In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC— Marshall Islands fisheries chief Glen Joseph to lead regional fisheries body
2. UN — Energy transition takes centre stage as countries map path beyond fossil fuels
3. PACIFIC — Samoa calls for stronger Pacific voice on climate survival at COP31
4. PACIFIC — Tonga Ministry pushes for education to be recognised in global climate finance
5. PACIFIC — Crackdown on birth tourism: U.S territories is the latest battleground over birthright citizenship
6. FIJI — Fiji Law Society questions move to shield Electoral Commission decisions from judicial review
7. PACIFIC — ‘We have to be the ocean’: Community leader says Pasifika must stay connected
8. FIJI — ‘Devil’s number’ 666 banned from Fiji election candidate list
9. PACNEWS BIZ — PNA strengthens longline reporting and compliance across Pacific fisheries
10. PACNEWS BIZ — RNZAF’s P-8A Poseidons busy as South-West Pacific warms up
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Coalition nixes plan to reopen protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing
12. PACNEWS BIZ — FISH4ACP supports the Marshall Islands
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Papua LNG decision ‘close’
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific Ocean and Fisheries Professionals rethink what it means to lead
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Tuvalu Validates Biodiversity Finance Policy Review to Strengthen Conservation and Sustainable Development
PAC – PNA CEO/FISHERIES: MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Marshall Islands fisheries chief Glen Joseph to lead regional fisheries body
By Giff Johnson
MAJURO, 11 NOVEMBER 202(MARSHALL ISLANDS JOURNAL) — When Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) executive director Glen Joseph moves to take up the reins as chief executive of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Office, he will become the fifth from U.S-affiliated islands of Micronesia – and only the second Marshallese – to head a major regional organisation.
After 21 years at the helm of MIMRA, and 30 with the fisheries authority altogether, Joseph is one of the region’s most experienced fisheries managers.
The Marshall Islands government earlier in the year nominated him for the PNA Office CEO post once current CEO Dr Sangaa Clark confirmed her intent to wrap up her second term as CEO later this year.
Joseph’s nomination was endorsed by PNA fisheries ministers who met in Majuro Tuesday this week.
When he takes over from Dr Clark on 01 January 2027, Joseph will become the fourth PNA Office CEO.
Joseph started in fisheries from the ground up while studying for his bachelor’s degree at the University of the South Pacific in Suva in the mid-1990s when he interned with MIMRA during school breaks.
After graduating, he took a full-time role at MIMRA and performed numerous hands-on fisheries jobs from fisheries observer work to fisheries enforcement to fisheries vessel licensing.
By the early 2000s, Joseph was elevated to deputy director under Director Danny Wase. When Wase stepped aside in early 2005, the MIMRA board named Joseph to head the fisheries department.
Under Joseph’s leadership, the Marshall Islands engagement in regional fisheries matters increased dramatically. And Joseph’s influence in the Forum Fisheries Agency and PNA grew.
Although the PNA group was established in 1982, it was not until 2008-2009 that it began flexing its muscle for implementing a then novel approach to managing purse seine tuna fishing: Restricting “effort” rather than capping the number of vessels allowed to fish. This innovation was known as the Vessel Day Scheme and today is the operative management mechanism for the eight PNA nations, which includes the Marshall Islands, in whose waters over 50 percent of the world’s skipjack tuna is caught.
During that 2008-2009 period, a triumvirate of fisheries visionaries – Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority Managing Director Sylvester Pokajam, FFA deputy director Dr Transform Aqorau, and Joseph – with the backing of the late Marshall Islands fisheries Minister Mattlan Zackhras, hatched the plan to establish a PNA Office to be located in Majuro.
With PNG carrying significant weight in the PNA due to its huge fisheries footprint, Pokajam’s support for the PNA Office to be placed in Majuro was crucial.
That office opened in April 2010, with Dr Aqorau as its first CEO.
What the PNA Office did with Dr Aqorau at the helm and fisheries leaders like Joseph and Pokajam behind him was nothing short of spectacular.
Despite heavy push-back from the fishing industry at the beginning of full implementation of the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS), the PNA enforced it, raising the level of revenue generated for the PNA members from US$60 million a year to US$500 million annually by the 2020s. Moreover, the VDS is the foundation for managing the purse seine fishery in a sustainable manner, a fact confirmed by stock assessments issued regularly by the scientists at the Pacific Community (SPC).
The VDS is also a platform for tuna value chain participation for the eight PNA members. It is in this area that Joseph and MIMRA stand out in the region.
Since 1987, when the United States Pacific Islands Tuna Treaty was signed with the FFA member countries, the agreement included the possibility of trade arrangements between Pacific Islands and the U.S market. But try as they may, for decades the FFA got nowhere with the US government as it sought a pathway for fish exports to the US market.
Meantime, MIMRA set up a joint venture with long-time NGO partner The Nature Conservancy, establishing Pacific Island Tuna, a tuna supply company based in Majuro.
This upstart company was established to elbow into the lucrative tuna supply market, one that is dominated by a handful of global corporations. And engage it did. Pacific Island Tuna negotiated a deal with Walmart, the world’s biggest retail corporation, to supply sustainably caught tuna from PNA waters.
And just like that, the Marshall Islands opened the door into the US market after decades of the FFA finding that door closed by the U.S government. The tuna supply deal with Walmart is now in its fourth year.
Meanwhile, under Joseph’s management, MIMRA built a new headquarters building in Majuro, funded by its PNA fisheries revenue, which opened in 2019.
It contains state of the art fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance facilities and equipment – elevating MIMRA’s fisheries management operation.
The sophisticated systems at the new headquarters were accompanied by a major investment in MIMRA Oceanic Division’s port state control work, which included nearly 100 percent monitoring of all transshipment and unloading of tuna to carrier vessels in the lagoon or at dockside, and the dispatch of fisheries observers on both purse seine and longline vessel fishing trips.
But an even bigger prize in the tuna value chain was on the horizon: Access to the European Union’s 27 member nations, the largest fisheries market in the world.
The EU, however, requires strict hygiene and anti-illegal fishing standards from any country wanting to access its market.
Joseph looked to PNG, which had gained EU certification years earlier, hiring a consultant who had worked on PNG’s process of accreditation.
This led to establishment within MIMRA of a Competent Authority and further to the expansion of its headquarters building with an annex that contains a sophisticated laboratory for testing fish quality in order to meet the stringent standards set by the EU.
Last December, MIMRA’s Competent Authority was audited by the EU after six years of painstaking preparation. That led to ongoing follow-up to fill in gaps. As 2026 comes to a close, Joseph last week said in an interview he expects that once the EU concludes its own internal review process, the Marshall Islands will become the latest nation to be certified to export marine products to the EU market.
When this happens, the Marshall Islands will be the fifth country in the Pacific certified to export to the EU following in the footsteps of PNG, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Kiribati.
