In this bulletin:
1. PALAU — ‘Our choice, not yours’: Palau President stares down China over Taiwan threats
2. UN — IPCC suspends climate talks as key decisions remain unresolved
3. PACIFIC — Pacific civil society calls for IPCC climate reports by 2028
4. FIJI — Constitution Bill contains ‘unbelievable’ errors, says UniFiji Vice-Chancellor
5. AUST — ‘Right path’: Diverting Pasifika youth away from jail
6. PNG — PNG Opposition leader Nomane issues blacklisting warning
7. PACNEWS BIZ — Operation KURUKURU: FFA wraps largest surveillance operation of 2026
8. PACNEWS BIZ — World Bank targets 800 million jobs gap as young people enter workforce
9. PACNEWS BIZ — MDB Heads strengthen Joint Action in Manila to deliver more financing and greater impact
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji extends fuel duty concession until December
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Maritime surveillance company lists on stock exchange
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Protecting lives through stronger alcohol control in the Western Pacific
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific Leaders say Climate money must reach villages faster
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — World Food Day 2026: Make innovation inclusive and impactful for resilient agrifood systems
PALAU – DIPLOMACY: POLITICO PACNEWS 1: Mon 19 Oct 2026
‘Our choice, not yours’: Palau President stares down China over Taiwan threats
CANBERRA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (POLITICO)—The leader of the world’s fourth-smallest country has told China recognising Taiwan is “our choice, not yours,” after Beijing threatened it with “consequences” for promoting the island’s independence.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr visited Australia last week to visit the country’s newly-opened embassy in Canberra, a side-effect of the Albanese government’s attempts to deepen ties in the Pacific, where China is attempting to expand its influence.
In an interview with POLITICO, Whipps described how Beijing has attempted to bring Palau into its orbit and pushed the government to “sever ties with Taiwan.”
“It’s the Chinese ambassador saying: ‘You’re a businessman and you understand China can give you a million tourists and build all the hotels you want. What are you waiting for? We have a billion people, and there’s only 23 million people over here’,” Whipps said, referencing Australia.
“But then it also turns to: ‘If you don’t follow what we say, we’re going to have to retaliate.’”
Palau, an island of just 18,000 residents, sparked friction with Beijing when it hosted the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting in August and September.
Taiwan’s presence at PIF summits is typically limited but Palau, one of three Pacific nations to recognise its independence, offered more access. Taipei sent a large business delegation to the summit, with China warning of “consequences” after Taiwan’s democratically-elected leader appeared at its opening ceremony.
“To me, that’s not a partnership. That’s not being a good friend. We shouldn’t be beaten, or have our sovereignty threatened, because we have made our sovereign decision to recognise Taiwan,” Whipps said.
The Palau president said his country’s support for Taiwan was a recognition that small nations could only hope to curb China’s belligerence in the region by presenting a unified front.
“If Taiwan can be taken over, then Palau can be taken over, and the Philippines can be taken over,” Whipps said.
“We’ve never said to China that we don’t want to be a diplomatic partner … but you don’t tell us that we can’t recognise Taiwan,” he said.
“They try to tell me that we need to follow the One China Principle. I said: ‘That’s our choice, not your choice.’”
In July, Pacific Islands nations were angered by Beijing testing a long-range ballistic missile in the South Pacific Ocean, which travelled more than 7,000 kilometers before landing in the ocean near or inside Tuvalu’s exclusive economic zone.
“Our issue is: why in the middle of all our islands? There’s the North Pacific — that’s all open. Just send it over there,” Whipps said.
China gave little notice of the test, which Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described as “provocative,” sparking calls for deeper defence cooperation between Pacific powers like Australia and Japan.
Palau, a former Japanese colony, has deep ties to Tokyo, with roughly a quarter of its residents having Japanese heritage. Tokyo and Washington, both eager to counter China in the Pacific, regularly conduct joint military drills across the region, including in Palau.
“It’s important that not only the United States carries the burden of ensuring peace in the Pacific — that Japan, Korea step up and strengthen their militaries,” Whipps said.
But for now Palau, which does not have its own standing military, remains almost entirely reliant on the U.S for its security.
Whipps insisted the Trump administration was maintaining its focus on the Pacific, despite fears the U.S assets and attention was being drawn to Iran.
Whipps chided Washington’s closest allies, some of which are increasingly critical of the war, for not doing enough to support the U.S from the outset.
“The crisis in the Middle East — led by one country which has proxies all over the Middle East — has been a challenge to the world,” he said.
“The United States standing up to that, I think, is important. I was hoping that the rest of the world would support the United States and get this done. Unfortunately, politics doesn’t work that way,” said Whipps…..PACNEWS
UN – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 19 Oct 2026
IPCC suspends climate talks as key decisions remain unresolved
ADDIS ABABA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—- The 65th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has been suspended after discussions ran beyond the scheduled time, forcing delegations from least developed countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to leave before key decisions could be reached.
IPCC Chair Jim Skea suspended the plenary session, saying the decision upheld the inclusivity of the process, where major decisions are made by consensus among member governments.
Two major agenda items remain unresolved – the timelines for the three Working Group contributions to the IPCC’s Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) and the Panel’s budget.
The IPCC said deliberations on the outstanding issues would resume at the earliest opportunity.
