In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific Media Summit to set direction for next decade of Pacific Media
2. PACIFIC — Forum Leaders to elevate Pacific priorities on the global agenda at UNGA81
23 FIJI — Fiji deputy PM to face climate change and environment questions at Savusavu town hall during PINA Summit
4.UN — WHO continues to support Fiji as it declares HIV a national emergency
5. PACIFIC — Tuvalu PM Teo to receive Rising Nations Leaders award
6. PACIFIC — Bezos Earth Fund announces US$25 million to Protect tropical Pacific
7. PACIFIC — Niue and Barcelona 2026 Earthshot Prize finalists for ocean work
8. TUVALU — Tuvalu PM hosts farewell for Governor-General Sir Tofiga Falani
9. PACIFIC — UAE joins Pacific Islands Forum as Strategic Partner
10. FIJI — CSOs warn against rushed Fiji Constitution reform
11. SOL — Solomon Islands mourns former Governor-General Sir Nathaniel Waena
12. PACNEWS BIZ — 1,500 Fijian caregivers targeted for Israel
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Tonga PM blames payload limits for Lulutai Airlines losses
14. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji welcomes record 105,791 visitors in July
15. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Building Artificial Intelligence that knows its limits: Pasifika AI
16. PACNEWS DIGEST — Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centres showcase regional progress and challenges at Kunming Dialogue
PAC – MEDIA SUMMIT: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Pacific Media Summit to set direction for next decade of Pacific Media
By Pita Ligaiula in Savusavu
SAVUSAVU, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific media leaders and journalists from across the region will tackle press freedom, newsroom survival, artificial intelligence, anti-corruption, climate change and the future of journalism when the Pacific Media Summit gets underway in Savusavu on Monday.
Fijian Media Association (FMA) General Secretary Stanley Simpson told PACNEWS the summit comes at a critical time as media organisations across the region face growing pressure from misinformation, disinformation, new technology and declining traditional advertising revenues.
“Newsrooms are not just fighting for their independence, they are fighting for their survival,” Simpson told PACNEWS in Savusavu.
The 8th Pacific Media Summit, organised by the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and hosted by the Fijian Media Association, will bring together regional media practitioners, researchers and leaders to discuss press freedom, media sustainability, climate and disaster reporting, artificial intelligence, digital inclusion and inclusive media leadership.
Simpson said the discussions would focus on how newsrooms can respond to technological change without losing the basic principles of independent journalism.
“We have really consulted widely about all the challenges facing both the big and small countries of the region, the challenges faced by newsrooms, brought about by the new technology, but also how we maintain the basics, the independence of the media,” he told PACNEWS.
The summit theme, “Reaching the Remote: Media and Digital Innovation for a Connected Blue Pacific,” reflects the need to ensure media and digital developments reach communities beyond capital cities.
Simpson said Savusavu was deliberately chosen as the venue to put the discussions closer to communities experiencing some of the challenges being discussed.
“We have come to Savusavu to talk about this, a place that is facing these challenges, as opposed to holding these meetings in a capital city where we may be far removed from the challenges we are aiming to overcome,” he said.
He said the growth of digital platforms and AI was also putting pressure on the traditional business models that have sustained news organisations.
“Many of the traditional ways of the media staying alive through advertising is under threat now with the digital spaces and AI,” Simpson told PACNEWS.
The summit will also examine how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used by newsrooms to improve coverage while maintaining editorial independence and journalistic standards.
Simpson said high-profile regional speakers would contribute to discussions on the future of Pacific media, including researchers working on AI and its application in newsrooms.
Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is expected to deliver the keynote address on Wednesday, while Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica will also attend.
Other speakers include former Fiji President and Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, who will address climate change.
Simpson said many of the region’s established media figures continued to contribute to the fight for media freedom, independence and professional standards. Alongside Pacific media figures including Pacific Islands News Association President Kalafi Moala, Johnson Honimae, John Woods, Leilani Reklai, Katalina Tohi and Solomone Finau.
“Some of these names we’ve heard for many years, and still contributing, still fighting the cause of media freedom, media independence, and better standards to tell the stories of our people,” he said.
For the Fijian Media Association, Simpson said hosting the summit also carried significance after years of pressure on the country’s media sector.
“We’ve come through a long period of suppression and struggle and facing hostility. And this is perhaps a symbolic event where we can declare that we are back,” he told PACNEWS
He urged regional delegates to use the summit for frank discussions on the direction of Pacific journalism.
“We really have to have honest discussions about what needs to be done and where the region needs to go,” Simpson said.
He said the summit’s focus on technology and connectivity should not come at the expense of the core principles of journalism.
“Using new technologies that we have, but essentially keeping to the basics of journalism — accuracy, fair and balanced,” he said.
Simpson said the discussions in Savusavu could help shape the direction of Pacific media for years to come.
“This is where we set the direction for the next, I would say, five to ten years for Pacific Media,” he said…..PACNEWS
PACIFIC – UNGA: PIFS PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Forum Leaders to elevate Pacific priorities on the global agenda at UNGA81
NEW YORK, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PIFS)— Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders will gather in New York for High Level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) from 21 – 28 September 2026 to advance shared Pacific priorities agreed by Forum Leaders at its 55th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Meeting (55PIFLM) in Palau early this month.
President of Palau and PIF Chair, Surangel Whipps Jr together with other Forum Leaders, will lead the Forum’s engagements at UNGA81 and related high-level meetings. They will be supported by PIF Secretary General, Baron Divavesi Waqa in advancing the Forum’s priorities the High-Level Week.
The annual PIF Leaders’ Dialogue with UN Secretary-General António Guterres will be convened on 25 September 2026, reaffirming the Forum’s strategic engagement with the United Nations and providing an important platform to advance Pacific priorities within the multilateral agenda, including the partnership between regional organisations (CROP) and UN agencies in the region.
Forum Leaders’ presence at UNGA81 offers an important opportunity to project a strong, unified regional voice on issues central to the Pacific’s future, including climate change, sustainable development, ocean governance, development finance, and the escalating threat posed by sea-level rise.
Under the UNGA81 theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all,” Forum Leaders will reinforce the importance of a multilateral system that is responsive to Pacific priorities and our lived realities.
