In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — After U.S accuses Fijian of corruption for China, experts warn of region-wide network
2. PACIFIC — Australian sea drones to combat Pacific drug crime
3. PACIFIC — Pacific police chiefs endorse constitution establishing PACPOL
4. W|PAPUA — West Papua government reports civilian displacement amid military deployment in Intan Jaya
5. SOL — Second Solomon Islands MP dies within days as Parliament mourns David Gina
6. PNG — PNG Parliament passes bill to amend Prime Minister’s Act
7. PNG — PNG hosts INTERPOL exercise as membership marks 50 years
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Filimoni Vosarogo Vosarogo to take over Employment portfolio, Fiji PM confirms
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji, New Zealand reaffirm strategic trade partnership
10. PACNEWS BIZ — EU bank investments to improve water supplies for nearly 8 million people in Asia-Pacific
11. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — A Blue Pacific on fire on the road to COP31
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — “Health should be elevated” – Pacific health leaders take their case to COP31
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — UNDP launches Call for Proposals under GEF Small Grants Programme in Papua New Guinea
PAC – ANTI CORRUPTION: RADIO FREE ASIA PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
After U.S accuses Fijian of corruption for China, experts warn of region-wide network
SUVA, 16 OCTOBER 2206 (RADIO FREE ASIA)—Beijing’s corruption and influence operations are not limited to Fiji, and similar operations likely exist in other Pacific island countries, experts on the region told Radio Free Asia.
The analysis came shortly after Washington accused Fijian national Zhao Fugang of corruption as head of the Overseas Chinese Service Centre in Suva.
“Zhao abused his public position by paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance China-based government, business, and criminal interests,” U.S State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott said in a statement.
“His actions constituted significant corruption and adversely affected U.S interests in Fiji.”
Though Zhao is now barred from entering the United States, there are probably more people involved in the type of corruption he is accused of – not just in Fiji, but across the entire Pacific region, Gregory Brown, executive director of the Washington-based Alliance Futures Initiative think tank, told RFA.
“I seriously doubt that Beijing set up a corruption and influence operation in Fiji and then decided not to replicate it anywhere else in a region where it’s spending billions on infrastructure, signing security agreements, and competing every day for political influence,” said Brown.
“That defies logic and everything we know about the CCP’s overseas influence campaigns. There is no reason similar operations wouldn’t work in Honiara, Port Moresby, Nuku’alofa, or Port Vila.”
Illicit activities that advance Chinese interests occur elsewhere in the Pacific, Kathryn Paik, deputy director of the Australia Chair at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, told RFA.
“There have been many documented cases of Chinese actors in other Pacific countries and territories conducting illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal fishing, money laundering, and more,” said Paik.
“What is key is that while most if not all of these actors may not be an official Chinese agent, they are conducting activity that is either encouraged by or facilitated by Beijing.”
Zhao is an example of China’s use of “state-condoned illicit disruptors as a form of gray zone activity in the Pacific,” José Sousa-Santos, of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, wrote in an essay published in Small Wars Journal, a project by the Future Security Initiative at Arizona State University.
Written months before the U.S sanctioned Zhao – who Australian law enforcement had already identified as having connections to organized crime – the essay detailed how Beijing tolerates and protects criminal figures and networks to serve objectives of the state.
“This does not require a simple command relationship between the Chinese state and organized crime. Nor does it mean that every Chinese criminal actor abroad is an agent of Beijing,” wrote Sousa-Santos.
“The more important point is that certain illicit actors can become strategically useful when they extend influence, cultivate local elites, generate deniable economic leverage, support patriotic narratives, and operate in spaces where formal state power would attract resistance.”
Actors like Zhao are valuable in that Beijing can deny all connections of involvement in their illegal activities, all while benefiting from them, the essay said.
“Zhao’s value is that he represents the kind of high-risk intermediary who can move money, cultivate elites, open doors, normalise Chinese influence, and generate dependency while remaining formally outside the state,” it said.
After the U.S sanctioned Zhao, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news conference she had no knowledge of his case.
