In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC— ‘The Pacific agenda must be driven by us’: Palau President Whipps takes Forum Chair
2. PACIFIC — Solomon Islands hands Forum Chair to Palau
3. PACIFIC — Pacific must speak with one strong voice as Palau takes Forum Chair: SG Waqa
4. PACIFIC — President Whipps urges Pacific ACP to turn Samoa Agreement into results
5. AUST — Australian Foreign Minister Wong rejects blaming China for Forum absences, says Pacific Leaders make their own decisions
6. FIJI — ‘Constitution belongs to the people,’ Fiji President says after CRC handover
7. SOL — Government House confirms resignation of three Solomon Islands ministers
8. PACNEWS BIZ — FFA calls for investment to secure Pacific fisheries and grow tuna economies at Leaders Forum roundtable talks
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Airline’s fuel costs soar
10. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Moetai Brotherson and the Ocean of Peace
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Setting the Pacific scene: The 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation, Noumea 2026. Our Pacific premier gathering for nature
PAC – FORUM LEADERS MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
‘The Pacific agenda must be driven by us’: Palau President Whipps takes Forum Chair
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has taken over the chairmanship of the Pacific Islands Forum with a call for Pacific unity, action and greater control over the region’s own agenda.
Opening the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Koror, President Whipps said Pacific countries welcomed genuine partnerships but would determine their own priorities and future.
“Our partners are welcome to sail with us, but they do not choose our destination,” Whipps told Forum leaders and delegates.
“The Pacific agenda must be driven by us, for us, and the Forum must remain the political home in which that agenda is shaped,” he said.
Whipps formally welcomed Pacific leaders, governments, regional organisations, civil society, faith communities, youth, media and development partners to Palau as the country takes over the Forum chairmanship from Solomon Islands.
“Alii, and welcome to Palau. Welcome to Belau.
“On behalf of the people and the government of the Republic of Palau, it is my profound honour to welcome you to the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting,” he said.
Referring to the symbolic handover of the Forum “paddle” by Solomon Islands, Whipps said Palau understood the responsibility that came with chairing the region’s premier political organisation.
“I don’t know if I have the strength to carry the paddle today, but I will try, and I know we can do it together,” he said.
Whipps thanked Solomon Islands, its leaders and people for their stewardship of the Forum over the past year.
“Palau receives the chair with gratitude and humility, understanding it is held for a season in service of the whole Forum family,” he said.
He also thanked Palauans who worked to prepare for the meeting, saying the gathering belonged not only to governments but to the people who made it possible.
The 55th Forum Leaders’ Meeting is being held under Palau’s theme, B.E.LA.U — Building Economies, Life, Action and Unity.
Whipps said the theme placed the daily realities of Pacific people at the centre of regional decision-making.
“When we speak about building economies, we are speaking about the daily lives of our people,” he said.
“That means whether food is affordable, whether a young person can find meaningful work at home, whether a clinic has medicine and reliable electricity, and whether a family can face the next storm without falling into debt,” he said.
Whipps said economic growth could not be judged only by financial figures.
“Growth that leaves our people anxious, our culture weakened and our ocean poor is not prosperity we seek,” he said.
He said Palau was facing many of the same challenges confronting other Pacific Island countries, including restoring a resilient tourism industry, strengthening fisheries and agriculture and maintaining sustainable public finances.
“These are national priorities, but they echo across our Forum family,” he said.
Whipps said the “Life” component of Palau’s Forum theme meant putting people at the centre of decision-making.
“It includes health and education, housing and food security, culture and language, land and ocean.
“It asks us to judge our decisions by what they leave to the child who is not yet in this room,” Whipps said.
He said Pacific leaders must move beyond commitments and ensure regional decisions produce tangible results.
“The Pacific has never suffered from a shortage of issues.
“We have declarations, strategies and carefully negotiated commitments. Their value is realised when a community gains safe water, a school can teach, and help arrives before a crisis becomes a disaster.”
“Our people expect and deserve results,” Whipps said.
Whipps said “Action” must be the test of whether Pacific regionalism was delivering for communities.
He said the region’s strategies and political commitments would only matter if they improved people’s lives and strengthened the ability of communities to respond to crises.
“This week must be about prioritising the work the Pacific needs.
“Work that secures the future of our people, our islands and our ocean,” Whipps said.
He said the achievement of the Pacific’s 2050 Strategy depended on unity and solidarity among Forum members.
“The achievement of our collective aspiration and our leaders’ vision for 2050 rests on our unity and solidarity as a Forum family.
“I cannot underscore that enough,” Whipps said.
Whipps said Pacific unity did not mean every country had to agree on every issue.
“Unity does not require us to pretend that every national interest is identical.
“It requires us to listen honestly, protect the dignity of every member and keep searching for the ground on which we can stand together,” Whipps said.
He warned against allowing disagreement to undermine regional unity.
“Consensus should never become an excuse for silence.
“Disagreement should never become a reason for division, but a basis for constructive dialogue that brings us to more convergence and common ground.” Whipps said.
Using the example of the misawu, a fish found in Palauan waters, Whipps said Pacific countries could remain strongest by coming together when faced with challenges.