The engagements also come at an important moment for reform within both the United Nations and the Pacific regional system. As the UN advances its UN80 reform initiative, PIF Members are progressing the implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. These processes provide an opportunity to ensure that reform efforts are aligned, complementary and agile enough to deliver meaningful outcomes.
Together, these processes offer an opportunity to strengthen partnerships, enhance the effectiveness of multilateral institutions, and ensure Pacific priorities remain firmly on the global agenda.
“The PIF brings to the United Nations a clear message: the challenges facing our region are inseparable from the global challenges before us. We must move from commitments to implementation, from vulnerability to resilience, and from fragmented responses to stronger, more coherent international partnerships that deliver for our peoples,” said PIF Secretary General, Baron Waqa.
Central to Forum Leaders engagement in New York is the effort to broaden advocacy, strengthening visibility on opportunities to mobilise prospective bilateral and non-traditional partners to capitalise the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) to reach its target of USD$500 million by the end of this year.
This work is particularly timely as the region builds momentum towards Pre-COP31 in Fiji and Tuvalu in October and COP31 in Türkiye and November.
With Pacific-hosted Pre-COP31 engagement in two weeks time, UNGA81 provides an important opportunity to carry forward the momentum from the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, build wider coalitions around Pacific climate priorities and strengthen convergence ahead of COP31.
The Pacific’s engagement at UNGA81 reflects the region’s commitment to shaping, rather than merely participating in, the global conversations that will determine its future.
Through collective leadership and a unified regional voice, Pacific Leaders will continue to advocate for global action that reflects Pacific priorities, strengthens resilience, and delivers tangible outcomes for the peoples of the Blue Pacific region….PACNEWS
FIJI – MEET THE PRESS: PACNEWS/FMA PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Fiji deputy PM to face climate change and environment questions at Savusavu town hall during PINA Summit
SAVUSAVU, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS/FMA) — Residents in Savusavu and surrounding communities will have the opportunity to put questions directly to Fiji deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica on climate change and environmental issues at a public town hall on Wednesday this week.
The Pre-COP31 Climate Change Town Hall, organised by the Fijian Media Association (FMA), will be held at Nukubalavu Village in Savusavu on 23 September from 7pm to 9.30pm and livestreamed across participating media platforms.
The town hall will give communities a platform to raise concerns, question government action and propose practical solutions to climate and environmental challenges affecting their lives and livelihoods.
Kamikamica will be joined by Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment Dr Sivendra Michael, government officials and experts from regional agencies attending the Pacific Islands News Association Media Summit in Savusavu.
FMA is encouraging residents to bring their own experiences to the discussion, including changes they are seeing in their communities, challenges they face and solutions they believe require greater attention.
Questions on government responses and the support needed by communities will be central to the discussion.
The town hall is being held alongside the 8th Pacific Media Summit, organised by the Pacific Islands News Association and hosted by FMA, bringing community voices into a regional gathering of journalists and media leaders.
Supported by PACMAS, the event builds on FMA’s collaborative town hall initiative aimed at bringing Fiji’s media organisations together to facilitate public discussion and strengthen accountability.
Residents of Savusavu and surrounding communities are invited to attend and take part in the discussion….PACNEWS
UN- HIV/AIDS/HEALTH: WHO PACIFIC PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
WHO continues to support Fiji as it declares HIV a national emergency
SUVA, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (WHO PACIFIC)—Fiji has formally declared HIV as a national emergency, amid one of the sharpest increases in new HIV infections globally. The declaration on 15 September builds on a response that has already been underway for the past two years.
In 2024, Fiji endorsed its HIV Surge Strategy 2024–2027 and subsequently launched a national HIV Outbreak Response Plan, with UNAIDS, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners supporting implementation.
The emergency declaration provides an opportunity to further intensify this work.
UNAIDS estimates that in 2025, an estimated 9100 people were living with HIV – 12 times more than the number recorded in 2010. Yet only 39 percent knew their status and 22% were accessing treatment.
WHO continues to provide support to the Government of Fiji and welcomes the new measures announced to expand access to free HIV testing and prevention services. These include pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – prevention medicine for people at substantial risk of getting HIV, harm reduction measures for people who inject drugs, and free treatment for people diagnosed with HIV.
“Although the HIV situation in Fiji is very concerning, there are grounds for hope. Global examples show that with significant and sustained action it is possible to bring this emergency under control, and modern treatments mean people living with HIV can live normal healthy lives and not pass the infection on,” said Dr Mark Jacobs, WHO Representative to the South Pacific and Director of Pacific Support, based in Suva.
“We know what works – testing, early diagnosis, access to treatment and appropriate care, needle syringe programs, empowered communities, and addressing stigma and discrimination. WHO will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, along with other partners, as we have done from the very beginning.”
Earlier this year, the Government announced it plans to introduce a needle and syringe programme. The Government also reassured that free treatment is available to ensure that people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives, and that treatment also prevents them from spreading HIV to their loved ones.
Staying informed and addressing misinformation is key because fear, uncertainty, and rumours can increase stigma and discourage people from taking preventive action or accessing the care, support and treatment they need in a timely manner.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services continues to demonstrate strong leadership in Fiji and beyond by putting in place both immediate and long-term strategies, additional resources, as well as Talanoa conversation opportunities to exchange learnings across the Pacific.
A regional dialogue on HIV was held at the Pacific Heads of Health Meeting recently in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. There, Pacific Island countries recognised that no nation is safe unless they are all working together given the region is so closely connected.
Pacific countries agreed that urgent preparedness and tailored action are needed in their respective countries because engaging now saves on higher cost and negative impact by acting early.
“Everyone has a role to play,” emphasised Dr Jacobs.
“WHO calls for continued whole-of-government and whole-of-society collaboration and engagement to collectively get on top of the situation,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACIFIC – AWARD: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Tuvalu PM Teo to receive Rising Nations Leaders award
NEW YORK, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo will be recognised for his leadership on issues facing countries threatened by rising sea levels at the Rising Nations Gala Dinner in New York on Monday.
Teo will receive the Rising Nations Leaders Award for his leadership and commitment to advancing international action for countries and communities facing the impacts of sea-level rise.
The Global Centre for Climate Mobility (GCCM), which announced the award, said Tuvalu and other low-lying nations see the UN process towards a Declaration on Sea-Level Rise as an opportunity to strengthen international cooperation on statehood, rights, heritage, adaptation and dignified climate mobility.
