In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Cyclone Maila strengthens to Category 5, batters Solomon Islands and threatens PNG
2. FIJI — TC Vaianu slowly moving away from Fiji
3. SOL — Solomon Islands Cabinet to urgently consider Cyclone Maila response measures following Caucus briefing
4. NEW|CALE — French PM Sébastien Lecornu holds separate meetings with New Caledonia’s politicians
5. FIJI — No approval yet for $1.4b Vuda incinerator project, Fiji PM says
6. PNG — PNG Opposition leader Nomane to take legal action on Vagrancy Act Bill
7. TONGA — Tonga secures drought insurance payout for Niua Islands
8. PNG — Investigations into PNGDF recruitment drive underway: Polewara
9. PACNEWS BIZ — FFA and Iceland Ocean Cluster partner to unlock more value from Pacific fisheries
10. PACNEWS BIZ — IFC pushes banks to remove barriers for women entrepreneurs
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Move toward solar energy
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Cover-up of British nuclear testing in the Pacific exposed
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — South Pacific Albacore Harvest Strategy – What’s Next?
PAC – WEATHER WATCH: SOL STAR/RNZ PACIFIC/PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Cyclone Maila strengthens to Category 5, batters Solomon Islands and threatens PNG
HONIARA/PORT MORESBY, 08 APRIL 2026 (SOLOMON STAR/RNZ PACIFIC/PACNEWS) —- Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila has intensified into a Category 5 system in the Solomon Sea, the first of its kind recorded in the area under the Australian scale.
According to Pacific Tropical Cyclone Updates, Cyclone Maila (31P) continues to strengthen, bringing heavy rain, gusty winds, rough seas and coastal flooding to the western Solomon Islands. These conditions are expected to persist for the next one to two days before the system begins to move away.
The cyclone is forecast to track over Milne Bay Province in Papua New Guinea on Thursday. Although some weakening is expected, Maila is still likely to generate hurricane-force winds, intense rainfall, and dangerous surf and coastal flooding.
These impacts are expected to reach mainland Papua New Guinea, particularly the Alotau area, from late Friday into Saturday. Authorities say preparations to protect life and property should be completed urgently.
The Solomon Islands Meteorological Service said the cyclone was located about 165 kilometres southwest of Rendova Island, with a central pressure of 936 hectopascals. It is moving slowly northwest while continuing to intensify.
Gale force winds of between 63 and 87 kilometres per hour are forecast for Western Province, along with very rough seas and swells of up to six metres. Coastal flooding, heavy rain and thunderstorms are also expected.
Choiseul and Isabel provinces are likely to experience winds of up to 61 kilometres per hour, with moderate to rough seas and possible coastal flooding. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast across the rest of the country.
Authorities warn that the severe weather could trigger flooding and landslides, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas. Sea travellers have been urged to take extra precautions, while motorists are advised to avoid flooded roads and river crossings.
Residents are being urged to take all necessary safety measures as the cyclone poses a serious threat to lives and property.
In Papua New Guinea, West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel said continuous heavy rain over the past four days has already caused significant damage.
“All the roads within Gloucester-Kandrian (district) are very badly affected. In fact, in our New Britain Highway, one bridge is almost like washed away, or it’s in a very bad shape.”
He said similar damage is being reported in East New Britain and Bougainville.
“I can see very similar damage, like, it’s just just high, I mean, high level of rain or heavy downpour that caused, because our drainage is already poor,” Muthuvel said.
“So most of our drainage has been filled and water is on the road, flowing on the road, and some water is like flowing on top of the bridge, and that’s when some of these main roads have been cut off.’
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force is preparing to deploy engineers from Lae for possible rescue and recovery operations.
Meanwhile, several people, including a critically injured patient, remain missing at sea after leaving Woodlark Island last week in a dinghy bound for Alotau General Hospital.
Muthuvel said the national government is expected to respond once damage assessments are completed.
“The PM (Prime Minister) also mentioned that once they receive all the reports, then cabinet can deliberate on it and see how they can they can support.
“Actually, the Department of Works has more of a role to play in terms of trying to help with fixing those roads or fixing those affected bridges and all those things, because most of these roads have hardly any maintenance – that’s one of the reason why some of these roads are badly affected,” he said.
Climate experts warn that shifting weather patterns linked to the climate crisis could extend the cyclone season beyond its usual November to April period.
Vinzealhar Nen, 350.org Papua New Guinea Coordinator said communities are already facing serious impacts.
“There are already heavy rains and floods in New Britain areas and expected for coastal communities in Milne Bay. The development of Cyclone Maila has already interrupted power supply in these local communities, due to strong winds and damaged the powerlines.