“We oppose vilification and smears against China,” she said.
In a Facebook post, the Fijian government asked Washington to provide evidence of the allegations against Zhao, and affirmed Suva’s commitment to work with international partners to crack down on transnational crime.
The U.S and its allies should coordinate with each other to stop illicit activities, Paik said.
“Working collaboratively to identify illegal activity and name specific actors is certainly a start,” she said.
“But of course Pacific countries are sovereign nations and the next step will ideally be to take action against these individuals in whichever country they are acting.”
Brown said that the U.S should not stop with its sanctions on Zhao, but should name other individuals in the region to demonstrate how widespread the problem is.
“If we see three or four more across different Pacific countries in the next six months, the signal becomes a pattern,” he said.
Brown also called for the U.S and its allies to support Pacific governments in building their own anti-corruption and counter-intelligence capacity, urged Pacific governments to make foreign-linked community organisations more accountable by requiring them to register, and work together to protect Chinese diaspora communities in the region.
“My big question now is whether this designation is a one-off or a campaign,” he said.
“If it’s a one-off, Beijing will absorb the hit and move on. If it’s a campaign, it’s a chance to change calculus for every Chinese operative and every compromised Pacific official in the region,” said Brown…..PACNEWS
PAC – SEA DRONES: AAP PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
Australian sea drones to combat Pacific drug crime
CANBERRA, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—Australia will provide maritime drones to Fiji’s military in a bid bolster security in the Pacific.
The Australian-made Bluebottle vessels will be gifted as part of a military partnership between the two countries.
The Bluebottle drones can provide reconnaissance and surveillance and can stay at sea for more than 180 days, powered by renewable energy.
The drones will be given to Fiji as part of the Waqa Moana partnership, a Pacific-led security initiative to counter organised crime and drug trafficking in the region.
Australia pledged $600 million(US$418 million) at the Pacific Islands Forum in September to help implement the partnership.
It’s expected the Bluebottle drones will be made available to Fiji in early 2027.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the drones would be further strengthen ties with Pacific partners.
“This Bluebottle partnership demonstrates how Australian innovation can deliver real-world outcomes for our neighbours and the wider region,” he said.
“(This) will strengthen Fiji’s maritime surveillance capabilities while supporting our collective efforts to combat transnational crime.”
It follows Australia and Fiji signing the Ocean of Peace Treaty in July, which is a mutual defence pact.
It was just the fourth alliance Australia has signed – the others being with the US, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. It is Fiji’s first.
The Bluebottle partnership coincides with the opening of a manufacturing hub in Sydney for Ocius, the makers of the Bluebottles.
The federal government in March signed a $176 million (US$121 million) agreement to buy 40 more of the maritime drones for the navy, bringing the total in the fleet to 55.
Bluebottles have been used by the navy from the HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin as part of border security measures…..PACNEWS
PAC – POLICE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
Pacific police chiefs endorse constitution establishing PACPOL
SAIPAN, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific police chiefs have endorsed the constitution of the Pacific Community of Policing (PACPOL), establishing a new framework for regional policing cooperation.
The endorsement brings the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) and the Pacific Policing Initiative under one umbrella, aimed at strengthening leadership, coordination, policing capabilities and cooperation across the region.
PACPOL marks the next phase of more than 56 years of regional policing collaboration, with the focus now shifting to implementation and the establishment of its structures and operational foundations.
Commissioner David Manning of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary was elected inaugural PACPOL Chair, while Commissioner Matatia Makaili of the Tuvalu Police Service was elected Deputy Chair.
The organisation also acknowledged outgoing PICP Chair Commissioner Anthony Macaranas and Deputy Chair Commissioner Kalshem Bongran for their leadership over the past year.
The transition to PACPOL will include changes to the organisation’s social media platforms, which will move from the PICP identity to the new regional policing body over the coming days.