In the meantime, while these innovations relate to the PNA and regional tuna fisheries, Joseph has pushed the Coastal Fisheries program at MIMRA to new heights.
Last year, for example, MIMRA hosted its second National Ocean Symposium for public discussions heavily focused on managing coastal marine resources sustainably. MIMRA’s work in 2023 and 2024 paved the way for President Hilda Heine to join other leaders early last year in declaring the country’s first National Marine Sanctuary encompassing uninhabited Bikar and Bokak atolls in the northern Marshalls.
MIMRA in recent years has partnered with the National Geographic’s Pristine Seas program to major benefit for the Marshall Islands. These and other partnerships, including with the Ocean Exploration Trust, have led to unprecedented levels of both deep ocean surveys throughout this watery nation and surveys of coral reef habitats at Bikar, Bokak, Bikini and Rongelap atolls.
Something Joseph expresses particular pride in relates to accountability and donor partnerships.
This year, MIMRA was the first Marshall Islands government entity to complete its fiscal year 2025 audit – while many government agencies were still working on their FY2024 audits.
Similarly, MIMRA has a partnership with the World Bank unlike any other agency in country. It manages the Pacific Islands Regional Oceanscape Programme for Economic Resilience (PROPER) that is run through MIMRA’s own project management unit, not that of the Ministry of Finance. A World Bank review of PROPER last week upgraded MIMRA’s rating for progress toward achieving its Project Development Objectives to “Highly Satisfactory.”
It is a testament to the organisation Joseph has built in his two decades of leadership that the authority maintains a high level of accountability and transparency in operations.
MIMRA was recognized several years ago by the regional fisheries expert Robert Gillett for being “one of the few fisheries departments in the Pacific that produces an annual report, which is essential for both promoting the fisheries and being transparent in operations.”
Joseph’s legacy at MIMRA is visible for all to see. As he prepares to step into the PNA CEO position, he leaves behind a fully functioning organisation that is effectively managing fisheries at all levels for the Marshall Islands…. PACNEWS
UN – COP31: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Energy transition takes centre stage as countries map path beyond fossil fuels
NEW YORK, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — The global energy transition took centre stage on the second day of COP31, as countries explored how to move away from fossil fuels, accelerate clean energy and overcome financial and infrastructure barriers standing in the way.
Energy and Transport Day at COP31 got off to a somewhat ironic start on Tuesday.
With world leaders descending on Antalya and security tightened, roads were clogged, buses packed and journeys to the venue stretched for hours.
The chaos outside, however, did little to overshadow the bigger challenge being tackled inside: transforming how the world produces and uses energy, and ending its dependence on fossil fuels.
Three years after countries agreed in Dubai (COP28) to transition away from coal, oil and gas, Brazil, COP30 lead, presented a roadmap aimed at turning that promise into reality.
“It’s long past time to stop treating the transition away from fossil fuels as taboo or intractable,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the launch of Brazil’s COP30 initiative setting out how countries can transition away from fossil fuels.
But he also had a warning: fossil fuel dependence is not just bad for the climate. It is becoming an increasingly expensive liability.
Since the current escalation in the Middle East began, the European Union alone has paid more than €100 billion (US$111 billion) in additional fossil fuel import costs, he said, while petrol and diesel prices have surged across 130 countries.
“Changing suppliers will not eliminate this exposure. Disruption anywhere drives up prices everywhere.”
First released on 03 November and formally presented today at COP31, Brazil’s roadmap seeks to turn the global commitment to move away from fossil fuels into national plans.
The challenge looks different from one country to another. Oil and gas producers must prepare for declining revenues and changes to jobs and industries, while countries dependent on imported fuels need to develop alternatives that can reduce their exposure to volatile energy markets.
Both face the difficult task of securing the investment, infrastructure and international support needed to make the transition possible.
Ana Toni, CEO of Brazil’s COP30 Presidency, said the roadmap examines three interconnected challenges: fossil fuel demand, production and supply, and the economic consequences of moving away from them.
It also offers countries indicators to assess their readiness, identify obstacles and plan next steps, alongside proposals for greater international cooperation.
“Start now from wherever you are. Start now. Don’t wait,” she urged.
The roadmap is voluntary and not new binding climate agreement.
Secretary-General Guterres nevertheless called on countries to produce national plans with clear timelines and financing needs, and to demonstrate measurable progress by 2028.
The roadmap was one of several energy initiatives showcased during the day.
COP31 host Türkiye has its own ambition: to increase electricity’s share of global energy consumption from just over 20 percent today to 35 percent by 2035.
The 35-by-35 Global Electrification Pledge sounds technical, but the idea is familiar: more electric buses instead of diesel, more homes heated without gas and more factories running on electricity.
To deliver its full climate benefits, the power must increasingly come from clean sources.
Another major topic at COP31 is the electricity grid, the vast network of power lines, cables and substations that carry electricity from where it is produced to homes, businesses and industries.
For example, imagine building a solar farm capable of powering thousands of homes, only to discover there is no way to deliver the electricity.
That is already happening, according to Dario Liguti, from the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE).
Liguti explained to UN News that around 2,500 gigawatts of power generation and other energy projects are awaiting grid connections worldwide.
Some facilities cannot connect at all. Others must cut production because electricity networks cannot accommodate the power.
“Two things: increase the quantity of the grid and increase its quality,” he explained, calling for millions of kilometres of new transmission lines and upgrades to existing infrastructure.
And while the global energy crisis has exposed the risks of fossil fuel dependence, as the UN chief warned, Liguti sees an upside.
“What is driving this crisis [is] driving a larger penetration of a huge investment in renewable energy…Why? Because renewable energy helps energy security because it’s domestic. You don’t need to import oil; you don’t need to import gas.”
Solar and wind projects can also be built relatively quickly, he added. But their success ultimately depends on whether the electricity can reach the people who need it.
Solar and wind power have become dramatically cheaper over the past decade, but for many developing countries, the upfront investment remains a major obstacle.
Olli-Pekka Kuusela, a researcher at the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), told UN News that poorer countries often face much higher borrowing costs, making clean energy projects difficult to finance even when the technology is competitive.
“With the cleaner technologies, like solar and wind, the upfront investment costs can be a bit significant,” he told UN News. “That’s why having access to capital and having the cost of capital being reasonable is very important.”
Development banks could help by offering lower-interest loans. But for Kuusela, the opportunity goes beyond replacing fossil fuels.
In sub-Saharan Africa, more than half a billion people still lack electricity. Bringing reliable power to communities could support new industries, manufacturing, better services and electric public transport.
And there is another challenge: making electricity systems resilient to climate change itself.
In Zambia, where Kuusela has conducted research, severe drought reduced hydropower production, leading to blackouts and electricity rationing. Expanding solar power and strengthening connections with neighbouring countries could help avoid similar disruptions in the future.
