In this bulletin:
1.TUVALU — Sea-level rise will not threaten sovereignty or maritime boundaries: Tuvalu PM
2. TUVALU — Tuvalu’s future depends on educated, healthy people: PM Teo
3. PACIFIC — Island leaders push global agenda on climate adaptation, ocean governance and finance
4. PACIFIC — Pacific debt pressure increases as climate finance falls short
5. NZ — New Zealand’s climate promises face trade test, says law expert
6. FIJI — 36 votes needed for Fiji Constitution Bill
7. TONGA — NZ man wanted over organised crime deported from Tonga after police custody escape
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Tuvalu expands transport and digital links with cheaper Fiji airfares
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Deep-sea minerals company welcomes expanded U.S mapping in Pacific
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa districts urged to invest in poultry farming
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Conservation groups sue NOAA over Pacific deep-sea mining application
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — ‘Women are not victims’: Türk calls for women to be at the heart of peace and security
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Community stakeholders input into a landmark Climate Resilience Master Plan for historic Popua Peninsula in Tonga
TUVALU – SEA LEVEL RISE/CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Sea-level rise will not threaten sovereignty or maritime boundaries: Tuvalu PM
By Pita Ligaiula
FUNAFUTI, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—-Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo says the country’s response to climate change must remain rooted in the “Tuvalu Way” as it works to protect its land, sovereignty and future from rising seas.
Delivering his 48th Independence Anniversary address, Teo said Tuvalu’s recent success in securing a United Nations declaration on sea-level rise demonstrated the value of its long-term approach to climate diplomacy.
“So, our efforts to build the resilience of Tuvalu against the impacts of climate change and other transformations must be rooted in the Tuvalu Way as we take our appropriate place in the world.
“Last week’s achievement in the adoption of the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise demonstrated that the sustained approach Tuvalu took in that discourse was consistent with the theme of this independence anniversary,” Teo said.
Teo said climate change and sea-level rise remained the greatest threats to Tuvalu’s future security.
“They threaten not only the livelihood and future of our people, but also the integrity of Tuvalu’s land territory and the future sovereignty of Tuvalu as an independent state,” he said.
Teo said the UN General Assembly last week adopted by consensus a political declaration on sea-level rise, affirming the principles of continuity of statehood and permanence of maritime boundaries despite the impacts of rising seas.
The declaration also recognises the rights, dignity, culture, identity and heritage of people affected by sea-level rise.
“These are the very legal and political securities that Tuvalu has long fought for in contemplation of the impacts of sea level rise.
“Whatever impacts sea level rise may have on Tuvalu’s coastlines, Tuvalu’s statehood, sovereignty and maritime boundaries will not be affected,” Teo said.
Teo, who was invited to speak at the opening of the UN General Assembly high-level meeting that adopted the declaration, described the outcome as a major achievement for Tuvalu, the Pacific and other countries affected by sea-level rise.
But he said the declaration did not provide physical protection for Tuvalu’s land.
“A declaration does not provide physical protection to Tuvalu’s land territory.
“Tuvalu must take upon itself to protect the integrity of its land territory,” Teo said.
The Government is investing heavily in the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project (TCAP), its flagship adaptation programme.
Completed phases of TCAP have provided about 1,300 metres of shoreline protection and created 15.5 hectares of reclaimed, elevated and flood-free land.
Teo said king tides and overtopping waves had repeatedly flooded low-lying areas and damaged roads along the lagoon side of Fogafale, Funafuti.
The Taiwan-Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project was completed in March and is designed to prevent overtopping and protect up to 500 metres of shoreline.
TCAP will be showcased to leaders attending the Pre-COP31 leaders’ segment in Tuvalu next week, which Tuvalu is hosting with Fiji and Australia.
Teo said the event would provide an opportunity for Tuvalu to demonstrate its vulnerability to sea-level rise while showcasing measures it is taking to protect its land and people.
“TCAP is more than just a coastal protection and land reclamation project, it is an expression of our determination to remain and thrive in our God given land,” he said.
Teo said TCAP required significant resources and the Government was continuing to secure support from development partners.
He acknowledged contributions from the Green Climate Fund, Australia, New Zealand, the Asian Development Bank and Taiwan.
Tuvalu has also secured US$7.9 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for two climate mitigation and adaptation projects.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has been approved as an accredited delivery partner of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which Teo said should strengthen Tuvalu’s relationship with the fund.
The Tuvalu Survival Fund increased by 11.8 percent in 2025, reaching $12.47 million (U$8.62 million) by the end of the year.
Teo also highlighted improvements in weather observation, early-warning systems and disaster preparedness.
The adoption of the Tuvalu National Framework on Climate Mobility was another milestone, providing a structured, rights-based and nationally led approach to managing climate-related human mobility.
Energy security was also highlighted as a key part of Tuvalu’s resilience following a power supply crisis earlier this year.
The Government has committed $5 million (US$3.45 million) in the current financial year to upgrade the electricity grid and network.
Teo thanked development partners for their assistance following the declaration of a state of emergency during the power crisis.