The establishment of PACPOL is intended to provide a unified platform for Pacific police services to strengthen regional coordination and address shared policing challenges…PACNEWS
W|PAPUA – DISPLACETMENT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
West Papua government reports civilian displacement amid military deployment in Intan Jaya
JAYAPURA, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Provisional Government has raised concerns over the reported deployment of hundreds of Indonesian military personnel to Intan Jaya Regency, alleging that civilians have fled their homes amid growing fear and insecurity.
Jack Wenda, Deputy Executive Council Representative of the ULMWP Provisional Government’s Executive Council for the Bomberay region in a a statement said military personnel had been deployed across the regency, including its urban centre, districts and village
He alleged that the military presence had caused fear and psychological distress among residents, with hundreds of civilians reportedly fleeing into forests for safety while others remained in their villages and faced questioning by military personnel.
The ULMWP also reported the burning of forests and civilian homes in several parts of West Papua, saying the destruction of homes and personal belongings had further worsened the humanitarian situation.
The allegations could not be independently verified.
The provisional government called on human rights organisations, journalists, humanitarian agencies, civil society groups, church leaders and customary leaders to monitor developments and help protect affected communities.
It urged all parties to prioritise civilian safety, end violence and intimidation against civilians, and ensure humanitarian organisations could reach affected communities without obstruction.
Wenda also called for independent and impartial investigations into allegations of house burnings, forced displacement and human rights violations.
He urged the international community, human rights organisations, churches and independent media to closely monitor the situation in Intan Jaya and other affected areas of West Papua.
“The safety and security of the civilian population must be the highest priority,” he said in the statement
The ULMWP said civilians should not bear the consequences of military operations and called for their lives, homes, dignity and fundamental human rights to be respected and protected.
The ULMWP called for urgent action and international solidarity to prevent further civilian suffering in West Papua…PACNEWS
SOL – OBITUARY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
Second Solomon Islands MP dies within days as Parliament mourns David Gina
HONIARA, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Solomon Islands is mourning the loss of two Members of Parliament within days, following the sudden death of Acting Speaker David Gina, after the passing of Ulawa/Ugi MP William Bradford earlier this week.
Prime Minister Matthew Wale has expressed condolences following Gina’s death on Thursday, describing it as a significant loss to the Government, the National Parliament and the people of South New Georgia, Rendova and Tetepare, whom he represented.
Bradford died on Monday and is due to be buried on Friday.
Gina served as a member of the GREAT Coalition Government and Acting Speaker of the National Parliament, holding positions of responsibility in the country’s democratic leadership.
Wale, on behalf of the Government and people of Solomon Islands, extended sympathies to Gina’s family, relatives, friends and constituents.
He acknowledged Gina’s service and contribution to the nation, saying his passing had left a void in Parliament and among colleagues who had worked alongside him.
The Prime Minister said the Government’s thoughts and prayers were with Gina’s family and the people of his constituency as they came to terms with the sudden loss.
He urged them to draw strength and comfort from the support of their families, communities and the nation during the period of mourning.
“May the soul of the late Hon. David Gina rest in eternal peace,” Wale said.
The deaths of the two MPs within the same week have brought a period of mourning for their families, constituents and colleagues in Parliament….PACNEWS
PNG – PM ACT: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
PNG Parliament passes bill to amend Prime Minister’s Act
PORT MORESBY, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—A bill to amend the Prime Minister’s Act of 2002 was passed by Papua New Guinea Parliament to strengthen whole-of-government coordination and improve Cabinet decision-making processes.
Prime Minister James Marape, who tabled the bill, said that Section 24 of the principle act would be amended to empower the National Executive Council (NEC) secretary to perform his or her duties in the Central Agency Coordinating Committee (CACC).
He said it would improve coordination between Cabinet and the central agencies responsible for implementing government policies and decisions.
“It brings the secretary for NEC into the CACC,” Marape said.
“They have powers to assist the prime minister and NEC, making sure NEC carries out its duties.
“At this moment, they are outside of the CACC. Much of the work that is happening is to coordinate all of government work.
“The NEC secretary has been supporting this government and as made substantial reforms, including digitalising the operations of our Cabinet. More importantly, making sure Cabinet issues are dealt with on the day.
