In this bulletin:
1. NEW|CALE — Kingmaker candidate elected new president of New Caledonia’s government
2. COOKS — Cook Islands election: ‘The political party system is facing extinction’
3. PNG — PNG Opposition leader Nomane calls for reduction in cabinet
4. FIJI — ‘Not power, not privilege; the people’: Seruiratu launches People First Party
5. VAN — Nobel Laureate President Ramos-Horta delivers peace message at National University of Vanuatu
6. SAMOA — Atoa o Samoa talks planned
7. USA — First Tongan senator says diaspora can help build Tonga’s future
8. TOKELAU — Tokelau’s rare place on the world radio map brings international expedition to Fakaofo
9. FIJI — Fiji’s Black Rock training earns UN praise
10. PACNEWS BIZ — China ready willing to buy PNG LNG after Taiwan backs out
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Petroleum Minister Maladina says PNG LNG’s long-term contractual commitments with Taiwan remain fully intact
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Traffickers go digital, trapping victims in scam networks
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Company, director charged over alleged provision of Niue flag registration services to UN-blacklisted ship
14. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Are social media algorithms killing Pacific news? — Part 1
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Australia and Tuvalu’s Falepili Union was only half the answer
16. PACNEWS DIGEST — Vanuatu takes essential step to accede to the Noumea Convention
NEW|CALE – PRESIDENT ELECT: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Kingmaker candidate elected new president of New Caledonia’s government
NOUMEA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) —A member of New Caledonia’s Eveil Océanien kingmaker’s party, Milakulo Tukumuli, has been elected as the new president of the territory’s ‘collegial’ government.
He was elected by New Caledonia’s 54-member Congress during a special sitting last Friday where the 11 members of the French Pacific territory’s “collegial” government were elected.
The Congress sitting directly stems from the recent provincial elections held on 28 June.
Based on the principle of proportional representation, the new executive is a reflection of the recent provincial elections, as well as the “governance pact” sealed between the pro-France bloc and the small Eveil Océanien party, often dubbed the “kingmaker’s party”.
Under the pact, which already propelled pro-France candidate Virginie Ruffenach (pro-France Rassemblement party) to the Chair of the Congress earlier this month, the head of Eveil Océanien (a Wallisian-based party he founded in 2019), Milakulo Tukumuli, 41, takes the helm of New Caledonia’s government as its President.
Tukumuli is the first New Caledonian government President of Wallisian heritage.
Another prominent figure from the previous government, Christopher Gygès (Les Loyalistes party), is now the local government’s Vice-President.
Gygès previously held key economy-related portfolios and is also likely to follow-up on the implementation of a massive economic and social recovery plan mostly financed by France by way of a mix of loans and grants.
Another key figure in the new government is Alcide Ponga (Rassemblement party), who was Government President under the previous government.
Ponga’s tenure as former President was marked by a difficult period especially after the serious unrest which started in May 2024 and caused 14 dead and over €2.2 billion (US$2.53 billion) in material damage, as well as the economic and social repercussions from massive destructions and job losses in the economic and business sector.
Ponga is also a former executive in the nickel mining sector and is highly likely to be given New Caledonia’s mining portfolio to address the sector’s worst crisis in decades.
Pro-France Philippe Blaise (Les Loyalistes party), a former Vice-President of the Southern Province, is also part of the new team with an experience mostly related to the economic and finance sector.
Another newcomer, pro-France Laurent Bonnefond, (Les Loyalistes party) also specialises in matters related to business and civil society initiatives.
Meanwhile, Nina Julié (pro-France Les Loyalistes party), whose pre-politics career includes experience in teaching, is one of the newcomers to government, and is widely tipped to take charge of the education sector.
On the pro-independence (UC) side, Johanito Wamytan, with an artistic and cultural background, is also part of the new government, one of a new generation of leaders brought forward by pro-independence grouping, UC-FLNKS.
Also from the UC-FLNKS, Ernest Déméné specialises in youth and social-related issues.
Meryl Marlier, another pro-independence new member of the government, has a background marked by agricultural, rural and farming matters.
Billy Forest is the only minister from New Caledonia’s other pro-independence party, the UNI (Union for Independence). He has a finance and budget-oriented background.
After the vote in Congress, on Friday morning, the local Parliament held a separate vote, at New Caledonia’s government house, for the 11 new government members to elect, in restricted committee, their President and Vice-President.
Even though the position of President was reserved for Milakulo Tukumuli, under the “governance pact” struck between the pro-France bloc and Tukumuli’s Eveil Océanien, the most difficult part of the ministerial “conclave” seems related to a formal announcement regarding the allocation of ministerial portfolios.
The announcement has not yet been made, but New Caledonia’s government has ten days to do so.
Tukumuli is expected to deliver his general policy address before the Congress in the coming days.
The finalisation of New Caledonia’s government, under previous tenures, has sometimes proved lengthy, painful and marked by eleventh-hour intense negotiations between opposing camps.
On occasions, the position of President was left vacant for as long as five months (from February to July 2021) after the election of the government.
This was due to differences within the pro-independence camp before UNI’s Louis Mapou effectively took office on 8 July 2021.
On other occasions, in 2019, for similar reasons, the delay (one month) was caused by divergence within the pro-independence camp regarding the appointment to the position of Vice-President.