The timing of the AR7 reports is particularly important for vulnerable countries seeking the latest scientific evidence to guide climate action, adaptation planning and international negotiations.
The three reports cover the physical science of climate change, its impacts and adaptation, and options for mitigating global warming.
Their completion will determine when governments can access the latest comprehensive scientific assessment to inform climate policy and negotiations under the Paris Agreement.
The IPCC is the United Nations body responsible for assessing scientific knowledge on climate change, including its causes, impacts, future risks and options for adaptation and mitigation.
Established in 1988 by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organisation, the Panel provides governments with scientific assessments that inform climate policy and international negotiations.
Thousands of experts worldwide contribute to its reports, reviewing scientific research to provide governments with comprehensive assessments of climate change and possible responses.
The Panel is currently in its seventh assessment cycle, which began in July 2023. The three AR7 Working Group reports will be followed by a Synthesis Report, scheduled for release by late 2029.
At its 60th session in Istanbul, Türkiye, in January 2024, the IPCC agreed to produce the three Working Group contributions during the current cycle.
The outlines of the reports were agreed at the 62nd session in Hangzhou, China, in February 2025, while the 63rd session in Lima, Peru, in October 2025, agreed on the 2026 workplan for their preparation.
The IPCC’s work also includes a Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, scheduled for approval and publication in March 2027, and a methodology report on inventories for short-lived climate forcers, scheduled for the second half of 2027.
The Panel’s Sixth Assessment Report was completed in March 2023, providing scientific input to the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement, which concluded at COP28 in Dubai.
The unresolved AR7 timeline and budget decisions leave key questions about the delivery of the next assessment reports and the resources needed to complete them…..PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 19 Oct 2026
Pacific civil society calls for IPCC climate reports by 2028
SUVA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— The Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) is calling for all three reports under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) to be approved by 2028, warning that delays could weaken global climate action and undermine the next assessment of progress under the Paris Agreement.
In a position statement prepared for the 65th session of the IPCC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this month, PICAN said the timing of the reports was critical for Pacific Small Island Developing States facing escalating climate impacts.
The network wants the reports covering climate science, impacts and adaptation, and mitigation delivered in time to inform the second Global Stocktake (GST2), which assesses collective progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.
PICAN supports the IPCC Bureau’s original timeline and says September 2028 should be the latest acceptable deadline. It rejects proposals to delay the impacts and mitigation reports until 2029.
The network argues that postponing the reports risks weakening the scientific evidence available to governments as they assess climate progress and prepare their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which outline national climate commitments.
PICAN also links the timely delivery of climate science to states’ international legal obligations, drawing on the International Court of Justice’s 2025 advisory opinion and other legal developments concerning climate change.
The statement stresses that the best available scientific evidence is central to assessing governments’ responsibilities to prevent climate harm and pursue the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Beyond the timeline, PICAN is calling for stronger representation and participation in the IPCC assessment process, particularly for scientists from developing countries and communities most affected by climate change.
It says addressing longstanding inequalities in climate research and authorship requires more than extending the assessment schedule.
The network highlights the need to incorporate Indigenous knowledge systems and community evidence, alongside scientific research, and provide authors with adequate financial and institutional support to participate effectively.
PICAN also raises concerns about equity in mitigation scenarios, the IPCC’s financial sustainability and the risks associated with delaying its 2027 budget.
It says safeguards are needed to protect scientific integrity throughout the assessment process and ensure the reports remain independent, credible and relevant to global climate decisions.
The position statement sets out eight demands directed at governments, IPCC leadership, financial contributors and the COP31 Presidency.
These include timely delivery of AR7, adoption of the IPCC budget, stronger participation and representation, rigorous scientific assessment standards, and arrangements to ensure all three Working Group reports inform the second Global Stocktake.
PICAN says the Pacific needs climate science that is timely, inclusive and accessible to decision-makers as countries confront rising climate risks and press for stronger global action….PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Mon 19 Oct 2026
Constitution Bill contains ‘unbelievable’ errors, says UniFiji Vice-Chancellor
SUVA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—The University of Fiji has raised concerns over the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 32 of 2026.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem warned that the proposed legislation contains an “unbelievable” number of drafting errors and internal inconsistencies, some so severe they undermine the purpose of the Bill itself.
“Some inconsistencies in the Bill are so grave they affect the purpose and content of the proposed legislation,” she said.
Shameem presented the Parliamentary Constitutional Review Special Committee with a four-page list identifying almost 100 issues, including grammatical, spelling and typographical errors, contradictory clauses, cross-referencing mistakes and inconsistencies between the Bill’s clauses and explanatory notes.
She said the Bill failed to meet three core principles of legislative drafting: plain and clear language, internal consistency and clear policy intent.
“These fundamental errors defied the three principles of legislative drafting, namely, plain and clear language, internal consistency, and evidence of clear policy intent,” she said.
Shameem said the scale of the drafting deficiencies highlighted the urgent need to fill the vacant parliamentary draftsperson position before the Bill proceeded further.
“The massive drafting deficit showed that the vacant position of parliamentary draftsperson clearly needed to be filled before the Bill was taken through any other process, particularly the National Referendum.”
“We all need to understand what this Bill is about and, currently, everyone appears confused about the meaning and intent of many provisions.”
She identified clauses 112, 138 and 144 as containing significant discrepancies when compared with their explanatory notes. She also said sections 26(4)(d), 80(5) and 116(6), among others, were so unclear that “the clauses were rendered meaningless”.