The issue is also on the UN’s radar, with its Global Grids Accelerator seeking to unlock investment in electricity networks and speed up their expansion and modernisation…. PACNEWS
PAC – COP31: SAMOA GLOBAL NEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Samoa calls for stronger Pacific voice on climate survival at COP31
APIA/ANTALYA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (SAMOA GLOBAL NEWS) — Samoa is calling for a stronger and more consistent Pacific voice at COP31, warning that climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution threaten the survival of island communities.
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Ale Vena Ale said the Pacific must ensure its concerns are heard more loudly as world leaders and negotiators meet in Antalya, Türkiye, for the United Nations climate conference.
“Fortitude and resilience are a topic of utmost importance. When we look across our ocean home, these are not merely fine words or academic concepts for a summit agenda, they are the very bedrock of our survival, etched into our history, our genealogies, and our way of life,” Ale said.
He said the Pacific needed to maintain a united position on climate change and biodiversity action, building on the collective efforts of regional leaders at the Pacific Pre-COP ministerial meetings.
Ale said climate change was not an issue for Pacific governments alone but a matter affecting the entire Blue Pacific family and the international community.
“The Pacific voice needs to be heard and heard louder than before,” he said.
He warned that Pacific Island countries remained caught in the geopolitical competition of major powers despite contributing little to the causes of climate change.
Ale said regional countries must remain consistent in their demands and ensure their message was communicated beyond international meetings and conferences.
At the opening of Samoa’s National Environment Week last month, he highlighted the urgent need for collective action against what he described as the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
“A collective and strong message needed to be sent out consistently and not wait until another meeting or conference is scheduled to discuss it,” he said.
His comments followed his keynote address at the fifth Annual Disaster Resilience Summit in American Samoa last week, where he highlighted the challenges facing Pacific communities on the frontlines of climate change and natural disasters.
“We are living in a region of beauty, yet we also live on the frontlines of a changing climate and unpredictable nature,” Ale said.
He described fortitude as the strength to withstand disasters and resilience as the ability of communities to recover and rebuild.
“Fortitude is what carries us through the darkest hours and this is reflected in a disaster, and resilience is what compels us to rise the next morning, sweep away the debris, replant the taro, and build back stronger, smarter and safer than before,” he said.
Ale reaffirmed Samoa’s commitment to regional and international disaster resilience frameworks, saying these commitments guide efforts to reduce disaster risks, protect communities and the environment, and support sustainable development.
Ale and Deputy Prime Minister Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo are leading Samoa’s delegation to COP31 in Türkiye…. PACNEWS
PAC – COP31: TALANOAOTONGA PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Tonga Ministry pushes for education to be recognised in global climate finance
NUKU’ALOFA/ANTALYA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (TALANOAOTONGA) — The Tonga government is calling for greater investment in climate-resilient schools and education systems at the COP31 climate negotiations in Türkiye, arguing that education and children’s wellbeing must become a bigger part of international climate finance.
Ministry of Education and Training Chief Executive Officer ‘Isikeli Oko is representing Tonga’s education sector at the United Nations climate conference in Antalya, which runs from 09 to 20 November 2026.
According to the Ministry, Oko will advocate for education to be recognised as a critical part of climate adaptation, alongside increased and more predictable climate finance for vulnerable Pacific countries.
“Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to build resilience, yet it remains underrepresented in climate discussions and climate finance investments,” Oko said.
He said investment in climate-resilient schools, climate literacy and children’s wellbeing was essential to Tonga’s future.
His participation is supported through the Building the Climate Resilience of Children and Communities through the Education Sector (BRACE) Project, funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by Save the Children in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Training.
The project aims to strengthen education systems in Tonga and two other countries, Cambodia and South Sudan, through climate-resilient school infrastructure, early warning systems and the integration of climate risks into education planning.
For Tonga, the initiative is intended to help schools and communities better prepare for climate-related hazards while supporting continuity in education.
Oko is also calling for climate finance decisions to give greater attention to children’s rights, wellbeing and resilience, including support for essential services such as education, health, water and social protection.
“Through the BRACE Project, we have seen how climate finance can strengthen education systems and empower communities to adapt to climate change,” he said.
The COP31 discussions come as Pacific Island countries continue to seek greater international support to address climate impacts and strengthen their capacity to adapt.
The Ministry said Tonga would continue advocating for accessible climate finance and stronger recognition of education as a foundation of climate resilience across the Pacific.
However, the Ministry’s statement did not identify specific funding commitments or proposed COP31 decisions arising from Tonga’s advocacy…. PACNEWS
PAC – BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Crackdown on birth tourism: U.S territories is the latest battleground over birthright citizenship
HAGATNA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — The effort to restrict birthright citizenship in U.S territories continues to gain momentum in Washington.
First came a bill in the U.S House of Representatives.
Then President Donald Trump issued an executive order. Now, a Republican senator has introduced companion legislation in the U.S Senate.
Senator James Lankford, R-Okla., recently introduced Senate Bill 5667, the “Ending Birthright Citizenship in U.S Territories Act,” marking the latest attempt to limit who can acquire U.S citizenship by birth in America’s territories.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration and its congressional allies continue searching for ways to narrow birthright citizenship despite a recent U.S Supreme Court ruling that blocked efforts to redefine who is entitled to citizenship under the Constitution.
In Trump vs. Barbara, the court upheld birthright citizenship and made clear that neither the president nor Congress can unilaterally alter constitutional guarantees of citizenship.
Trump’s 06 August executive order targets birth tourism as a ground for restrictions. On 12 August, the State Department created the Birth Tourism Prevention Task Force tasked with reviewing the activities of U.S visa holders “to identify instances of birth tourism, take action to revoke visas of those who engage in or facilitate it and dismantle the networks that profit from this abuse.”
A federal court in Maryland has temporarily blocked enforcement of the president’s executive directive pending litigation.
Taking a cue from the presidential directive, Lankford’s bill would redefine birthright citizenship for U.S territories by excluding those whose mother is “not lawfully present in such territory” and whose father is not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident.
The Senate proposal also follows a similar House bill introduced earlier this year by Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va. Unlike Griffith’s measure, which would take effect next year if enacted, Lankford’s bill would become effective immediately upon passage.
“Birth tourism still exists on Guam. Some may argue that birth tourism on Guam is small, so let’s not worry about it,” said Dr Thomas Shieh, a Guam obstetrician/gynecologist. “It’s like ‘human trafficking’ on Guam is tiny, so let’s ignore it.”
Shieh said birth tourism, no matter how big or small, must be addressed.
Birth tourism can be lucrative for physicians, he said, “because it’s easy: one, two visits and done.”
“I don’t actively engage in birth tourism. My focus is on our local moms. If there are tourists who come in without the intent to deliver and I get called by hotels to help, I will help, but I do not actively engage in birth tourism,” he said.