During the installation of the previous government, in 2025, one minister who demanded more powers under his portfolio (environment), also delayed the ministerial sectors’ distribution process by almost two weeks before he finally obtained what he claimed….PACNEWS
COOKS – POLITICS/ELECTION: COOK ISLANDS NEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Cook Islands election: ‘The political party system is facing extinction’
RAROTONGA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (COOK ISLANDS NEWS) —Independent candidates are replacing traditional political parties, argues a veteran former politician – a claim rejected by a party leader who dismisses independents as a significant election threat.
Former Cook Islands parliament speaker, deputy prime minister and cabinet minister Norman George weighs in on the political landscape as the nation prepares to head to the voting booths on Wednesday, 12 August.
According to George, who served as an MP for almost three decades, political parties appear to have lost their “attraction, drawcard and magic touch”.
“Normally one refers to the dying out of certain plants or animals as extinction; one can extend that to organisations surrounding social human interactions. Plants and animals disappear when humans eat them out of existence,” George said.
“Political parties are not eaten up, but ignored, written off or completely abandoned.
“In its place come individuals on their own, independent candidates! The power of one!”
In this year’s general election, independent candidates represent about a fifth of the 63 total candidates competing for 24 seats in Parliament. One independent, Agnes Armstrong, has already retained her Ivirua seat unopposed, leaving 23 seats up for contest.
The governing Cook Islands Party (CIP) fields the largest candidate slate (20), followed by the Cook Islands United Party (14) and the Democratic Party (12). The Progressive Party and the newly formed Independent-Enuamanu field two each, alongside one candidate from the new Independence Party.
Cook Islands United Party leader Teariki Heather disagreed with George.
He said the nation is too small to accommodate independent candidates.
Heather said he is feeling confident in going forward into the election, and believes independent candidates pose no threat to the Cook Islands United Party.
The Cook Islands News has contacted CIP leader and caretaker Prime Minister Mark Brown and Democratic Party leader Tina Pukuke-Browne for comment.
While Pupuke-Browne had earlier ruled out any pre-coalition agreements -including with independent candidates – the CIP, which has formed successive governments with the help of independents, is counting on that “continued support” as it seeks a fifth consecutive term.
George, who served as an MP over two stints – from 1983 to 2004 and 2006 to 2014 – under three different political party banners, says it is now important for candidates to have powerful personalities.
“They have to be smart, intelligent, respectful and persuasive; male or female, makes no difference,” he said.
“Public speaking ability is a must; if unpolished, stand in front of the mirror over and over again, low key, high key, face adjustments, practice makes perfect.
“If you cannot handle public speaking, forget it.”
George says it is essential for candidates to create their own support teams.
“You cannot operate on your own; you will need a group around you, like a committee.
“You normally gather family and friends to make up your committee and while there could be a chair, secretary and treasurer, you will need a campaign manager. They will be your coach and chief advisor.”
He says they will be the people who will accompany successful candidates to form the next government.
“Everyone has something to gain if you win; if you become a minister, then again, those people around you will become your aids and executives.
“This is how it works and there is nothing new about it.”
George says a critical tool of any political campaign is the policies.
“What you are going to do for your electorate, the services you will offer, what you will fight for, what you will build and the benefits your electors will gain if you make it into government.
“Candidates on their own cannot hide behind any political party because there will be none, there will be no place to hide.
“This is a clear advantage for election as these candidates have to declare what they will offer their electorate voters.
“It is not mission impossible and good luck to you all,” he said…PACNEWS
PNG – POLITICS: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
PNG Opposition leader Nomane calls for reduction in cabinet
PORT MORESBY, 03 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) —Papua New Guinea Opposition leader James Nomane has called for a reduction in Cabinet ministers so that there are fewer portfolios, clearer mandates and measurable objectives to improve public service performance.
He said that while Prime Minister James Marape’s decision to suspend certain agency heads was commendable, the fault lay with ministers for failing to be accountable for their agencies.
“You cannot demand performance from 70 agencies while excusing incompetence among 40 ministers,” Nomane said.
Nomane said the Opposition was offering a sequenced alternative, not a purge.
“First, stabilise: lawful acting appointments in every agency from day,” he said.
“Second, investigate: independent, time-bound reviews within 90 days. Third, adjudicate: graduated sanctions applied without fear or favour, ministers included.
“Fourth, rebuild: merit-based appointments under performance contracts with quarterly public reporting. Sequence, not spectacle. Management, not theatre.”
He added that suspending public servants alone was cowardice dressed as courage.
“Every suspended agency head answers to a minister.
“Where were those ministers when the reports never came? Ministerial responsibility is not a ceremonial sash; it is a constitutional duty.
“If 70 officials must face suspension, then the ministers who presided over their failure must face the sack.
“Accountability that stops at the public service and spares the Cabinet table is selective justice,” he said….PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
‘Not power, not privilege; the people’: Seruiratu launches People First Party
SUVA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Declaring that “the people come first, not power or privilege”, the newly formed People First Party has officially entered the Fiji 2026 General Election race.
The party unveiled its leadership team, first 15 provisional candidates and a platform focused on governance reform, economic recovery and national unity at its launch in Nadi on Saturday.
Launching the party at Korovuto College in Nadi on Saturday, party leader Inia Seruiratu said People First was formed after the deregistration of FijiFirst in 2023, leaving many supporters without political representation.