Beyond drafting concerns, Shameem questioned whether some provisions were consistent with Fiji’s international human rights obligations.
Referring to section 40(1)(e), which addresses the “chastisement” of children, she warned that the absence of a clear definition could raise legal and human rights concerns.
“Chastisement could be a euphemism for anything, including assault of a child,” she said, referring to Fiji’s commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
She also raised concerns about section 154, arguing that it appeared to divide State sovereignty, which she described as unprecedented in Fiji’s constitutional framework.
“State sovereignty is indivisible unless successionism is proposed,” she said, adding that taxpayers’ views would be highly relevant given the wider implications of Chapter 9, which relates to Rotuma.
Shameem told the committee that although she had previously questioned the need for a supreme and entrenched constitution in Fiji, her constitutional law students had since persuaded her that a fair and inclusive constitution could be achieved.
She submitted a draft constitution developed by her students and adopted by the University of Fiji, urging the committee to consider it as an alternative model.
Shameem said concerns about Bill No. 32 were also being raised by other stakeholders, including the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), whose commander had reportedly described the immunity clause as “a mark of impunity”.
She said that if her students, all eligible to vote in the next elections and part of the key voting demographic aged 19 to 40, could produce a clear and consistent constitution focused on the public good, without special privileges or favours and treating all Fijians equally, the State should be able to do the same with the resources available to it.
AUST – YOUTHS: AAP PACNEWS 1: Mon 19 Oct 2026
‘Right path’: Diverting Pasifika youth away from jail
SYDNEY, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—-In and out of jail for half of his young life, Chris quickly learnt to have eyes in the back of his head to survive the violence between cells.
Since his release in January, he has adopted a new mantra of trying to stay on the “right path” with the help of a pioneering program dedicated to empowering Pasifika prisoners.
The Samoan-Australian man, who works in fire protection and grew up in the outer western Sydney suburb of Mt Druitt, says reconnecting with his culture has humbled him.
“Karma is a real thing, so when you do bad stuff, bad stuff happens to you,” the 26-year-old says.
“But they helped me get my place, gave me advice and it led me to staying on the right path.”
His rap sheet since his first offence aged 13 runs the gamut from armed robbery to grievous bodily harm, with his latest stint in prison lasting over two years.
But he wants a different life for his four-year-old son and declines to provide AAP with his surname so as to protect him.
“I’m just trying to make sure my son doesn’t have that type of rough upbringing, make sure he’s filled with love … and he’s not wanting to go out and do those things.”
While people of Pasifika heritage make up roughly 1.6percent of NSW’s population, they account for approximately 3.5percent of the adult prison population and a higher proportion in some juvenile centres.
Mt Druitt is home to thousands of Pasifika residents as well as disgruntled youth who have become more brazen in their “post and boast” crimes and the glamorisation of gang culture.
The self-proclaimed Coconut Cartel, exploiting a slur against Pasifika people, has in particular gained notoriety for everything from botched assassination attempts to shootings, firebombings and kidnapping.
Amateur teenagers are increasingly being recruited to carry out the underworld hits for small paydays reportedly ranging from $500 to $2000(US$347 – US$694).
Diana Curuenavuli, founder and CEO of Number Eight Prison Project, is all too aware of how a costly teenaged misstep can mean years behind bars.
Her son, now 25, is due to be released from jail in November after first offending as a 15-year-old and spending time in juvenile detention.
She founded the project to prevent more Pasifika youth going down the same dangerous route and to support their families as they navigate the criminal justice system. Yet it has been an uphill battle.
“Our kids are willing to take more risk because prison just doesn’t feel like an ultimate punishment,” she explains to AAP.
“Before it used to be scary about not wanting to go to prison but now it’s almost glamorised.”
She created the Mana, meaning strength in Maori, which is an eight-week course that challenges participants for honest reflection, accountability, and growth while remaining culturally safe and strengths-based.
“The constant push towards stereotypical careers is really letting our young people down and so part our program is introducing them to people who are doing really different things,” she says.
University of Sydney academic Jioji Ravulo says diversion programs originated across the ditch in New Zealand and are based on discussing the impacts associated with their offender’s behaviour if they are minor offences.
He explains that trying to reduce the risks associated with someone potentially being a repeat offender has its limitations.
“Being tough on youth crime doesn’t work,” he tells AAP, based on his two decades of research.
“A lot of the offending that you’ll see with Pacific young people generally are what we call serious indictable offences which means they can be potentially tried as an adult and are not then eligible for such programnes.
“That’s when it becomes tricky for our communities,” Professor Ravulo says.
After a spate of heinous crimes, calls in NSW are growing louder to follow Queensland which introduced ‘adult crime, adult time’ laws setting mandatory prison sentences for certain crimes regardless of an offender’s age.
NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research figures reveal police court proceedings against juveniles in the Blacktown district jumped 35percent in the two years to June 2026.
The Central West in regional NSW also recorded a 17percent increase.
Carlthan Sofa, a Mana diversion programme participant, says he does not want to end up like relatives and peers of his in the carceral system.
“I was probably about 16 when my life started to take a massive turn,” he says after graduating from the course.
“As I got older and progressed in life, I started to turn to heavier things, and I was getting in trouble with the law,” the 27-year-old says.
