PACNEWS THREE, 04 JUNE 2026

In this bulletin:

1. PACIFIC — UNCTAD warns oil shock could cost vulnerable nations US$20 billion as Hormuz tensions escalate
2. FIJI — Fiji Department of Environment rejects Vuda waste-to-energy project
3. PACIFIC — El Niño on the Way: Pacific communities urged to prepare as WMO confirms developing conditions
4. SOL — Solomon Islands to review 2022 security treaty with China
5. TUVALU — Climate Change is about People, not just rising seas: Tuvalu tells Australia
6. VAN — Vanuatu Parliament special sitting today to debate constitutional changes
7. FIJI — Fiji PM rules out military involvement with Israel, human rights record ‘none of our concern
8. PACIFIC — Papua New Guinea plans largest marine sanctuary in Melanesia
9. FIJI — Next Generation Party ideas
10. NZ — Online child abuse reports linked to NZ rise 29 percent as UN warns bans are not enough
11. UN — Santa Marta process can confront trade protection for fossil fuels, experts say
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa on Amber alert: Power shedding and school closures to begin
13. PACNEWS BIZ — ADB provides grant for Typhoon Sinlaku relief in the Federated States of Micronesia
14. PACNEWS BIZ — Ending Chinese visa-free travel may hurt Northern Marianas tourism, residents say
15. PACNEWS BIZ — Reserve Bank warns inflation could reach double digits amid global price risks
16. PACNEWS BIZ — Australia caught in US plans for ‘anti-slavery’ tariffs
17. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Traditional knowledge strengthens climate resilience in Fiji’s coastal fisheries
18. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — From the wreckage of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, Pacific Islanders slowly recover
19. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Beyond Aid: Perspectives for the Least Developed and Vulnerable Countries
20. PACNEWS DIGEST — GEF approves $232.5 million in new projects and endorses $3.9 billion replenishment, launching final sprint to 2030

PAC – IRAN CRISIS/FUEL PRICE: PACNEWS  PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

UNCTAD warns Oil shock could cost vulnerable nations US$20 billion as Hormuz tensions escalate

By Pita Ligaiula

GENEVA, 04 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS) — Rising tensions and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are driving up global oil prices and threatening to impose an additional US$20 billion annual fuel import bill on the world’s most vulnerable economies, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

UNCTAD said 65 of 75 least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS) depend on imported oil, leaving them highly exposed to energy market shocks triggered by instability in one of the world’s most important shipping routes.

The agency warned that higher fuel prices would force governments to make difficult choices between paying for energy imports and funding essential public services, affecting nearly one billion people.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the severity of the situation.

“When the Strait of Hormuz is strangled, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable cannot breathe,” he said.

UNCTAD said crude oil prices have surged by more than 40 percent since military escalation in the region, while gasoline prices have climbed by more than 50 percent.

The agency estimates that a 50 percent increase in oil prices would raise the annual oil import bill of vulnerable economies by US$20.4 billion.

Of that amount, Least Developed Countries (LDC) would face an additional US$16.1 billion in costs, while small island developing states would absorb another US$4.3 billion.

Several Pacific Island countries are among those expected to be significantly affected.

UNCTAD estimates that a 50 percent rise in oil prices would increase oil import costs equivalent to 5.8 percent of GDP in Vanuatu, 4.4 percent in Tonga, 3.2 percent in Fiji, 3.0 percent in Samoa, 1.1 percent in Solomon Islands and 1.0 percent in Tuvalu.

The report said these economies face heightened risks because of their dependence on imported fuel and limited fiscal space to absorb price shocks.

Beyond direct fuel costs, UNCTAD warned that higher oil prices would push up freight charges and increase the cost of imported goods, contributing to broader inflation and raising the cost of living.

The agency said governments could also face mounting fiscal pressure as they attempt to shield households and businesses from rising prices while maintaining spending on healthcare, education and other essential services.