“This simple amendment elevates the NEC secretary, pursuant to Section 24 of the Prime Minister Act.”
In a statement after yesterday’s session, Marape said the amendment was an important reform aimed at improving the machinery of government and ensuring greater coordination across government departments and agencies.
He said it also complemented the Government’s broader efforts to modernise public administration, improve institutional efficiency and strengthen the use of technology in government operations.
“This Government has made substantial reforms, including digitalising the operations of our Cabinet and, more importantly, linking Cabinet processes to the whole of government, making sure Cabinet decisions are delivering to the intention of the government of the day,” he added.
Marape said the reform formed part of his Government’s continuing commitment to strengthening public administration, modernising government systems and improving service delivery for the people of Papua New Guinea….PACNEWS
PNG – POLICE: SUNDAY CHRONICLE PACNEWS 1: Fri 16 Oct 2026
PNG hosts INTERPOL exercise as membership marks 50 years
PORT MORESBY, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PNG CHRONICLE) —Papua New Guinea is marking 50 years of INTERPOL membership by hosting a regional exercise aimed at strengthening cooperation between Pacific law enforcement agencies.
The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, through National Central Bureau (NCB) Konedobu, is co-hosting the INTERPOL Blue Pacific Table Top Exercise for Pacific NCBs in Port Moresby from 05 to 07 October .
Chief Sergeant Kudd Saulapei, OIC INTERPOL–NCB PNG, said the exercise provided an important opportunity for Pacific countries to share information, strengthen communication and improve their joint response to transnational crime.
He said the participation of NCB representatives from across the region demonstrated the importance of cooperation in addressing crimes that crossed national borders.
The exercise has brought together 28 officials, including three officials from INTERPOL headquarters in Singapore, 20 representatives from 10 Pacific island countries and five officials from NCB Konedobu.
Saulapei said the exercise allowed participants to share practical experiences, information and ideas while strengthening the working relationships between Pacific NCBs.
The regional exercise coincides with PNG’s 50th anniversary of INTERPOL membership, which was formally marked on 14 October.
PNG joined INTERPOL on 14 October 1976, and NCB Konedobu has since evolved from using fax, telegram and mail between 1976 and 2002 to SPLEXNet from 2003 to 2007 and INTERPOL’s I-24/7 secure communications system from 2008.
The country has now moved to NEXUS, INTERPOL’s new secure messaging system launched in June this year.
Saulapei said the evolution of INTERPOL’s communication systems had strengthened the ability of police in PNG and other member countries to exchange information securely and respond to international crime.
He said the Blue Pacific exercise was particularly relevant given the region’s exposure to drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, arms smuggling and other forms of transnational organised crime.
The exercise is being held under PNG’s 50th anniversary theme, “50 Years of Collaboration – A Safer Pacific – A Stronger Future.”
NCB Konedobu thanked INTERPOL and participating Pacific NCBs for their support and participation and reaffirmed PNG’s commitment to regional law enforcement cooperation…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – EMPLOYMENT MINISTER: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 16 Oct 2026
Filimoni Vosarogo Vosarogo to take over Employment portfolio, Fiji PM confirms
SUVA, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed that Lands and Mineral Resources Minister Filimoni Vosarogo will take over the Employment Minister portfolio.
Speaking in an interview Thursday, Rabuka said he believed Mr Vosarogo had the legal background needed to handle the role.
“He is a lawyer, and I believe he would be able to handle the portfolio,” Rabuka said.
On the appointment of an Attorney-General, Rabuka said none of his current Cabinet colleagues was suitable for the position, meaning the search would have to extend beyond Parliament.
“None of them can take this. We have to look outside now,” he said.
The Attorney-General’s portfolio will remain vacant until a suitable candidate from outside Parliament is found…..PACNEWS
FIJI – TRADE: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 16 Oct 2026
Fiji, New Zealand reaffirm strategic trade partnership
SUVA, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Fiji and New Zealand have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including through regional trade initiatives and ongoing technical assessments under PACER Plus.
