the ocean floor but who gets to decide how those resources are used and whether the risks are properly understood first…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
From Palau to New York: A Pacific perspective on meaningful participation
By Chia-ping Liu
KOROR/NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES)—At the 55th Pacific Islands Forum in Palau this year, discussions about regional participation and representation once again highlighted a fundamental principle of Pacific regionalism: those affected by regional challenges should have meaningful opportunities to be heard and to contribute to regional cooperation.
Guam’s engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum provides an example of how communities with different political and institutional circumstances can remain connected to regional dialogue.
At this year’s PIF, Guam Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero called for Guam to move from associate membership to full membership, emphasising the importance of having a meaningful voice in regional decision-making. As a U.S territory in the Western Pacific, Guam has longstanding ties to the Pacific island region and continues to engage in regional affairs.
Guam’s experience should not, however, be viewed as a political or legal analogy for Taiwan. Guam’s status as a U.S territory and Taiwan’s international status arise from distinct historical, political and legal circumstances. Nor does Guam’s pursuit of full PIF membership establish a precedent for Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations. Guam’s experience shows the broader value of giving communities affected by regional challenges a meaningful opportunity to participate in regional conversations.
Having spent many years working in the Pacific, I have come to appreciate that the region is defined not only by geography, but also the diverse political, legal, and institutional circumstances of its communities. Pacific regionalism has developed practical ways for governments, communities, and partners with different circumstances to engage, cooperate, and address shared challenges.
It is from this Pacific perspective, while recognising that these political situations are different, that I would like to pose another question before the international community: Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the United Nations system.
.
At this year’s Forum in Palau, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung led Taiwan’s delegation in PIF-related activities, including the 30th Taiwan/ROC-Forum Countries Dialogue hosted by the PIF Secretariat. Taiwan has participated in the PIF framework as a Development Partner since 1993. During this year’s Forum-related activities, Taiwan and its Pacific partners highlighted cooperation in areas including digital resilience, renewable energy, infrastructure, climate-change adaptation, smart health care, and social empowerment.
The participation of Guam and Taiwan in PIF-related activities reflects different circumstances and should be understood on their own terms. Bringing them into the same discussion does not make them equivalent cases or establish a precedent for Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations. Rather, it highlights a broader question: how can regional organisations create appropriate avenues for people, communities, governments and partners to contribute when they face common challenges.
That question matters to Guam because its identity as a Pacific island community is closely connected to the practical challenges facing the region. Guam is part of the United States and an important strategic hub in the Western Pacific, while also being a Pacific island community that experiences many of the challenges shared by neighboring communities. Typhoons, earthquakes, climate change, public-health emergencies, food and energy security, ocean sustainability and disaster preparedness do not stop at political boundaries. Addressing them requires resilient communities, scientific cooperation, and practical relationships among the societies that share the Pacific.
The same principle applies to Taiwan’s international participation.
Taiwan is an island society with extensive experience in dealing with typhoons, earthquakes, public-health emergencies, and other natural hazards. It has developed capabilities in disaster preparedness, emergency medicine, agriculture, climate resilience, digital technology and infrastructure. Its high-tech and semiconductor industries are also deeply integrated into global supply chains. These capabilities have practical relevance to the wider international community, including Pacific island societies confronting similar challenges.
Taiwan’s longstanding cooperation with Pacific partners illustrates this practical dimension. Taiwan maintains diplomatic relations with Palau, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, and has worked with Pacific partners in areas ranging from agriculture and health care to education, climate resilience, and disaster preparedness. At this year’s PIF-related activities, Taiwan and its Pacific partners also highlighted cooperation in low-carbon energy, smart agriculture, smart health care, digital resilience, and infrastructure.
The discussion in Palau therefore provides a natural bridge to a broader discussion now taking place in New York. The question is not whether the PIF and the United Nations are the same institution. They are not. The question is whether international and regional institutions are best able to address shared challenges when relevant expertise and affected communities have meaningful opportunities to contribute.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly opened on 08 September 2026, under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.” Its priorities include leaving no country behind, climate resilience and environmental sustainability, rights and protection, innovation with inclusion, and renewed multilateralism and inclusive global governance. These priorities speak directly to many of the challenges facing Pacific communities.