“The misawu forage the reef alone, but when danger comes, they do not scatter, they come together,” he said.
“They are strongest together.”
“That is the image I hope we carry with us this week — not separate delegations working in peril, but one Pacific family moving together,” Whipps said.
Whipps said the growing international attention on the Pacific should not be confused with respect for Pacific priorities.
“The world increasingly recognises the strategic importance of our region.
“We welcome friends and genuine partnerships, yet attention is not the same as respect,” Whipps said.
He said the Pacific must remain in control of its own political agenda despite growing interest from outside powers.
“Our partners are welcome to sail with us, but they do not choose our destination.
“The Pacific agenda must be driven by us, for us,” Whipps said.
Whipps said the Forum must remain the central political platform where Pacific countries determine their collective direction.
“Our ocean has always made small islands into a large community — small islands into big ocean states.
“It does not recognise our borders, and neither should our stewardship of it,” he said.
The Palau President said the decisions taken during the week must focus on delivering practical outcomes for Pacific people while protecting the region’s ocean, resources and future.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting brings together Pacific leaders and senior officials in Palau as the region considers its major political, economic, climate and security priorities….PACNEWS
PAC – FORUM LEADERS MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands hands Forum Chair to Palau
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) —-Solomon Islands has handed the chairmanship of the Pacific Islands Forum to Palau with a strong call for Pacific unity, warning that growing strategic competition must not be allowed to define the region’s future.
Speaking at the official opening of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, Solomon Islands Foreign Minister and head of delegation Rick Houenipwela said the Forum must remain the political home where Pacific leaders determine their own course.
“It is in times such as this that we must uphold and protect the sanctity of the Pacific Islands Forum, its political convenings and its processes,” Houenipwela said.
The Foreign Minister was speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Matthew Wale, who returned to Honiara because of developing domestic issues.
Houenipwela said Solomon Islands’ final responsibility as outgoing Forum Chair was to give thanks and formally hand over the role to Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr.
Houenipwela described the Forum chairmanship as a shared regional responsibility.
“In our Pacific way, a chair is rather like a paddle passed from hand to hand. No one owns it,” he said.
“Each of us holds it for a season, pulls as strong as we can, and passes it on so that the voyage may continue,” Houenipwela said.
He said Solomon Islands was honoured to have taken its turn, despite inheriting the chairmanship under difficult circumstances and with limited time.
“When Wale visited the Forum Secretary-General in July this year, he said that he had inherited a very short runway as Forum Chair.
“He knew that his time as Forum Chair would be brief, but the weight of the responsibility was never brief,” Houenipwela said.
He acknowledged former Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and his government for their leadership during the beginning of Solomon Islands’ Forum chairmanship.
Houenipwela said the past Forum year had delivered major regional decisions, including the signing of the agreement establishing the Pacific Resilience Facility(PRF).
The facility, he said, was designed as a Pacific-led and Pacific-owned institution to strengthen community resilience across the region.
Leaders also endorsed the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, agreed on a regional policy for partnerships and advanced regional labour mobility principles.
“These were not the achievements of one chair or one country. They were the work of the Forum family.
“Solomon Islands was simply privileged to help guide them forward.,” Houenipwela said.
During the latter part of its chairmanship, Solomon Islands also worked through the Forum Troika to maintain momentum on the review of the regional architecture, the capitalisation of the Pacific Resilience Facility, preparations for COP31 and the transition to the Palau meeting.
Houenipwela said regional institutions must remain accountable to their members.
“We have argued consistently that our regional institutions must be fit for purpose, member-led and judged by what they deliver for our people,” he said.
Houenipwela said the Forum had faced a testing period as geopolitical competition intensified in the Pacific.
“This has also been a testing season for regional unity.
“Strategic competition has sharpened around us. The peace of our ocean has been challenged,” he said
He said Pacific countries must remain open to partnerships, but external partners should not dictate the region’s priorities.
“Our partners are welcome and their support is valued, but they should help us realise our ambitions, not define them,” Houenipwela said.
“Friendship and threat cannot travel in the same canoe,” he said.
He said the Pacific Ocean must not be treated as a battleground for outside powers.
“Our ocean is not empty space for rivalry. It is our home, and its peace, security and future must be shaped first and foremost by Pacific peoples,” he said.
Houenipwela said the region’s response mechanisms had also been tested by the energy crisis, which demonstrated how conflicts far from the Pacific could quickly affect households across the region.
He said the impacts were being felt through higher fuel, freight, food and electricity costs.
The regional response mechanism had helped strengthen information sharing and the region’s readiness to act, he said.
However, he stressed that regional action must support national governments rather than override them.
“It remains deliberately light and flexible because regional action must support national circumstances, not override them,” Houenipwela said.
The Solomon Islands Foreign Minister said Pacific leaders must continue to push a united climate message as preparations move towards COP31.
“The world must keep 1.5 degrees within reach and deliver climate finance that our communities can actually access without adding to the debt of those who are least responsible for this crisis,” he said.
Houenipwela said the Pacific’s climate advocacy must remain focused on results for communities.
“The arrangements matter, but the message matters more,” he said.