Through its role as secretariat of the Coalition for Addressing Sea-Level Rise and its Existential Threats Coalition for Small States on Sea-Level Rise (C-SET), GCCM has supported the Member State-led process towards the declaration, bringing countries and technical expertise together around priorities for communities on the frontlines of rising seas.
The organisation said the gala would recognise leadership and international solidarity that have helped bring sea-level rise and climate mobility issues to the global agenda.
It will also focus on translating international commitments into practical action for vulnerable countries and communities.
The Rising Nations Gala Dinner will be held in New York on 21 September 2026….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – CONSERVATION: FORBES PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Bezos Earth Fund announces US$25 million to Protect tropical Pacific
WASHINGTION, 21 SEPTEMBER 202(FORBES)—The tropical Pacific is the stuff dreams are made of—blue-green shallows, coral reefs teeming with fish, gorgeous beaches, and unique island cultures.
This region is home to 15 million people spread across 22 island nations whose communities depend on the Pacific for food, well-being and livelihoods.
These Pacific nations are getting a financial boost to protect the ocean that sustains them.
Lastweek, the Bezos Earth Fund announced six grants totaling US$25 million to help conserve 625,000 square miles of ocean, an area larger than Alaska.
The money will support marine protected areas in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu. It will also help Pacific nations work together to create some of the world’s first international marine protected areas in the high seas.
“This summer I spent time in the Pacific, and the water was everything you’d imagine. But what I keep coming back to is the people,” Lauren Sánchez Bezos, vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, said in a statement announcing the new grants.
“Out there, the ocean isn’t just a beautiful view. It’s the road, the pantry, the backyard.”
This is the second wave of grants distributed toward Bezos Earth Fund’s pledge of US$100 million to support Pacific-led ocean conservation, which was announced in December 2023. One-third of the Earth Fund money, US$37.5 million, was distributed last September to groups working across 12 Pacific Island nations. In total, the Bezos Earth Fund has given US$63.3 million in 17 countries thus far.
All of these grants advance the goals of Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity, an initiative of the inter-governmental Pacific Community that’s endorsed by 22 countries and territories. These island nations have committed to sustainably managing 100 percent of their waters and protecting at least 30 percent of their oceans by 2030.
If achieved, this would protect 9 million square kilometers of ocean—a swath of the planet roughly comparable to the size of China or the United States.
“This is probably the world’s largest collectively managed climate and biodiversity asset,” Coral Pasisi, Director of Climate Change and Sustainability for the Pacific Community, told Forbes in a phone interview from her home island, Niue.
“Our Pacific countries are protecting these incredible ocean assets that have global environmental benefits,” said Pasisi, “but it’s pretty hard as small countries to effectively manage that large ocean space, especially when we’re trying to deal with climate impacts on our food security and economies.”
The Earth Fund grants are “meeting countries where they are at and helping them do what they want with ocean protection and conservation,” Rocky Sanchez Tirona, managing director of regional programs for the international nonprofit Rare, told me in a phone interview from her office in the Philippines.
For some Pacific island nations, the priority is to design and legally implement new marine protected areas. Others want support for enforcement in existing marine conservation areas, or for improving monitoring and management of marine resources. Many countries are also using grants to create durable, long-term financing mechanisms for marine protected areas.
An example of a sustainable finance model comes from Palau, Sanchez Tirona said. Palau established a marine conservation trust fund more than two decades ago to support its marine protected areas. Tourism dollars contribute to the fund, and an endowment generates additional revenue. A board determines how the money is allocated.
“That’s the gold standard that people are looking at to see if it would work in their country,” Sanchez Tirona said.
The hope is that these grants also help Pacific countries learn from one another and collaborate more on long-term marine protection.
For example, earlier this year leaders convened at the inaugural Melanesian Ocean Summit, where Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu proposed the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves. Separately, several countries are working on a framework for an Indigenous-led, multinational Melanesian Ocean Reserve that will protect more than 6 million square kilometers of ocean and islands.
Rare received an Earth Fund grant this week to help Pacific nations protect connected corridors in the high seas—the vast regions of deep ocean that lie outside of national jurisdictions.
The UN High Seas Treaty, formally called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement(BBNJ), entered into force in January 2026. The treaty creates a new framework for establishing marine protected areas in international waters. The grant from the Earth Fund will support governments as they discuss ways to create and manage these transboundary areas.
“It’s all new. It really is about figuring out what is the right way to go about it,” said Sanchez Tirona. “The hope is that at least one proposal can be taken to BBNJ for ratification.”
For Pacific nations, a new conservation tool to safeguard and manage key parts of the high seas will help species they depend upon—like tuna or humpback whales—whose ranges extend far into international waters.
Other grants given by the Bezos Earth Fund during its second wave of Pacific funding include:
Cook Islands – A grant to BirdLife International will support Marae Moana, a marine park covering more than 734,000 square miles of ocean, including improvements to how these waters are watched and managed to safeguard charismatic animals like giant manta rays and endangered oceanic whitetip sharks.
Kiribati – A grant to Live & Learn Environmental Education will support Kiribati’s planning process to identify and legally protect priority ocean areas, strengthen existing protected areas, and improve monitoring and enforcement. It will also help build long-term financing to sustain these marine protections.
Papua New Guinea – A grant to the Wildlife Conservation Society will go toward designing and implementing the country’s first large-scale offshore marine protected area in the Coral Triangle, one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on the planet.
Tonga – A grant to TierraMar will help the Tongan government protect 30 percent of its ocean by establishing new protected areas, and creating the long-term funding needed to ensure they work for the humpback whales and other migratory species that travel across Tongan waters.
Vanuatu – A grant to Live & Learn Environmental Education will help the country implement planned marine protected areas, including a legal process for designating offshore conservation areas and expanding community-led marine management approaches.
The Bezos Earth Fund’s investments in the region are catalyzing other donors to support Pacific Island nations’ ocean protection efforts. This lays a foundation to “keep this global common good intact”, Pasisi said.
“It’s such a concentrated amount of funding in such a short time, so it really demonstrates that we have to scale up our efforts and not do these piecemeal projects that don’t have much impact,” Sanchez Tirona says.