While the small communities are being asked to move to higher ground, it will be difficult to move at a time like this. With the cyclone, so much is at stake. Homes will be destroyed, lives could be taken, injuries might not be treated due to lack of basic health services nearby and livelihoods will be affected. Many of the people from these communities rely on subsistence farming and fishing to earn their income. These damages and trying to recover from them will cause many problems for the people from these communities once the cyclone passes through.”
Fenton Lutunatabua, 350.org Pacific and Caribbean Team Lead said multiple systems are now affecting the region.
“We’re currently seeing two severe tropical cyclones impacting the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, with our brothers and sisters in the North Pacific also monitoring a weather system that could develop into a third cyclone. At some point we need to ask ourselves, who should fit the cost of these climate disasters? The communities that bear the physical and emotional brunt, or the coal, oil and gas CEOs that fuel them? Our teachers, farmers, health workers and parents are bracing for a cyclone period that could extend well into May. That’s beyond our typical cyclone season. The climate crisis is shifting the goalposts of what our people have to endure, and those most responsible for this crisis should also be responsible for some form of relief.” ………PACNEWS
FIJI – WEATHER WATCH: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
TC Vaianu slowly moving away from Fiji
NADI, 08 APRIL 2026 (FBC NEWS)–Severe Tropical Cyclone Vaianu continues to move away from Fiji waters this morning, but its outer bands are still bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and flooding risks across the country.
The National Weather Forecasting Centre in Nadi said, Category 3 Cyclone Vaianu was located about 255 kilometres west-southwest of Nadi and around 300 kilometres west of Kadavu.
Forecasters say the system is moving south-southeast at about 18 kilometres per hour, and is expected to be positioned further away by tomorrow evening about 420 kilometres south of Nadi and 305 kilometres south-southwest of Kadavu.
While the cyclone is steadily moving away, a Heavy Rain Warning remains in force for the entire Fiji group, along with a Flash Flood Warning for Viti Levu and a Flash Flood Alert for the rest of the country.
A Strong Wind Warning also remains in force for all land areas, with gusty northerly winds expected to continue across many parts of the country today.
Forecasters say Western Viti Levu, including Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, the Coral Coast and Rakiraki, will continue to experience strong to near-gale force winds, with gusts up to 95 kilometres per hour.
The Yasawa and Mamanuca groups are also expected to be heavily affected, along with Kadavu and parts of the Northern Division, where rough seas and periods of heavy rain will persist.
However, weather conditions are expected to gradually improve from the west later tomorrow as the cyclone continues moving further away from Fiji.
Authorities are warning that localised heavy rain could still cause flash flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas, even as the system weakens and exits.
They say conditions should steadily ease into Thursday, with showers gradually clearing across most parts of the country……PACNEWS
SOL – CYCLONE RESPONSE: SOL GOVT PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Solomon Islands Cabinet to urgently consider Cyclone Maila response measures following Caucus briefing
HONIARA, 08 APRIL 2026 (SOL GOVT) —Solomon Islands Cabinet will urgently meet today, to consider options for support and response measures for communities affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila.
The meeting, convened in addition to the regular weekly Cabinet sitting, will be informed by an initial joint paper submitted by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening (MPGIS), and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT).
Deliberations will also take into account the damage assessment by NDMO and the possible consideration of a state of disaster declaration by the Minister of Environment.
The Cabinet meeting follows a comprehensive briefing to Government Caucus today on Tropical Cyclone Maila and its impacts on Western Province and surrounding areas.
The briefing was delivered by the Director of NDMO, Jonathan Tafiariki; the Director of the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service (SIMS), Dr Alick Haruhiru; and the Chairman of the National Disaster Council (NDC) and Permanent Secretary for MECDM, David Hiba.
It provided the latest weather updates, initial impact assessments, and national response measures.
Caucus was informed that Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila, remains active southwest of Western Province, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, rough seas, and coastal inundation across affected provinces.
Initial reports indicate damage to homes, schools, and key infrastructure in Western Province, Choiseul, and parts of Guadalcanal, with coastal communities experiencing the most significant impacts. Food gardens have also been affected, raising concerns about food security.
The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) remains on Full Activation, coordinating national response efforts and receiving impact reports. Provincial Emergency Operations Centres continue to lead monitoring and response at the provincial level, with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) activating operations centres in Choiseul and Western Provinces to support Provincial Disaster Committees and emergency response teams.
Prime Minister Hon. Jeremiah Manele said, “Our thoughts are with all communities affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila, particularly in Choiseul and Western Provinces where impacts are most severe.”