Houenipwela thanked Forum leaders, the Troika, Secretary-General Baron Waqa, the Forum Secretariat and regional agencies for supporting Solomon Islands during its chairmanship.
He also paid tribute to Solomon Islands officials and the people of the country.
“Many of you worked across time zones, through changing circumstances, and under pressure that few people ever see,” he said.
“Your service has honoured our country and our region,” Houenipwela said
Turning to President Whipps, Houenipwela said Palau was taking over a demanding regional agenda but would have the support of the entire Forum family.
“Solomon Islands passes the paddle to you with confidence.
“You inherit a demanding agenda, but you do not inherit it alone,” he said.
He said Palau would have the support of the Forum Troika, the Secretariat and Pacific leaders as it takes up the chairmanship.
Houenipwela said Solomon Islands’ call for the region to act together and Palau’s focus on action, life and unity were part of the same regional journey.
“Together we act, through action we protect life, and through unity we build a future worthy of our people,” he said.
He said the Forum’s 2050 Strategy and the decisions of Pacific leaders would continue to guide the region.
“You do not receive a finished map.
“But you receive a trusted compass — the 2050 Strategy, the decisions of our leaders and the Pacific values that have carried this Forum,” Houenipwela said.
He said that the value of a Forum chairmanship should not be judged by its length.
“Chairmanship may be brief, but service is not measured only in months.
“It is measured by whether, when your turn comes, you took hold of the paddle and pulled it for the Forum family.
“Thank you for allowing Solomon Islands to serve.,” Houenipwela said…..PACNEWS
PAC – FORUM LEADERS MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Pacific must speak with one strong voice as Palau takes Forum Chair: SG Waqa
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, PALAU, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa has called on Pacific leaders to remain united and ensure the priorities of island countries and their people remain at the centre of the region’s agenda.
Opening the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, Waqa said the Forum remained the region’s highest political body and the place where Pacific leaders come together to speak with a common voice.
“The Pacific Islands Forum is the apex of all organisations in our region.
“It is the one that our leaders unite as one, speak as one, in solidarity and all together as one,” Waqa said.
Waqa welcomed Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr as the incoming Forum Chair and thanked Palau for hosting the region’s leaders and thousands of delegates for the week-long meeting.
He said the 55th Forum Leaders’ Meeting would help shape the future of the region, not only for future generations but for Pacific people facing challenges today.
Waqa said climate change would again be among the most important issues before Pacific leaders.
“Climate change, that is the most important matter to deal with at every leaders’ meeting, is again going to be at the top of our agenda,” he said.
He said the Forum’s work would continue to be guided by the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which sets the region’s long-term vision and priorities.
“We have the 2050 Strategy, and that is the vision that we will follow.
“And this week, we will make sure that the priorities of our island nations, our people, remain at the Forum,” Waqa said
The Secretary General also acknowledged the Forum’s development and dialogue partners, saying partnerships remained important but should support Pacific priorities.
“Our partners are very, very important.
“The important thing about partnership, and we will see that as the week goes on, is about genuine partnership — coming to us to help us, to work alongside us, and to journey with us in promoting our priorities,” Waqa said.
He thanked the Forum’s Dialogue Partners, who will again meet Pacific leaders after the gathering did not take place last year.
“This year, it’s full on,” Waqa said, thanking organisers for preparing Palau to host thousands of participants for the Forum meeting.
Waqa also paid tribute to Solomon Islands for its leadership during the past year, thanking the country for its stewardship of the Forum and its work in advancing regional priorities.
“Let me take this opportunity now to thank Solomon Islands, to thank the leadership of Solomon Islands, for taking us through this past year with stewardship that is steadfast and strong in upholding the priorities of our region.
“Thank you very much for your chairmanship and keeping the standards high,” Waqa said.
Waqa said the handover of the Forum chairmanship to Palau presented another opportunity for the region to demonstrate unity and take a strong Pacific voice to the world.
“We will now welcome the President of Palau to take over the banner and the baton, so that we can rally behind him and take the Pacific into the world as one solid and united Pacific, and with one strong and loud voice.
“It is for our people,” Waqa said.
He also thanked the many officials and staff working behind the scenes to make the 55th Forum Leaders’ Meeting possible.
“These are the ones that work in the background,” Waqa said. “Those are the ones that make everything ready for the next meeting, for the next day, for the next occasion.”
Waqa thanked staff at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and their counterparts in Palau before formally welcoming President Whipps to assume the chairmanship of the region’s premier political organisation.
“The chairmanship now goes to President Whipps Jr of Palau,” he said…..PACNEWS
PACIFIC – PACP MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
President Whipps urges Pacific ACP to turn Samoa Agreement into results
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, PALAU, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has urged Pacific ACP leaders to ensure the Samoa Agreement delivers practical benefits for Pacific countries, including better access to financing, stronger political engagement and development cooperation aligned with regional priorities.
Opening the 2026 Pacific ACP Leaders Meeting in Koror as Chair, Whipps said the agreement with the European Union must be judged by what it delivers for Pacific countries and communities rather than by the institutions and procedures created to implement it.
“Implementation should not simply be about establishing institutions, or procedures.