“Our goal is to build an energy system that is reliable, affordable and sustainable for the future,” he said. ..PACNEWS
TUVALU – EDUCATION/HEALTH: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Tuvalu’s future depends on educated, healthy people: PM Teo
FUNAFUTI, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo says the country’s development must be measured by the opportunities and quality of life it creates for its people, with education and health at the centre of the Government’s priorities.
Delivering his 48th Independence Anniversary address, Teo said Tuvalu’s people remained its greatest resource.
“Ultimately, development is not measured only by the infrastructure we build, but by the opportunities and quality of life we create for our people,” Teo said.
“So, our greatest assets and resources must remain our people. The education and health of our people is of paramount importance.”
The Government has undertaken major classroom renovations at schools in Niutao and Nanumea and rehabilitated water storage at Motufoua Secondary School.
Teo said the policy foundation of the education system had also been strengthened through the National Curriculum Framework, Tuvalu Bilingual Language Policy and Early Childhood Development Policy.
He said 85 percent of Government-sponsored pre-service students successfully completed their studies this year.
The Government has endorsed 80 pre-service awards for 2027, including increased opportunities for teacher training and technical and vocational education.
Teo said the Government had also launched the National Youth Policy 2026–2030 and National Sport Policy 2026–2030.
Funding has been approved to upgrade the National Sports Ground and other sporting facilities.
On health, Teo said the National Health Adaptation Plan had been approved, while work was continuing to modernise public health legislation.
Health information and patient-management systems are also being strengthened.
The Tuvalu Overseas Medical Referral Scheme is being reviewed to improve its governance, efficiency and cost-effectiveness, while increasing the health services that can be delivered locally.
Work is also continuing to improve health facilities on Funafuti and the outer islands.
Preparations are underway for a Child Benefit Scheme to provide additional support to families with young children.
The Government has also committed $2 million (US$1,38 million) through a loan facility at the Tuvalu Development Bank for the Rental Housing and Accommodation Scheme, aimed at easing accommodation pressures, particularly on Funafuti.
Teo said the investments reflected the importance of building Tuvalu’s human capacity.
“These investments recognise a simple truth that the future strength of Tuvalu will ultimately depend on the knowledge, skills, health and wellbeing of our people,” he said.
Teo also linked public health to waste management, saying a healthy nation must address the way waste is managed.
He said the Government was improving infrastructure and equipment for waste management operations, particularly on Fogafale.
The Teu Fogafale Strategy is being implemented alongside community and civil service cleanup campaigns to address waste and environmental pressures.
Teo urged Tuvaluans to take responsibility for keeping the country clean.
“My appeal to the nation is simple, please keep Tuvalu clean,” he said.
The Government’s education, health, housing, youth, sports and waste-management initiatives form part of its broader effort to improve living standards and strengthen Tuvalu’s capacity to meet future development challenges…PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Island leaders push global agenda on climate adaptation, ocean governance and finance
HAGATNA, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES)—Island communities are already developing practical responses to climate, ocean and economic challenges, but stronger collaboration, finance and partnerships are needed to take those solutions further, Pacific islanders said at the 8th Virtual Island Summit.
Guam Governor Leon Guerrero told participants about the Guam Green Growth initiative, or G3, and the island’s efforts to build a circular economy, in which a public-private partnership connects sustainability to workforce, education, food security, energy and conservation.
In promoting the G3 initiative, Leon Guerrero is particularly proud of the Conservation Corps, which boasts of 150-plus graduates trained in agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, fisheries and renewable energy.
“Instead of simply talking about future green jobs, we began preparing our people to fill them,” she added.
Leon Guerrero said the G3 Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub in Hagatña teaches residents 3D printing, digital fabrication, plastic processing and traditional skills.
In a step toward strengthening Guam’s food security, 120 community aquaponics systems have been deployed via the University of Guam, Leon Guerrero said. Currently, about 90 percent of food in Guam is imported.
Chalapan Kaluwin, dean at the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment, created the “Carbon Vision for 2050” in 2005, with the environment and climate change as core pillars, as well as localised versions of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, adapted“the PNG way.”
Kaluwin’s key message was that academia, government, and international partners must collaborate, and that localization is essential for protecting the islands.
Hideyuki Shiozawa, director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, who has been working in the Pacific since 2003, focused on community-based ecotourism as a means to create sustainable islands.
He touted the benefits of the Sasakawa model: small-group community ecotourism that draws on mythology, natural resources, and everyday life to create an immersive experience for visitors.
“Local guides provide visitors with authentic experiences and give them the feeling of becoming part of the community,” Shiozawa said.
He said the Sasakawa model has been expanded from Palau to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, Tonga and Samoa. Three of Palau’s eight communities are now self-sustaining, he added.
Ulalia Woodside, executive director of The Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra, shared with participants three nuggets of island wisdom: that resilience begins with relationships, not crisis response; that everything is connected and that walled-off management fails; and that island people must hold leadership and decision-making roles.
“The idea was simple don’t wait until a disaster happens in order to figure out who should be doing what and how. Build the relationships, trust, training protocols, and that shared understanding before the emergency happens,” Woodside said.
Regarding connectedness, Woodside said noted that problems are commonly dealt with in a fragmented approach.
“One agency manages forests, one agency manages freshwater, another fisheries, another climate. Nature doesn’t recognise these boundaries,” she added.