“A lot of it is about that invitation to collaborate and partner and do things differently than before.”….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – EARHTSHOT PRIZE: OCEANOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Niue and Barcelona 2026 Earthshot Prize finalists for ocean work
LONDON, 21 SEPTEMBER 2021 (OCEANOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE) —Two coastlines – one, a remote Pacific nation managing 327,000-square-kilometres of ocean, the other one of Europe’s busiest urban waterfronts – have been named 2026 finalists in the Earthshot Prize’s Revive our Oceans category.
Both Niue and Barcelona have been recognised for tackling two of the toughest problems being faced by ocean conservation right now: how to fund protection for the long-term, and how to make crowded coastlines resilient to a changing climate.
The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William in 2020, recognises solutions from different geographies, sectors and stages in their life cycle, dedicated to solving the planet’s greatest environmental challenges. This year’s 15 finalists were drawn from nearly 7,000 nominations across 169 countries, with five winners to be announced at the 2026 Awards Night in Mumbai this November.
Niue’s marine territory spans 327,000 square kilometres – an area just over the size of Norway, and 1,200 times the size of the country’s landmass – within the Blue Pacific, 30 million square kilometres of ocean that supplies half the world’s tuna and ranks among its healthiest marine ecosystems. Yet island nations managing waters at this scale often do so with limited, short-term finance, even as illegal fishing, near-shore overexploitation, rising seas and ocean acidification pile on the pressure.
Niue Ocean Wide Trust’s answer is Ocean Conservation Commitments (OCCs): a long-term, Indigenous-led financing model that calculates the real annual cost of protecting Niue’s ocean and converts it into a ‘per-square-kilometre contribution’, one to be sustained over 20 years.
Priced at NZ$250(US$143) per unit, OCCs are designed to be accessible to individuals and companies as well as governments and philanthropies. Around 40,000 have been sponsored to date by more than 800 stakeholders, contributing toward a NZ$32 million (US18.31 million) endowment intended to fund the Trust in perpetuity.
All of Niue’s ocean territory is now under full sustainable management through the Niue Nukutuluea Multipurpose Marine Park, with roughly 40 percent – some 127,000 square kilometres – protected as the Niue Moana Mahu no-take marine protected area. A 2023 marine survey recorded a 10 percent increase in coral cover, a 60 percent rise in fish biomass, and a 45 percent increase in top predators since 2016.
“Niueans do not see the ocean as separate from us; it is part of our identity, our knowledge and our responsibility to future generations,” said Coral Pasisi, Vice Chair of Niue Ocean Wide Trust and co-architect of the OCC model.
“We did not want protection to remain a promise dependent on the next grant. We wanted finance that matched the length of that responsibility.”
Brendon Pasisi, the Trust’s Manager, said: “The challenge was creating a way to fund the daily work of protection year after year – the patrols, science, village plans, training and recovery after climate shocks. Ocean Conservation Commitments make that responsibility visible and give people far beyond Niue a practical way to help carry it.”
The Trust has raised 41.4 percent of its endowment target and hopes Earthshot recognition will help secure the rest, while offering other small island nations a model to adapt for their own waters.
Prince William, President and Founder of The Earthshot Prize, said: “Every year, our Finalists give me renewed optimism. They show us that, even as the environmental challenges remain urgent, extraordinary people around the world are already proving that progress is possible.”….PACNEWS
TUVALU – GOVERNOR GENERAL: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 21Sep 2026
Tuvalu PM hosts farewell for Governor-General Sir Tofiga Falani
FUNAFUTI, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo has hosted a farewell dinner for Governor-General Reverend Sir Tofiga Vaevalu Falani, whose five-year term ends on 27 September this week.
Sir Tofiga was appointed Governor-General on 27 September 2021 for an initial four-year term under the Constitution of Tuvalu.
When the current government came into office in 2024, it requested a one-year extension to allow time to consider and establish a process for selecting his successor.
His tenure was subsequently extended to five years and will conclude on 27 September 2026.
At the farewell dinner, Teo thanked Sir Tofiga for his leadership and service, acknowledging his contribution to the peace, stability and continuity experienced by Tuvalu during his tenure.
Sir Tofiga, in response, expressed his gratitude to the people of Tuvalu and those who entrusted him with the role, as well as those who supported him throughout his term.
A notable part of his tenure was Tuvalu’s opportunity to hold the Chancellorship of the University of the South Pacific (USP).
In his capacity as Governor-General, Sir Tofiga attended USP graduation ceremonies in Tuvalu on 10 and 11 September and is scheduled to travel to Solomon Islands next week to attend another graduation ceremony.
The farewell dinner also featured contributions from Tuvalu’s island communities, with catering provided by the Nukulaelae community and fatele performances by the Nanumaga and Nanumea communities.
The Government of Tuvalu expressed its appreciation to Sir Tofiga for his service and leadership and extended its best wishes to him and Lady Falani for the next chapter of their lives….PACNEWS
PACIFIC – DIPLOMACY: WAM PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
UAE joins Pacific Islands Forum as Strategic Partner
KOROR/DUBAI, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (WAM)—The United Arab Emirates has joined the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as a Strategic Partner, marking a new chapter in the UAE’s longstanding relationship with Pacific Island nations and building on years of close cooperation.
The decision was confirmed at the PIF Leaders’ Retreat, held as part of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Koror, Palau.
The UAE joins 12 other Strategic Partners of the Forum: China, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, India, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea and the European Union.
The announcement follows the participation of Noura bint Mohamed Al Kaabi, Minister of State, on behalf of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting, held from 30 August to 4 September 2026 in Koror.
The UAE’s recognition as a Strategic Partner reflects its longstanding ties across the Pacific, including cooperation with Small Island Developing States in renewable energy, climate resilience, education, and sustainable development.
Strategic Partner status will provide a platform for closer engagement with PIF member states, opening new opportunities for trade, investment, and business partnerships, while expanding knowledge exchange in areas such as the energy transition, digital transformation, connectivity, and climate resilience.
Reflecting on this milestone, Al Kaabi said: “This recognition builds on years of close cooperation with the nations of the Pacific, grounded in mutual respect and a shared commitment to sustainable development. This new chapter in our partnership holds particular significance for the UAE and reflects the strength of the relationships we have developed across the region. We look forward to deepening our partnership with the Pacific Islands Forum and its members in the years ahead, advancing our shared priorities for sustainable development and prosperity across the Pacific.”