“We chose to stand firm for Fijians who believe in equality, integrity, respect and national unity. Against this background, a new movement was formed: People First,” Seruiratu said.
He said the party would develop its manifesto through nationwide consultations and be guided by five core values: respect, service above self, unwavering integrity, national unity and sustainable progress.
“Today is not just the launch of a political party. Today is the moment we put on paper and now put into action a promise that in this country, the people come first. Not power, not privilege, not the interests of a few; the people.”
Seruiratu said the party’s constitution would promote accountability, integrity, respect for the rule of law and regular performance reviews.
On the economy, he warned that Fiji faced mounting fiscal pressures, saying public debt was approaching $12 billion (US$6 billion), with the debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio nearing 85 percent.
“Our national finances are under real and growing strain; public debt is approaching $12 billion (US$6 billion), nearly three times what it was a decade ago, with the debt-to-GDP ratio climbing toward 85 percent.”
“Debt servicing has become one of the largest single items in our national budget, competing directly with health, education, and everyday services,” he said.
He said People First would focus on fiscal discipline, sustainable growth, stronger support for local industries and small businesses, targeted cost-of-living relief, and greater investment in regional and rural development.
The party also announced its Board of Governors, comprising Members of Parliament Rinesh Sharma, Jone Usamate, Parveen Bala, Semi Koroilavesau, Vijay Nath, Virendra Lal, Hem Chand, Alvick Maharaj and Joseph Nand.
It also unveiled its first 15 provisional candidates: Drug-Free Fiji founder Kalesi Toga, Sitiveni Weleilakeba, Ashley Amrita Singh, Arisi Tabuasei, Luisa Vusonimasei, Mohammed Saiyaz Khan, Apakuki Nalaukai, Sushila Rameshwar, Ravina Lata, Jasmine Lal, former Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Ashneel Sudhakar, Ali Sheikh, Adi Laisa Tora, Ritambhara and Hazrat Ali…..PACNEWS
VAN – DIPLOMACY: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Nobel Laureate President Ramos-Horta delivers peace message at National University of Vanuatu
PORT VILA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) —Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and President of Timor-Leste Dr José Ramos-Horta has shared lessons from his country’s journey towards independence, peace and reconciliation during a public lecture at the National University of Vanuatu (NUV).
President Ramos-Horta delivered the lecture, titled “Peacebuilding and National Reconciliation”, at the NUV auditorium this week, addressing students, staff, government representatives and invited guests.
Drawing on decades of leadership and diplomacy, President Ramos-Horta spoke about the importance of unity, dialogue, forgiveness, strong institutions and visionary leadership in building lasting peace.
He encouraged young people to pursue knowledge with integrity, humility and compassion, saying sustainable peace is built not only through political agreements but also through education, mutual respect and citizens working together for the common good.
The lecture provided NUV students with an opportunity to engage directly with one of the world’s most recognised peace advocates and gain insights into leadership, resilience and reconciliation.
NUV Vice-Chancellor Jean-Pierre Nirua said the visit reflected the university’s commitment to providing students with opportunities to learn from global leaders.
“It was a great privilege for the National University of Vanuatu to host President Ramos-Horta,” he said.
“His remarkable journey and message of peace, reconciliation and visionary leadership have inspired our students and the wider University community. This visit not only enriched the learning experience of our students but also strengthened the enduring friendship between Vanuatu and Timor-Leste, reinforcing the importance of regional cooperation and solidarity across the Pacific.”
The visit comes as Vanuatu celebrates its 46th Independence Anniversary, highlighting opportunities for deeper partnerships, mutual learning and cooperation between Pacific and Southeast Asian nations.
NUV thanked President Ramos-Horta and members of his delegation for sharing their experiences with the university community, and acknowledged government representatives, partners, staff, students and guests who attended the event….PACNEWS
SAMOA – DIPLOMACY: SAMOA OBSERVER PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Atoa o Samoa talks planned
APIA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (SAMOA OBSERVER) —American Samoa Governor Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula and Samoa Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leauatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt have agreed to hold the next Atoa o Samoa talks in Samoa during the third week of October.
The agreement was reached during an official meeting in Apia following the governor’s arrival in Samoa with his wife, First Lady Lois Pula, and his delegation.
Governor Pula highlighted the growing concern over illicit drugs affecting both American Samoa and Samoa, stressing the need for the two governments to work together to address the issue.
He also raised matters relating to travel, technology and trade.
The American Samoa committee for the Atoa o Samoa talks has identified and organised the key issues that will be discussed during the bilateral meeting.
The Atoa o Samoa talks are the formal bilateral discussions between the governments of Samoa and American Samoa on issues of mutual interest….PACNEWS
USA – POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
First Tongan senator says diaspora can help build Tonga’s future
UTAH, 03 AUGUST 2026 (PMN)—For Doug Fiefia, making history in U.S politics is only part of the journey.
The Utah politician is set to become the first Tongan-born American state senator in United States history.
But he says his bigger goal is strengthening the connection between Tonga and its global diaspora
Fiefia, the youngest of five children, was raised in South Jordan, Utah, after his parents migrated from Tonga in the late 1970s.
His father, Tevita Tauteoli Fiefia, is from Ha’ateiho while his mother, Meloni Taufa Haungata’au Afu Fiefia, has roots in Pangai and Fahefa.
In an interview on Pacific Days, Fiefia said his Tongan heritage continues to shape how he sees leadership and service.