Woodside said the Hawaiian concept of ahupuaa is an integrated land-to-sea management system, while heʻeia restoration means that wetlands, fishponds, traditional agriculture, and community reconnection are restored as one system.
Stewardship, accountability and reciprocity depend on Wisdom 3, when the people of a place actually hold leadership and decision-making roles, she said.
Woodside emphasised that islands are not just vulnerable; they are on the front lines of solutions.
Dr Joeli Veitayaki of the Blue Prosperity Fiji Research Expedition discussed Blue Prosperity Fiji, a partnership with the Fijian government funded by the Wade Institute in the United States. It is meant to help Fiji deliver on its commitments to the ocean and why it must be kept healthy and productive.
He said their work sustains nature-based solutions in practice, such as mangrove planting; invasive species clearing; mariculture and beach clam culture; community-led coastal environmental management; and joint management of coral reefs with hotels and communities.
The session with Leon Guerrero, titled “Island Knowledge Ocean Solutions,” was one of 12 sessions held online from 15 – 17 September. It brought together 52 island leaders, experts and businesses from the Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic and beyond to speak on 12 subjects.
This year’s event revolved around three themes: Adapt to Change, Transform Systems and Mobilise Action. Across 12 sessions spanning coastal erosion, ocean governance, food and energy security, tourism and climate finance, sessions highlighted a common theme: while islands face unique vulnerabilities, they are also generating some of the most innovative and practical responses to today’s pressures.
In his message to island leaders, Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Penitala Teo said traditional knowledge must not sit at the margins but must be at the centre of climate action.
“We must invest in the people who carry that knowledge, connect generations and communities, and ensure that adaptation protects more than physical infrastructure,” he added.
Mafalda Duarte, executive director of the Green Climate Fund(GCF), said islands are often on the front line of climate change, “but they are also home to some of the world’s deepest experiences in adapting to change.”
Speaking about the wider adaptation finance system, Duarte said small island states receive just 0.2 percent of global international adaptation finance, even though more than 34 million islanders have been hit by storms, floods or drought in the past decade.
She noted that nearly a quarter of GCF’s projects are in small island developing states and pointed to Tuvalu as an example of what targeted finance can achieve: a US$36-million GCF commitment made a decade ago helped unlock a further US$67.9 million from Australia, New Zealand and the Asian Development Bank to aid resilience efforts.
The theme carried through to the final day of the event, when “Mobilising Ocean-Climate Finance at COP31” asked what it would take for ocean priorities to receive the same urgency and funding as other climate issues.
Rachel Kyte, the UK Special Representative for Climate, said that debt-pause clauses following extreme weather events should become mandatory for all creditors.
Salome Tukuafu of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme said the Pacific has accessed less than 1 percent of available climate finance. The session also noted that an estimated US$149 billion a year was needed to address global ocean priorities.
Summit participants also examined the structural changes needed to build resilient island economies and societies….PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE FINANCE: PMN PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Pacific debt pressure increases as climate finance falls short
SUVA, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PMN)—Pacific Island countries need billions more each year to adapt to climate change. But new analysis shows current financing is falling well short of what is required.
The International Monetary Fund estimates Pacific countries need about US$3.3 billion a year for climate adaptation while current finance commitments cover only about a third of those needs. Based on actual disbursements, the coverage falls to 26 percent.
The figures come as Pacific governments face growing pressure on their public finances while climate disasters add to existing debt and shrinking fiscal space.
Adam Wolfenden, PANG’s Deputy Coordinator, says the problem is being made harder by a global shift away from grants towards lending.
“The geopolitical competition in the Pacific has not necessarily led to greater access to resources for the region; rather, there is a global shrinking in the grants available, shifting more countries into lending financing,” he told a media briefing.
The World Bank’s 2026 Pacific Economic Update found average public debt-to-GDP ratios fell slightly in 2025 but projects debt to rise across the region in 2026 and 2027 as fiscal deficits widen and growth slows.
Fiji’s public debt was about 79 percent of GDP in 2025 while Solomon Islands’ debt reached 30 percent.
Tonga faces another layer of pressure from climate disasters. The PANG analysis says annual climate-related losses in the kingdom average about TOP178 million (NZ$130.8 million) or 18.2 percent of GDP.
PANG Coordinator Joey Tau says the region needs to consider how countries can recover from these shocks without falling deeper into debt.
“As the region continues to go through climate-induced impacts on infrastructure, what is the regional approach around ensuring that the Pacific doesn’t get into a debt spiral?” Tau said in a statement.
The IMF research also shows why the type of finance matters. It found grants made up 84 percent of adaptation finance commitments to Pacific countries between 2011 and 2023.
It also found that grant funding is particularly important for countries with weak capacity to carry debt.
“Current financing levels fall well short of projected needs,” an IMF report said.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, says the issue is now about getting finance to Pacific countries on terms that allow projects to move forward.
“What we need now is finance at the scale, speed and on the terms required to deliver results,” Michael said at the 2026 Standing Committee on Finance Forum in Sydney.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme has also backed grant-based financing for Pacific adaptation. SPREP’s Director of Climate Change Resilience, Tagaloa Cooper, said Pacific countries face high debt burdens and limited fiscal space.