Fiji’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Sakiasi Ditoka, held a bilateral video conference with New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Todd McClay, to discuss strategic cooperation and ways to strengthen regional trade relations.
McClay congratulated Fiji on becoming a full member of the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P), following its participation as an observer at the second FIT-P Ministerial meeting in Auckland in July 2026.
Ditoka acknowledged New Zealand’s support throughout Fiji’s membership process and said Fiji’s External Trade team was preparing to engage across all five FIT-P workstreams.
These cover supply chain resilience, non-tariff barriers, digital and paperless trade, strengthening the rules-based trading system, and subsidies.
The ministers also discussed Fiji’s progress in the ongoing chapter-by-chapter technical assessment of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus).
Ditoka acknowledged New Zealand’s assistance in providing technical experts to conduct workshops supporting the assessment.
He said Fiji’s preparations remained on track for the proposed PACER Plus Senior Officials Meeting in November 2026.
Both ministers agreed to continue working closely to deepen trade and economic ties and advance shared regional priorities…. PACNEWS
PAC – WATER SUPPLY: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 16 Oct 2026
EU bank investments to improve water supplies for nearly 8 million people in Asia-Pacific
BRUSSELS, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Nearly eight million people across Asia and the Pacific are expected to benefit from improved water supplies through investments by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in 2025, according to a new report.
The EIB Global Impact Report says projects financed by the European Union’s lending arm are expected to provide more than 13 million people worldwide with access to safer drinking water.
The investments support water infrastructure, climate resilience and environmental sustainability across the region, including India, Bangladesh, Viet Nam and Kiribati.
In India, a US$191 million EIB loan is supporting upgrades to water supply and sewerage systems in Uttarakhand, benefiting about 900,000 people.
In Bangladesh, €160 million (US$179 million) in financing is helping improve water security in Dhaka through safer and more sustainable water supplies, reducing pressure on groundwater resources and strengthening resilience to climate change.
In Southeast Asia, EIB financing is supporting businesses in Viet Nam to invest in climate action and environmental sustainability.
In the Pacific, European Union-backed support for climate-resilient infrastructure in Kiribati is helping prepare for the protection of essential transport links against climate-related risks.
The report said the EIB signed €1.1 billion(US$1.23 billion) in financing across Asia, Central Asia and the Pacific in 2025, with 92 percent directed towards climate action and environmental sustainability.
The investments form part of the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy, which aims to support partner countries in developing resilient infrastructure and improving living conditions.
The report highlights the role of international financing in addressing water security challenges and helping communities adapt to increasing environmental and climate pressures…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
A Blue Pacific on fire on the road to COP31
By Dr Satyendra Prasad
SUVA, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—I join so many others in extending my warmest congratulations to the Fiji and Tuvalu Governments for their Herculian effort in hosting the Pre-COP31. Hosting some 5000 of the World’s leading community leaders, faith group representatives, climate change researchers and scientists, activists, influencers, leaders, negotiators on these shores concurrently is no mean task. Brilliant – take a bow.
To the Australian Government teams that first of all insisted on a Pacific Pre-COP and helped to deliver a hugely successful Pre-COP , a huge Vinaka vakalevu, Fakafetai .
This is remarkable display of companionship with the Pacific – even if Australia’s domestic press will disagree. Take a bow.
Making the COP process deliver for the Pacific
I have been often conflicted when participating in these global climate negotiations. Conflicted not because I or the Blue Pacific does not deserve to be seen and heard here but conflicted that so little seems to come out of them.
How hard can it be to secure resources to support rebuilding farms that have lost to salt water intrusion? How hard can it be to relocate some 50 health centres across the region to higher grounds? How hard can it be to build the 15,000 or so sea walls to keep rising seas at bay for that much longer from our coastal villages. Yet this remains hard. Making the case internationally for more financial resources yet another time always feels painful.
But this pain fades into insignificance when you is listen to Mia Kami, hear Tina Stege or Sindra Sharma making our case, or when you see the anxiety and the hope in the hymns sung by young folks at the opening Church Service Pre-COP.