“Its value must be measured by what it enables the Pacific to achieve: stronger political engagement, better alignment of development cooperation with our priorities, improved access to financing, stronger Pacific representation, and tangible outcomes for our countries and people,” Whipps said.
Whipps said the Pacific was meeting at a time of geopolitical pressure and uncertainty, making it important for leaders to review and strengthen partnerships.
“It has been a busy year for all of us, compounded by prevailing geopolitical pressures and uncertainties.
“Our annual gathering as Leaders offers a crucial opportunity for all of us to reflect on and reaffirm the values that underpin our regional strength,” Whipps said.
He said the Samoa Agreement was an important mechanism underpinning the Pacific’s relationship with the European Union through the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
“The Samoa Agreement is one such mechanism.
“It underpins our relationship with one of our valued partners, the European Union, through the OACPS,” he said.
Whipps encouraged Pacific countries that have not yet ratified the agreement to do so to allow its implementation to proceed smoothly.
“Allow me to take this opportunity to encourage those of us that have not ratified the Samoa Agreement, to do so, to enable its smooth implementation,” he said.
Whipps said implementation of the Pacific Regional Protocol under the Samoa Agreement must support, rather than duplicate, existing regional arrangements.
He pointed to progress under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the ongoing Review of the Regional Architecture.
“Implementation of the Samoa Agreement should complement and advance our regional priorities, and its institutional arrangements should support our existing regional mechanisms,” Whipps said.
He said more streamlined and effective regional structures were particularly important as the global financing system faced increasing pressure.
“At a time when the global financing architecture is under pressure, more streamlined and fit-for-purpose structures become more critical.
“By strengthening our Pacific coordination, we ensure our regional institutions work together effectively,” Whipps said.
Whipps said maintaining a coherent Pacific voice in Brussels and within the OACPS was important to ensuring partnerships supported the direction set by Pacific leaders.
“If we maintain a strong and coherent voice in Brussels and within the OACPS, we ensure that our external partnerships align with and complement our 2050 Strategy and the broader direction of Pacific regionalism,” he said.
Forum Secretary General Baron Divavesi Waqa, congratulated Palau on assuming the Pacific ACP chairmanship and acknowledged Solomon Islands for its leadership over the past year.
“Sir, you have the Forum Secretariat’s full support and confidence.”
Waqa said the European Union remained an important development partner for the Pacific.
“The European Union’s assistance to the Pacific region continues to be key in the realisation of the development aspirations and resilience of our region and countries,” he said.
He said the Pacific’s partnership with the EU under the Samoa Agreement was an important platform for advancing regional priorities identified in the 2050 Strategy and decisions made by Forum Leaders.
“Our partnership therefore with the EU manifested through the Samoa Agreement is an important platform to advance our Pacific priorities,” Waqa said.
Waqa said the Forum Secretariat’s responsibility for leading implementation of the Samoa Agreement was becoming increasingly important as the region advanced implementation of the 2050 Strategy and reviewed its regional architecture.
“With the Forum advancing the 2050 Strategy and the Review of the Regional Architecture, the Secretariat’s mandate to lead the implementation of the Samoa Agreement becomes both highly relevant and critical,” he said.
He said the Pacific’s role within the OACPS remained important as the organisation considered how to respond to a changing global environment.
“Our place and role in the OACPS is imperative and long-standing
“As we confront a rapidly evolving global landscape, the OACPS must be well-positioned to meet future challenges,” Waqa said.
Waqa said the organisation needed to be “fit for purpose, inclusive, and able to respond to the changing dynamics” of its relationship with the European Union.
He said a revised Costed Implementation Plan had been prepared for leaders’ consideration to provide a practical framework for implementing the Pacific Regional Protocol.
The Forum Secretariat, working with the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP), remained committed to supporting Pacific ACP States.
“Our commitment to supporting Pacific ACP States in the implementation of the Samoa Agreement remains firm,” Waqa said.
“In close collaboration with CROP agencies, we stand ready to advance our regional priorities, particularly in climate action, sustainable development, and economic opportunity.”
Whipps said the Pacific faced significant challenges but should use its collective strength to ensure partnerships delivered results.
“The challenges before us may be considerable, but so too is the opportunity to build on our collective strength and unity,” he said…..PACNEWS
AUST – FORUM LEADERS MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Australian Foreign Minister Wong rejects blaming China for Forum absences, says Pacific Leaders make their own decisions
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR/CANBERRA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has declined to blame China for the absence of some Pacific leaders from the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, saying each country has the right to decide who represents it.
In an interview with ABC, Wong was asked whether China had played a role in encouraging or influencing some leaders not to attend the Forum.
“Leaders, countries, will make their own decisions about their delegation and who leads them,” Wong said.
Wong said Australia supported the Pacific Islands Forum as the region’s main political platform, particularly at a time of growing strategic competition.
“From Australia’s perspective, we think the Pacific Islands Forum leaders have got it right when they said that this Forum matters
“It enables decisions to be made for the Pacific by the Pacific,” she said.
Wong acknowledged that the Pacific was facing growing geopolitical competition but said a strong regional organisation and Pacific-led decision-making were important in managing the imbalance between major powers and smaller Pacific Island countries.