Preparations are underway to support the delivery of emergency supplies, including shelter kits and other essential items, once access to affected areas improves.
It was emphasised that, in line with established disaster response arrangements, relief efforts will continue to be coordinated through responsible authorities, with constituency networks also mobilised to support the timely delivery of assistance to affected communities, once access to affected areas improves.
The Government continues to urge the public to remain vigilant, follow official advisories, and report emergencies through the appropriate authorities….PACNEWS
NEW|CALE – POLITICS: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
French PM Sébastien Lecornu holds separate meetings with New Caledonia’s politicians
NOUMEA, 08 APRIL 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) –French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has held two separate talks with New Caledonia’s politicians due to opposing parties’ differences.
The meetings on Tuesday were both held with politicians in Paris but also remotely in Nouméa via video conference at the French Pacific territory’s High Commission.
Initially, just one meeting was envisaged in order to merge both in-person and remote participants in Nouméa regardless of their political camp.
But in the light of looming antagonism, the plan had to be changed at the last minute to eventually favour two sessions, one meeting after the other, French public broadcaster Outremers la Première reported on Tuesday from Paris.
The talks came following the rejection of a French government’s Constitutional Reform Bill by the French National Assembly (Lower House) on 02 April. The same bill was endorsed by the French Senate in February this year.
The text is a legal translation of negotiations held in July 2025 and January 2026 and is often referred to as the “Bougival-Élysée-Oudinot” (BEO) process. It attempts to deal with the French Pacific territory’s political future, including its decolonisation process.
This implies introducing the notions of a “State of New Caledonia” and a correlated New Caledonian “nationality”, as well as a continuation of a gradual transfer of powers (including key portfolios such as law and order, defence, foreign affairs, currency) from Paris to Nouméa.
After the rejection vote last week, Lecornu swiftly announced he was convening a meeting with New Caledonia’s parties that had signed the BEO series of texts and its by-products.
Also included in the invitation were New Caledonia’s political groups and the French territory’s representatives in the National Assembly (2) and the Senate (2).
Lecornu said at the time that the aim was to examine the situation and any future possible options in a consensual way.
In Paris on Tuesday during a first session of talks, Lecornu and his Minister for Overseas Naïma Moutchou spoke to a group of New Caledonian politicians that comprised a large representation of the pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front), including its President Christian Téin and several of its “pressure groups” components.
Also part of the same batch was FLNKS’s major component, Union Calédonienne, whose president is New Caledonia’s MP at the French National Assembly, indigenous Kanak leader Emmanuel Tjibaou.
In an interview with Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première TV on Sunday, Tjibaou clarified that he had received an invitation as an MP, but so did the parties represented at the local Congress (including UC-FLNKS).
The FLNKS decision to take part in a meeting, a first since the “Bougival” talks in July 2025, was made by a steering committee, which regarded the recent parliamentary rejection as a “reset” signal for its participation in talks.
“Now we don’t want to hear anyone talk to us about Bougival … this is behind us”, FLNKS politburo member Arnaud Chollet-Leakava told public broadcaster NC la Première on Tuesday.
FLNKS is now pushing for provincial elections to be held not later than 28 June 2026 and, after that, a resumption of talks regarding New Caledonia’s political future.
FLNKS said the decision to attend again was also part of a commitment made with both its militants and French national parties who had voted last week for the rejection of the Constitutional Bill.
Tjibaou was the mover of the motion to reject the Constitutional Amendment Bill.
The rejection passed last week with a large majority of French MPs, including the Socialists, the Communists, the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) and even Marine Le Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National (RN).
Earlier Tuesday, in Nouméa, two major members of the pro-France block, Les Loyalistes and Le Rassemblement, in a joint press release, stated they would not attend the meeting with Lecornu.
They cited as their main reasons for the boycott the fact that FLNKS has earlier made it clear on several occasions that it was rejecting the Bougival process.
After the initial Bougival round of talks, FLNKS did not take part in any subsequent meeting.
The group of parties said they did not understand why FLNKS was now convened at the talks, because it has made it amply clear that its negotiators’ signatures had been withdrawn.
“Are we supposed to understand that now, (FLNKS) considers itself as a signatory again?”, the joint release read.
The pro-France group also stressed their dismay that the FLNKS President (elected late August 2024 in absentia as he was serving a pre-trial jail term in mainland France as part of a case for his alleged involvement in the May 2024 insurrectional riots), Christian Téin, was now invited at the table.
A panel of judges in Paris is expected to deliver its verdict on the case in the coming days.
Another reason invoked by Le Rassemblement and Les Loyalistes was that they found it difficult to find any clear agenda for the French PM’s meeting.