It hurts when I hear them. Buy they lift me and I know countless others as well.
Our whole region should take much pride in having successfully hosted a Pre-COP at such a consequential moment internationally.
Thousands of influencers, policy makers, diplomats, media professionals heard countless voices from across our Blue Pacific at the Pre-COP31.
They saw efforts to describe our climate realities – through dance, music, prose and dialogue. So many of these voices would never be seen or heard at a global UN conferences otherwise. That is powerful.
The Pre-COP31 is a moment that was owned by people and communities who lived on frontlines of climate change. But they are not only living on its frontlines. They are indeed holding the frontlines for the rest of the world. Magical.
Pacific that is leading
The international community walked away from the Pre-COP fired up and wowed by the Blue Pacific. This is no longer restless region. This is not a region that lives on hope and prayers alone. We displayed progress and projected leadership – project by project, program by program, country by country, ambition by ambition.
The Prime Ministers of Solomon Islands and Tonga presented their new climate ambition. They presented their own national climate funds to back up that ambition – seeded in part through their own national resources.
Papua New Guinea presented to the World its stunning progress in setting up the policy foundations from which its forests – some 5 percent of total primary forestland on the planet can be turned into protected regions – earning incomes for communities and providing an ecosystem service to the World.
Palau, Niue, Tonga and others presented their innovations across the blue sector – showing how to transform ocean, marine, coral protection into incomes and better livelihoods.
A Pacific That is Creating Opportunities
For many years, we looked to the World for solutions. But this time it was different.
To the organisers who creatively used the Pre-CoP to create platforms to showcase progress from across the Blue Pacific, our presenters created new opportunities. To representatives of communities from Palau, Tonga, RMI, PNG and Fiji of course – Vinaka. You helped the world see that we too can innovate – we too can transform ancient memory into contemporary solutions. We have become a vast zone for learning.
From the Blue Community – came foundational innovations in financial engineering – blending national, international (public and private) resources for far reaching measures to protect our ocean and conserve its vast biodiversity.
This time the Pacific did not turn up as spectators – not as communities to be piloted upon – but as drivers who were framing-leading- implementing and learning as they did so. Surreal.
A Pacific that is inspiring
Some parts of the World remain frozen into old disputes reminiscing the debates of a past era when “smoking was good or injurious to your health” was still a contested phrase? The “drill baby drill” cheerleaders would have met their match if they were present.
Our messages were and will remain simple. We have placed our trust in the World’s scientists. They agree that 1.5 decree Celsius temperature rise is a guardrail for us across the Blue Pacific. They agree that 1.5 is equally the guardrail for whole of humanity.
Our Ocean helps to keep this planetary boundary within reach in a fundamental way. We are stewards of our share of the World’s ocean. We hold our stewardship with utmost responsibility. So must the World. A Blue COP31 in Atalya should now amplify this. Simple
The region has undertaken bold steps to protect its communities by providing sufficient resources in ways that communities can access through its Pacific Resilience Facility. A region tired of climate debts set up its own facility to rebuild resilience without driving up national debt.
If some of the smallest and most vulnerable states can make their own significant financial contributions into the Pacific Resilience Facility – so can the rest of the World. If the World did so, we can, as a region rebuild our resilience at pace. Antalya should deliver on this. Simple.
The Pacific has yearned for sufficient voice and representation in international forums where their futures get decided. The UN’s climate meetings are the place where the Pacific’s gravest priorities – the risk of state failures arising from repeated climate stresses ultimately get decided. Our collective futures now depend on our leaders succeeding into getting into the DNA of decision making by the international community. Hard but more doable now than before the Pre-COP.
Our leaders have worked tirelessly to support our communities to make their voices heard in Funafuti and in Nadi at the hugely successful pre-COP meetings.