He is determined to “break that cycle and to do better”.
Sofa is committed to becoming a youth worker to inspire others of similar backgrounds.
“The younger generation has a lot of violence around it, and I just want to you encourage them that there’s ways out of out of things and give them the opportunity to open doors that they feel they can’t open themselves,” he said.
“It’s sad to see when you love someone so dearly is so limited to resources and facing stuff inside, especially my cousins as they’re my flesh and blood because jail is not a good place to be,” said Sofa…PACNEWS
PNG – BLACKLISTING: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 1: Mon 19 Oct 2026
PNG Opposition leader Nomane issues blacklisting warning
PORT MORESBY, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guinea Opposition eader James Nomane has warned that the country could be put on the black-list by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) because of the transfer of warranting functions from Treasury to Finance.
Nomane questioned Prime Minister James Marape in Parliament last week on the Government’s decision to change the functions of the respective departments, suggesting that the functions should be that “Treasury warrants and Finance pays”.
He said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was concerned about expenditure controls and financial accountability and the transfer of functions could leave the country unable to meet those conditions.
“Treasury must retain warranting and Finance must manage payments, banking, accounting and reporting,” Nomane said.
“Combining authorisation and disbursement undermines segregation of duties, internal controls and accountability.
“These are serious reform conditions outlined by the IMF.
“If the executive government starts to slice and dice and make decisions about consolidating Treasury and Finance, making changes to the very technical warranting function, you are going to take us straight from greylisting to blacklisting.”
Marape defended the Government’s reforms on the transfer functions of Treasury, Finance and National Planning.
He clarified that the reallocation of responsibilities was consistent with the Government’s interpretation of the Public Finances (Management) Act, while legislative amendments and stakeholder consultations supported the arrangements.
“These three big departments (functions) clearly overlap and we need to fix this once and for all,” he said.
“Under the Government’s reforms, Treasury is responsible for economic growth and revenue generation.
“Finance handles expenditure and cash management, while National Planning concentrates on long-term development priorities.”
Marape acknowledged the IMF’s position that Treasury should retain warranting authority to maintain checks and balances, but maintained that the Government’s reforms would establish clearer accountability.
He said these reforms would also lead to the delivery a balanced national budget in 2027.
“IMF knows very well that next year we are not borrowing from them or borrowing from anyone,” he said…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – FISHERIES: FFA PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 19 Oct 2026
Operation KURUKURU: FFA wraps largest surveillance operation of 2026
HONIARA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (FFA)—Members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) covered approximately 30.5 million square kilometres of ocean during Operation KURUKURU 2026, wrapping up the Agency’s largest regional fisheries surveillance operation of the year.
Operation KURUKURU was coordinated through FFA’s Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC) at the Agency’s headquarters in Honiara, Solomon Islands from 5 – 16 October 2026. It brought together fisheries, maritime, law enforcement and defence personnel from FFA’s 17 Members, with operational support from Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States.
The operation focused on detecting and deterring illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, strengthening fisheries compliance and supporting coordinated surveillance and enforcement activities across the Pacific region.
The two-week operation recorded over 27,000 satellite detections using satellite remote sensing technology. Surveillance activities also recorded 149 vessel sightings and 82 at-sea and dockside boardings and inspections across participating maritime jurisdictions.
Surveillance and intelligence activities identified 13 vessels of interest (VOIs). The operation also resulted in one vessel apprehension.
Coordination from the RFSC used satellite-based monitoring and remote sensing technologies, including Hawkeye 360, Starboard, BlackSky, Skylight and Copernicus, to support intelligence gathering, vessel monitoring and coordinated surveillance activities. These technologies were also incorporated into the trial of the Pacific Guardian Surveillance System (PacGuard), FFA’s new maritime surveillance system, which is scheduled for official launch in November 2026.
Intelligence gathered through these systems was shared with participating FFA Members to support targeted surveillance and enforcement activities at sea. These efforts involved patrol vessels deployed by Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tonga alongside maritime assets from the United States.
Aerial surveillance support included aircraft from FFA’s Pacific Maritime Security Programme (PMSP), alongside aircraft provided by Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States.
Operation KURUKURU rounded off FFA’s annual programme of major coordinated regional surveillance operations, following the success of Operation RAI BALANG in March, Operation TUI MOANA in May and Operation ISLAND CHIEF in August.
While primarily focused on fisheries surveillance, these operations also monitored potential transnational criminal activities in the operational area, while supporting Members to take appropriate enforcement action within their respective maritime jurisdictions and WCPFC processes.
FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop said the operation demonstrated the importance of Pacific countries working collectively to protect the fisheries resources that support livelihoods, food security and national economies.
Speaking at the opening of the operation, Pakop highlighted the scale of the region’s maritime domain and the need for a coordinated regional response.
“No single nation, agency or capability can effectively monitor such an area alone. Our response must therefore be regional.”
He emphasised that effective regional surveillance depended on Pacific leadership, national ownership, trusted partnerships and information sharing.
“The success of KURUKURU will ultimately be measured not by the number of vessels, aircraft or systems involved. It will be measured by whether our collective efforts help our Members to protect their fisheries resources, strengthen compliance, deter illegal activity and make better-informed decisions in support of their national and regional interests.”
Throughout Operation KURUKURU 2026, participating countries coordinated maritime and aerial patrols, satellite surveillance and intelligence analysis to monitor fishing activities across their Exclusive Economic Zones and adjacent high seas areas.