After the Constitutional Amendment’s rejection by the French National Assembly, they stressed that was most pressing issue was to discuss ways to adapt the existing restrictions to voters for the next local provincial elections, which are now likely to be held before 28 June.
Under the current circumstances and after the Constitutional Amendment’s rejection, those crucial elections (which also determine, in a trickle-down effect, the members for New Caledonia’s three provinces, the member of the territory’s Congress, the members of the collegial government and its President) would still be held with a restricted electoral roll, excluding people who have resided in New Caledonia after 1998 (the date of the still current Nouméa Accord).
It is estimated the currently-enforced exclusion affects up to 40,000 people of all ethnic groups.
To “freeze” the electoral roll or to partially “unfreeze” it has been at the centre of debates in New Caledonia.
According to the pro-France parties, who want New Caledonia to remain a part of France, the Nouméa Accord has already prescribed that three referendums should be held in a manner of “exit” process.
Held between 2018 and late 2021, they resulted in the negative responses to the question on New Caledonia’s self-determination and access to independence.
Under the Nouméa Accord, (unless and until a new text is endorsed and replaces the 1998 agreement in the French Constitution), the next provincial elections are to be held with the restricted list of voters.
One envisaged concession sometimes mentioned would be to slightly modify the restricted list of eligible voters to at least include those who were born in New Caledonia since 1998 and have now reached voting age (18).
But Les Loyalistes and Le Rassemblement fear this concession could bury any hope for further changes to the “frozen” list of voters.
Among other options (and as many controversial topics) earlier mentioned by the French government is to “consult” New Caledonia’s eligible voters (in a manner of a de facto referendum) on the very approval (or not) of the Bougival process.
There is also a possible series of amendments to the controversial Constitutional Bill.
After the two back-to-back meetings, as part of an apparent revolving cat-and-mouse game, nothing has yet transpired of the contents of the outcomes of the talks, according to early reports.
Before the meetings, and in the face of last week’s parliamentary rejection of the ill-fated Constitutional Amendment, Lecornu assured his government would “take its responsibilities” and that there would be “neither immobilism nor passage en force” (forceful passage).
In terms of ongoing efforts to find a consensus from New Caledonia’s political chessboard, “One way or another, there will have to be some kind of arm-twisting”, a French MP told national media last month, even before the Constitutional Amendment Bill was rejected……PACNEWS
FIJI – INCENERATOR PROJECT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
No approval yet for $1.4b Vuda incinerator project, Fiji PM says
SUVA, 08 APRIL 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says no approval has been granted for the proposed $1.4 billion (US$700 million) waste incinerator project in Vuda–Saweni to proceed.
Rabuka clarified that Cabinet had only approved the company to carry out due diligence, including the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and public consultations.
“No approval has been made for the business to proceed,” he said.
The proposed waste-to-energy project is led by Australian investors Ian Malouf and Rob Cromb.
The clarification comes as opposition to the project grows, with an online petition against the incinerator surpassing 5,000 signatures, according to campaigners.
The petition is hosted on Change.org, which verifies signatures using address data.
Campaign organisers claim that, relative to population size, the Vuda–Saweni petition is among the largest online campaigns opposing waste-to-energy projects.
Meanwhile, Australian resident Alexandra Forwood has alleged that Fiji’s Ambassador to Australia was involved in plans to bring 150 tonnes of Australia’s waste to Fiji as part of the project.
She also claimed that Prime Minister Rabuka had met with Malouf.
Rabuka confirmed the meeting but maintained that no approval had been granted for the project to proceed…..PACNEWS
PNG – BILL: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
PNG Opposition leader Nomane to take legal action on Vagrancy Act Bill
PORT MORESBY, 08 APRIL 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Papua New Guinea Opposition leader and Chuave MP James Nomane plans to take legal action against the recently-approved Vagrancy Act in the Supreme Court this week.
Nomane, the only MP to vote against the Bill in Parliament on 19 March, said the law would cause more division among the people.
He argued that the Vagrancy Act was “fundamentally flawed” as it violated the right to freedom of movement under Section 52 of the Constitution.
“The Act effectively criminalises poverty,” he said.
“It targets citizens not for criminal conduct, but for their economic condition and social vulnerability.
“This raises serious constitutional concerns, including breaches of the rights to liberty, freedom of movement, equality of citizens and protection from discriminatory treatment.
“A law that disproportionately targets the poor, the unemployed the informal settlers is not neutral, but discriminatory in both intent and effect.
“The idea that citizens can be removed, displaced, or treated as unwanted within their own country is dangerous as it would create internal exclusion and fragment our identity.”