Birth tourism can grow as an industry, but at the expense of local mothers. “Our resources on Guam for maternal care are bad. The issue at hand is the lack of access to prenatal care on Guam,” Shieh said. “If I wanted to do just birth tourism, none of my patients would have access to prenatal care.”
Shieh said the Trump administration’s crackdown on birth tourism should not be framed as an attack on U.S territories or the rights to citizenship for those who come legally.
“My parents immigrated to the U.S legally and did it the right way,” Shieh said. “Those who criticise have not offered good solutions. That said, let the debate continue, and I will get back to my mission here on Guam for our moms and their babies.””
In the CNMI, the Senate and House legislation raise questions about the applicability of the Covenant between the United States and the Northern Mariana Islands. The Covenant requires mutual consent for any changes affecting the political relationship between the CNMI and the federal government, but it was unclear whether territorial leaders were consulted before the bill was introduced.
Supporters of the legislation have pointed to concerns about birth tourism in U.S territories, where foreign nationals travel to give birth so their children can obtain U.S citizenship.
Much of the political rhetoric surrounding the issue has focused on reports of Chinese mothers traveling to Saipan for that purpose. Lawmakers in Washington have repeatedly cited alleged loopholes that brokers exploit to bring pregnant women into the territory.
Data from the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., which operates the CNMI’s only hospital, shows tourist births have declined dramatically in recent years.
According to CHCC, there were only 47 tourist births in the CNMI in 2025, down approximately 92 percent from 581 births recorded in 2018. Tourist births now account for only a small fraction of total deliveries in the territory.
The numbers stand in sharp contrast to estimates from researchers at Penn State University, who place the number of births linked to birth tourism on the U.S mainland between 5,000 and 26,000 annually.
Even so, it is the much smaller number of births in U.S territories that has drawn heightened scrutiny from lawmakers and prompted legislative efforts in both chambers of Congress.
“This effort to redefine who is a citizen by birth in U.S territories is a disturbing trend built on the assumption that citizenship rights for those born in U.S. territories are not constitutionally protected the same as for those born in other parts of the United States,” said Neil Weare, co-director of the advocacy group Right to Democracy…. PACNEWS
FIJI – ELECTION/POLITICS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Fiji Law Society questions move to shield Electoral Commission decisions from judicial review
SUVA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — The Fiji Law Society (FLS) has raised serious concerns over amendments to the Electoral Act 2014 that it says seek to shield certain decisions of the Electoral Commission from further judicial review.
FLS president Graham Leung warned that the changes raised fundamental questions about the rule of law, constitutional accountability and the protection of democratic freedoms in Fiji.
“We are particularly concerned that Parliament has extended the potential duration of restrictions on civil society organisations while also introducing a provision that purports to shield certain decisions of the Electoral Commission from further judicial review,” Leung said.
He said the changes could have serious implications for the constitutional accountability of institutions exercising public power.
The Society also expressed concern over expanded restrictions on civil society organisations receiving foreign funding or assistance.
Under section 115 of the Electoral Act, affected individuals and organisations face restrictions on election-related campaigning, including organising debates, public forums, meetings, interviews, panel discussions and publishing election-related material.
The FLS said these activities were essential to democratic participation, allowing citizens to examine political ideas, scrutinise public policies and make informed electoral decisions.
It stressed that the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression, assembly, association and political participation.
“These are not merely individual privileges. They are essential safeguards of democratic government,” the Society stated.
The latest amendment also extends the period during which restrictions apply, replacing the previous timeframe that began following the announcement of an election date with the entire officially declared campaign period.
The Electoral Commission declared the campaign period open on 25 May 2026.
With the next general election potentially taking place as late as 06 February 2027, affected organisations could face restrictions lasting more than eight months.
During the 2022 General Election, the corresponding period was approximately 45 days.
The Society questioned the necessity and proportionality of extending restrictions for such a lengthy period, particularly when independent voter education and public discussion were most important.
It warned that the amendments could affect both the ability of civil society organisations to participate in electoral discussions and the judicial oversight of decisions made by the Electoral Commission…. PACNEWS
PAC – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
‘We have to be the ocean’: Community leader says Pasifika must stay connected
AUCKLAND, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (PMN) — Mt Roskill community worker, coach and mentor, Nick Tuialii says Pacific communities must stay connected and look after each other, whoever forms the next government in New Zealand.
“We have to be the ocean. We have to keep things afloat and remain connected,” he says. “The Pacific Ocean touches all our islands and touches New Zealand, and that connection is what has kept us alive here.”
“It doesn’t matter what government’s in there, because we’ve got to save ourselves first.”
As special votes are counted, Tuialii, a rugby coach and mentor, spoke to PMN News about the role politics plays in Pacific communities.
He has worked with young people and families in Mt Roskill for 40 years, and spent more than 30 years in education, and coaching Rugby.
Asked whether politics has a role in the work of people serving their communities, he told PMN News it “can have a major role”.
“I could still do my work without thinking about who’s in government, but to affect bigger change, you’ve got to know whose door you can knock on and whether they can help you,” he says.
He recalls a family at the school facing removal from the country, who were helped after he raised their case with their local MP.
“Once people realise it’s been raised at a ministerial level, the action comes a lot quicker,” he says. “They can play a bigger part in our communities, if they want to.”
Asked whether the outgoing government’s education changes have helped or hurt Pacific and Māori students, Tuialii says it is too early to judge, as Education Minister Erica Stanford’s reforms have only recently reached schools.
“Some of it’s really good, but talking to teachers, it’s super admin-heavy, and teachers are just having to work harder and longer,” he says. “Implementing a system, you might be ideologically opposed to is not easy, but you’re a teacher, and whatever the curriculum is, you have to teach it.”
Asked whether support for struggling students has grown, he says the need has “just gotten bigger and bigger”.
“Kids come into school carrying more, and the cost of living hasn’t helped,” he says. He says some students feel they should leave school to help their parents.
His school has responded by growing its counselling team to six or seven people, with a nurse on site and a doctor visiting three times a week.
“We’ve had to really put it on a war footing and say, we’re at war here, everyone needs to get to it,” he says.
Asked whether Labour has earned the loyalty of Pacific communities, Tuialii says, “Recently, no.”
“Over the last 10 years it’s changed hugely. I feel a real disappointment with Labour,” he says. “I just didn’t want to vote, but I had to have a say somewhere. The blue and the red, they’re the same coin with two different faces.”
He says Labour’s Michael Wood has also disappointed him.
“I quite liked him at the start, but over time I’ve come to realise you need to up your game. You need to do more than talk,” he says. “You need to be an agent for change for us, not just more of the same.”
Tuialii says Pacific communities have grown closer over the years.
“Before, we were still fighting each other, and there’s always going to be a little bit of that. But now, overwhelmingly, we’re Toko Uso, together. We’re brothers. We can help each other,” he says.
“We’ve got a long way to go, but that’s what gives me hope. I know our people will always help each other. We will always be there to pick each other up off the ground.”