Working through the RFSC, surveillance personnel and analysts combined information from multiple sources to identify high-risk fishing activities, assess potential violations and support targeted inspections and enforcement responses by national authorities.
The operation drew on FFA’s Regional Information Management Facility (RIMF) and other maritime domain awareness tools to support information sharing and operational coordination between participating countries.
The operation also provided an opportunity to follow up on potential violations identified during previous surveillance activities and support Members in progressing appropriate enforcement action.
Ahead of the operation, 31 secondees from participating countries and partners travelled to Honiara for a week-long training programme at the RFSC, preparing them for their assignments during Operation KURUKURU 2026.
The training provided an opportunity for personnel from different national agencies and professional backgrounds to strengthen their understanding of regional surveillance systems, intelligence analysis, information sharing and operational coordination procedures.
Participants of Operation KURUKURU 2026 at the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre (RFSC) in Honiara in a group photo following the successful end of the two-week long operation. Photo: FFA
During the operation, these personnel worked alongside regional partners, with support from FFA surveillance officers and intelligence analysts at the RFSC, to coordinate activities across participating countries.
FFA acknowledges the support of the Pacific QUAD partners – Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States – alongside participating Member agencies, regional organisations and technical partners that contributed personnel, vessels, aircraft, surveillance capabilities and expertise….PACNEWS
PAC – EMPLOYMENT: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 19 Oct 2026
World Bank targets 800 million jobs gap as young people enter workforce
BANGKOK, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— The World Bank Group is stepping up efforts to mobilise private investment and expand job creation, warning that about 1.2 billion young people will enter the labour market over the next 10 to 15 years when only 400 million jobs are projected to be available.
World Bank Group President Ajay Banga said the projected shortfall of about 800 million jobs required a new approach to development financing, combining public funds, private investment, philanthropy and technology to help countries create jobs at scale.
“The challenges were great. Resources were limited. And the World Bank Group needed to face the wind,” Banga said in his address to the 2026 Annual Meetings Plenary in Bangkok, Thailand.
He said conflicts, rising debt burdens, tighter government budgets and high costs for essentials such as energy and fertiliser had made the development challenge more difficult.
“The choices we make today will help determine how” the next generation shapes the future, he said.
Banga said the World Bank Group had reformed its operations to increase financing capacity and improve the delivery of development projects.
Project preparation time had been reduced from 19 months to nine, while changes to its balance sheet had created more than US$100 billion in additional lending capacity for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development over a decade.
The institution had also increased financing linked to results and strengthened cooperation among its public and private sector teams.
Banga said the reforms were beginning to deliver results in mobilising private capital.
The World Bank Group mobilised about US$35 billion in private capital in the 2022 financial year, before its reform programme began. That figure increased to US$112 billion last year, while total financing, including its own funding, exceeded US$230 billion.
However, he said attracting commercial investment remained difficult in low-income countries, where small and medium-sized businesses were critical to employment and economic growth.
“Our challenge is that in low-income countries, where attracting commercial capital remains hardest, mobilisation held flat,” he said.
The World Bank Group’s new strategy for micro, small and medium enterprises aims to improve access to finance, connect smaller businesses with larger buyers and markets, and simplify regulations to help firms grow.
Banga said job creation depended on three key areas: physical and human infrastructure, predictable regulations and policies, and measures to reduce investment risks.
Businesses needed reliable electricity, water, transport and digital connections, while workers required access to healthcare, education and skills training.
He said the World Bank Group committed US$40 billion last year to infrastructure and human development foundations, representing nearly one-third of its financing.
The institution was also using guarantees, equity and local currency financing to address barriers that discourage private investment.
Banga said technology, including artificial intelligence, could support development if countries had the electricity, connectivity, devices and safeguards needed to use it.
While advanced AI systems required substantial computing power, energy, specialised skills and capital, he said practical AI tools could help farmers improve yields, teachers tailor lessons, health workers make informed decisions and entrepreneurs reach new customers.
He also outlined progress across key development sectors.
Through Mission 300, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank aim to provide electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. Banga said 59 million people had gained access so far.
The World Bank Group is also working towards improving water security for up to one billion people by 2030, supporting 200 million smallholder farmers through agricultural initiatives, and expanding access to quality, affordable health services to help reach 1.5 billion people through HealthWorks.
Banga said the institution was working with development partners to expand investment in critical minerals and economic corridors, helping countries develop local industries and retain more jobs and economic value.
He said six multilateral development banks were also developing common approaches to assess, package and transfer investments, allowing projects initially financed by development banks to attract other long-term investors.
The approach would free up development finance for new projects while encouraging greater participation by pension funds, insurers and sovereign wealth funds.
Banga said development was not simply about providing financial assistance but about creating opportunities for countries to become more economically self-sufficient.
“A job is not a statistic. A job is dignity,” he said.
He warned that failing to create opportunities for young people could have consequences beyond national borders, while investment in jobs would benefit countries across the world.
“The jobs gap is a projection. It does not have to be our future.
“We have begun to show what this model can deliver. Now we must give it the scale and pace the next generation demands ,” Banga said…..PACNEWS
PAC – BANK: ADB PACNEWS Mon 19 Oct 2026
MDB Heads strengthen Joint Action in Manila to deliver mMore financing and greater impact
MANILA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (ADB)— The Heads of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Group met at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) headquarters in Manila on Friday to discuss how to deliver more financing and greater impact to support developing members as they face mounting challenges.