Nomane said his decision to vote against the Bill in Parliament was because he believed that every citizen had rights protected by the Constitution.
“The Constitution is not a symbolic document; it is the supreme law that binds the State,” he said.
“Any law that undermines this principle must be challenged and tested. The Supreme Court must now determine whether this law is consistent with our Constitution.”
The Vagrancy Bill 2025, passed by Parliament with an 80-1 vote, allows the court to issue exclusion orders to persons found guilty of an offence committed in urban areas.
It allows police and authorities to issue summons to any person who breaks the law….PACNEWS
TONGA – DROUGHT INSURANCE: PACNEWS/TONGA GOVT PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Tonga secures drought insurance payout for Niua Islands
NUKU’ALOFA, 08 APRIL 2026 (PACNEWS/TONGA GOVT) —Tongan Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua has received a TOP 42,500(US$17, 700) cheque from the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Insurance Company (PCRIC), following a recent drought in the Niua Islands.
PCRIC CEO ‘Aholotu Palu presented the cheque, marking Tonga as the first country to secure drought insurance coverage through the regional facility.
The February drought triggered the payout, representing 50 percent of the policy based on the duration of the event.
The total drought insurance policy is valued at USD$115,500. A trigger threshold of 16 percent was reached, resulting in the partial payout.
The payout underscores the role of disaster risk insurance in providing timely financial support, enabling vulnerable communities to respond and recover more quickly from increasingly frequent climate-related events…..PACNEWS
PNG – DEFENCE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 1: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Investigations into PNGDF recruitment drive underway: Polewara
PORT MORESBY, 08 APRIL 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—Investigations into alleged corrupt practices in the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) recruitment drive is in progress, says PNGDF chief Rear Admiral Philip Polewara.
Polewara said no conclusive information and recommendations had been put forward as yet.
He said this when refuting figures published in the media in relation to internal investigations on recruitment and attributed to PNGDF deputy chief Brigadier-General Lari Opa.
“Once the investigations are completed, a report will be furnished to the Defence Council,” Rear Admiral Polewara said.
“The Deputy Chief of Defence Force made such a statement on no occasion.
“I appeal to the media to be responsible in reporting on the matter and confirm information before publishing. PNGDF recruitment is an issue of national interest.”
Polewara said it was important that the media communicated factual and truthful information to the public.
He assured citizens that PNGDF was committed to quality, and his administration would ensure the force brought the best people to serve the country in the armed forces.
He said since 2023, PNGDF had been on a path of systems reform.
“We have cleaned our payroll and brought its control back to Murray Barracks.
“We have begun an audit of our maritime element; and have moved to online based selections for our recruitment,” he said.
“Issues with recruitment, particularly, are legacy issues, incidences of bribery and wantok system among others have been ongoing.”
He also said the recent move to online based selections was an initiative to address those legacy issues of unwarranted interferences in the recruitment process.
“Those found to have interfered, without authority, with the recently concluded recruitment drive will be dealt with in accordance with established military discipline procedures.”
Polewara said the integrity of the institution remained paramount, and any breach of trust would be addressed with “the seriousness it deserves” ……PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – FISHERIES: FFA PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 08 Apr 2026
FFA and Iceland Ocean Cluster partner to unlock more value from Pacific fisheries
HONIARA, 08 APRIL 2026 (FFA)–The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iceland Ocean Cluster, marking a new step in efforts to drive innovation, reduce waste, and create greater value from Pacific fisheries.
The three-year agreement brings together two organisations with a shared interest in making better use of marine resources and strengthening the blue economy. It also opens the door for closer collaboration between the Pacific and the North Atlantic on seafood innovation, knowledge sharing, and sustainable business development.
At the heart of the partnership is a strong focus on full utilisation of seafood resources, including the untapped potential of tuna side streams in the Pacific. By finding new uses for parts of the fish that are often discarded or underused, the partnership aims to support more sustainable practices while creating new economic opportunities for Pacific communities.
“This partnership is about connecting ocean regions, people and ideas in ways that can create practical benefits for communities and the seafood sector,” FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop said.
“It gives us an opportunity to learn from global innovation while also exploring what full utilisation and value creation can look like in a Pacific context.”
“There is so much opportunity for seafood knowledge transfer between the North Atlantic and Pacific region, and this partnership with FFA is very timely as we explore how 100 percent Fish thinking and methods can be adapted to support sustainable value creation in key Pacific fisheries,” said Dr Alexandra Leeper, CEO Iceland Ocean Cluster.