He believes Tongans living overseas are of Tonga’s greatest strengths, with many gaining education, skills and experience that can be used to support the islands.
“I think the Tongan diaspora is really Tonga’s greatest strength,” he said. “We have all had opportunities to see the world and to see the world from different lenses, to get an education, to serve in careers in different capacities, and I think now many are looking to give back.”
Fiefia said he wants to help create stronger pathways for Tongans overseas who want to invest back home, including through business partnerships, jobs and economic opportunities.
Ahead of taking up his new role in the Utah State Senate, he has already begun discussions with Tongan leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Dr Viliami Uasike Latu, about ways the diaspora can contribute.
“My message to the Deputy Prime Minister was that [we need] to make sure that it is easier for Tongans overseas who want to invest to do so, and that it’s a very clear process,” Fiefia said.
“I think there’s a real opportunity for Utah specifically with so many Tongans who live here, but also California and other places to do the same,” he said.
For Fiefia, that work is personal. He recently returned to Tonga with his family to reconnect with his roots and share the culture with his children.
“When I visit family members, when I see the villages there, it becomes very clear that life is bigger than myself, that there are generations and generations who have come before and they have laid the path and have sacrificed so much.”
Fiefia says his new role is about serving both the people who elected him in Utah and the wider Tongan community that helped shape him.
“Having the experience of serving in Utah’s legislature and finding ways that I can then actually give back to the motherland, to Tonga in a meaningful way and connecting them with resources and opportunities and people here in the States, and specifically in the state of Utah, that can benefit the count” he said.
Fiefia currently serves as a Republican member for Utah’s 48th district in the House of Representatives and will take his place in the State Senate in November….PACNEWS
TOKELAU – RADIO EXPEDITION: PACIFIC GUARDIANS PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Tokelau’s rare place on the world radio map brings international expedition to Fakaofo
FAKAOFO, 03 AUGUST 2026 (PACIFIC GUARDIANS) — One of the world’s most sought-after amateur-radio locations will come on air from Fakaofo this November.
In a benefit-sharing arrangement, the visiting experts will be granted temporary access to one of amateur radio’s rarest locations; while Fakaofo gains equipment, learning, and opportunity to test whether locally-managed practical technology would be useful in their unique environment.
Tokelau is ranked the 42nd most-wanted radio location worldwide and 24th among European operators. When Fakaofoʻs governing council, the Taupulega, green-lighted their request, the Perseverance DX Group and Western Washington DX Club are now fast-tracking preparations to turn the initiative into reality come November 2026.
The initiative is made possible through the efforts of Aleki Silao and Esera Tuisano, Faipule of Fakaofo and Tokelauʻs minister for Transport, Power and Fisheries.
“The team gains the opportunity to operate from one of the rarest radio locations in the world, while Fakaofo receives equipment, training, international exposure and access to a remarkable pool of expertise,” said Aleki Silao, project coordinator.
Known as a DXpedition – an organised journey to operate from a rare or remote location – the project will establish several temporary stations across amateur bands from 160 to 6 metres. The team will operate day and night using voice, Morse code and digital modes as changing conditions open radio paths to different regions.
DXpedition leader Robert Fanfan said the November timing offers one of the best seasonal window for long-distance South Pacific radio, although conditions depend on frequency, time of day, solar activity and space weather. Selecting the right band and mode at the right moment is part of the technical skill and competition of international radio.
The second pillar of the visit are the reciprocal community benefits for Fakaofo.
“Fakaofo’s farsighted elders have set the direction. The visitors bring their skills and global relationships”, said Silao. “Our task is to ensure the partnership leaves something useful, sustainable and locally owned.
Immediate benefits will be: the donation of 20 brand new Lenovo laptops; help with establishing a community computer laboratory and providing introductory training in laptop use, care, safe storage and routine maintenance. And at the request of Fakaofo leaders, team members will avail their expertise and experiences spanning electrical and software engineering, telecommunications, aviation, law, policing, computer systems and remote-expedition logistics to the community.
Second are potential future benefits: by demonstrating how high-frequency amateur radio can provide a complementary long-distance communications option when mobile or internet services are struck down as a result of major disasters or crises.
It could also initiate discussion with development partners about school or community radio, youth science and technology learning, licensed local operators, and similar partnerships elsewhere in Tokelau.
“The visit will allow Fakaofo to see the technology in action and consider whether a locally managed capability deserves further development,” said Fanfant. As any permanent local emergency-radio capability would require licensed operators, suitable equipment and antennas, backup power, maintenance and integration with Tokelau’s official emergency procedures.
Turning DXpedition events into reality is complex bringing together a matrix of normally unrelated factors. The Fakaofo operation will involve transporting about three pallets of radio, computer and supporting equipment such as portable generators to Apia, Samoa and then by sea to Fakaofo. The team expects to leave Apia in the week beginning 16 November for the approximately 30-hour voyage….PANEWS
FIJI – PEACKEEPING CENTRE: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Fiji’s Black Rock training earns UN praise
NADI, 03 AUGUST 2026(FIJI SUN) —The United Nations has praised Fiji’s Black Rock Camp as a high-quality peacekeeping training centre while urging member states to meet their financial obligations to support increasingly complex global missions.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix made the remarks during his visit to the Black Rock Camp in Votualevu, Nadi, on Saturday.