It was the Group’s first-ever meeting in the Philippines, hosted by ADB as its 2026 Chair.
“Conflict, economic uncertainty, high debt, inflation and disasters are placing growing pressure on our members and making development harder,” said ADB President Masato Kanda, host and current Chair of the MDB Heads Group.
“Our meeting in Manila was an opportunity to turn shared commitments into practical action, so we can help members protect their development gains, attract investment, and build more resilient economies.”
Against a backdrop of disasters, conflicts, difficult macroeconomic conditions, and constrained fiscal space, the Heads reaffirmed MDBs’ readiness to provide timely financial and analytical support to protect vulnerable populations and sustain investment in jobs and resilient long-term growth.
In a joint statement the Heads welcomed the significant progress achieved this year working as a system to mobilise private capital, and on joint actions to advance jobs, nature, climate, water, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and other common development priorities, and on efforts to enhance system efficiency for greater impact at scale, in line with each institution’s mandate, strategy and operational model.
The role of Chair of the Heads of MDBs Group will be passed in December from ADB to the European Investment Bank Group.
The Heads of MDBs Group includes the African Development Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Council of Europe Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank Group, Inter-American Development Bank Group, Islamic Development Bank, New Development Bank, and the World Bank Group. The International Monetary Fund also participates in the Heads discussions…..PACNEWS
FIJI – FUEL CONCESSION: FIJI GOVT/PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 19 Oct 2026
Fiji extends fuel duty concession until December
SUVA, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI GOVT/PACNEWS) — The Fiji Government has extended its fuel duty concession until 31 December 2026 to help businesses manage rising operating costs, protect jobs and maintain essential services amid uncertainty in global fuel markets.
The extension will continue to benefit eligible recipients, including Energy Fiji Limited (EFL), bus operators and businesses using diesel for power generation, such as mining operations, manufacturing companies, hotels and resorts.
The Government said existing eligibility requirements and administrative arrangements would remain unchanged.
The concession is intended to ease fuel-related cost pressures on key industries and support the continued delivery of electricity and public transport services.
It will also help sustain economic activity in tourism, manufacturing and other sectors affected by higher fuel costs.
The Government said rising fuel prices had increased transportation, production and service delivery costs, placing additional financial pressure on businesses and households.
A comprehensive review of the concession will be undertaken before 31 December 2026 to assess its effectiveness, financial implications and whether continued government support is needed.
The extension forms part of the Government’s efforts to maintain essential services, protect employment and strengthen Fiji’s economic resilience against external pressures…PACNEWS
AUST – MARITIME SURVEILLENCE: AAP PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 19 Oct 2026
Maritime surveillance company lists on stock exchange
SYDNEY, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—An Australian defence company using AI surveillance to track the oceans for military and criminal threats has listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
Founded in August 2025, Overwatch Technologies develops intelligence and surveillance using autonomous systems, advanced sensors and data analytics to help government and security agencies monitor the seas.
Its hardware allows authorities to comb more territory without relying solely on traditional surveillance infrastructure.
Chief executive and co-founder Oscar Leslie has over 20 years experience in the Australian defence force, including in special services and signals.
“We’re exceptionally lucky to have still the majority of our team having operational experience inside of either the military or the national security community,” Leslie told AAP.
“We have a really good understanding about what the government problem is, what are the challenges, and it’s why we’re not trying to replace them, but it enables us to work really closely with key government partners.”
The vastness of the ocean, and the resources required to monitor coastlines manually is something that Overwatch wants to simplify.
“The ocean is an incredibly difficult area to monitor with crude assets, airplanes, naval vessels, coast guards,” Leslie said.
“Militaries are now realising that lower cost assets, autonomous assets, and those that can operate with fewer human steps in that loop … is becoming more and more important.”
The technology can also be used to monitor the safety of shipping vessels, or to catch other dangerous and criminal activities.
“We look at 2.64 tonnes of cocaine being found in the beaches of Fiji, and you wonder what was the vessel that transported it,” Leslie said.
“For countries like Australia with a smaller population and an enormous surface area, both our land and our sea, we need to adopt technologies like this to achieve better coverage.”
The company’s initial public offering raised of $8 million (US$5.6 million) at an offer price of 20 cents (US$0.13) per share.
There are more than 150 million fully diluted shares, meaning Overwatch Technologies retains close to three quarters of their market capitalisation.
However, with the company built around using AI for defence and military capabilities, it is vital that safeguards are in place and the technology is used responsibly.
“Being an Australian company and being beholden to Australia’s policies on both the management of that data and the development of those models is really important to us,” Leslie said….PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Protecting lives through stronger alcohol control in the Western Pacific
MANILA,19 OCTOBER 2026 (WHO PACIFIC) — Alcohol continues to take a heavy toll on health and communities across the Western Pacific Region. In the Region, alcohol is linked to one death every minute and contributes to one in every five deaths among men in their twenties.
Yet many of these harms can be prevented through proven measures such as alcohol taxation, restrictions on marketing and availability, enforcement of drink–driving laws, and access to screening and treatment.