The emphasis on inclusion is particularly relevant. At the opening of the 81st session, General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman observed that the United Nations is larger than the member states represented in the assembly. He highlighted the importance of civil society, media, industry leaders, innovation communities, and academia, while acknowledging that the UN has yet to find sufficient ways to integrate their voices into its work.
This observation invites a broader consideration of what meaningful participation means in practice.
Taiwan has continued to call for meaningful participation in the UN system, particularly in areas where its expertise and experience can contribute to international cooperation. This is not simply a question of representation in the general assembly. It also concerns whether Taiwanese professionals, experts and institutions can participate meaningfully in international mechanisms addressing public health, climate change, disaster preparedness, sustainable development, digital technology and other issues of common concern.
The debate inevitably touches upon UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, adopted in 1971. Taiwan maintains that the resolution addressed the representation of China at the United Nations and does not mention Taiwan or determine Taiwan’s political status. Beijing maintains a different interpretation. The U.S. government has stated that Resolution 2758 does not preclude Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system or other international forums, while distinguishing that position from the broader question of Taiwan’s political status.
The longstanding debate over Resolution 2758 should not, however, obscure a more practical question: how can international organisations make better use of relevant expertise and experience to address common challenges? Whether a Taiwanese scientist can contribute expertise on disaster preparedness, whether a public-health professional can share experience on disease prevention, or whether a technology specialist can participate in discussions on digital resilience are practical questions that can be considered independently from the broader political debate.
This distinction is particularly relevant to Pacific island communities. A typhoon does not distinguish between societies based on diplomatic relationships and neither does a pandemic or the effects of climate change. When disaster-management officials exchange information, public-health professionals share experience, or communities seek better ways to strengthen climate resilience, the value of cooperation lies in the knowledge and capabilities being shared. Limiting access to relevant expertise does not remove the challenges themselves. It can instead reduce the resources and perspectives available to address them.
Meaningful participation also involves reasonable professional access to international organisations. Taiwan has raised concerns about restrictions affecting Taiwanese passport holders, including journalists seeking access to UN premises and activities. The UN’s media-accreditation rules require applicants to meet established professional requirements and to hold a valid passport from a state recognised by the general assembly. These questions of professional access, journalism and technical participation are separate from formal political representation. International organisations seeking to strengthen public trust should ensure that their practices allow all relevant expertise, information, and professional perspectives to be heard.
Taiwan’s experience as a democratic society also offers perspectives relevant to the international community. Its experience with democratic governance, civil society, technological innovation and the protection of fundamental freedoms are part of the broader range of knowledge and experience that Taiwan can contribute to international discussions. These contributions need not depend on resolving every aspect of the political debate surrounding Taiwan.
For those of us who work in the Pacific, the importance of practical cooperation is readily apparent. The region is confronting increasingly interconnected challenges involving climate change, natural disasters, public health, economic resilience, food and energy security, connectivity and technological transformation. Addressing them requires cooperation among governments, communities, experts, businesses, and international organisations. No single country or territory possesses all the knowledge and resources required.
This is the perspective that connects the discussions in Palau and the UN debate in New York. The PIF and the United Nations are different organisations addressing different questions and neither Guam’s political status nor its pursuit of PIF membership should be treated as a precedent for Taiwan’s participation in the United Nations. Their relevance lies instead in a broader Pacific experience: regional and international cooperation is strengthened when organisations create appropriate channels for people, communities, and partners to contribute according to their capabilities and circumstances.
As the United Nations considers how to truly “deliver for all,” the international community can also consider practical ways to provide Taiwan with greater opportunities to contribute where its expertise can serve the common good. Political differences may remain unresolved, but they should not become a reason to exclude knowledge, expertise, and practical cooperation from the organisations created to address the challenges we share……PACNEWS
Chia-ping Liu is the director general of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office on Guam.