“I believe training is fundamental, so I’m very happy to see the quality of this training centre here in Fiji,” he said.
Lacroix acknowledged the financial pressures facing UN peacekeeping operations but said member states must honour their funding commitments.
“We are doing all this amid financial constraints,” he said.
“On the one hand, we must seek greater cost-effectiveness, and technological advances can help us do that.
“On the other hand, we have more complex mandates, and these mandates are created by our member states. They approve our budgets, so we expect them to pay what they owe. That is an important message to our financial contributors. At the same time, we will continue working hard to become not only more effective but also more cost-effective.”
Lacroix also commended Fiji for its commitment to increasing the participation of women in peacekeeping operations.
“I am pleased to see Fiji’s strong commitment to increasing the role and empowerment of women in peacekeeping,” he said.
“UN peacekeeping is more effective when there are more women involved. We have seen this across all our operations.
“We want to see more women in leadership positions and across all functions in peacekeeping.
“We have made significant progress, with more women serving in uniformed units and command positions, but we want to do even more.
“For that, we need the continued support of Fiji, one of our most trusted troop- and police-contributing countries,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PNG – LNG: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 03 Aug 2026
China ready willing to buy PNG LNG after Taiwan backs out
PORT MORESBY, 03 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) —Chinese Ambassador to PNG, Yang Xiaoguang, says China is ready to import liquified natural gas (LNG) from Papua New Guinea as it sees the opportunity to improve the strategic partnership between both countries.
Speaking to The National, Chinese ambassador to PNG, Yang Xiaoguang, said Beijing was taking the opportunity to improve strategic partnership with Port Moresby.
“China always supports free trade, firmly opposes using trade issue as a tool or weapon to conduct economic coercion against others,” he said.
“Threatening to stop buying PNG’s LNG on the spot market is shortsighted and will ultimately backfire.
“China boasts the world’s largest middle-income group and a supersized market.
“China stands ready to expand LNG import from PNG, and deepen our cooperation in trade and other areas, continuously enriching the China-PNG comprehensive strategic partnership.”
He was responding to Taiwan’s decision to stop buying LNG from PNG following the recent closure of the Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby.
He said Beijing supported PNG’s decision to cut ties with Taiwan as it was a central part of the One-China policy.
“The Chinese side highly appreciates and applauds the PNG Government’s right decision to close down the ‘Taipei Economic Office in Papua New Guinea’,” Yang said.
“It demonstrates once again that upholding the One-China principle is where international public opinion trends and the arc of history bends.
“There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
He said PNG-China relations had been built over 50 years and would continue for more.
“China and PNG are good friends, good partners and good brothers.
“We firmly support PNG in exploring a development path suited to its national conditions and achieving its own independence and revitalisation.
“Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1976 on the base of One-China principle, our two sides have enjoyed frequent high-level engagements, deepening practical cooperation and close people-to-people exchanges, bringing tangible benefit to both our countries and peoples.
“The decision of closing down the ‘Taipei Economic Office in Papua New Guinea’ will further consolidate the political foundation of China-PNG relations and practical cooperation.”
Meanwhile, Michael Chau-horng Lin, director-general of the Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at Taiwan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, confirmed the suspension of spot-market purchases from PNG.
He said the CPC Corporation – Taiwan’s state energy company – had completed and internal audit of PNG procurement and formally halted the purchases…..PACNEWS
PNG – LNG: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Petroleum Minister Maladina says PNG LNG’s long-term contractual commitments with Taiwan remain fully intact
PORT MORESBY, 03 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) —Papua New Guinea’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports remain secure despite Taiwan’s decision to suspend spot-market purchases from the country, says Petroleum Minister Jimmy Maladina.
Maladina said reports indicated that Taiwan’s decision related to discretionary spot-market purchases only.
“However, Taiwan will continue to honour its long-term LNG supply agreement with Papua New Guinea through to 2030. This distinction is important,” he said.
“Our understanding is that the long-term contractual commitments remain fully intact.
“Those contracts underpin the PNG LNG Project and provide certainty for both buyers and sellers.”
Taiwan this week decided to stop buying LNG from PNG following the recent closure of the Taipei Economic Office in Port Moresby.
China’s ambassador to PNG, Yang Xiaoguang, told The National that China was ready to import liquified natural gas (LNG) from Papua New Guinea following Taiwan’s decision to stop buying the commodity.
Maladina said Papua New Guinea’s LNG exports were backed by binding commercial agreements and operate within a competitive global market.
“The LNG market is dynamic and highly liquid,” he said.
“Spot cargoes are routinely traded between buyers depending on demand and market conditions.
“If a particular buyer elects not to purchase spot cargoes, those volumes are typically redirected to other buyers in the region.
“We therefore do not expect any material impact on PNG LNG production or export volumes.”
He said that the country’s foreign policy and commercial relationships should remain separate matters, adding that PNG LNG delivered eight cargoes to Taiwan with a combined invoice value of approximately US$346.9 million (about K1.5 billion) in the first half of 2026.
“Papua New Guinea’s One China Policy reflects our sovereign diplomatic position,” Maladina said.
“Our commercial obligations continue to be governed by legally binding agreements and international business practices.”
He also highlighted the Government’s confidence in the resilience of the LNG sector and the continued strength of regional demand.
“Energy security remains a priority across Asia.