Under the MoU, FFA and Iceland Ocean Cluster will work together in several key areas. These include sharing knowledge and best practices on sustainable seafood utilisation, exploring joint research and innovation projects, promoting education and awareness, and supporting more sustainable harvesting, processing and use of marine resources.
The collaboration will also look at opportunities linked to FFA’s Pacific Island Tuna Ventures Programme to create new commercial ventures, and to the global 100 percent Fish movement, which encourages the use of all parts of seafood to create value-added products and minimise waste. The approach has gained international attention for showing how innovation in the seafood sector can support both environmental sustainability and economic growth.
Iceland Ocean Cluster is widely recognised for bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers, seafood businesses and innovators to develop practical solutions across the blue economy. Through its international network and experience in supporting the 100 percent Fish concept, the organisation offers a model that could help inspire new approaches in the Pacific.
The MoU reflects a shared commitment by both organisations to build stronger links across ocean regions and to support a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable future for the seafood sector.
Iceland Ocean Cluster is an innovation and business cluster that connects entrepreneurs, companies and knowledge in the ocean sector to create value and support sustainable blue economy development. IOC is a business accelerator and innovation hub that collaborates with companies in the blue economy. Its mission is to create value by connecting entrepreneurs, businesses, and knowledge in marine industries. Key initiatives include:
*Promoting 100% utilisation of marine resources through the “100 percent Fish” movement, which aims to utilise all parts of the fish to create value-added products.
*Providing incubation services, consulting, research, and networking opportunities to marine businesses.
*Operating the Ocean Cluster House in Reykjavík, home to entrepreneurs, startups, and growing businesses in the blue economy……PACNEWS
FIJI – WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: FBC NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 08 Apr 2026
IFC pushes banks to remove barriers for women entrepreneurs
SUVA, 08 APRIL 2026 (FBC NEWS)—-The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is urging Fiji’s financial sector to change the way it assesses and supports women entrepreneurs, saying current lending systems are holding back business growth.
It said many women still face difficulties accessing finance due to strict collateral requirements and a lack of tailored financial products for women-led businesses.
UN independent finance specialist Akata Taito said the system continues to overlook the potential of women entrepreneurs, limiting their ability to expand and contribute to the economy.
She warns that without reform, many capable women will remain under-financed, resulting in missed economic opportunities for Fiji.
“If we don’t change the structures and the way the financial system works, capable women entrepreneurs will remain under-financed, and Fiji will miss out on the economic benefits their businesses could generate.”
The IFC says empowering women through better access to finance would help unlock stronger business growth and broader economic development across the country….PACNEWS
FIJI – SOLAR ENERGY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 08 Apr 2026
Move toward solar energy
SUVA, 08 APRIL 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—The Fiji Government is looking to accelerate its transition to solar energy, acknowledging that progress towards renewable energy targets has not met expectations.
Speaking at a regional energy conference, Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau highlighted the importance of strengthening efforts to meet both short and long-term goals.
“Yes, it’s a very important conference in terms of what Sustainable Energy Industry Association of the Pacific Islands (SEIAP), as an organisation is doing,” Ro Filipe said.
“For the Government, the objective is to move forward in terms of renewable energy. There are goals there in terms of the immediate term, by 2030 and 2050.”
He said collaboration with key stakeholders remained critical in achieving these targets.
“So that’s one of the objectives, working closely with the Energy Fiji Limited, but also within our Department of Energy.
“At the moment, the progress is not what we wanted or what we were aiming for, so we would like to accelerate that.”
The minister acknowledged several challenges, including regulatory and legislative barriers.
“Some of that is related to the current setup we have in terms of the legislative regulatory framework. So we are working closely on that with IRENA, (International Renewable Energy Agency), and also within government to ensure that we work towards that.”
Ro Filipe said incentive programs were being explored to encourage investment in solar energy.
“For example, enabling not only connecting the solar power investors who are waiting there, but also in terms of rooftop solar for individual houses.”
Meanwhile, alternative energy options remain under consideration.
“That’s one of the options currently being looked at. But of course, we are also looking at other viable locations for hydro and also in terms of solar power.” …..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
Cover-up of British nuclear testing in the Pacific exposed
By John Braddock
LONDON, 08 APRIL 2026 (WORLD SOCIALIST WEBSITE)—-A recently uncovered British government paper provides evidence of a 70-year official cover-up of the consequences of the United Kingdom’s thermonuclear tests in the Pacific after World War II.
London human rights law firm McCue Jury & Partners has obtained documentary material that it claims exposes as lies decades of official assurances denying radioactive fallout and exposure. Data from the previously suppressed paper suggests key evidence was buried in critical hearings and court cases.