“We live in a time of regional contest and competition, and we know we live in that.
“Having a strong regional organisation and regional decision-making is one of the ways in which that asymmetry of power between great powers and smaller powers can be navigated,” Wong said
Her comments came after New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said it was logical to conclude that foreign interference may have played a role in some leaders’ decisions concerning attendance at the Forum.
Asked whether Peters had got it wrong, Wong declined to directly challenge her New Zealand counterpart.
“Winston can speak for Winston. Penny will speak for Penny,” she said.
Wong said Australia recognised the reality of increasing strategic competition in the Pacific but maintained that Canberra’s response was to strengthen its relationships with Pacific Island countries based on their priorities.
“I have said previously, we do live in an era of permanent contest in the Pacific.
“We understand that, and the way Australia is dealing with it is by being a responsive, respectful partner that respects and supports Pacific priorities,” Wong said.
Wong’s comments underline Australia’s position that Pacific countries should remain at the centre of regional decision-making as major powers compete for influence in the region.
Her remarks also reinforce the message from Pacific leaders at the Forum that the region’s political agenda must be determined by Pacific Island countries themselves.
The issue of strategic competition and external influence is expected to remain a key backdrop to discussions as Pacific leaders and their delegations meet in Palau for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting…..PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW REPORT: FIJI SUN/FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
‘Constitution belongs to the people,’ Fiji President says after CRC handover
SUVA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN/FIJI TIMES) —-Fiji President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu has called on Fijians to play a meaningful role in shaping the country’s constitutional future as the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC)’s report enters the next stage of consideration.
The President made the remarks after receiving the CRC Report and Draft Constitution from commission chairperson Sevuloni Ratumaiyale Valenitabua Snr on Monday.
Following the presentation, the report was formally handed to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. Ratu Naiqama said Fiji’s constitutional future should be guided by the people.
“It belongs to the people, and because it belongs to the people, the people must have a meaningful place in considering its future.”
He said constitutional reform presented an opportunity to improve and strengthen governance arrangements while retaining provisions that continued to serve the nation effectively.
“Today marks an important milestone in Fiji’s continuing constitutional and democratic journey,” Ratu Naiqama said.
The President also cautioned that his receipt of the report did not amount to an endorsement of every recommendation contained in it.
He said the report must now undergo the required constitutional, governmental, parliamentary and democratic processes.
As debate around the proposed changes begins, Ratu Naiqama urged Fijians to engage respectfully and constructively.
He called on the public to approach national discussions with open minds, maturity and respect for differing views while maintaining a commitment to the rule of law, peace and national unity.
The report follows an extensive consultation exercise undertaken by the CRC over almost six months.
Valenitabua said consultations were held at 105 venues around Fiji, with 3,873 people participating in face-to-face sessions and 1,220 submissions received through oral, virtual and online channels.
He said the commission’s report and draft constitution were informed by views gathered during those consultations and were designed to support a forward-looking and inclusive future for Fiji.
“It is forward-looking, it recognises our Nation’s multiracialism,” the CRC chairperson said..
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Review Commission’s final report and proposed 2026 Draft Constitution will now go before Cabinet for consideration, following its formal submission to the President .
The President subsequently presented a copy of the report to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
The Prime Minister is expected to table the report in Cabinet, where its recommendations will be deliberated before the document proceeds to Parliament through the appropriate constitutional and Government processes.
Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga stressed that the submission of the report does not mean the Government has adopted or approved any of the Commission’s recommendations.
“The Report represents the independent work of the Constitutional Review Commission following an extensive nationwide consultation process. It must now go through the appropriate Government processes before any further decisions are made,” Turaga said.
He also confirmed that the report will not be released publicly at this stage.
It will be made available to the public in due course, following Cabinet deliberation and completion of the required processes.
Turaga said the submission marked the completion of the CRC’s mandate and acknowledged the work of the Commissioners and staff involved in the review.
He also recognised the contribution of constitutional and legislative experts Professor Anthony Regan, Dr Kathrene Le Roy and Fiona Leonard.
Turaga urged the public and stakeholders not to speculate on the contents of the report or its possible outcomes before it has been properly considered.
The report follows months of nationwide consultations by the CRC as part of the review of Fiji’s 2013 onstitution…PACNEWS
SOL – POLITICS: SIBC PACNEWS 1: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Government House confirms resignation of three Solomon Islands ministers
HONIARA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SIBC)—Three Solomon Islands Cabinet ministers have formally resigned from the GREAT Coalition Government amid a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Matthew Wale.
They are Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs Clezy Rore, Minister for Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration Harry Kuma, and Minister for Home Affairs Manasseh Maelanga.
Deputy Private Secretary to the Governor-General, Maxwell Banyo, confirmed the resignations to SIBC News Monday.
Banyo said the three resignations remain the only ministerial resignations received so far.
“I can confirm that the three Cabinet ministers’ resignations have remained as it is,” he said.
He also confirmed that no other Member of Parliament has submitted a resignation.
“There is no other MP who submitted their resignation,” Banyo said.
Banyo confirmed that Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu formally received and signed the three ministers’ resignation letters.
“Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu has formally received and signed the resignation letters today,” he said.
The resignations follow the filing of a Motion of No Confidence against Prime Minister Wale by Mr Maelanga in Parliament on Saturday.
Parliament is set to resume on 07 September….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – TUNA INDUSTRY: FFA PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
FFA calls for investment to secure Pacific fisheries and grow tuna economies at Leaders Forum roundtable talks
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FFA)—Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Director-General Noan David Pakop has called on partners to invest alongside Pacific countries to strengthen fisheries surveillance and retain more of the economic benefits from tuna within the region.
Pakop was speaking at the Ocean Partnership Roundtable during the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, convened by President of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr;
The Roundtable brought together Pacific leaders, development partners, philanthropic organisations, investors and technical institutions to explore practical pathways for accelerating investment, partnerships and implementation in support of Pacific-led ocean priorities.
Contributing to Roundtable 1 Pacific-Led Priorities and Implementation Opportunities, Mr Pakop highlighted the complementary roles of the East New Britain Initiative (ENBi) and the Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC).
“The Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre helps secure the resource, while ENBi helps our countries capture more of its value,” he said.
Endorsed by Pacific Leaders in 2023, ENBi seeks to retain greater economic value from tuna fisheries within Pacific Island countries.
Pakop noted that while the Pacific supplies more than half of the world’s tuna, only around 15 per cent of tuna caught in the region’s waters is processed or handled in Pacific Island countries.
He stressed that ENBi aims to generate greater value from tuna already being sustainably harvested, without increasing fishing pressure.
Opportunities include investment in processing, ports, cold storage, renewable energy, transport, workforce development and digital traceability. A regional network of fisheries development hubs and spokes would connect larger processing centres with smaller island economies, creating jobs and business opportunities for women, young people and Pacific enterprises.
FFA is also advancing work with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office alongside relevant stakeholders on a Regional Fisheries Development Fund to help develop viable enterprises and attract responsible private investment.
Pakop emphasised that these economic opportunities depend on a secure and sustainably managed fisheries resource. The RFSC combines vessel-monitoring information, intelligence, satellite products and surveillance assets to support coordinated operations and enforcement by national authorities, protecting fisheries revenue, livelihoods and food security.
“The Pacific has the resources, the political commitment, the regional institutions and a proven record of collective action,” Pakop said.
“Our invitation is simple: invest with us to secure the Pacific fishery, add value, and build a sustainable tuna economy for the Pacific people.”
While countering illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains its core mandate, the RFSC also strengthens maritime domain awareness and cooperation to address transnational organised crime and emerging maritime threats.
FFA is seeking investment in a modern, fit-for-purpose surveillance centre with the space, technology and training capacity to meet Members’ evolving needs, strengthen national enforcement and contribute to regional peace and security…..PACNEWS
FIJI – AIRLINE: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 01 Sep 2026
Airline’s fuel costs soar
SUVA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Fiji Airways’ fuel bill increased by $130 million (US$65 million) in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, with the airline warning the additional cost could reach up to $300m (US$150 million) for the full year.
Fiji Airways chief executive officer Paul Scurrah said the sharp increase in fuel costs was making trading conditions difficult for airlines worldwide.
Scurrah attributed the increase to the conflict in the Middle East, describing it as the worst fuel shock in 50 years.
“The higher fuel costs has prompted many airlines to reduce the amount of flying they operated,” he said.
However, he said Fiji Airways had chosen to maintain its overall level of flying while making changes to its network.
“Whilst most of the industry is retreating, we are doing the opposite.”
Scurrah said the airline had withdrawn from some routes while introducing additional services elsewhere to create more opportunities to improve performance and increase passenger numbers.
He highlighted the airline’s Gold Coast service, saying its first three months had recorded the highest load factor for a newly launched Fiji Airways route in Australia.
“The service added about 53,000 seats a year to the airline’s network between Fiji and the Gold Coast.”
Scurrah also said Fiji Airways was expanding its services to Hong Kong, increasing flights to four times a week from September 22 and to five times a week by early 2027.
He said the airline was also strengthening connectivity between Fiji and Canada through its Vancouver service….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
Moetai Brotherson and the Ocean of Peace
By Nic Maclellan in Koror, Palau
KOROR, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) —For the people of Mā‘ohi Nui (French Polynesia), the ocean is a source of life, with an Exclusive Economic Zone covering nearly 5 million square kilometres of ocean around the nation’s five archipelagos.
This week President of French Polynesia Moetai Brotherson is in the Republic of Palau, attending the 55th Pacific Islands Forum – and he’s speaking out about the challenges facing the Blue Pacific, declared an “Ocean of Peace” at last year’s Forum summit in Solomon Islands.
On Sunday, he participated in a major roundtable on Ocean Partnerships, also addressed by Forum host Surangel Whipps Jr, the President of Palau, and Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary Generals Special Envoy on the Ocean.
Speaking to Islands Business, President Brotherson said that the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace faced many threats – from deep sea mining, plastic pollution and the existential threat of climate change – and its protection needed a regional response.