“Demand for reliable LNG supplies continues to grow, and Papua New Guinea is well positioned as a trusted supplier.”
Maladina said the Government would continue to monitor developments closely and work with project participants to safeguard PNG’s long term economic interests while ensuring uninterrupted LNG exports to international markets…..PACNEWS
PAC – SCAMS: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Traffickers go digital, trapping victims in scam networks
SUVA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) —Traffickers are increasingly using social media, fraudulent job ads and other digital platforms to trap people in forced labour and forced criminality.
“Technology is part of the problem, but it also must be part of the solution, and no country can tackle this challenge alone,” Officials said at a World Day Against Trafficking in Persons event hosted at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.
Solomon Kantha, chief of mission and sub-regional coordinator for the International Organisation for Migration, said trafficking had evolved with technology and now often begins online.
“This is the new nature and most prominent nature of trafficking that is happening,” he said, adding that exploitation was increasingly taking place “behind your mobile devices.”
Kantha said criminal networks were using deceptive recruitment offers and scam compounds to coerce victims into online fraud.
He described a survivor who had been recruited through an online job advertisement after losing work during the COVID-19 pandemic, then taken from his home country to Thailand and later moved to Myanmar, where he was forced to work in a scam compound.
“In these scam compounds, people are also placed into their nationality groups,” Kantha said, adding that victims are often forced to target people from their own countries.
He said those trapped in the compounds are stripped of their documents, threatened and made to work long hours to generate profit for traffickers.
“Victims of forced criminality are often highly educated and tech-savvy, with many holding bachelor’s or master’s degrees and backgrounds in information technology, marketing, customer service and human resources.
“They have to be experts to speak to victims as if it’s a general offer,” he said, warning that “if it is too good to be true, that’s the indicator that you can pick out.”
Kantha said the scale of the problem was expanding rapidly. He cited IOM data showing the agency had assisted more than 3,500 victims of trafficking for forced criminality across Southeast Asia between 2022 and 2025, from 39 countries.
He also cited UNODC data, as referenced by IOM, estimating annual losses from scam offences across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand at between $88 billion and $114 billion in 2025 alone.
“Criminalising victims only strengthens criminal networks,” he said, arguing that survivors trapped in scam compounds should be protected rather than punished.
“They deserve protection, not punishment,” he said.
Marie Cauchois, head of the UNODC office in the Pacific, said traffickers and organised crime groups had adapted quickly to digital connectivity.
“Technology has transformed the way people connect, seek employment and access opportunities,” she said, adding that the same tools were being exploited to lure victims into forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced criminality.
Cauchois said the response had to combine stronger criminal justice action with prevention and victim protection.
“Our response must be victim-centred,” she said, adding that stronger cooperation was needed across government, law enforcement, labour agencies, civil society, media and social partners.
Both speakers said better data, stronger awareness campaigns, cross-border cooperation and closer partnerships with technology companies, financial institutions and communities would be needed to confront trafficking for forced criminality in the Pacific.
Kantha urged people to stay alert online, saying the goal was to ensure that “no one in Fiji or anywhere else in the Pacific is ever trapped behind a scam.”…PACNEWS
PAC – SHIPPING: STRAIT TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 03 Aug 2026
Company, director charged over alleged provision of Niue flag registration services to UN-blacklisted ship
SINGAPORE, 03 AUGUST 2026 (STRAIT TIMES) — A company and its director were charged on 31 July over the alleged provision of flag registration services to a United Nations-blacklisted ship.
Niue Ship Registry was handed one charge for allegedly providing such services to the vessel PETREL 8.
The director, David Chong Kwok Yong, 49, faced one charge for allegedly abetting the company to provide the services to the vessel on 18 May 2022.
Charge sheets stated that Chong purportedly did so despite having reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel was involved in transporting prohibited items from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the official name of North Korea.
PETREL 8 is a bulk carrier formerly flagged by East African country Comoros and island nation Niue.
The vessel was designated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 03 October, 2017, for illegally transporting banned North Korean exports such as coal and iron ore, according to the Financial Action Task Force, founded by the Group of Seven nations.
A vessel designated by the UNSC means that it is officially blacklisted for illicit activities that threaten international peace and security.
Under the United Nations Act, the United Nations (Sanctions-DPRK) Regulations 2010 gives effect to sanctions imposed by the UNSC on DPRK to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
This includes prohibitions against the provision of services for vessels where there are reasonable grounds to believe that they are involved in North Korea’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
If found guilty, Chong faces a maximum 10-year prison term, a fine of up to US$500,000, or both.
The company faces a fine of up to US$1 million.
Their cases will be mentioned again in court in August…..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
Are social media algorithms killing Pacific news? — Part 1
By Sue Ahearn
MELBOURNE, 03 AUGUST 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) —Facebook is strangling Pacific journalism, with some news organisations losing up to 70 percent of their audience almost overnight.
The sudden falls have hit The Pacific Newsroom, the Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC) and the Solomon Islands-based Melanesian News Network, raising fears that changes to Meta’s algorithms are pushing verified news out of Facebook feeds.
The Pacific Newsroom recorded a 70 percent fall in Facebook views. Melanesian News Network founder and editor Dorothy Wickham says her outlet’s reach dropped by about 45 percent over four months. In Vanuatu, the VBTC has also reported a significant decline in reach and views across its main Facebook pages.