Tuialii has five daughters and six grandchildren. He says when he looks at his grandchildren, he sees the work of his mother, who was a cleaner her whole life.
“Her job was to get us into school, to get us doing better, and for the next generation to do even better,” he says. “She always said, ‘You’re not going to be like me. You’ve got to do better. You’ve got to be better educated.’”
“That’s what I see when I look at my grandchildren. My mother’s efforts, and hopefully some of her dream coming true.”
Official results will be declared once special votes are counted on 27 November…. PACNEWS
FIJI – ELECTION/POLITICS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 11 Nov 2026
‘Devil’s number’ 666 banned from Fiji election candidate list
SUVA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — The number 666, widely associated with the devil in Christian tradition, has once again been banned from Fiji’s general election candidate numbers.
The Electoral Commission has directed the Supervisor of Elections to exclude the controversial three-digit number from the allocation of candidate numbers for the next general election.
In a directive dated 10 November 2026, Electoral Commission chairperson Justice Usaia Ratuvili said the decision was made out of respect for religious beliefs.
“Out of respect for religious considerations, omit the number 666 from the allocation of 3-digit numbers to candidates under section 36(2)(c) of the Electoral Act 2014,” the directive stated.
The number 666 is commonly referred to as the “number of the Beast” in the Christian Bible’s Book of Revelation and is often associated with Satan or the Antichrist.
The decision is not unprecedented in Fiji.
In January 2018, the Electoral Commission, then chaired by Suresh Chandra, also directed that 666 be removed from the list of numbers allocated to candidates for that year’s general election.
The decision followed concerns about the number’s religious significance and consultations with registered political parties.
The Commission’s 2018 annual report recorded the exclusion of 666 as its first official decision of that year.
During the 2018 General Election, 235 candidates were allocated three-digit numbers through a public draw, with 666 excluded from the allocation process.
The latest directive was issued under sections 76(2) and (3) of the 2013 Constitution and section 8(a) of the Electoral Act 2014.
Under Fiji’s electoral system, candidates are assigned unique three-digit numbers that voters use to identify their preferred candidates on the ballot paper.
The Commission’s latest decision means no candidate will be allocated the number 666 in the upcoming general election…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – FISHERIES: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 11 Nov 2026
PNA strengthens longline reporting and compliance across Pacific fisheries
SUVA/TARAWA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) is strengthening industry compliance and electronic reporting across Pacific longline fisheries through a series of workshops aimed at improving implementation of the Longline Vessel Day Scheme (LL VDS).
The PNA Office (PNAO) recently completed industry training in Kiribati and Fiji, bringing together fishing companies, government fisheries officials and data officers to improve understanding of the scheme’s operational and reporting requirements.
In Kiribati, a four-day workshop from 13 to 16 October involved representatives from domestic longline fishing companies and Vessel Day Scheme officers from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources.
Participants received training on the objectives of the LL VDS, operational requirements, reporting obligations and the respective responsibilities of industry operators and government agencies.
The workshop also covered recent developments, including updates to PNA legal instruments, reporting procedures, monitoring and compliance measures.
Particular attention was given to electronic reporting systems designed to improve data quality, strengthen compliance and support transparent management of longline fisheries.
A second industry workshop was held in Suva from 21 to 24 October, bringing together Vessel Day Scheme and data officers from PNA countries and Vanuatu, collectively known as PNA+, alongside representatives of fishing companies operating about 80 longline vessels across PNA waters.
The Suva workshop focused on strengthening industry readiness for the full implementation of the LL VDS, particularly electronic reporting and other reporting obligations.
Participants received practical training on the PNA Industry Fisheries Information Management System (iFIMS), including daily catch and effort reporting, fishing activity declarations, report corrections and Non-Fishing Day (NFD) claims.
The training also addressed reporting deadlines, compliance expectations and operational challenges facing fishing companies.
The workshops provided opportunities for direct engagement between industry representatives, government officials and the PNA Office to improve the accuracy, timeliness and transparency of fisheries reporting.
PNAO said the training had strengthened participants’ understanding of LL VDS requirements and identified practical measures to improve compliance and electronic reporting performance.
Outcomes and recommendations from the Suva workshop will be presented to PNA+ at its next annual meeting for consideration.
The Longline Vessel Day Scheme is an important fisheries management mechanism aimed at strengthening the management of longline fishing effort across PNA waters and supporting the sustainable management of tuna resources…. PACNEWS
PAC – MARITIME SURVEILLENCE: NZDF PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 11 Nov 2026
RNZAF’s P-8A Poseidons busy as South-West Pacific warms up
AUCKLAND, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (NZDF) — From monitoring a submarine volcano to surveilling potential ‘dark vessels’, a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon has kept a close eye on the South-West Pacific and northern approaches to New Zealand throughout October.
Three deployments in the month demonstrated the value of the aircraft to New Zealand and Pacific nations.
Operating in support of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Operation Kurukuru, New Zealand Customs Service’s Operation Kiwa, Department of Conservation (DOC) and the governments of Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and the Cook Islands, the aircraft and crew were tasked to monitor commercial fishing vessels and pleasure craft to ensure compliance with international regulations.
Covering the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones of Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and the Cook Islands, the aircraft crew photographed fishing vessels that were non-compliant, and potential ‘dark vessels’ (those that deliberately obscure their identification, location or ownership while at sea) for reporting to the FFA or relevant authorities.
One case of potential marine pollution from a commercial fishing vessel was also photographed and reported.
Customs’ Assistant Comptroller Maritime Operations Paul Campbell said support from the New Zealand Defence Force was particularly valuable during the small craft arrival season.
“Warmer weather and better sailing conditions bring more yachts and other small craft through the Pacific towards New Zealand, particularly in October.
“By monitoring pleasure craft near Minerva Reef and the Kermadec Islands, the P-8A gives us greater visibility across New Zealand’s wider maritime environment and helps identify activity requiring closer attention.
“The aircraft also monitored vessels in the Cook Islands’ EEZ in support of Operation Kiwa, which combines the capabilities of Customs, the NZDF and the Government Communications Security Bureau to deter transnational, serious and organised crime.
“Combining the P-8A’s long-range surveillance with Customs’ intelligence and targeting, and information from Pacific partners, helps agencies assess risks earlier and focus their efforts where they are needed most. This strengthens maritime security across the region.”
The aircraft crew were also tasked to collect imagery of Raoul Island buildings and infrastructure for DOC, and to observe the active Monowai submarine volcano, located on the Kermadec Ridge approximately 100 metres below sea level.
Acting Air Component Commander, Group Captain Brett Clayton, said the breadth of tasks the P-8A can achieve makes it a valuable tool for New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours.