In 1957–58, during what was called Operation Grapple, Britain deployed some 14,000 servicemen, supported by 276 Fijian troops and two New Zealand Navy frigates, to Malden Island and Kiritimati (Christmas) Island in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. These are now part of Kiribati, which has a population of about 138,000 and is spread across 33 atolls, halfway between Hawaii and Australia.
The UK conducted nine atmospheric nuclear explosions involving atomic and hydrogen bombs. The program culminated in the UK becoming the third recognised nation to possess thermonuclear weapons and saw the restoration of the nuclear Special Relationship with the United States in the form of the 1958 US–UK Mutual Defence Agreement.
The U.S also carried out 24 nuclear tests near Kiritimati in 1962 in Operation Dominic.
Through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, McCue Jury has obtained a 2014 internal report by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), part of the UK Ministry of Defence, (MoD) titled Review of environmental monitoring data for Christmas Island (CI) 1957–1958.
Writing on Substack on March 20, Oli Troen, a senior associate acting for test veterans and their families, argues the document points to a long-running institutional effort to deny the extent of radioactive fallout at Kiritimati.
The paper reveals that environmental data from the 1950s in fact showed alarming fallout levels in areas where troops were stationed and indigenous populations lived. Elevated radiation readings were taken at Port Camp, where Royal Navy personnel were based during one detonation. None of this had ever been disclosed. Troen writes that officials classified the paper as a “draft” and then buried it.
For decades, the British ruling elite maintained that there was no dangerous fallout. The MoD claimed that few people were exposed to any radiation or contamination and that studies had shown little or no health effects. Successive governments dismissed repeated claims for compensation.
Veterans’ campaigner Tom Watson, a former Labour Party MP, posted in his March 19 newsletter, under a heading “A bomb in the Pacific, a lie in Whitehall,” a litany of occasions when the issue was raised directly in the House of Commons and with ministers. Spokesmen for successive governments—Labour and Conservative—had flatly declared there were no significant health risks to veterans. In 1997 ministers said surveys had found “no radioactive contamination which would present a hazard to the inhabitants of Christmas Island.”
The 2014 paper, however, states that factual data “refutes claims made by AWE, and by extension, HMG (Her Majesty’s Government) in the public domain.” It cautions that “if the importance of this data is identified by others, there is potential for substantial detriment to the reputation of AWE, MoD and HMG.” It specifically expresses concerns about “adversarial lawyers” obtaining the evidence through a Freedom of Information request.
The report was prepared while veterans were pursuing claims in the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Tribunal. It warned that the data “could potentially be used to challenge the validity of statements made by AWE, MoD and HMG regarding the occurrence of fallout” and could “potentially overturn the accepted and previously reported information provided by HMG in judicial proceedings.”
Operation Grapple was a crime carried out by British imperialism to further its interests. The British ruling class sought nuclear status at the expense of poisoning the Pacific and its people. The tests were bound up with boosting the geopolitical position of Britain as its empire and economic strength waned by proving to Washington that Britain had a place among the nuclear powers.
Several inconclusive scientific inquiries helped whitewash the tests. A 2010 British government study concluded that the fallout did not reach concentrations that could affect the surrounding environment. An analysis of illnesses among veterans of Operation Grapple and other weapons tests produced statistics that proved difficult to interpret.
A 2005 study by New Zealand’s Massey University examined 50 sailors who observed the tests from ships. It found that DNA repair mechanisms in the veterans were “not deficient,” but blood tests for chromosome translocations discovered a statistically higher rate of certain abnormalities among the group.
British veterans and island communities have long claimed the testing program exposed thousands to radiation and living with lasting illness. Some veterans believe that cancers, bone problems and genetic defects passed on to subsequent generations are consequences of their radiation exposure.
A group of 1,011 British ex-servicemen were denied permission to sue the MoD by the Supreme Court in March 2012, on the technical grounds that too much time had elapsed under the terms of the Limitation Act 1980. Two veterans in 1993 took a claim over their health defects to the European Court of Human Rights, which rejected it in a 5–4 split decision. An appeal to the court to reopen the case was declined in 2000.
At the time of the tests, about 260 people lived on Kiritimati, working coconut plantations. According to Troen, “Survivors and their descendants continue to suffer with a myriad of injuries, from thyroid cancers and fertility problems to children born with disabilities. Yet the UK has offered nothing: no compensation, no medical support, no environmental clean-up.”
Researcher Christopher Hill wrote in the Diplomat on 30 October 2024, that one of the detonations “cracked the walls of [people’s] homes and smashed their doors and furniture.” Coconut trees were damaged and many wild birds were blinded by the flash.