The Pacific’s leaders get fresh wind and energy from these. They take this energy into global negotiations. They carry prayers of our faith communities. They carry the hopes of those rarely seen or heard in international forums. To have raised our expectations from our leaders is not an unfair ask this time around therefore. …PACNEWS
Dr Prasad is Fiji’s Former Ambassador to the United Nations and Senior fellow of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is a Special Envoy to the Pacific Resilience Facility, Visiting Senior Diplomatic Fellow at Canterbury University and Climate Lead for Abt Global.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
“Health should be elevated” – Pacific health leaders take their case to COP31
NADI, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (SREP)—At the Pacific Health in a Changing Climate – Country-Led Innovation for Resilient Health Systems, a Pre-COP31 panel event in Nadi, Fiji, health leaders argued that climate change is already a health crisis in the Pacific, and that global negotiations must recognise it as one.
For Pacific Island countries, the health effects of climate change are not a prediction. They show up as clinics are exposed to the sea and have inadequate water supplies.
“The effects of climate change are actually happening now,” said Dr Nemia Bainivalu, Solomon Islands Deputy Secretary of Public Health from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
Health Facilities on the Front Line
In Solomon Islands, about 60% of the country’s 300-plus health facilities are on the coast, exposed to sea-level rise and storm surge. When Category 5 Cyclone Maila struck in April, 21 health facilities were affected.
As the country finalises its climate and health vulnerability assessment, Dr Bainivalu said the priority is reaching the most remote communities – “the last mile.”
“The Assessment requires the participation of not only health people, but also finance people, planners, architects, provincial health services,” he said.
In Fiji, Dr Antonio Lalabalavu, Minister of Health and Medical Services pointed to high temperatures and water security as the most pressing risks. Launched in 2024, Fiji’s Health Adaptation Plan, guides the Ministry’s response through five pillars, including water, sanitation and hygiene. This is an area, Lalabalavu said he’s “very passionate about. If water is not available, we can’t provide services.”
Dr Lalabalavu, who has attended previous UN Climate Conferences (COPs) said health has struggled to hold its place in global negotiations. There were good discussions on health in Dubai at COP28, but at the conferences that followed, he said “it kind of diluted down.”
“Health should be elevated, not only as another side event, but as one of the main events in any discussion moving forward. It affects everyone.”
Making Health Visible in the Plans
Dr Berlin Kafoa, Pacific Community’s (SPC) Director of Public Health Divison said the problem starts on paper. When SPC’s Climate Change division recently reviewed countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), many contained few or no health indicators.
“It’s hard to advocate for them at global level, or with those who have resources, when it’s not there. If we want it to appear there, then we have to work as organisations to help our countries document it.”
Health, he argued, should not only be talking about adaptation. “The biggest health gain is to reduce the pollution. That should be the focus.”
Telling the Story Beyond the Health Sector
Dr Mark Jacobs, WHO Representative to the South Pacific, and Director Pacific Technical Support, described the organisation’s role as responsive technical support, from vulnerability assessments and health adaptation plans to tools that help staff identify the most vulnerable clinics.
“There are huge health impacts already experienced from climate change, and health is an issue that speaks to everybody, to every community,” he said.
The sharpest point was about audience. “As health professionals, we can be very comfortable talking to other health professionals about why health is important. That is not how it will be successful. It will be successful by having those conversations with people in other sectors, with communities, with leaders.”
Deeply Connected
“Climate resilience must be measured by what it means for people- safe drinking water, secure food supplies, protection from disease, and access to health services when they are needed most,” said Filomena Nelson, SPREP’s Climate Change Adaptation Adviser.
SPREP’s Pacific Climate Change Centre is leading the Pacific Action to enhance the Visibility of Evidence on Health and Climate Impacts (PAVE-Health) with the University of Melbourne, with funding support from the Wellcome Trust. The three-year project works with the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Samoa and Solomon Islands to train national teams, generate local evidence and turn it into plans and investable proposals.
“Community knowledge also deserves recognition as evidence. Research should build on that knowledge and return findings in forms communities can use. Data is critical in establishing evidence base, and there is an urgent need to strengthen capacity and capability of health Ministries and other key national agencies to collate, analyse and communicate climate change impacts on health,” Ms Nelson said.