Omar Shehadeh, Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Caribbean and Pacific States, added: “Our engagement with the Pacific has always been guided by the vision and directives of our wise leadership. Strategic Partner status creates new avenues for collaboration with Pacific nations, strengthening connectivity and working towards our shared goals for a more resilient and prosperous future.”…PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
CSOs warn against rushed Fiji Constitution reform
SUVA, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)–As Fiji Government prepares to table the Constitution Review Commission’s (CRC) report on proposed changes to the 2013 Constitution, political parties and civil society groups are raising concerns about the timeline for reform ahead of the next general election.
Parliament will sit on Tuesday, 22 September to consider the report and its recommendations.
Government wants a new Constitution in force by 24 December, which is also the earliest date the 2026/2027 General Election can legally be called.
“There’s no need at all to rush,” Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube said, while civil society groups have warned that the timeline could risk what they describe as a “self-coup”.
The immunity clause shielding those behind the 2000 and 2006 coups has been among the most fiercely debated issues during CRC consultations nationwide, with villagers, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the Fiji Law Society and economists calling for its removal.
Other key submissions have called for the restoration of indigenous rights, a reduction in Cabinet size, a review of military powers and a review of the role of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Government says the constitutional review and election preparations are proceeding separately, with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka maintaining that the election will go ahead “whether the electoral provisions are in place or not.”
Five civil society groups have warned that Government risks what they describe as a “self-coup” if constitutional reform results in the next general election being delayed.
The Centre for Democracy and Dialogue, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Fiji Council of Social Services, Pacific Centre for Peacebuilding and femLINK Pacific issued a joint statement last Friday.
They said a “self-coup”, or autogolpe, happens when a government uses legal and institutional processes to stay in power without a fresh mandate from voters.
“No Government has the moral, legal or democratic authority to use constitutional reform to create uncertainty around an election that is constitutionally due,” the groups said.
They pointed to the Constitution Review Commission’s own figures, saying less than one per cent of Fijians took part in consultations.
The groups also warned that switching to open constituencies — a major change from the current system — would require new electoral boundaries and machinery that may not be ready in time.
They are calling on Government to guarantee six things, including that the election will not be delayed “by even a single day,” and that the current Parliament’s term will not be extended.
The next general election is legally due between 24 December 2026, and early February 2027, four years after the last Parliament first sat.
The groups also urged MPs across all parties, and diplomatic missions, to hold Government to account.
“Fiji’s Constitution belongs to the people. It must not be rewritten in a manner that compromises the people’s right to choose their government on time,” they said.
Rabuka has previously maintained that elections will proceed “whether the electoral provisions are in place or not.”
Unity Fiji Party leader Savenaca Narube said there was no reason to rush the process.
“There’s no need, no need at all, to rush through the amendments of the constitution,” he said.
“That is irresponsible Government.”
He questioned why the issue was being tackled now, “just at the eve of the election”.
Lawyer and former SODELPA MP Niko Nawaikula raised concerns about whether Fijians would have enough time to understand what they were voting for.
“I’m worried that people might be disinterested in all this,” Nawaikula said.
He said he wanted indigenous rights restored and the document aligned with international indigenous rights standards.
He urged Government to consult former Chief Justice Daniel Fatiaki before proceeding.
Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu said switching to open constituencies so close to the election raised risks.
He also challenged the Prime Minister to explain what “transitional arrangements” after December 24 would mean for Parliament and the election date.
The National Federation Party said it “will not be party to any attempt to rush constitutional reform.”
The Fiji Labour Party accused Mr Rabuka of sitting on key reports for more than a year.
“Serious questions are now being asked about the Prime Minister’s ability to lead the government,” the party said…. PACNEWS
SOL – OBITUARY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands mourns former Governor-General Sir Nathaniel Waena
HONIARA, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—- Solomon Islands is mourning the death of former Governor-General and former Ulawa-Ugi MP Sir Nathaniel Waena, who has been remembered as a distinguished national leader dedicated to public service.
Prime Minister Matthew Wale, on behalf of the Government and the GREAT Coalition, expressed condolences to Sir Nathaniel’s family, relatives, friends and loved ones following his passing.
Sir Nathaniel served as Member of Parliament for Ulawa-Ugi before becoming Governor-General, one of the country’s highest constitutional offices.
Prime Minister Wale said Sir Nathaniel’s years in Parliament, the civil service and as Governor-General represented a long commitment to serving Solomon Islands and its people.
“On behalf of the GREAT Coalition and the people of Solomon Islands, I extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the late Sir Nathaniel Waena.
“We mourn the passing of a national leader who devoted many years of his life to serving our people and our country,” Wale said.
Wale said Sir Nathaniel’s service as an MP and Governor-General would be remembered with respect and gratitude.
“The late Sir Nathaniel was also a distinguished permanent secretary and held various other roles in the civil service. At this time of sorrow, our thoughts and prayers are with his family, relatives, friends and all those who mourn his passing,” he said.
The Prime Minister acknowledged Sir Nathaniel’s contribution to national life and his years of dedicated public service.
His service in senior political, constitutional and public administration roles will remain part of Solomon Islands’ national history……PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
ISRAEL – CAREWORKERS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 21 Sep 2026
1,500 Fijian caregivers targeted for Israel
JERUSALEM, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Fiji and Israel are finalising an agreement to bring 1,500 Fijian caregivers to Israel over the next 12 months, with the first group of 25 expected to arrive by December 2026.
The initiative is among several upcoming programmes highlighted by Fiji’s Ambassador to Israel Jesoni Vitusagavulu as the Fiji Embassy in Jerusalem marked its first anniversary.
Another 50 Fijian students are expected to travel to Israel in November for an 11-month agricultural internship programme.
Twenty additional students arrived in August for the programme.
Vitusagavulu outlined the initiatives while addressing faculty and students from the Department of Middle Eastern Studies and Political Science at Ariel University Jerusalem.
He spoke alongside Kosovo Ambassador Ines Demiri on foreign policy, diplomacy and the strategic and diplomatic challenges faced by small states.
The address coincided with the first anniversary of Fiji’s diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, established on September 17, 2025.
Vitusagavulu said the mission, Fiji’s 14th diplomatic post globally, was established to unlock opportunities for bilateral cooperation in agriculture, tourism, investment, exports and labour mobility.
Tourism is another area being targeted for expansion.
Fiji currently receives 585 visitors from Israel, with efforts aimed at increasing this to more than 1,500 visitors in 2027.