“I think you have to go back to what the ocean represents to us people from Oceania,” Brotherson said. “It’s a pantry because we fish (and we love our fish!) but it’s also a way of connecting us. It’s also the second lung of humanity and as such it carries all the environment issues.”
“There’s also a lot of maritime traffic taking place in our ocean. That’s how most of the goods that we import and the fuel that we export travel, more so than by air. That’s also unfortunately the pathway for some illicit products, with the issue of drug trafficking in the larger Pacific region.”
Denuclearising the Ocean of Peace
For thirty years from 1966 to 1996, France conducted 193 nuclear tests at Moruroa and Fangataufa, leaving a range of health, environmental, economic and cultural legacies. It’s also left a deep anti-nuclear sentiment amongst many Mā‘ohi, with church and community groups campaigning against further nuclear activities in the region.
After China test-fired a submarine launched ballistic missile into the Pacific on 6 July, Forum member countries issued strong condemnation of the test. However, a united Forum position has been complicated by competing views on a joint statement: whether to specifically condemn the Chinese test, or criticise regional military activities by all major powers, rather than China alone.
President Brotherson told Islands Business that his country supported the broadest criticism of all nuclear activities.
“We’ve had our share of ICBM tests in the last years,” he said. “If you look at it from an international law perspective, the Chinese didn’t break any rule. They play by the book. So do the Americans. So, I don’t see any reason why we should single out the tests made by the Chinese without referring to those regularly made by the Americans.”
“If we want an Ocean of Peace, I don’t think that these tests should take place in our waters. That’s my stand.”
From the 1992 FRANZ treaty on humanitarian response in the Pacific, to today’s growing military co-ordination, customs and armed forces play a significant role in monitoring EEZs. But this poses challenges for islands still living under colonial administration.
“If you want this ocean to remain peaceful you need to have some level of military control to ensure that nobody’s coming to our shores or using our ocean to do bad things” Brotherson said. “But in French Polynesia, the country itself doesn’t have an army. We rely on the French army which has limited means to intervene, even within our EEZ which happens to be five million square kilometres, but also outside.”
The French Polynesian president noted that the discussion about ocean governance at this week’s Forum comes at a time of growing strategic competition in the region: “In the background, we have the issue of the big players, and we have this ongoing feud between China and the U.S with countries like the Philippines and Taiwan who are collateral victims of this bigger play.”
Marine Protected Areas
A major feature of this week’s summit in Palau is ocean partnerships, looking at how Pacific nations might develop public and private partnerships to protect the vast Moana.
Last year at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in France, President Brotherson announced the creation of Tainui Atea, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) that will cover the territory’s entire Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The MPA will include more than a million square kilometres of highly or fully protected ocean, an area twice the size of mainland France.
Brotherson explained: “Starting at UNOC in 2025 and we continue this year, we have established our own EEZ as a class 6 marine protected area. Within that EEZ, we have established 1.6 million square kilometres of class 1 and 2, which is the highest level of protection in marine protected areas.”
In the highly protected areas near the Society Islands and Gambier Islands, no extractive fishing or seabed mining will be allowed. An area of 186,000 square kilometres will be an artisanal fishing zone, only allowing traditional line fishing with a prohibition on drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)
“Now that we have established the zoning, how do we enforce, how do we control, how do we actually manage those MPAs?”, he said. “We are in a specific position, not being a sovereign country, but a French collectivity with a statute of autonomy, because some of the competencies [statutory powers] that are required to manage the MPAs are within the hands of France. The monitoring of our EEZ is an exclusive prerogative of the French state. The monitoring of the fisheries is also in the hands of France.
“So as president of my country, when it comes to these MPAs, my first job is to make sure that France, within its competences, provides the means [for ocean protection], because currently it’s not the case. The budgets are not here. We don’t have, I think, enough vessels, enough planes, enough helicopters, enough drones.”
“I think that France has to level up on its own competences”, he said, “but given the current budget state of France, I don’t see them pouring a lot of money to help us on our side. I’m not even seeing them currently putting more money on their side. So that gives us very limited choice.
“Fortunately, after UNOC, we engaged in dialogue with a couple of NGOs that are eager to come and help us. So, we signed a first agreement with the Oceans5, and it provided us with US$15 million as seed money to enable us to do a deep study of the economic model that has to be put into place around these MPAs.”
Concern over DSM
The ongoing tension between respect for national sovereignty and building collective action is highlighted by the Forum’s ongoing debate over deep sea mining (DSM). Countries like Cook Islands, Naoero and Tonga are forging ahead with exploration programs, even though most Forum members would prefer a moratorium (and Pacific civil society groups are calling for an outright ban on DSM).
U.S territories are also at the forefront of this debate, as the U.S Marine Mineral Administration has proposed to auction deep sea mining leases of seabed off the coast of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam and American Samoa.
Moetai Brotherson noted that while he supports a moratorium om DSM, the neighbouring Cook Islands is far advanced in a DSM programme.
“If we take the case of the Cook Islands,” he said, “they are in the process of completing all the surveys, all the studies, but they want to go further and start exploiting. But they are doing it in their EEZ, so they are fully sovereign within the boundaries of their EEZ (even though I’d rather they don’t do it, because they are our closest neighbours!).”