The Road to Antalya
The PreCOP31 panel discussion was a stop on the busy road to COP31, which runs from November 9-20th in Antalya, Türkiye.
Pacific health delegates have their messages cut out for them. Some of these include make health measurable in national adaptation plans, NDCs and the Global Goal on Adaptation, Finance climate-proofed health facilities, disease surveillance and service continuity, Count health losses in Loss and Damage and to Ensure health representatives have a seat in climate finance decisions.
For Dr Lalabalavu, the test is whether this time it will be different. “I’m hopeful that the one in Türkiye (COP31) will be different,” he said …PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
UNDP launches Call for Proposals under GEF Small Grants Programme in Papua New Guinea
Community-based and civil society organisations can apply for grants of up to USD$75,000 to support biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods, with priority given to three landscapes across Papua New Guinea.
PORT MORESBY, 16 OCTOBER 2026 (UNDP)—The United Nations Development Programme, through the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP), has launched its first Call for Proposals under the programme’s operational phase (OP8) in Papua New Guinea.
The funding opportunity will support community-led initiatives that protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, strengthen climate resilience and promote sustainable livelihoods. It aims to empower local communities, Indigenous Peoples and civil society organisations to develop practical solutions that benefit both people and the environment.
Individual grants can apply up to USD$75,000, depending on the scope and expected impact of each project.
The programme will prioritise proposals from three priority landscapes identified in Papua New Guinea’s OP8 Country Programme Strategy, where locally led initiatives can deliver significant environmental and socioeconomic benefits:
*Sepik-Hunstein Landscape: Proposals may focus on forest conservation, freshwater ecosystem management, community conservation initiatives and sustainable livelihoods.
*New Britain Ridge-to-Reef Landscape and Seascape: Priority areas include forest and biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture and cocoa value chains, coastal and marine ecosystem management, and climate resilience.
*Mount Wilhelm Climate Resilient Landscape: Initiatives may support watershed management, climate-smart agriculture, community resilience and forest restoration.
Approximately 70 percent of programme resources will be directed towards initiatives within these three priority landscapes, reflecting their importance to the programme’s conservation and sustainable development objectives.
Innovative proposals from other parts of Papua New Guinea may also be considered where they demonstrate strong conservation benefits and potential for replication, scaling up or influencing policy.
The Call for Proposals will support community-driven projects across several interconnected thematic areas:
*Biodiversity conservation: Establishing or strengthening Community Conservation Areas, protecting species and habitats, restoring ecosystems and applying traditional ecological knowledge.
*Climate change adaptation and resilience: Developing community adaptation initiatives, strengthening climate-resilient livelihoods, improving water resource management and reducing disaster risks.
*Sustainable agriculture and food systems: Promoting climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, sustainable cocoa and coffee value chains, and food security.
*Sustainable livelihoods: Supporting nature-based enterprises, community ecotourism, green businesses and sustainable value
*Social inclusion and community empowerment: Strengthening the leadership and participation of women, young people, Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities.
*Knowledge management and innovation: Demonstrating innovative community solutions and sharing knowledge and approaches that can be replicated elsewhere.
Projects should demonstrate clear environmental benefits, meaningful community participation and the potential to deliver lasting environmental and socioeconomic outcomes.
The Call for Proposals is open to eligible organisations working in Papua New Guinea, including community-based organisations (CBOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), Indigenous Peoples organisations (IPOs), Local and national non-governmental organisations, Community associations and cooperatives, Faith-based organisations engaged in environmental activities; and, Women’s and youth organisations.
Applicants must be legally registered or demonstrate recognised community legitimacy and governance structures. Proposals must also demonstrate consultation with, and support from, the communities they intend to serve.
Eligible organisations are invited to submit full project proposals aligned with the programme’s geographic priorities and thematic areas. The deadline for submitting proposals is 15 November 2026.
Interested organisations should consult the official Call for Proposals and accompanying application template below for the full eligibility requirements, proposal format and submission instructions…. PACNEWS