In October 2025, at the seventy-sixth session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, Member States endorsed a plan to accelerate implementation of the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022–2030 in the region. Building on this commitment and an earlier regional alcohol control workshop, WHO brought countries together in Manila on 25–26 August 2026 to focus on a central and urgent challenge: translating evidence and policy commitments into effective implementation.
This focus on putting policies into practice reinforces the call for stronger regulation made through WHO’s Alcohol Leaves a Mark campaign, launched in 2025 to highlight alcohol’s harms to individuals, families and communities.
Bringing different sectors to the same table
The Intercountry Learning Workshop on Strengthening Alcohol Control Policy gathered 19 participants from seven Member States in the Region: Cambodia, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Marshall Islands, Mongolia, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Country representation extended beyond the health sector. Delegations included officials from the health, regulatory, legislative and law enforcement sectors, reflecting the central theme echoed throughout the workshop: preventing alcohol-related harm is a shared responsibility. Effective action requires various parts of government to work together – from health and finance to law enforcement, regulatory authorities and legislative bodies.
Countries learning from one another
Peer learning was at the heart of the two-day workshop. Countries shared not only progress, but also challenges they continue to face in translating alcohol control policies into practice.
Despite different national contexts, many of these challenges are shared. They include gaps between legislation and enforcement, unclear responsibilities across government agencies, limited monitoring, regulation of online alcohol sales and delivery, rapidly evolving digital marketing and alcohol industry interference.
The exchange allowed countries to learn from practical experience elsewhere in the region. Viet Nam’s experience with drink–driving countermeasures, including random breath-testing and enforcement, generated discussion on how legislation, enforcement and public communication can work together. Mongolia shared experience relating to strengthening screening and treatment services, while countries compared different approaches to alcohol licensing, sales hours, age restrictions and enforcement.
Participants also examined the growing challenge of digital alcohol marketing. Social media, influencers, sponsorship and cross-border advertising can expose weaknesses in legislation designed for more traditional forms of advertising, reinforcing the need for regulatory approaches that can keep pace with a rapidly changing marketing environment.
The country exchanges provided an opportunity to look beyond what policies say on paper and consider what is required to make them work in practice – including clear institutional responsibilities, adequate enforcement capacity, meaningful sanctions, reliable monitoring and sustained coordination across sectors.
Turning regional commitments into country action
The workshop focused on the WHO SAFER technical package of evidence-based measures: restricting alcohol availability; advancing and enforcing drink–driving countermeasures; facilitating access to screening, brief interventions and treatment; enforcing restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion; and raising alcohol prices through taxation and pricing policies.
Rather than developing a single approach, the workshop enabled the seven participating countries to examine their own policy environments and identify priorities suited to their national contexts. This ranged from strengthening systems on alcohol availability and licensing, and addressing marketing restrictions, to improving taxation, drink–driving enforcement, treatment services and safeguards against industry interference.
The discussions reinforced a common lesson: strong policies need to be designed with implementation in mind from the outset.
Sustaining momentum
The workshop is part of WHO’s continuing support to Member States following the commitment to alcohol control made by the Regional Committee in 2025. Countries identified priority actions to take forward following the workshop, with WHO providing tailored technical support. They will also continue to exchange practical experience on overcoming implementation barriers and adapting effective approaches to their own contexts.
Ultimately, progress will be measured not by the commitments made in Manila, but by the action that follows: stronger policies, effective implementation and enforcement, and far fewer lives and communities harmed by alcohol across the Western Pacific region….PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific Leaders say Climate money must reach villages faster
NADI, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (SPREP)— For a coastal village in Fiji waiting to move to higher ground, the question is not how many billions are pledged at global talks, but how long does that money take to arrive.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael put that question forward to development partners at a PreCOP31 high-level session on Scaling Adaptation Finance for the Blue Pacific in Nadi, Fiji. The session was co-hosted by Fiji, the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
He urged them to judge climate finance by a simple test, “time to community or time to impact.”
“How long did it take for a particular financing arrangement to go from inception to result on the ground? This is how we differentiate between finance that works and finance that drains.”
Pacific Islands produce less than 0.03percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, they face some of the world’s highest climate risks and receive only a small share of global adaptation finance.
UN Environment Programme’s latest Adaptation Gap Report puts developing countries’ adaptation needs at roughly twelve times the international public finance now flowing. PS Michael said dozens of Fijian communities have been identified for planned relocation, with each move costing millions and taking years.
“That is the nature of adaptation: enormous social and economic value, but little conventional financial return. So the financing architecture must be built to fit adaptation, not expect adaptation to fit the architecture.”
He pointed to Fiji’s own record as proof that “Pacific national systems work.” Fiji issued the first sovereign green bond from a developing country, passed its Climate Change Act, and set up the world’s first Climate Relocation of Communities Trust Fund.
PS Michael called for three changes. The first is funding national plans rather than piecemeal projects. The second is accrediting once, so small Ministries are not answering to a dozen partners with a dozen rulebooks. Lastly, finance terms that match how vulnerable a country is.
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“Island nations should not have to borrow to protect themselves from a crisis they did not cause,” he said.
Closing the session, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Director General, Sefanaia Nawadra said the problem was “not commitment – it is how finance reaches us.”.
He welcomed signs of change from the ADB and the Green Climate Fund. But he warned that regional priorities endorsed by Pacific Leaders were falling through the gaps.