According to UNCTAD, prolonged oil price shocks could widen current account deficits, weaken exchange rates, trigger higher interest rates and slow economic growth, particularly in economies already facing structural vulnerabilities.

The report also highlighted the dependence of some vulnerable countries on oil supplies originating from the Hormuz region. Seychelles sources 99 percent of its oil imports from countries in the region, while Mauritius obtains 58.3 percent and Tanzania 56 percent.

UNCTAD said countries heavily reliant on oil imports from the Gulf may need to secure alternative suppliers if disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue.

The agency warned that without relief measures, the latest energy shock risks deepening existing economic vulnerabilities and undermining sustainable development efforts across many of the world’s poorest and most climate-vulnerable nations…. PACNEWS

FIJI – INCENRATOR PROJECT: FIJI SUN          PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Fiji Department of Environment rejects Vuda waste-to-energy project

SUVA, 04 JUNE 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji’s Department of Environment has rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report for the proposed Energy-from-Waste Plant and Private Port Facility at Vuda Point, citing unresolved environmental, health, social and economic concerns.

The report was submitted by The Next Generation Holdings (Fiji) Pte Limited and reviewed under the Environment Management Act 2005 and the Environment Management (EIA Process) Regulations 2007.

According to the Department, the review found several key issues remained unresolved, including the scale of the project, waste supply, imported waste, hazardous ash management, water supply, public health risks, environmental impacts, road and port infrastructure, social and cultural impacts, tourism impacts and the project’s overall economic viability.

Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Dr Sivendra Michael said the decision was based on contents of the EIA Report and information formally submitted for assessment.

“This is not a decision against investment or against new waste solutions. It is a decision on whether the EIA Report met the legal and technical standards required for approval. It did not,” Dr Michael said.

“For a project of this scale, the Department must be satisfied that the risks to people, communities, the environment, culture, livelihoods and the economy are properly assessed and can be properly managed. Several critical matters remained unresolved and were proposed for future assessment rather than being addressed within the EIA itself.

As a result, the Department was not satisfied that the potential impacts and risks of the project could be adequately assessed or managed.”

The Ministry acknowledged the significant public interest in the proposal and thanked the traditional landowners of Vuda, residents of Vuda and Saweni, government agencies, civil society organisations, technical experts, businesses and members of the public who participated in the review process.

Further details on the decision are expected to be released during a press conference in Suva.

The Ministry said it remained committed to transparent, lawful and evidence-based environmental decision-making in the public interest…. PACNEWS

PAC – WEATHER WATCH: SPREP                  PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

El Niño on the Way: Pacific communities urged to prepare as WMO confirms developing conditions

APIA, 04 JUNE 2026 (SPREP) — The Pacific Regional Climate Centre (Pacific RCC) is drawing attention to the latest El Niño/La Niña Update issued by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which signals a significant and accelerating shift in Pacific Ocean conditions heading into the second half of 2026.

A new WMO El Niño/La Niña Update indicates an 80 percent likelihood of an El Niño event during June–August 2026. 

Probabilities for this to continue until at least November are near or above 90 percent. Although some uncertainty remains about El Niño peak strength and timing, most forecast models suggest it will be at least moderate – and possibly strong.

WMO El Niño/Updates are the world’s most authoritative source of information for governments, humanitarian agencies and climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, health, energy and water management. They are based on a consensus of models from WMO Global Producing Centres, experts from National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and climate prediction centres around the world and are produced through a collaborative effort between the WMO and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI).  

“The science is clear: El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90 percent certainty. The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is. El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world.  Impacts will hit even harder, travel even farther, and cross borders with devastating speed.  The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis – ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all.” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his video statement.

“A regional or global El Niño forecast is the starting point, but it does not tell us everything we need to make decisions. Climate impacts play out differently across Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia, sometimes quite differently. 

The Pacific RCC Network strongly encourages communities, local leaders, and planners to reach out to their National Meteorological and Hydrological Services for local climate predictions that are specific to their location. That is exactly what those services are there for, and that kind of locally grounded advice is what allows people to make practical decisions,” said Dr Simon McGree, Chair of the Pacific Regional Climate Centre Management Committee.