As part of the initiative, a webinar for Israeli travel agents and tour operators is scheduled for October 6 to raise awareness of Fiji as a travel destination.
Trade initiatives are also planned.
A trade and investment seminar is scheduled for October 14, ahead of a reception celebrating Fiji’s Independence.
Fiji Water is also expected to become available in retail stores across Israel following the recent appointment of an official distributor.
Vitusagavulu said ongoing diplomatic and economic engagements were already producing positive outcomes.
He expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved during the mission’s first year and optimism about further partnerships, economic growth and diplomatic ties between Fiji and Israel….PACNEWS
TONGA – AIRLINE: AEROSOUTH PACIFIC NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Tonga PM blames payload limits for Lulutai Airlines losses
NUKU’ALOFA, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AEROSOUTH PACIFIC NEWS)—Tonga’s Prime Minister says payload restrictions are one of the reasons why state-owned carrier Lulutai Airlines remains a drain on the country’s coffers.
Prime Minister Fatafehi Fakafānua told Nukuʻalofa-based journalists that Lulutai’s sole DHC-6-300 Twin Otter often only filled 12 of its 19 seats.
He said this was due to the weight of Tongan passengers. While Polynesians are naturally large people, more than 90 percent of Tonga’s adult population is currently classified as obese.
The other option available to Lulutai Airlines is to cut the amount of freight carried. The outcome is lower revenue for each flight operated.
The Twin Otter, A3-KLT (msn 929), is one of three aircraft operated by or for Lulutai Airlines. The other aircraft include a Chinese-manufactured Harbin Y12 (msn 32) and a Saab 340A wet-leased from New Zealand’s Air Chathams.
The ten-year-old DHC-6-300 was operated by Reignwood Star General Aviation (also known as Reignwood Asia Aviation) before the Tongan Government acquired it for Lulutai Airlines in 2023.
The lack of transparency around the purchase has always been controversial in Tonga. Tonga’s politics are turbulent and ministers and prime ministers come and go. The Twin Otter purchase predated the Fakafānua administration, which came to power in late 2025.
The Huʻakavameiliku government, led by former Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, decided to buy the Twin Otter. The current government says there was a lack of due diligence around its purchase, including properly assessing whether it was fit for purpose and represented value for money.
The Tongan Government hasn’t released any recent audited financial statements for Lulutai Airlines, but various administrations have noted the high cost of maintaining the carrier. In 2025, there was a push to partly or fully privatise Lulutai Airlines, but that has dropped off the agenda since the Fakafānua administration came to power.
Since arriving in Tonga, the Twin Otter has repeatedly unexpectedly gone out of service. Around 12 months after delivery, both engines needed replacing – at considerable cost. This caused further questions about due diligence and pre-delivery inspection procedures.
Meanwhile, both the Tongan Government and its aviation safety agency, the Civil Aviation Office, have not released details of a late-August incident when an airport worker overloaded an Air Chathams Saab 340A flying for Lulutai Airlines and failed to declare it on the manifest, creating problems when the aircraft landed.
Aero South Pacific is aware that an investigation is underway. Air Chathams declined to comment, citing non-disclosure terms in its contract, while the Civil Aviation Office did not respond to requests for comment.
Details of an April 2026 collapsed nose gear incident involving a King Air B200 operating on behalf of the Forum Fisheries Agency at Nukuʻalofa’s Fuaʻamotu Airport (TBU), including a preliminary report, have also not been released.
Tonga’s lack of transparency is despite its Civil Aviation Office actively participating in regional aviation safety meetings and dialogues, including the recent ICAO Asia-Pacific Development Partners’ Dialogue, the 15th Dialogue with the Chief Executives of Civil Aviation of the Pacific Island States, and the 61st Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation for the Asia and Pacific region…..PACNEWS
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 21 Sep 2026
Fiji welcomes record 105,791 visitors in July
NADI, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Fiji surpassed 100,000 visitor arrivals in a single month for the first time, recording 105,791 visitors in July 2026.
The milestone follows a record 986,367 visitor arrivals in 2025.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka highlighted the figures while addressing Tourism Fiji Industry Day 2026 in Denarau.
Gavoka said the next phase of tourism growth should focus on delivering greater and more sustainable benefits for Fijian businesses, workers and communities.
“Demand for Fiji remains strong. The world still wants to come to Fiji. But the question before us now is not simply how do we attract more visitors? It is: how do we translate that demand into greater and more sustainable value for Fiji?” Gavoka said.
He said Fiji’s future tourism growth would depend on stronger coordination between destination marketing, aviation capacity, accommodation investment, competitive tourism products and the quality of the visitor experience.
“Our ambition must be value over volume, quality over quantity, and authentic Fijian experiences that distinguish us from every other destination competing for the same traveller,” he said.
Gavoka highlighted renewed investment in the tourism sector, including proposed developments such as Sofitel Fiji Vatu Talei, TRIBE Na Tomba, The Sebel Nuku Loaloa Living and Tawamudu Yadua in the Western Division, alongside continued investment in established properties such as Hilton in Suva.
He also emphasised extending tourism investment and opportunities beyond Fiji’s traditional tourism corridors.
Through the Na Vualiku programme, Government is supporting long-term tourism growth in Vanua Levu through improved access, infrastructure, destination planning and assistance for businesses and communities.
Gavoka said Fiji should also explore opportunities in Lau and other parts of the country where tourism remained relatively undeveloped.
He acknowledged Tourism Fiji, its regional teams and industry partners for promoting Fiji in an increasingly competitive global market.
Gavoka noted Tourism Fiji’s increasingly targeted market approach, innovative campaigns and recognition at the 2026 PATA Gold Awards for its AI-powered marketing initiative in China.
The Industry Day also provided an opportunity to discuss Government tourism reforms, including the Tourism Act 2026, which replaced the Hotels and Guest Houses Act 1973.
The new legislation establishes a framework for national quality and sustainability standards, a progressive pathway for tourism businesses, industry and community participation through the National Tourism Council, and support for micro, small and medium enterprises and community-based tourism.
Gavoka also acknowledged the tourism industry’s engagement during the introduction of the five per cent Tourism Services Tax and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to communication and consultation during its implementation.
He said aviation remained fundamental to Fiji’s tourism industry, with air connectivity, route competitiveness and airline capacity determining the country’s ability to convert international demand into visitor arrivals.