“For Pacific SIDS, adaptation is central. Our countries face high debt burdens and shrinking fiscal space,” Cooper said in SPREP report, “SPREP echoes Pacific call for grant-based adaptation finance to address climate change impacts at COP30, which was released last November.
“In such contexts, adaptation finance must be grant-based.”
SPREP says Pacific countries also face barriers accessing climate finance and these include limited capacity and difficulties turning national priorities into projects that can attract investment.
PANG says borrowing can still play a role in building infrastructure needed for economic growth. But it warns excessive debt can leave governments with less money for health, education, and other public services.
For Pacific countries already facing rising climate costs, the challenge is increasingly about how to finance resilience without creating another financial burden.
The IMF says strengthening institutions and making climate finance easier to access will be important as Pacific adaptation needs continue to grow…..PACNEWS
NZ – CLIMATE CHANGE: PMN PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
New Zealand’s climate promises face trade test, says law expert
WELLINGTON, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PMN)—New Zealand is facing a new test over its climate commitments that could reach well beyond Wellington.
This follows a formal complaint to the European Commission raising questions about whether climate promises in trade agreements can be enforced.
Dutch environmental group Both ENDS has lodged the first climate and environmental complaint under the European Union’s trade enforcement mechanism.
Both ENDS argue that New Zealand has breached commitments made in its free trade agreement with the EU.
International law expert Professor Al Gillespie says the case matters because the possible consequences go beyond criticism of Aotearoa’s climate policies.
“It’s very specific and it’s not frivolous either so I think there’s a fair chance it could succeed,” he told Pacific Mornings.
Gillespie says the process could take years as New Zealand could face reputational damage well before any possible penalty.
“Obviously in terms of substance if we’ve actually breached our commitment, but in the second way, it’s the negative publicity that comes with it because this whole process could take a couple of years to come to fruition and in that time the reputational damage to New Zealand could be strong.”
The complaint says New Zealand has failed to uphold two commitments in the EU trade deal including to effectively implement the Paris Agreement and not weaken environmental protections to encourage trade or investment. The agreement came into force in May 2024.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the Government takes its commitments under the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement seriously including its environment and climate provisions.
“New Zealand is committed to meeting its international climate obligations and to implementing its commitments under the Paris Agreement,” an MFAT spokesperson said.
The ministry says the agreement includes mechanisms for dialogue and engagement on environmental and climate-related matters.
“The complaint was made to the EU, which will now consider it. We have not received any formal communication on this matter from the EU and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage,” the spokesperson said.
The EC is examining the complaint against its published criteria. If it moves forward, there are further stages including discussions with New Zealand and an independent expert panel.
Suspending trade benefits is a possible last resort in the event of a serious breach of the Paris Agreement that is not resolved through the earlier stages of the process.
Gillespie says any action is still unclear. “The penalty itself is uncertain what it could be right now because we’re in new ground, new area but it’s likely to be some kind of tariff on a product.”
The case comes as Pacific leaders continue to push for climate promises to be turned into action.
Fiji’s Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, said at the United Nations General Assembly last week that Pacific communities need to see climate commitments delivered on the ground.
“Our people cannot live on climate promises. They need climate action they can see and feel in their communities.”
Speaking at the launch of the COP31 Action Agenda in New York, Tabuya said climate negotiations must deliver practical results for frontline communities and these include safer homes, stronger infrastructure, protected coastlines, secure water and livelihoods.
“Our job now is to turn those billions discussed internationally into projects on the ground. Climate finance means little to our people if it cannot reach the village, the settlement, the farmer and the fisher.”
Her comments come as Fiji prepares to host the Pacific Pre-COP31 meeting this month.
Palau President and Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Surangel Whipps Jr, has also called for commitments to be followed through, saying: “Climate ambition must be matched with climate finance.
“Commitments must become implementation, and the priorities of our people must remain at the centre of global decision-making,” he said during his closing address at the 55th Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror on 4 September.
Gillespie says the Pacific’s options would depend on the agreements it has with other countries.
But he says the bigger lesson is that trade deals may become a powerful way to enforce climate commitments.
“So what you’re finding now ironically is that the strongest mechanism to enforce climate change is not on the climate change agreements but in trade agreements.”
Gillespie says governments still have freedom over how they meet their climate commitments but once they put those promises into a trade agreement, they have also accepted obligations to uphold them.
“They should have a lot of freedom but if they make a promise that they’re going to honour them and then put that into an agreement that they get to deal with another country they should honour that agreement first.”
The European Commission is now assessing the complaint and there is no fixed timetable for the process….PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
36 votes needed for Fiji Constitution Bill
SUVA, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) —- Fiji Parliament will debate the second reading of the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026 today, with the Coalition Government needing at least 36 votes in the 53-member House to send it to a special committee.
Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said the Government was ready for the debate and had named its members to the committee, which would have 30 days to review the Bill.
This masthead approached the Opposition and other political parties.
They declined to comment but said they were going through the Bill to be ready.
The Government has 38 votes on paper, but the National Federation Party and SODELPA have not ruled out taking a different position.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has said he has no backup plan. If the Bill fails, he said Fiji would go straight to an election.