None of the outlets can prove that a particular algorithm change caused the losses, and Meta has offered no explanation.
The declines raise a larger question: what happens to public-interest journalism in the Pacific when the overseas platform on which many publishers depend changes how their reporting is distributed?
Across much of the Pacific, Facebook has become a principal channel for news, current affairs and official information. Live election coverage, disaster alerts and government statements are routinely distributed directly through Facebook feeds. A Lowy Institute analysis of disinformation in the region describes the extent to which mainstream outlets have been forced to treat Facebook as a primary distribution platform because so much of the population relies on social media for current affairs.
Francis Herman, chief executive officer of the national broadcaster VBTC and an influential figure in Pacific media, says that dependence makes changes to Facebook’s distribution systems a matter of regional media sovereignty.
“When a single overseas platform changes an algorithm without consultation, it can dramatically reduce the visibility of local journalism, public-interest reporting and emergency information across multiple island nations,” he said.
Herman says VBTC has observed a significant fall in views and reach on its Facebook pages in recent weeks, particularly on its news service. He says discussions with other Pacific media colleagues suggest the problem is not confined to Vanuatu.
At The Pacific Newsroom, we noticed the collapse in our figures in June 2026. Facebook views of our posts fell by about 70 percent, despite our having around 80,000 followers across social media, most of them on Facebook.
We had not changed what we publish or how frequently we post. Our audience had not suddenly disappeared. Meta offered no explanation.
We cannot prove that an algorithm change caused the fall. But there was no obvious editorial or audience change that explained it, and the timing was stark enough to demand scrutiny.
The Pacific Newsroom has operated for more than eight years. At its peak, our stories attracted about half a million views a month. Three of us run it as volunteers, working with journalists, editors and newsmakers throughout the region. They send us stories and tips, help verify reports and alert us when something is wrong.
Much of the news we carry comes from small Pacific newsrooms. By bringing those stories together in one place, we help them reach regional and international audiences they could not easily reach alone. We link readers back to the news organisation that did the original work.
That is why the sudden loss of reach matters. This is not simply an attempt to defend or vindicate one volunteer news service. Our experience is a case study of a wider vulnerability now also being reported by other Pacific publishers.
Meta’s retreat from dedicated news products is well documented. Reuters reported in March 2024 that the company would close Facebook News in Australia and the United States, following earlier closures in the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and would not enter new commercial deals for traditional news content in those countries.
The company has repeatedly argued that news accounts for only a small part of what users see on Facebook. Publishers respond that Meta itself controls what appears in users’ feeds. News is not discovered in a neutral digital marketplace. It is ranked, recommended, suppressed or surfaced by systems that publishers cannot inspect.
There is evidence of a broader decline in news visibility. A 2025 academic study of more than five million Facebook posts found that reactions to news fell by 78 percent between 2021 and 2024 while reactions to non-news pages increased. The study did not examine the Pacific, but its findings help explain why publishers are asking hard questions about platform distribution.
In a second article that follows, I look at why Pacific newsrooms are especially exposed to these shifts and what a policy response might look like….PACNEWS
Sue Ahearn is a journalist, founder/co-editor of The Pacific Newsroom and co-convenor of the Australia Asia Pacific Media Initiative, an industry expert group.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Australia and Tuvalu’s Falepili Union was only half the answer
SYDNEY, 03 AUGUST 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) —At an average of just two metres above sea level, climate-induced sea-level rise is expected to engulf Tuvalu at high tide by 2050. Australia and Tuvalu’s Falepili Union Treaty provides a lifeline to Tuvaluans facing this impending existential crisis, offering migration options and protecting and promoting Tuvalu’s security and sovereignty.
This means Australia has recognised Tuvalu’s enduring statehood regardless of what happens to its physical territory. How the commitment translates in practice, with no precedent (Opens in new window) to guide it, is what will determine Tuvalu’s status as an enduring sovereign state.
At its signing on 9 November 2023, the Falepili Union Treaty built on an existing architecture. The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) produced declarations in 2021 and 2023 on Preserving Maritime Zones and the Continuity of Statehood . Together, they established regional consensus on the permanency of current maritime boundaries and the enduring existence and legal status of PIF member states, notwithstanding the loss of territory to climate change-induced sea-level rise. Australia and Tuvalu were signatories to both.
Tuvalu has since sought to translate these principles into its own law. The Constitution of Tuvalu Act of 2023 permanently affirms the nation’s statehood and sovereignty and fixes its maritime zones, including its Exclusive Economic Zone, to current geographic coordinates.
Tuvalu’s Digital Nation initiative – announced (Opens in new window) in 2022 – was designed to provide the infrastructure needed to support a population in the diaspora. It aims to provide Tuvaluans a three-dimensional replica of Tuvalu’s island landscape, an archive of Tuvaluan cultural artefacts and stories, and an e-government system allowing Tuvaluans to vote, access digital passports, and utilise government services. The purpose is to sustain connections to land and culture central to Tuvaluan statehood and make civic participation accessible to all regardless of their location.
Expanding this architecture, the Falepili Union Treaty gave Tuvalu’s continuing statehood bilateral legal status. Australia committed to recognising Tuvalu’s statehood and sovereignty irrespective of the impacts of climate change and designed a mobility pathway that guarantees Australian residency or citizenship will not affect that of Tuvalu’s.