“The P-8A Poseidon’s ability to cover vast distances and gather critical information makes it an indispensable asset for maritime domain awareness, supporting a diverse range of government agencies and helping Pacific nations deter organised crime and protect their resources,” said Captain Clayton…. PACNEWS
GUAM – FISHERIES: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Coalition nixes plan to reopen protected Pacific waters to commercial fishing
HAGATNA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — The National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed lifting long-standing restrictions on commercial fishing in portions of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion, a move federal officials say would align fisheries regulations with presidential directives and support the sustainable management of U.S ocean resources.
The proposed rule would allow commercial fishing in waters between 50 and 200 nautical miles surrounding Johnston Atoll, Wake Island and Jarvis Island, covering about 408,000 square miles of ocean currently protected from industrial fishing.
According to NMFS, the action is necessary to conform regulations with Presidential Proclamation 10918, issued in April 2025, and amended by Presidential Proclamation 11035 in June 2026, which directed federal agencies to reopen monument expansion waters to American commercial fishing.
The proposal also follows a federal court order and would restore management under existing federal fisheries laws, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act and the South Pacific Tuna Act.
Federal officials said commercial fishing activities in the monument expansion would remain subject to existing conservation and management requirements that apply to all U.S fishing vessels.
NMFS maintains the proposal would support the long-term sustainability of U.S fisheries while ensuring the proper care and management of the monument’s historic and scientific resources.
The proposal has sparked opposition from the Pacific Islands Heritage Coalition, which argues reopening the protected waters would threaten marine ecosystems and undermine Indigenous Pacific cultural connections to the area.
In a statement issued as NMFS opened a 30-day public comment period, the coalition urged the public to oppose the rule and retain existing protections.
Coalition leaders contend the agency understates the environmental and cultural risks associated with industrial fishing.
“The ocean has always been a place of connection for Pacific peoples, and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument has important historical and cultural ties,” said William Aila, a Native Hawaiian fisherman and former chair of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources.
He said the waters serve as a refuge for threatened and endangered species while holding deep cultural significance for Pacific Island communities.
The coalition argues the federal analysis overlooks ancestral ties, traditional voyaging practices and the responsibility many Indigenous Pacific Islanders feel to protect the ocean.
The group said the monument contains some of the world’s most intact marine ecosystems, including ancient coral communities and 165 known seamounts that support diverse marine life.
Environmental advocates also point to potential impacts on sharks, whales, sea turtles, seabirds and other protected species. According to the coalition, industrial fishing can disrupt marine food webs, alter predator populations and affect ecologically important habitats.
Dr Robert Richmond of the University of Hawaii’s Kewalo Marine Laboratory said marine protected areas provide important breeding and feeding grounds that help sustain fish populations and broader ocean ecosystems.
He described maintaining protections as an investment in the long-term health of Pacific marine resources.
The coalition also disputes claims that reopening the area is necessary for the economic well-being of the fishing industry. Citing NMFS’ own analysis, opponents note that the agency characterized economic benefits as likely modest, consisting primarily of fuel savings and reduced costs associated with fishing in foreign waters.
The coalition further noted that Hawaii’s longline fleet generated approximately US$109 million in revenue in 2025.
The dispute marks the latest chapter in a long-running debate over management of the Pacific’s remote marine protected areas.
The monument was established by President George W. Bush in 2009 and expanded by President Barack Obama in 2014 following extensive public consultation and stakeholder engagement.
Conservation groups say those protections reflected broad public support and scientific recommendations.
Coalition Executive Director Sheila Sarhangi said the proposal prioritizes commercial fishing interests over the ecological and cultural value of one of the Pacific’s most significant marine protected areas. The coalition is calling on federal officials to maintain existing protections and ensure any future decisions are grounded in science, comply with applicable laws and incorporate meaningful Indigenous participation.
NMFS will accept public comments on the proposed rule through 09 December before determining whether to finalise the regulatory changes…. PACNEWS
PAC – FISHERIES: MIMRA PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 11 Nov 2026
FISH4ACP supports the Marshall Islands
MAJURO, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (NIMRA) — FISH4ACP has supported the Marshall Islands to mechanise tuna unloading, increase the skills and knowledge of its workers, strengthen gender safeguards, familiarise youth with job opportunities and set up a multi-stakeholder platform to carry forward the work of upgrading its tuna value chain.
Working with the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) and tuna industry partners, the programme set out to strengthen the country as a hub for tuna landings and to make the value chain more sustainable.
“FISH4ACP has greatly helped the Marshall Islands increase its participation in the tuna value chain,” said Natural Resources and Commerce Minister Tony Muller, who chairs MIMRA, at an event to showcase the programme’s results.
“We have seen the results in many areas that have accelerated our progress of tuna value chain expansion.”
One issue that the tuna sector has faced in the Marshall Islands is that most of the catch is transhipped in the port of Majuro rather than being landed. This means that the country misses out on many of the economic benefits it could get from the tuna. One of the programme’s aims was to ensure that more of the catch comes ashore and delivers more jobs and income.
Previously, workers unloaded tuna by hand, a laborious process that came with potential hygiene problems due to fish being exposed to the tropical heat for extended periods.
To address this issue, the programme introduced the Star Loader. It mechanises unloading tuna from purse seiners and loading the fish into freezer containers at dockside. It more than doubled the speed of loading tuna into containers in the first year of operation.
FISH4ACP also made significant investments in people through trainings and outreach. More than 125 local workers participated in training on food safety, hygiene and the maintenance and repair of refrigerated shipping containers or reefers, raising standards in the domestic industry.
In addition, study trips to the Federated States of Micronesia and Seychelles were organised so that fisheries officials and industry representatives could learn from other countries.
The programme also included efforts to advance gender equality in an industry where women represent nearly 40 percent of the value chain workforce but are concentrated in lower-skilled processing jobs. Several local companies have since taken steps to improve working conditions for women.
FISH4ACP supported outreach activities to make the tuna sector more attractive to young people, including career fairs, student visits to processing facilities, and engagement with schools, the College of the Marshall Islands and the Life Skills Academy. The programme also raised the profile of fisheries careers through the media, community outreach and World Tuna Day activities, promoting job opportunities for young people and women.
“The concrete achievements of FISH4ACP in the tuna sector improved infrastructure and training in practical skills show what a difference the value chain approach can make,” said Beau Bigler, Chief Fisheries Officer, MIMRA.
Participants at the legacy event also looked ahead, asking how the gains from the programme’s work can be sustained. Local tuna industry players, government officials and donor partners joined a roundtable discussion on future investment opportunities in the sector.
A legacy report produced by FISH4ACP sets out where to focus next. Its priorities include completing market-access requirements for the European Union and converting completed feasibility studies and audits into concrete investments. To take these priorities forward, a multi-stakeholder platform known as MI-FISH was set up in 2022 to track activities undertaken as part of FISH4ACP and to continue implementing the strategy after the programme wraps up its work at the end of this year.