If it passes, the committee will return in November for the third reading, which also requires two-thirds support, followed by a referendum.
Turaga is urging people to take part. “It will be your duty as citizens to participate in the referendum,” he said.
The Centre for Democracy and Dialogue (CDD) said the Bill was a “significant downgrade” from the draft proposed by the Constitution Review Commission (CRC).
CDD chief executive officer Nilesh Lal said the Bill removed the Prime Minister’s term limit and the Cabinet size cap and gave the Government a 4:2 majority on the Constitutional Offices Commission.
He also criticised Section 40, which allows “lawful and moderate chastisement” of children….PACNEWS
TONGA – DEPORTATION: KANIVA TONGA NEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 02 Oct 2026
NZ man wanted over organised crime deported from Tonga after police custody escape
NUKU’ALOFA, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (KANIVA TONGA NEWS)—A New Zealand man wanted in connection with serious organised and transnational crime has been deported from Tonga, weeks after a high-profile escape from police custody involving a Tongan-New Zealander and a Fijian national.
Tonga Police confirmed on Friday that an unidentified male New Zealand citizen was deported to New Zealand on 16 September following the completion of legal and administrative processes.
Police said the deported man was wanted in New Zealand in connection with “serious organised and transnational crime matters”.
During investigations in Tonga, he was charged with knowingly dealing with a forged document.
Police said that following his escape from lawful police custody on 19 July, he was further charged with escaping from police custody and conspiracy.
Tonga Police have not identified the deported man, and have not confirmed whether he was one of the prisoners publicly named following the July escape.
The deportation comes after Tonga Police launched a major manhunt in July when three prisoners escaped from custody at the Central Police Station in Nukuʻalofa.
At the time, police publicly identified two adult escapees as 34-year-old Tongan-New Zealander Liuaki Fungalei Kokohu Vi, who also goes by the alias Michael Tama, and Fijian national Adam Zabid Hussein.
A third escapee, a 15-year-old boy, was recaptured shortly afterwards.
Police warned members of the public not to approach the two adult escapees and said they should be considered dangerous.
Police Commissioner Geoff Turner subsequently announced rewards of up to TOP$5000(US$2,089) for information leading to the arrest and capture of each man.
Turner said Vi was considered the “highest-risk escapee” because of his criminal history and the serious offences associated with him.
Police said at the time that both Vi and Hussein were wanted over passport fraud.
Turner also disclosed that Tonga Police were working with overseas authorities in relation to Vi because of his international links, although he declined to provide further details.
The escape also exposed concerns about security at Tonga’s main police station.
Turner said police had already identified a potential security vulnerability in the Central Police Station cells before the prisoners escaped.
A company had been scheduled to carry out upgrades to the cells on 03 August, but the escape occurred before that work could be completed.
“Unfortunately, this happened before we could…upgrade the cells,” Turner said at the time.
Police warned that anyone found harbouring the fugitives could be prosecuted and potentially face up to 10 years in prison.
In Friday’s statement, Tonga Police said the deportation reflected continuing cooperation between Tonga and international law-enforcement agencies in tackling organised and transnational crime.
“His deportation reflects the continued cooperation between Tonga and international law enforcement agencies in addressing organised and transnational crime and preventing individuals from evading lawful processes across jurisdictions,” police said.
Tonga Police said they remained committed to international cooperation in fighting organised and transnational crime and upholding the rule of law across borders…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
TUVALU – TRANSPORT/CONNECTIVITY: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Tuvalu expands transport and digital links with cheaper Fiji airfares
FUNAFUTI, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Tuvalu is expanding transport and digital links, with subsidised airfares to Fiji, improved maritime services and cheaper internet access forming part of the Government’s plan to connect the country’s islands and people.
Prime Minister Feleti Teo, in his 48th Independence Anniversary address, announced that eight seats on every flight between Funafuti and Fiji would be reserved for Tuvaluan nationals at a capped subsidised fare of $600 return (US$415 million), or about $300(US$207) one way.
The subsidised fares go on sale from 02 October for travel beginning 01 November.
Teo said the measure was aimed at making air travel more affordable for Tuvaluans travelling for family, education, employment and essential services.
“As an island nation, connectivity is fundamental to Tuvalu’s sustainable development and the daily lives of our people,” Teo said.
The Government has been working with Fiji Airways to explore ways of reducing the cost of air travel between Tuvalu and Fiji.
Teo said maritime connectivity had also improved with the opening of the Niutao Boat Harbour at the start of the year, while work continued on outer islands without boat harbours.
The introduction of the MV Manu Sina has also strengthened passenger and cargo connections and added capacity to Tuvalu’s national fleet.
Teo said the Government had focused over the past year on maintaining vessel safety and insurance standards while retaining the skills needed to operate the ships.
New employment arrangements for crew will be introduced this month, with better salaries and shorter-term contracts designed to be more consistent with international practice.
But Teo said the biggest change in Tuvalu’s connectivity had come through telecommunications.
“The most transformative connectivity development has been in telecommunications,” he said.
The Vaka Cable and Fibre-to-the-Premise programme has strengthened Tuvalu’s digital connection, with internet service costs reduced by 50 percent, according to Teo.