Weather Ready Pacific, which builds early warning, weather and climate services every Pacific country relies on, still faces a financing gap of around US$160 million. The region’s meteorological directors and ministers stopped waiting, he said. “Basically, they got fed up of chasing money, so they decided to come up with a costed strategy.”
Director General Nawadra urged climate funds to stop “asking the same countries to prove themselves twice.” He said the test of reform before COP31 should come down to one question –“Is finance reaching our communities faster?”
“The Pacific is not asking for special treatment. We are asking for a system that fits our realities.”
The discussions and outcomes from PreCOP31 will now shape the Pacific’s agenda for COP31.
From 5-8 October, Fiji, Tuvalu and Australia partnered to deliver the official COP31 pre-COP ministerial meeting and Leaders’ event. Attendance at Pre-COP included leaders, ministers, senior representatives and officials from invited countries, Türkiye, UN representatives and selected observers…..PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
World Food Day 2026: Make innovation inclusive and impactful for resilient agrifood systems
ROME, 19 OCTOBER 2026 (FAO)—The Food and Agriculture OrganiSation of the United Nations (FAO) commemorated World Food Day 2026 last Friday, emphasising the importance of effective and broad-spectrum innovation for the achievement of its enduring mission to end hunger and build resilient agrifood systems across the globe.
World Food Day, celebrated annually on 16 October, this year was held under the banner of “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.” with events marking the occasion held in more than 50 languages in more than 150 countries around the world.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu opened the event at FAO’s Rome headquarters which brought together prominent global figures alongside international leaders and dignitaries.
“Innovation must serve people and improve lives,” the FAO Director-General said in his opening address. “It is about enabling people to turn knowledge into opportunity, science into solutions, and hope into action. Its true value lies in reaching the people who need it most, and when it is shared and scaled.”
Qu warned that the gap between what science can do and what reaches the world’s farmers remains too wide and emphasised that the most effective solutions are developed with the people who use them – by farmers, fishers, pastoralists and rural communities – and are adapted to local realities, supported by investment and partnerships.
Pope Leo XIV in a statement read on his behalf called for a “new global food order” based on an intergenerational sense of responsibility and in which technology is reconciled with wisdom. “In an era of greater technological advancement than ever before, it is intolerable that bread should be considered a privilege and water a contested commodity,” the pontiff said.
“Innovation is the key to reconciling productivity, sustainability, and resilience,” said Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests of Italy, speaking on behalf of the government of FAO’s host country.
His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho, FAO Special Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition addressed the event, as did Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Ali of Jordan, FAO Goodwill Ambassador for the Near East and Africa, and Fatmata Binta, renowned Chef from Sierra Leone and FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa.
Senior representatives of the Rome-based UN agencies, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFD) also spoke at the event.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a video message for World Food Day highlighted that food is a basic human right.
For FAO, World Food Day 2026 is an important opportunity to reflect on our common duty to strengthen the agrifood systems that make food available, accessible and affordable to all, while rising to meet the challenges of doing and simultaneously supporting farmers and all who work across agrifood value chains, and taking care of the environment.
Innovation is transforming how food is produced, stored, transported and marketed. What is crucial is translating innovation into impact and making it available at scale, which demands sustained investment and partnerships. The world has the knowledge and the resources to do so – innovation is the link to ensure delivery.
100 Women Heroes, Achievement Awards and Junior World Food Day
Director-General Qu hailed the 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, honored at a ceremony at FAO on Thursday, on occasion of the International Day of Rural Women, and chosen for the impacts they are making in areas ranging from food production to preserving knowledge.
At a later event, the Director-General bestowed two Awards for Achievement, to recognise outstanding performance of individuals or institutions that have created true impact in implementation of programmes related to FAO’s work.
One awardee was the Aerospace Information Research Institute of China, for creating the CropWatch Cloud platform, which makes satellite-based crop monitoring accessible to countries worldwide. The platform, led by Professor Bingfang Wu, has been adopted by 32 countries and is integrated into FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Geospatial Platform, while CropWatch Bulletin reaches users in 170 countries.
The other awardee was Addis Fekadu Andeta from Arba Minch University in Ethiopia, whose pioneering innovations have transformed processing of enset, a staple crop, and includes a microbial starter culture that drastically shortens fermentation time, as well as mechanical tools that improve efficiency and reduce post-harvest losses. Lucy Enset, an enterprise he founded, has also created new market opportunities and empowered smallholder farmers, particularly women, strengthening food security, livelihoods, and climate resilience.
Last Thursday, Qu welcomed almost 1,000 students aged 9 to 13 in person, with many more joining online, for Junior World Food Day. Members from the Italian Rugby Federation and the Italian Taekwondo Federation, alongside the nutritionist for the Cabo Verde National Football Team, joined Italian celebrity chef Max Mariola and responsible fashion expert Matteo Ward for the celebration.
The World Food Day ceremony took place on the last day of FAO’s annual flagship World Food Forum (WFF), which was organised around three pillars: Global Youth Action, Science and Innovation Forum, and the Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum.
The Forum brings together youth, governments, scientists, investors, farmers and Indigenous leaders to identify opportunities for making agrifood systems more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable. By bringing policy, practice, innovation and finance together in the same room, the Forum surfaces diverse insights, tests solutions, mobilises capital, and identifies clear pathways for real-world action to address the root causes of food insecurity….PACNEWS