“The European Union looks forward to seeing MI-FISH turn the success of the FISH4ACP project into sustainable growth in jobs and investment that will continue to benefit workers, women and young people for years to come,” Erik Lindebo, Team Leader, European Union Delegation to the Pacific….PACNEWS
PNG – LNG: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 11 Nov 2026
Papua LNG decision ‘close’
PORT MORESBY, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Laws passed by Papua New Guinea Parliament relating to the US$14.5 billion (about K65 billion) Papua Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project were certified on Friday, says PNG Chamber of Resources and Energy (PNG Core) President Anthony Smaré.
PNG Investment Week Convenor Smaré said a final investment decision (FID) was now close to certain and PNG should prepare for the longest run of major project construction in its history.
“Papua LNG will be the first of several,” he said.
“Once the partners take FID we start building, and if we manage it well, we won’t stop for a long time. P’nyang, Muruk, Pasca and Wildebeest are all lined up behind it.
“Put them together and PNG has 20 years of construction work in front of it. Papua LNG is expected to cost about US$14.5 billion.
“P’nyang is estimated at about US$10 billion (K45 billion), Muruk at about US$3 billion (about K13 billion) and Twinza’s offshore Pasca project at about US$2.5 billion (about K11 billion) over two phases, which adds up to about US$30 billion (about K137 billion).
“Wildebeest still has to be drilled out and proven, but if it is, it could cost up to US$30 billion on its own, taking the total to about US$60 billion.
“The Wafi-Golpu and Frieda River copper-gold projects would come on top of that.
“PNG LNG cost about US$19 billion (about K86 billion) and it changed our economy.
“If Wildebeest is proven, we are looking at about three times that in gas projects alone.
“I don’t think people here or overseas have fully realised what is coming.”
Smaré said the bigger change would come from having projects follow one another, rather than one large project followed by a long gap.
“We learned a hard lesson with PNG LNG. More than 21,000 people worked on it at the peak of construction,” he said.
“When construction finished in 2014, the workforce dropped to around 2,000.
“The contractors packed up and left, people lost their jobs, and a lot of PNG businesses that had bought trucks and equipment and taken on staff for the project had nowhere to go next.
“If these projects are sequenced properly, and that is what the PNG Government and the developers are working towards, we don’t have to repeat that.
“A welder who finishes on Papua LNG can go straight to P’nyang.
“A company that builds a fabrication yard or runs a camp has a reason to keep it open and keep investing.
“People and businesses can move from one project to the next instead of being laid off at the end of each one.
“And the many PNG businesses that supply these contractors can keep supplying them from one project to the next.”
Smaré said this gave PNG the chance to build a permanent construction and services industry of its own, with trained tradespeople and supervisors, fabrication and maintenance yards, engineering firms, equipment hire, camps, logistics and marine services, and banks willing to lend to them over longer terms because the risk is lower.
“Other resource countries built their supply industries on the back of a steady flow of projects. We now have that flow, and we should make the most of it,” he said.
“Investors look for certainty.
“One project on its own is a risk. A pipeline stretching over 20 years, led by ExxonMobil, Kumul Petroleum, Santos and their partners, gives a company good reason to invest in PNG for the long term, in workshops, yards, training, housing, power and transport, because those investments can be used on one project after another.
“The companies that commit to PNG in the next couple of years will grow with this pipeline.
“Those that wait will find others have got there first.”
Smaré said PNG Investment Week 2026, at International Convention Centre Sydney from November 29 to December 2 would be the first big gathering of government, investors, developers and contractors since Parliament passed the Papua LNG legislation.
“Anyone who wants to be involved in PNG’s next 20 years should come to Sydney,” he said.
“We are seeing incredible interest from international contractors, suppliers and financiers.”
The US$60 billion pipeline of potential gas projects, headlined by Papua LNG, will be the subject of speeches and panel discussions at PNG Investment Week by Prime Minister James Marape, Santos managing director and chief executive Kevin Gallagher, ExxonMobil PNG chairman and MD Dinesh Sivasamboo and Kumul Petroleum Holdings chairman Isaac Lupari. Marape opens the PNG Leaders Summit on November 30, and Papua LNG will feature in a dedicated session at the PNG Resources Investment Summit on 01 December…. PACNEWS
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific Ocean and Fisheries Professionals rethink what it means to lead
SUVA, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (SPC) — From Papua New Guinea to Samoa, early career professionals came together for a leadership development intensive, co-delivered by the Pacific Fisheries Leadership Programme (PFLP) and SPC’s Oceans Flagship. Held over one week, participants learned that leadership is not about power or titles but about bringing people together to face shared challenges.
What makes a leader? In the Pacific, we often think of a village chief, a matai in Samoa, or a king like in Tonga. But a leader can also be someone we might not necessarily consider a leader: a mother who keeps her family together, a fisher who shows others how to protect the reef, or a young officer who courageously shares their perspective in a meeting. So is leadership about power, or about bringing people together toward a shared goal? And in a region where tradition and modern life meet, what does leadership mean for the fisheries sector?
These are some of the questions that participants tried to answer. From Papua New Guinea to Samoa, they all received training to grow their careers and their leadership in the region.
“The Pacific Fisheries Leadership Programme encourages participants to broaden their understanding of different perspectives and explore how they can work collectively to advance sustainable outcomes for the region. This often involves challenging established norms and practices, questioning existing ways of thinking, and considering alternative approaches to leadership. The leadership development intensive was purposefully designed with early-career professionals in mind, recognising the opportunity to foster these mindsets and capabilities early in their leadership journeys,” explains Narissa Lewis, Programme Manager for PFLP.
Different journeys, shared challenges
Among the participants, Sakiusa Niwa Kiti says this type of training is very important at the start of a career. He is a fisheries technical officer in the research division of Fiji’s Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry. He supervises four people in mariculture, the farming of marine species like oysters. When he arrived, his main question was how to help communities understand their role in these projects and take care of the infrastructure over time. And to get there, how could he help his team work better together and give each person a voice?
Christina Itele, an officer in the inshore unit of Samoa’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, has a similar challenge. Her job is to bring people together. She collects data at the fish market, enforces fisheries rules, and organises consultations with villages that want to create a marine protected area (MPAs). But she faces a challenge: bringing everyone to the table is not always easy. Village members have many responsibilities and cannot always attend, even though their participation is key to making MPAs work in their communities. “How can I bring people together and help them understand why these consultations matter?” she asks.
Gibson Saul is an Early Career Ocean Professional at the Department of Ocean and Maritime Affairs in Vanuatu, where he supports the country in implementing its National Ocean Policy (NOP). After working on a coral reef rehabilitation project, his challenge is now to help people in Vanuatu take an active part in sustainable development. He came to the programme to understand what it really means to be a leader.
Leadership is not the same as authority
Before the course, the participants had very similar ideas about leadership. “To me, leadership was someone with power, someone who can control something,” said Ms. Itele. “At work, our manager is the leader, so he can make all the decisions, and you don’t have any voice. I thought that management equals leader.” Kiti saw a leader as someone who works alone and makes decisions so solid that he does not need to ask anyone.