He said improved and sustainable internet connectivity was creating opportunities in education, business, public services and communication between Tuvaluans at home and overseas.
However, Teo said access to technology alone was not enough.
“We must also ensure that our people have the skills to use it and benefit from the opportunities it creates,” he said.
Through the Digital Nation initiative under the Future Now project, the Government has partnered with Google to provide 200 Tuvaluans with scholarships for Google Career Certificates.
The training covers areas including cybersecurity, data analytics, IT support, project management and digital marketing.
Teo said the scholarships would provide practical skills to support employment, entrepreneurship, remote work and participation in the digital economy.
“We have invested in connectivity, and now we must invest in the people who will use it,” he said.
The Government’s connectivity programme covers transport, telecommunications and skills development, with the aim of improving access to services and economic opportunities for people across Tuvalu and those living overseas……PACNEWS
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Deep-sea minerals company welcomes expanded U.S mapping in Pacific
VANCOUVER, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Deep Sea Minerals Corp has welcomed continued United States efforts to map offshore areas with potential critical mineral resources, including unexplored deepwater regions near American Samoa.
The company said the latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expedition, which began on 24 September aboard the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, is focused on filling gaps in seafloor mapping before the vessel travels to Hawaii.
The expedition follows a NOAA remotely operated vehicle and mapping mission in American Samoa that ended on 17 September.
The company said the two expeditions are part of wider US efforts to improve scientific understanding of deep-ocean environments and marine critical mineral resources.
NOAA’s 2026 work in the region has included multibeam seafloor mapping, remotely operated vehicle exploration, geological observations and environmental data collection, including surveys of areas containing polymetallic nodules.
“While this recent mapping program by NOAA is focused on the U.S Exclusive Economic Zone, we view it as part of a broader U.S government effort to advance the scientific, regulatory and strategic framework for seabed critical minerals,” said Deep Sea Minerals chief executive James Deckelman.
“That broader effort is relevant to Deep Sea Minerals as we pursue our NOAA pathway in international waters and evaluate opportunities in Pacific jurisdictions, including the Cook Islands.”
Deckelman said continued investment in seabed mapping, environmental data and resource assessment would expand the knowledge base needed for the development of the sector.
Polymetallic nodules can contain nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese, minerals used in industrial, energy, infrastructure and defence applications.
The United States has increased its focus on expanding domestic and allied sources of critical minerals, while federal agencies continue scientific, mapping and regulatory work on offshore mineral resources.
Deep Sea Minerals is pursuing exploration and potential development of polymetallic nodule resources.
Through its US subsidiary, American Deep Sea Minerals Corp., the company has submitted an application to NOAA under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act for an exploration licence covering areas of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in international waters.
The company said it expects its application to comply with applicable regulations and progress through the regulatory review process.
However, it acknowledged there is no guarantee that NOAA will determine the application to be compliant or issue an exploration licence.
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone, located in the central Pacific between Hawaii and Mexico, is considered one of the world’s major areas of interest for polymetallic nodule exploration.
Deep-sea mining remains subject to regulatory, environmental and scientific scrutiny, with questions surrounding the potential impacts of extracting minerals from deep-ocean ecosystems….PACNEWS
HAWAII – DEEP SEA MINING: COURTHOUSE NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Conservation groups sue NOAA over Pacific deep-sea mining application
HONOLULU, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (CN) — Two conservation groups sued NOAA on Wednesday, arguing the agency allowed a mining company to bypass a legally required public review before approving its application to explore for minerals across a stretch of Pacific seafloor larger than Ohio.
The Conservation Council for Hawaii and the Centre for Biological Diversity filed suit in federal court in Honolulu against NOAA and its administrator, Dr Neil Jacobs.
They’re challenging NOAA’s May 26 certification of an application by TMC USA for an exploration license.
The application covers roughly 121,830 square kilometres in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, a mineral-rich expanse of international waters between Hawaii and Mexico. TMC USA wants to search the area for polymetallic nodules, potato-sized rocks on the seafloor that contain nickel, cobalt and other metals used in batteries and electronics.
The advocates don’t challenge whether mining should happen there. They challenge how NOAA got to the point of advancing the exploration application.
A 1980 law, the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act, requires NOAA to make materials related to an application available for public review before approving it. The conservation groups say NOAA did not do that here. Instead, the agency released only a Federal Register notice and TMC USA’s application, much of which was redacted as confidential.
“NOAA short-circuited the law in its haste to jump-start an untested, speculative industry seeking to mine our ocean’s most undisturbed places,” said Chris Eaton, an Earthjustice attorney representing the plaintiffs.
“We’re asking the courts to pump the brakes to ensure legally required public transparency and accountability before this administration gives mining companies free rein over our oceans.”
The groups say they asked NOAA in writing to release the missing materials, including datasets TMC USA’s application said were available “on request.” According to the plaintiffs, NOAA never responded or provided the additional records.
They argue that without the missing materials, they could not fully evaluate the four eligibility requirements under DSHMRA, including whether TMC USA has the financial and technical capacity to carry out the work.
“Upholding procedural requirements prior to issuing permits for deep-sea mining exploration is imperative to the health of the ocean and the communities that depend on its resources,” said Jonee Peters, executive director of the Conservation Council for Hawaii.