He explained that the combination of warming ocean temperatures, atmospheric signals, and model agreement provides a high degree of confidence that El Niño is developing.

“For Pacific Island communities that matters because El Niño influences rainfall patterns, drought risk, tropical cyclone activity, and ocean conditions that people rely on for food and livelihoods. Now is the time to pay attention,” he said.

It is important to note that El Niño and La Niña are not the only drivers of regional climate, and the strength of ENSO signals does not directly correspond to the scale of their local impacts. Regional and national seasonal outlooks produced by WMO Regional Climate Centres, Regional Climate Outlook Forums, and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, remain the most reliable source of actionable guidance.

In late April to mid-May, the sea-surface temperature in the central-eastern Equatorial Pacific, the area used as a monitoring reference was approaching El Niño thresholds, according to observations from different platforms used by WMO. 

These increasing surface anomalies are being fed by unusually warm subsurface conditions across the tropical Pacific, with temperatures exceeding 6 °C above average and providing a substantial reservoir of heat that is contributing to the observed surface warming.  

Meanwhile, the Southern Oscillation Index, which is the atmospheric component of El Niño, is also consistent with developing El Niño conditions.

“We need to prepare for a potentially strong El Niño event – which will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean. The most recent El Niño, in 2023-24, was one of the five strongest on record and it played a role in the record global temperatures we saw in 2024,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

“The WMO community will be carefully monitoring conditions in the coming months to inform decision-making by governments, humanitarian agencies and climate-sensitive sectors. Advance seasonal forecasts and early warnings are vital to save lives and cushion the impact on our economies and our communities,” said Saulo…. PACNEWS

SOL – DIPLOMACY: AP                                PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Solomon Islands to review 2022 security treaty with China

CANBERRA, 04 JUNE (AP) — The Solomon Islands will review its secretive security treaty with China, the South Pacific nation’s new Prime Minister Matthew Wale said Wednesday.

The pact struck in 2022 with the Solomons’ then-Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare created fears in the United States and among allies including Australia that it would allow the Chinese navy to build a base in the South Pacific.

Before Wale became prime minister in a parliamentary vote May 15, he had called for the detail of the treaty to be made public.

Wale said Wednesday he had only been provided with a copy a few days ago and after he had “removed certain people from key positions.” He didn’t identify those people.

“I haven’t had a good look at it. I’ve had a look at it,” Wale told reporters in the Australian capital Canberra.

“I’ve been praying and fasting about it. … There is a nondisclosure clause in it, so I couldn’t show it to you right away. But we are going to be reviewing (the treaty), as we are reviewing other security agreements that we have with many other countries,” he added.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China was “ready to work with the new government of Solomon Islands to expand pragmatic cooperation in various fields so as to better benefit the two peoples.”

Wale was visiting Australia in his first overseas trip since he became leader of his nation of 700,000 people, 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) northeast of Australia.

Wale and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese announced their governments would negotiate a comprehensive strategic treaty that would elevate the bilateral relationship and cover security and economic issues.

Wale’s predecessor, Jeremiah Manele, had resisted Australia’s efforts to forge closer ties, but Wale said the two governments had decided to “reset” the bilateral relationship.

“We acknowledge that there’s been some problems in the past few years,” Wale said.

Albanese said Australia should be the Solomons’ primary security partner, rather than China.

“We have said very clearly we want Australia to be the security partner of choice in our region and we want the Pacific family to look after our security in this region,” Albanese said.

Wale said the regional looking after its own security was “the direction we want to take.”

China has provided police instructors to the Solomons as part of their bilateral deal. The Solomons doesn’t have a military, so police there have a larger security role than in countries with defence forces.