In the middle of the week, his thinking had changed: “Having responsibility for people doesn’t make you, their leader. Authority comes with a position and gives you the right to decide. Leadership is different: it’s the ability to get people to follow you.”
This change is important. For Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), fisheries are not a small topic. Coastal fish feed the villages; tuna is one of the main sources of income for countries and territories, and reefs, lagoons and mangroves support jobs and food security.
The programme helped participants to see two types of problems. Technical problems have known answers, and an expert or a manager can apply them: a new data system, a new regulation, a better boat engine. Adaptive challenges are different. People need to change their habits, values or relationships, and no single person with authority can impose the solution. For example, “Convincing a village to close part of its reef to fishing, or a team of field officers to start writing reports, is an adaptive challenge.” explains Mr. Saul.
For Kiti, one of the most useful lessons was about delegation. “I am good at implementing what I am told to do, but I like to work the way I know it, so it’s not that easy for me to delegate. As a leader, I need to learn how to support my friends at work, so that they can become better officers and improve our performance overall.”
What he enjoyed most were the case consultations. In these role-plays, each participant represented a different country or stakeholder working together on an MPA. This gave him a chance to apply ideas from class to a real situation and discuss them with people from different backgrounds. He also found the daily mindfulness practice before each session very helpful.
Itele discovered that she was already a leader, starting within her own family. As a mother, and as the holder of a title in her village, she realised that her role goes beyond her job at the ministry. This came from discussing technical and adaptive challenges not only at work but also in families and communities. “I know that I can be a leader as a mother, inside my family and in my community. I have more informal authority than I thought.”
Now, all participants have the opportunity to use these lessons back at the office. Itele already has a date. At the end of December, she will go to a community meeting in her home village, the type of meeting where, until now, she usually stayed quiet. This time, she said, she wants to speak “without the fear of being the youngest to raise a voice.”
Saul is already putting these leadership lessons into practice. At the Department of Ocean and Maritime Affairs in Vanuatu, he is involved in a province-wide awareness campaign on the Ocean Act, helping traditional leaders in different communities understand their role in managing and protecting the country’s ocean space. The initiative brings together community leaders and stakeholders across the provinces to explain their rights and responsibilities, including their legal authority to manage ocean areas extending 100 metres from the shore. Four provinces have already been covered, with two more to go.
For Saul, this work is also an opportunity to encourage people to take greater ownership of ocean protection and sustainable resource management. He no longer sees leadership as something that comes with a position or a title. “I don’t have to wait for a different title at work. I can start now. I learned from all the participants, even those with more experience and seniority than me. Mixing early-career professionals with more experienced officers was a real added value, because we also learned from their experience.”
Back in their countries, these young officers now share the same conviction: leadership is not something you receive with a title, but something you can practice every day, at work, in your family and in your community…. PACNEWS
Contact: Narissa Lewis | Programme manager – Pacific Fisheries Leadership Programme | The Pacific Community | narissal@spc.int
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Tuvalu Validates Biodiversity Finance Policy Review to Strengthen Conservation and Sustainable Development
FUNAFUTI, 11 NOVEMBER 2026 (SPREP) — The Government of Tuvalu, through the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), convened a Validation Workshop for the Biodiversity Finance Policy and Institutional Review (PIR), bringing together representatives from government agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector, development partners, and other key stakeholders.
The workshop provided an opportunity for stakeholders to review and validate the findings of the Policy and Institutional Review, ensuring that they accurately reflect Tuvalu’s national circumstances and priorities while identifying opportunities to strengthen biodiversity governance, institutional coordination, and sustainable financing for conservation.
The Policy and Institutional Review is a key component of the BIOFIN methodology, which supports countries in identifying biodiversity finance needs, assessing existing financial flows, and developing practical finance solutions to close biodiversity funding gaps.
Welcoming participants, UNDP Project Manager, Jehangir Khan highlighted the importance of biodiversity to Tuvalu’s future and the need to strengthen efforts to conserve the country’s unique natural heritage.
“Having had the opportunity to visit Tuvalu’s outer islands over the past three years, I have witnessed firsthand the beauty and richness of the country’s biodiversity. Biodiversity is central to Tuvalu’s identity, livelihoods, food security, and resilience. While Tuvalu has established important policy and institutional foundations for conservation, significant challenges remain, including climate change, limited financing, ecosystem restoration needs, and implementation capacity.”
Khan emphasised that the validation workshop was an important step in ensuring that the review’s findings reflect national realities and support future action.
“This validation workshop is an important opportunity to ensure that the findings accurately reflect national realities and priorities, while also helping us identify practical and sustainable financing solutions to support biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience. The insights and expertise shared by participants today will be critical in shaping future actions.”
Opening the workshop on behalf of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Assistant Secretary Walter Pulogo acknowledged the support provided by UNDP BIOFIN and the consulting team throughout the review process and underscored the significance of the assessment for Tuvalu’s biodiversity finance efforts.
“The Policy and Institutional Review is an important step in understanding Tuvalu’s existing policies, institutional arrangements, challenges, and opportunities for biodiversity finance. It helps us identify gaps, strengthen coordination among institutions, and explore practical ways to mobilize and manage financial resources for biodiversity conservation.”
Pulogo noted that the review should reflect the collective perspectives and experiences of stakeholders across the country.
“The report should not simply be a document produced by consultants, but a collective reflection of our national efforts, experiences, and needs. Biodiversity financing requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-country approach, and today’s validation workshop allows us to ensure that the final review is relevant, practical, and useful in guiding Tuvalu’s future biodiversity finance efforts.”
Throughout the workshop, participants reviewed the assessment findings, discussed policy and institutional challenges, and provided recommendations to strengthen the final report. The discussions highlighted the importance of coordinated action across government agencies, communities, development partners, civil society organisations, and the private sector to address biodiversity financing needs and support sustainable ecosystem management.
Feedback and recommendations generated during the validation workshop will be incorporated into the final Policy and Institutional Review report. The completed review will inform the next phase of the BIOFIN process, including the development of biodiversity finance solutions and strategies to help mobilize resources needed to achieve Tuvalu’s national biodiversity goals and commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Government of Tuvalu and UNDP BIOFIN reaffirmed their commitment to working together to strengthen biodiversity finance and ensure that healthy ecosystems continue to support Tuvalu’s culture, livelihoods, food security, and long-term resilience.
The Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) is a global programme managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). BIOFIN supports countries in identifying biodiversity finance needs, assessing biodiversity expenditures, developing finance plans, and implementing finance solutions to close biodiversity finance gaps and achieve national biodiversity targets……PACNEWS
For more information please contact: Tavenisa Luisa I Project Lead I Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) Pacific I UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji I tavenisa.luisa@undp.org