“The Pacific Ocean is home to many endangered and unknown species, unexplored ocean floors, and seamounts. These important and fragile ecosystems will be disturbed from noise and light pollution, sediment and other toxic contaminants.”
NOAA’s only previous approvals under DSHMRA were four exploration licenses issued in 1984, which have remained largely dormant for decades. The groups’ case concerns the first certification under the current administration and the first application under the law to propose actual exploration at sea. Several other applications are still pending before the agency.
No commercial seabed mining operation has ever been established anywhere in the world. The International Seabed Authority, which regulates seabed exploration and mining in international waters under a UN treaty that the United States has not ratified, has also not authorized commercial deep-sea mining.
“Trump has no right to rush into decisions about plundering international waters,” said Emily Jeffers, a senior attorney with the Centre for Biological Diversity.
“It’s especially outrageous that the public hasn’t been able to examine the details of this deep-sea mining proposal, which should be completely transparent.”
The Clarion-Clipperton Zone is home to deep-sea sponges, corals and other organisms scientists have yet to fully study. Some have already yielded compounds used in cancer and arthritis treatments. Whales, sharks, sea turtles and manta rays also migrate through the area, including populations that pass through Hawaiian waters.
Mining and exploration could stir up sediment plumes that smother habitats dozens of miles from the mining site, according to the plaintiffs. Studies cited by the plaintiffs suggest the seafloor could take more than a century to recover.
Exploration vessels also create underwater noise and use intense lighting that can harm deep-sea organisms adapted to darkness.
They also identify two Native Hawaiian ocean practitioners among the groups’ members: a diver who regards the oceanic whitetip shark as an “aumakua,” or ancestral guardian, and a surfer who watches each year for migrating humpback whales, or kohola, returning to Hawaiian waters.
The groups are asking the court to declare NOAA’s certification unlawful, overturn it and keep jurisdiction over the case until the agency complies with the law.
NOAA representatives didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment……PACNEWS
SAMOA – POULTRY FARMING: SAVALI NEWSPAPER PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 02 Oct 2026
Samoa districts urged to invest in poultry farming
APIA, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (SAVALI NEWSPAPER) — Representatives from Samoa’s 51 District Development Centres have been encouraged to invest in poultry farming after seeing first-hand the commercial benefits of local chicken production.
The representatives were invited by Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt to tour Sunshine Pacific Farm, a local chicken processing facility, to learn about its operations and explore opportunities for district-based poultry projects.
The visit was aimed at building awareness and interest in poultry farming and encouraging communities to establish projects that can generate income, create jobs and strengthen Samoa’s food security.
Representatives toured the farm and processing facility, observing the different stages of commercial chicken production, from raising chicks to processing mature birds.
They also saw the machinery used in the slaughter and processing operations and were briefed on food safety and quality measures required to meet legal standards.
The government has promoted local poultry production as a way to reduce Samoa’s dependence on imported chicken and improve domestic food security.
Through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, it has supported initiatives including Poultry Market Day, which brings farmers together with new and existing customers to share knowledge, market their products and discuss pricing.
The government sees poultry farming as more than an agricultural activity, with the sector also offering opportunities for employment, income generation and broader economic development.
The district representatives were also briefed on the possibility of establishing poultry farms in their own communities and supplying chickens to Sunshine Pacific Farm for processing.
Under the proposed model, districts could raise chickens locally, receive training from the Sunshine Pacific team and eventually earn income by selling their produce to the processing facility.
The initiative is expected to provide districts with an additional source of revenue while increasing local poultry production and reducing reliance on imports.
The Prime Minister said he hoped more districts would establish poultry farms and benefit from the growing local poultry industry.
The visit is part of efforts to encourage communities to take up productive projects that can generate sustainable income while strengthening Samoa’s domestic food production…. 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
‘Women are not victims’: Türk calls for women to be at the heart of peace and security
THE HAGUE, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —Women must be at the centre of efforts to prevent conflict and build lasting peace, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Thursday.
He warned that women and girls continue to suffer disproportionate harm in conflicts, while often being excluded from decisions affecting their security.
Addressing the International Civil Society Action Network’s 2026 Forum on Women, Peace and Security in The Hague in a video message, Türk said the world was experiencing “seismic global shocks”, with conflicts affecting millions of people.
According to latest data looking at 2024, an estimated 676 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometers of active conflict, the highest figure recorded since the end of the Cold War.
“Women are the overwhelming majority of victims of conflict-related rape, abductions, human trafficking, and sexual slavery,” he said.
He stressed that discrimination can increase women’s exposure to harm, particularly when conflict erupts.
Risks rise without investment
“The lower the resources allocated to women – in terms of health, wealth and education – the greater their exposure to harm,” he said.
Women and girls from racially and ethnically marginalised groups, as well as those facing discrimination on religious or other grounds, can be particularly vulnerable, including to sexual violence, he added.
Türk also pointed to what he described as a persistent gap between the role women play in protecting communities and their representation in formal decision-making.
‘Women are not victims’
While recognising the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls, the High Commissioner rejected the idea of portraying women solely as victims.