While acknowledging the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence, Gavoka said Fiji’s people, culture, communities, environment and hospitality remained the country’s greatest competitive advantage.
“Tourism is our vuvale. Government, Tourism Fiji, Fiji Airways, our hotels and operators, investors, SMEs, communities, and every Fijian who welcomes a visitor and shares a little of our home with them, we are all part of it,” he said.
Tourism Fiji Industry Day 2026 brought together tourism leaders, regional market representatives, industry partners and other stakeholders to examine market performance, emerging opportunities and the future direction of Fiji’s visitor economy……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
Building Artificial Intelligence that knows its limits: Pasifika AI
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Pasifika AI creator and Kanaky Tech founder Kevyn Wahuzue speaks to PACNEWS journalist Pita Ligaiula about the challenges of developing artificial intelligence that respects Pacific cultures, languages, histories and community authority.
In this featured interview, Wahuzue explains why Pasifika AI was created, how it verifies Pacific language information and limits its sources, the risks of AI generating confident but unverified information, and why communities must retain control over their cultural knowledge as AI systems are developed and deployed across the Pacific.
PACNEWS: What motivated you to create Pasifika AI, and what gap did you see in existing AI systems when it comes to Pacific cultures, languages and histories?
WAHUZUE: The gap is not that mainstream systems know nothing about the Pacific. It is that they cannot tell you how much they know, and they do not stop. They produce the same confident register for a well-documented topic and for one where the material simply does not exist in their training data. For a region whose knowledge is unevenly digitised, under-represented in the sources these models learned from, and in many cases deliberately not published, that failure mode is the whole problem. I wanted a tool where the route back to the source stays visible, and where the limits are part of what you see rather than something you discover after quoting it.
PACNEWS: You describe Pasifika AI as being human-centred and culturally conscious. What specific safeguards have you built into the system to prevent it from generating or sharing culturally restricted or inappropriate knowledge?
WAHUZUE: Three, and I would rather describe them accurately than make them sound stronger than they are.
First, the retrieval boundary: when the system searches the web, it consults only a published list of institutional domains, so what it draws on is material those institutions have already chosen to make public. It is not searching the open web, and it is not surfacing what somebody posted in a forum.
Second, vocabulary verification. Every term the assistant uses is tied to the institution it came from, the reference is shown with the answer, and when a word cannot be traced back to a source the assistant says so instead of presenting it as established. Where a dictionary is available, the check goes one step further and becomes mechanical. For example, for Kanak languages, where Kanaky Tech publishes the dictionary, every Kanak word in an answer is compared with a 19,655-entry index and any word that is not in it is flagged to the reader, as described in question 4. That is the template I want to extend, language by language, with the institutions that hold each dictionary.
Third, and most important, an explicit statement of the boundary itself: some knowledge belongs to a family, a clan, a lineage, particular custodians. Being able to ask a model a question does not create permission to receive that knowledge. That is stated publicly in the project statement rather than buried in a technical page.
What I will not claim is that these safeguards are complete. A restriction to institutional sources reduces the risk that the system repeats something it should not have been given; it does not make the system a competent judge of what is restricted. No automated filter can be. That judgement belongs to communities, and it is exactly why the next questions matter more than the technical ones.
PACNEWS: You say the system searches only 59 institutional domains. Why did you choose this approach, and how do you determine which institutions and sources are sufficiently authoritative for inclusion?
WAHUZUE: Because a published, finite list can be argued with. A model that searches everything cannot be held to anything — you cannot inspect it, you cannot contest an inclusion, you cannot notice an absence. A list of 59 institutional domains can be opened by any reader, and someone can tell me it is wrong.
The criteria are deliberately conservative: language academies, universities, museums, archives and regional organisations — bodies that publish under their own name, keep their material accountable, and can be cited. I built the initial list myself, which is a limitation I want stated plainly in your piece: it reflects one person’s judgement about what is authoritative, and it will carry the blind spots of that judgement. Listing an institution also does not mean it endorses the project or has any relationship with me. The list is a sourcing policy, not a partnership claim, and not a guarantee that every generated sentence is correct — readers should still open the references.
PACNEWS: For the nine Kanak languages, you mention a 19,655-entry dictionary index. How does the external language check work, and what happens when the AI produces a word that is not found in the dictionary?
WAHUZUE: For Kanak-language questions the system works against an index of 19,655 dictionary entries across nine languages, drawn from the dictionary we publish. The order matters: dictionary material is retrieved before the answer is generated, not checked afterwards, and Kanak words in the output are then verified against the index.
When a word is not found, the intended behaviour is to flag it as unverified rather than present it as established. That is the whole design — an explicit gap is more useful than an invented answer that sounds complete.
Two limits I insist on. An absent entry does not mean the word does not exist; it means our material does not cover it, and the coverage is uneven between the nine languages. And a match in the index does not establish that a translation fits a particular context. A dictionary is not a speaker.
PACNEWS: How do you deal with differences between Pacific communities over cultural knowledge, language, traditions or historical interpretation?
WAHUZUE: I do not resolve them, and I do not think a system like this should try. Where accounts differ, the honest output is to show the sources and let them differ, rather than average them into a single smooth paragraph — the averaging is where the damage happens, because it quietly erases the fact that there was a disagreement and who held which position. Naming sources is what makes that possible: the reader sees which institution said what, and can go further.
The harder cases are the ones where a difference is not a matter of published record at all, but of standing — who is entitled to tell a particular account. There the tool has nothing useful to contribute, and I would rather it point to references and stop than perform a judgement it has no basis for.
PACNEWS: You have stressed that Pasifika AI has no institutional partner or community mandate. What are the risks of developing Pacific-focused AI without formal community ownership or endorsement, and how could those risks be addressed?
WAHUZUE: This is the question I would most like you to keep in the story, because I have stated the absence publicly rather than waiting to be asked.
The risk is real and it is not hypothetical: a tool that speaks about a people without their mandate can become a de facto reference simply by being available and convenient. Convenience is authority’s cheapest route. Over time, an interface can end up shaping what people outside the region take to be true about it, with nobody having agreed to that.
What I have done so far is partial: restrict the sources, publish the limits, state explicitly that the project does not speak for Pacific communities and that an AI answer does not replace a speaker, a teacher or a knowledge custodian. That reduces the harm. It does not resolve the question.