He expressed greater concern that “the US is talking about pretty much unilaterally exploring and potentially exploiting in territorial waters around some of their Pacific possessions. That’s a real concern. When you talk about deep-sea mining, you have to establish a clear distinction between what happens within the EEZs and international waters.”
In April 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14285, directing US federal agencies to advance seabed mining for critical minerals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has authority over American seabed mining in areas beyond US jurisdiction and has now developed rules to expedite licensing, by allowing simultaneous exploration and commercial recovery applications.
In this way, the United States – which has never ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – is proposing DSM projects outside the authority of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the international organisation established by the United Nations to regulate mineral-related activities in the international seabed area beyond national jurisdiction.
For Moetai Brotherson, “when it comes to international waters, I always believed that there was international law of the sea and that it applies to everyone, including the United States. What they are doing by trying to circumvent the ISA when it comes to deep-sea mining is really concerning, because it opens a breach. After deep-sea mining, what’s next?” …PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Setting the Pacific scene: The 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation, Noumea 2026. Our Pacific premier gathering for nature
APIA, 01 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—The Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation is the Pacific’s headline biodiversity gathering. It is the region’s platform for conservation and a forum for advancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management.
The Conference series has been held every five years since 1975. It brings together governments, intergovernmental organisations, conservation partners, donors, scientists, customary leaders, youth and local communities to review progress, consider emerging challenges and agree on priorities and commitments for regional action.
The Conference is closely connected to the Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation (PIRT) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). In simple terms: the Conference sets regional priorities, PIRT helps coordinate collective action, and the Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation provides the shared regional direction.
The 11th Conference
•Dates: 7–11 September 2026
•Venue: Tjibaou Cultural Centre, Noumea, New Caledonia
•Format: Five-day bilingual programme (English and French)
•Co-hosts: SPREP with PIRT as permanent secretariat, Government of New Caledonia,
•Programme: around 80 sessions
• Current Registration: 350+ delegates
The 11th Conference will adopt the Pacific Regional Framework for Nature Conservation 2026–2030, the State of Environment and Conservation 2025, and a new Declaration. These outcomes are intended to reaffirm collective commitment to delivering biodiversity priorities of the Pacific within the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
PIRT: the Pacific coordination mechanism
The Pacific Islands Roundtable for Nature Conservation (PIRT) was initiated by Pacific Island countries and territories at the 6th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in 1997. PIRT brings together 18 member organisations and is the regional coordination mechanism for the Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation. PIRT anchors the Conference programme through its members and working groups and supports regional consultation and coordination.
SPREP hosts the PIRT as its Permanent Secretariat and convenes the Conference series. PIRT currently has six active working groups covering nature-based solutions, nature and culture, area-based conservation, invasive species, environmental law and species conservation.
The six thematic streams
1. Area-based Conservation & Connectivity
Pacific progress towards Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3 (30×30), including terrestrial, marine and freshwater protected areas, OECMs, ecological connectivity and locally managed conservation.
2. Species & Ecosystems
Recovery of threatened Pacific species and restoration and resilience of reefs, forests and wetlands.
3. Invasive Species
Prevention, biosecurity, eradication and regional responses to invasive species that threaten Pacific Island biodiversity and livelihoods.
4. Nature-based Solutions
Using healthy ecosystems for climate adaptation, disaster resilience, food and water security, and sustainable Pacific livelihoods.
5. Environmental Governance & Leadership
Legal pathways, environmental justice, conservation finance, Pacific leadership and coordination needed to deliver the next regional Framework.
6. People, Nature & Culture
The Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation
The Pacific Islands Framework for Nature Conservation is the region’s shared strategy for protecting and sustainably managing Pacific biodiversity. The current Framework covers 2021–2025 and was adopted at the 10th Pacific Islands Conference in Noumea in 2020, alongside the Vemööre Declaration. Consultation for the 2026–2030 Framework is underway, and the new Framework is scheduled for adoption at the 11th Conference.
The Framework guides collective regional work and the Pacific’s contribution to implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It also provides a common reference for national and regional conservation priorities.
Linking to NBSAPs
National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) are national instruments for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity. The regional Framework connects with national priorities and supports coordinated action between regional and national levels. SPREP supports member countries with updating their NBSAPs in response to national needs.
Guiding principles
1.Pacific-centred conservation
2.Community rights and ownership
3.Reciprocity and obligation
4.Coordination and collaboration
5.Learning and growing together
6 Resourcing for longevity and resilience
7.Gender and generational diversity
All three parts matter
The Conference provides the regional decision-making platform. PIRT coordinates collaboration among its members and supports implementation of the regional Framework. The Framework provides the shared strategy for nature conservation. Together, these mechanisms help Pacific priorities shape regional action and contribute to global biodiversity commitments.
You can take action
Nature conservation is not only the responsibility of governments and conservation organisations. People and communities can help by protecting local ecosystems, respecting traditional knowledge and customary practices, reducing pollution, supporting sustainable use of natural resources, and taking part in local conservation activities. Small actions can contribute to healthier communities and a healthier Pacific…..PACNEWS
Find more information on the 11th Conference and PIRT @ www.pacificislandsroundtable.com