“But women are not victims,” he said. “On the contrary: all over the world, even in the harshest and most violent environments, women continue to lead, organise, mediate, and document violations.”
Women are often among the first to respond to humanitarian crises, he said, drawing on knowledge of local conditions that international organisations may lack.
Stressing the crucial role women have in preventing conflict, Türk added that “they are very powerful builders of community protection, accountability, and peace.”
Rethinking security
The High Commissioner argued that lasting peace cannot be built in societies marked by discrimination and oppression, and called for greater recognition of women-led civil society organisations as full partners.
He also called for a broader understanding of what constitutes security.
“Equality; impartial institutions for policing and accountability; economic and social justice; non-violent mediation; and governance that fulfils people’s human rights make a society far more safe than spiralling military budgets that choke off spending for essential services,” he said.
For Türk, protecting human rights is also a means of strengthening societies against future crises.
“Upholding human rights is an investment in enduring social cohesion,” he said. “It builds societies that are resilient to shocks, because they are fair.”
He called for women’s equal participation in decisions affecting their communities and countries: “Gender equality is not a favour that men are doing to women. It is fundamental to humanity, and benefits everyone,” he said.
Supporting women peacebuilders
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) is working with women rights defenders and seeking to expand their access to international mechanisms.
Türk cited support for accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in countries including Colombia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as support for women mediators and leaders across Africa…..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
Community stakeholders input into a landmark Climate Resilience Master Plan for historic Popua Peninsula in Tonga
NUKU’ALOFA, 02 OCTOBER 2026 (SPREP)—Work to protect and sustainably develop one of Tonga’s most strategic and vulnerable waterfront areas, the Popua Peninsula, is now underway.
Stakeholder consultations on the development of the Integrated Climate Resilience Restoration and Rehabilitation Master Plan for the Peninsula commenced this week.
The Government of Tonga through the National Spatial Planning Authority Office of the Ministry of Lands, Survey, Spatial Planning and Natural Resources coordinated the first of the multi-stakeholder inception workshop on 29 September, at Ancient Tonga, a cultural-heritage focused local enterprise adjacent to the Popua area.
“The future of Popua cannot be planned by one Ministry, one agency, or one organisation alone,” said Taaniela Kula, CEO of Lands as he encouraged a unified approach.
“The subsequent development of the Master Plan must be informed by evidence, by the relevant legislation and policies, and most importantly by meaningful engagement with the people and communities who have a direct connection to Popua.”
The project revitalises planning efforts for Popua, where the original 1990 master plan was never fully implemented or updated. Over the last 35 years, the peninsula has experienced rapid, unplanned growth. Unregulated residential and commercial subdivisions, along with new roads and canal networks, have put severe pressure on the area.
This growth has compromised parts of the ancient Sia Heu Lupe historical heritage site and threatened the ecologically vital Fanga’uta Lagoon ecosystem. Added to this is the low-lying geography of Popua which has resulted in local communities being highly exposed to severe climate hazards.
“The Popua Peninsula faces some of the highest levels of exposure to climate impacts in the Greater Nuku’alofa area, and 2021 National Census data shows that households living in the area face significant challenges,” said Dr Alexei Trundle, Associate Director of the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Cities as he noted the importance of using this evidence to develop a shared understanding of differing and at times competing objectives for the area.
“By aligning social, environmental, economic, and cultural objectives, we hope to alleviate some of these vulnerabilities in a sensitive way that responds to both community needs and national development objectives.”
The project will deliver two core components. A Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) utilising 2021 National Census data and government datasets, this assessment will establish a benchmark framework for future resilience analysis across Greater Nuku’alofa.
The second component is the delivery of a Comprehensive Master Plan that is legislatively compliant and provides a framework designed to balance housing, tourism, ecological preservation, and heritage conservation.
Under the leadership of the Government of Tonga, this project is supported by the Government of Australia. It is implemented through a partnership between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme’s (SPREP) Pacific Climate Change Centre and the University of Melbourne.
This initiative directly advances Tonga’s 2nd Joint National Action Plan on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (JNAP2). It supports JNAP2 objectives to mainstream resilience across government ministries, deploy sector-specific vulnerability assessments, and align local development plans with national climate targets. It also connects with other regional urban resilience initiatives, such as the ADB-led Integrated Urban Resilience Sector Project.
“Urbanisation is one of the prevailing impacts of climate change in the Pacific exacerbated by the impacts of climate change and SPREP is pleased to be working with the Government of Tonga and supported by the University of Melbourne and the Government of Australia on this initiative,” said Tuileva Tuileva from PCCC-SPREP.
“Land is a limited resource in the Pacific and therefore, proper planning is crucial to ensure harmony between development, sustainable use and preservation of natural resources and historical sites as well as safeguarding human lives and properties”.
Led by Viliami Tupou and colleague Elisapeti Veikoso and supported by the University of Melbourne technical experts Dr Alexei Trundle and Dr Serene Ho, the workshop participants engaged in hands-on breakout sessions to map out physical boundaries for the master plan, establish collaborative governance structures, and align cross-sector objectives. The boundaries and objectives agreed upon during this session will directly inform the drafting phase of the Master Plan and its legislatively required community consultation pathways….PACNEWS