What would resolve it is governance that I do not currently have — a mandate that can constrain me, including the power to require that something be removed. I would rather say that openly than let the project’s existence imply an endorsement that nobody gave.
PACNEWS: The Pacific AI principles call for AI that is aligned with Pacific values. From your experience building Pasifika AI, what does that mean in practical terms rather than simply as a principle?
WAHUZUE: In practice it has meant accepting worse product metrics.
A system that refuses, that flags an unverified word, that returns five institutional references instead of one confident paragraph, is a less impressive demo. It answers fewer questions completely. Every instinct in this industry pushes the other way, because fluency is what gets measured and shared.
So concretely: it means the refusal is a feature you design and pay for, not an error you apologise for. It means restricting where the system may look even though that shrinks what it can answer. It means publishing the limits on the same page as the capability. And it means separating access from authority — the tool can be free and easy to use without that making it a voice for anybody.
PACNEWS: What do you see as the biggest risk of mainstream AI systems being used in Pacific communities without stronger safeguards around cultural knowledge, language and identity?
WAHUZUE: Not that these systems say something offensive — that is visible and gets corrected. The risk is the quiet one: they answer smoothly about things they have almost no material on, and that answer becomes the default reference for a student, a teacher, a journalist, a public servant. Under-representation in training data does not show up as silence. It shows up as confident invention.
The second-order risk is worse. Invented material gets published, indexed, and read back in by the next generation of models. A fabricated word or a garbled account can become part of the record about a language with very few speakers, and nobody can trace where it entered. Communities with the least digitised material are the most exposed, which is precisely backwards.
PACNEWS: Could Pasifika AI be adapted or expanded through partnerships with Pacific governments, universities, cultural institutions or communities, and what would such a partnership need to look like to ensure communities retain ownership of their knowledge?
WAHUZUE: Yes, and I would welcome it. It is the direction the project has to go if it is to be more than one person’s work.
For me, a partnership that genuinely protected community ownership would need at least these things: the community or institution decides what goes in and what stays out of its own material, and can require removal at any time, without having to argue for it; the dictionary and source material stay under the owners’ control rather than being absorbed into a system they cannot get back out of; the project cannot claim a mandate wider than what was actually given; and there is a way to say no that is not merely advisory.
What I can offer is the working system, the technical build, and a design that is already structured around named sources and stated limits — so a partner’s material stays identifiable as theirs rather than dissolving into a model. What I cannot offer, and would not, is a promise that the technology substitutes for the people who hold the knowledge.
PACNEWS: What would you like Pacific governments and regional organisations to consider as they move from adopting AI principles to actually developing and deploying AI systems?
WAHUZUE: Three things.
a) Ask where a system is allowed to look, and require the answer in public. A vendor who cannot show you their source list is asking you to trust a boundary they will not describe.
b) Ask what the system does when it does not know. Most procurement evaluates the best answer. The behaviour that matters in a cultural or public-service context is the failure case, because that is where the harm lives, and it is almost never tested.
c) And keep ownership separate from access. Deploying a tool is not the same as ceding authority to it. The principles are right that AI should be human-centred and culturally aligned; the practical test of that is whether communities retain the power to say no after the system is live — not only during the consultation before it is bought.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centres showcase regional progress and challenges at Kunming Dialogue
KUMMING, 21 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)remains committed to serve as the technical hub that enables our Pacific Island nations to overcome capacity constraints and contribute meaningfully to global biodiversity targets, while addressing our region’s specific challenges.
This commitment was highlighted in Kunming, China, from 7-9 September, where newly established network of Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centres (TSCCs) took centre stage at the Kunming Dialogue on collective progress in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF.
Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centres represent the operational arm of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s technical and scientific cooperation mechanism. Selected by CBD Parties in 2024, these 18 centres—including the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) as the Oceania Regional TSCC—have been recognised as key regional hubs to provide essential technical support for implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework across all regions.
Kasaqa Tora, SPREP’s Spatial Analysis Specialist, represented the Pacific, joining17 other TSCC representatives from around the world to participate in critical discussions on accelerating biodiversity action as we reach the midpoint of the 2030 framework.
Each TSCC serves as a “one-stop service centre” for countries, indigenous peoples and local communities, facilitating demand-driven South-South cooperation, knowledge-sharing, data exchange, and technology transfer to support national implementation efforts.
A pivotal moment of the Kunming Dialogue occurred on 8 September, when representatives from the Technical and Scientific Cooperation Support Centres convened for a dedicated networking session. This marked the first time the global TSCC network has gathered since the January 2026 workshop in Montreal, where they collectively developed their inaugural workplans.
TSCC representatives actively contributed to discussions on the five key themes identified in the draft global review report: scope and coverage; action and implementation; means of implementation; data and knowledge; and whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.
The discussions highlighted the potential role of TSCCs in capacity-building, technical assistance, and addressing data gaps—challenges that constrain implementation across all regions. Many participants emphasised that TSCCs could play a crucial role in operationalizing headline indicators and increasing collaboration among existing global frameworks.
While the TSCC network has made significant strides in its first year of operation—including developing regional workplans, conducting needs assessments, and beginning to facilitate technical cooperation among countries—representatives were candid about the major challenge facing all centres: inadequate financial resources.
“Our TSCCs are built on proven institutional foundations with decades of experience in regional cooperation,” said Tora.
“However, to become fully operational and deliver on our mandate to bridge capacity gaps across the region, we require resources commensurate with the scale of the challenge. The Pacific faces unique vulnerabilities as small island developing states, where biodiversity loss intersects with climate change impacts and limited technical capacity.”
The discussions underscored that while all 18 TSCCs draw on the expertise and networks of established institutions, enabling them to deliver efficiently, sustainable funding remains critical to accelerating support for national implementation of the GBF. Several participants stressed the need to move from project-based, short-term funding toward long-term funding approaches linked to regional priorities.
CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker noted that the outcomes of the Kunming Dialogue will feed into discussions at the upcoming COP 17 in Yerevan, Armenia (19-30 October 2026), where Parties will conduct the first global review of GBF implementation.
The message from Kunming was clear: with only four years remaining until 2030, accelerated implementation requires not just national ambition but also the technical and scientific cooperation that TSCCs are uniquely positioned to facilitate—provided adequate resources are mobilised….PACNEWS