This does not, however, assure Tuvalu’s continuing statehood globally. The Falepili Union Treaty is a substantial bilateral achievement. But statehood and sovereignty without territory remains unsettled in international law.
Territory, alongside population, governance and the capacity to enter relations with other states, is considered a foundational element of statehood under the 1933 Montevideo Convention. The Convention offers no ruling on the continuity of a state that loses one of these elements – and no court has reflected on the question directly until the 2025 International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Relation to Climate Change. The ICJ found that the loss of a constituent element does “not necessarily” mean the loss of statehood. But “not necessarily” is far from a guarantee, and an advisory opinion is not legally binding.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) dictates that maritime zones must be calculated from a state’s coastline. States are not obligated to update the geographical coordinates of their established maritime zones, but no precedent yet exists that guarantees maritime territory without associated physical lands will be respected by other states. Tuvalu’s 749,800 square kilometres of ocean territory generates its primary source of government revenue, through fishing licences, and holds the seabed minerals over which it claims jurisdiction. The absence of legal precedent leaves both exposed.
The consequences of this uncertainty are grave. If the population of Tuvalu was displaced by rising sea-levels tomorrow, they would be at risk of being deemed stateless. This would see their freedom of movement challenged, the UN status of their country questioned, and their fundamental human rights left unprotected. Tuvalu’s maritime territory would carry the same exposure. If exploited or contested by another state, Tuvalu, and Australia, as its security partner, would have limited legal grounds internationally on which to defend Tuvalu’s ocean jurisdiction.
The same exposure extends to other low-lying nations. Kiribati and the Marshall Islands are both large ocean states with the same average elevation of around two metres. Both face the prospect of losing their habitable land to rising seas. Larger, more mountainous states such as Fiji or Papua New Guinea will retain their homeland, but even they are already contending with the internal relocation of outer island and coastal communities and could face similar exposure to maritime disputes.
When Australia and Tuvalu signed the Falepili Union Treaty, they set a legal precedent for statehood and sovereignty without territory. That precedent holds between Australia and Tuvalu – but Tuvalu’s continuing statehood cannot rely on a single bilateral relationship to remain secure. The international community must recognise and formally honour it, too.
With Australia presiding over global climate change negotiations at COP31, Tuvalu hosting part of this year’s pre-COP meeting, and Australia co-facilitating the UN Sea-Level Rise Declaration negotiations in September, the two partners are well placed to elevate that recognition onto the world stage…. PACNEWS
Sarah Thompson is a Research Associate in the Pacific Islands Program and the Project Director of the Australia–Papua New Guinea Network at the Lowy Institute.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Vanuatu takes essential step to accede to the Noumea Convention
PORT VILA, 03 AUGUST 2026 (SPREP)— Vanuatu has taken an essential step to enhance national efforts to protect and sustainably manage the nation’s marine and coastal resources.
It follows a national workshop to support Vanuatu’s preparation for accession to the Noumea Convention, including implementation.
Held in Port Vila from 22 -24 June, the workshop was facilitated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the Legal Services and Governing Bodies Department.
“The recently concluded workshop on the Noumea Convention provided invaluable clarity and strategic direction for our ongoing environmental and regional commitments,” said Osborne Melenamu, Director of Vanuatu Department of Environment Protection and Conversation (DEPC).
Vanuatu has signalled its support to accede to the Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment in the Pacific region, also known as the Noumea Convention.
The Convention is important to Vanuatu given the country’s extensive marine resources and dependence on healthy coastal ecosystems and vulnerability to climate change, marine pollution, biodiversity loss and natural disasters.
The workshop funded by the Government of New Zealand under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Climate Funding Agreement was attended by the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, Compliance Unit and the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning and the Oceans Affairs Office.
The three-day meeting offered structured sessions allowing participants to gain a deeper understanding of the core framework of the Noumea Convention, thematic alignment and cross-sectoral integration.
Osborne Melenamu added that the opportunity to unpack the fundamental principles and mandates that govern marine and coastal environment protection across the region was extremely important, as well as identifying key environmental thematic areas and exploring practical ways to integrate these priorities into regional and national frameworks.
“This workshop served as an essential stepping stone toward enhancing institutional knowledge, streamlining inter-sectoral collaboration, and ensuring our national efforts effectively support the protection and sustainable management of our shared marine and coastal resources,” said Osborne.
SPREP Director of Environment Governance, Jope Davetanivalu, acknowledged the Government of Vanuatu for its decision to accede to the Noumea Convention.
“The Noumea Convention is extremely important to the work of SPREP as the regional organisation established by the Governments and Administrations of the Pacific charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources,” he said.
Director Davetanivalu also highlighted efforts undertaken by SPREP as the Secretariat, and Parties to strengthen the Noumea Convention. These include the implementation of the Workplan and Budget approved at the 18th Noumea Convention Conference of the Parties Meeting in 2025.
Key priority activities currently in progress include the development of a Noumea Convention Communications Strategy and a Sustainable Financing Strategy.
“These steps reflect our collective commitment to ensure that the Noumea Convention remains a strong and effective framework for regional cooperation. And SPREP also continues to encourage those countries who have yet to become Parties to do so. We standby as the Secretariat to provide support,” he said…PACNEWS
To find out more about the Noumea Convention, please visit: https://www.sprep.org/convention-secretariat/noumea-convention or email Kathleen Taituave-Afereti kathleent@sprep.org