Teeua Tekonau, chair of Kiritimati’s Association of Atomic Cancer Patients, told Hill: “Many, many died of cancer… And many women had babies that died within three months.” People who drank from coconuts grown on the island become sick. Teeua’s younger brother, Takieta, died of leukemia at the age of two in November 1963.
In January 2015, Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama announced his government would offer a paltry FJD$9,855 (US$4,450) in compensation payments to the 24 surviving Fijian servicemen who participated in Operation Grapple.
The law firm McCue Jury and Watson has called for a full investigation. Troen notes that the legal implications of the disclosure and cover-up “are serious and wide-ranging.” The evidence could lead to a revival of veterans’ civil and War Pension Tribunal claims, previously decided on evidence that the MoD knew to be false. Criminal offences could apply to officials involved in the cover-up.
The veterans, many now in their 90s, are demanding a Special Tribunal to establish the truth and fast-track their claims before more of them die waiting. They are seeking criminal investigations into those responsible and a public inquiry. They also insist the government must consider the implications for the people of Kiritimati.
In the wake of the criminal World War II bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Pacific islands were treated as expendable nuclear laboratories. Between 1946 and 1958, the US carried out 67 atmospheric and underwater nuclear explosions and biological weapons tests in the Marshall Islands. France, in defiance of intense local opposition, conducted 193 tests in French Polynesia from 1966–1996.
Throughout the Cold War, the imperialist powers sought to assert their strategic domination against the USSR with the construction of potentially catastrophic nuclear weapons. The colonial territories in the Pacific were cynically used as dumping grounds for radioactive contamination, while workers and island populations bore the health, environmental, and social consequences.
This history is a stark reminder that nuclear weapons remain fundamental instruments of predatory state power. The entire Indo-Pacific region is being re-militarised by US imperialism and its allies in preparation for war against China. Last October Trump announced the resumption of US nuclear weapons testing, escalating the threat of a nuclear war…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
South Pacific Albacore Harvest Strategy – What’s Next?
By Dr Josie Tamate, Chair, Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
PONPHEI, 08 APRIL 2026 (HARVESTSTRATEGIES .ORG)—A decade worth of work and discussions on South Pacific albacore tuna (SPA) reached an important milestone at the 22nd Regular Session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) that was held in Manila, Philippines last December with the adopting of the management procedure (MP), also known as a harvest strategy.
The adoption of the MP at WCPFC22 was critical for two reasons. Firstly, the urgent need to improve catch per unit effort (CPUE) and provide stability. Secondly, the WCPFC’s credibility in terms of maintaining its commitment to establishing harvest strategies for the priority species in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). The SPA MP was scheduled to be adopted in 2024, but this was not achieved. Whilst this may be deemed as a “failure,” all was not lost because the extra year of discussions in 2025 helped progress the discussions on some of the key elements of the MP, especially with respect to the harvest control rule (HCR).
One of the key aspects of the MP is the HCR. At the beginning of 2025, there were more than 30 possible HCRs for consideration. Other important decisions required include the area of application, the fisheries to be covered (i.e., longline and troll), and the level of catch to be assigned for the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) and north of 10°S, including the catch taken from the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Tokelau and Tuvalu.
As the Chair of the WCPFC, my top priority for the WCPFC22 meeting in Manila was the adoption of the SPA MP. This was achieved on the afternoon of the last day of the meeting when the members reached an agreement of the HCR. This was an excellent achievement for the WCPFC and largely due to the strong efforts by the members to make difficult compromises to reach agreement.
The next critical step is the adoption of the implementing measure. A proposal was presented by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) membership at the WCPFC22 in Manila and will be a key document for the 2026 discussions. A dedicated workshop is scheduled to be held in June 2026, and this will be the first session of discussions on the SPA implementing measure within the WCPFC.
One of the key elements that the WCPFC will be discussing at the SPA workshop and subsequent discussions leading towards the 2026 WCPFC meeting is allocation. More specifically, discussions on how much of the total allowable catch is allocated for the high seas and how much for the EEZs of the coastal states.
Article 10.3 of the Convention lists the elements to be considered when developing the criteria for allocation, and it is anticipated that these will be discussed extensively during the upcoming workshop. I am confident that the WCPFC membership will draw from the success from Manila and will continue the work together to reach agreement and adopt the implementing measure for SPA in December….PACNEWS
Dr Josie Tamate, a distinguished Niuean civil servant and the Chair of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), stands as a guiding force of leadership. Her journey, rooted in dedication, saw her appointed as the first Polynesian to helm the WCPFC, the governing body for the world’s largest tuna fishery.