The Solomons provided China with a diplomatic coup in 2019 when Sogavare’s government switched official recognition to Beijing from Taiwan, the self-governed island democracy China claims as part of its territory…. PACNEWS

TUVALU – DIPLOMACY/CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS/TUVALU GOVT                                                                   PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Climate Change is about People, not just rising seas: Tuvalu tells Australia

FUNAFUTI, 04 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS/TUVALU GOVT) — Tuvalu used a state dinner in honour of Australian Governor-General Samantha Mostyn to reaffirm the strength of its partnership with Australia while delivering a clear message on the human impact of climate change.

Hosted by Acting Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, the dinner celebrated nearly five decades of diplomatic ties between the two countries, a relationship that began with Tuvalu’s independence in 1978 and has since expanded through cooperation on development, security and climate action.

Addressing guests, Nelesone highlighted the enduring nature of the relationship between Tuvalu and Australia, saying its strength had been tested and reinforced over time.

“The true strength of any partnership is measured by whether it endures over time and continues to grow through both opportunities and challenges,” he said.

Nelesone also drew attention to the realities facing Tuvalu as one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, while expressing hope that more international leaders would visit the Pacific nation and witness its situation firsthand.

“Tuvalu is not simply a story about climate change. It is a story about people. It is a story about culture, identity, faith, family, and belonging. It is a story worth protecting,” he said.

The state dinner provided an opportunity for Tuvalu and Australia to celebrate their longstanding friendship and reaffirm their commitment to working together under the Falepili Union, the landmark agreement that has strengthened cooperation between the two nations on issues including climate resilience, mobility and security.

The event also showcased Tuvalu’s culture and traditions through local cuisine, music and cultural performances.

Island communities from Nanumaga and Vaitupu prepared the dinner, while traditional fatele performances were presented by the communities of Nanumea and Nukufetau.

The cultural displays highlighted the heritage and identity that Tuvalu says must be protected as it confronts the growing challenges posed by climate change.

The visit by Governor-General Mostyn and her delegation comes as Australia and Tuvalu continue to deepen their partnership, with both countries placing increasing emphasis on climate resilience and regional security in the Pacific.

For Tuvalu, the evening was not only a celebration of a longstanding friendship but also an opportunity to remind one of its closest partners that the climate crisis is ultimately about safeguarding the people, culture and identity of Pacific communities…. PACNEWS

VAN – PARLIAMENT: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

 Vanuatu Parliament special sitting today to debate constitutional changes

PORT VILA, 04 JUNE 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) — Vanuatu Parliament is holding a special sitting today to debate the proposed Constitution (Tenth) (Amendment) Act 2026 after the Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge filed by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The proposed amendments would make changes to the Constitution, including provisions relating to the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Electoral Commission, and the addition of a new constitutional right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

The Supreme Court dismissed the PSC’s case on the basis that Parliament has not yet debated or approved the proposed amendments. The Court said it was too early to challenge a law that has not yet been passed.

The PSC filed its application against the Republic of Vanuatu, the Attorney General, the Prime Minister, and the Minister responsible for the PSC, Jotham Napat, as well as the Secretary of the PSC.

PSC Chairman Meto Nganga said the Commission accepts the Court’s decision but will return to court if Parliament passes the amendments.

“We welcome the ruling that the case is premature, but it is not the end of the matter. We will return to court after the amendment is adopted by Parliament,” Nganga said.

He said the PSC will continue to defend its constitutional independence and challenge any changes it believes weaken its powers.

One of the main changes concerns the appointment of PSC members.

At present, PSC members are appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime Minister.

Under the proposed amendment, the President would appoint members based on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, giving the Government a stronger role in the appointment process.

The amendment would also allow Parliament to make laws on the qualifications, disqualifications, and removal of PSC members.

Another proposed change would make the PSC subject to government policies and lawful directions, while still remaining a constitutional body.

The Government says these changes are needed because the PSC is part of the Executive branch and should work in line with government policy.

The Government also argues that the PSC has moved away from its main role of maintaining a professional and merit-based public service and requires greater accountability.

The Bill also proposes adding the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment to the Constitution.

The Government says this will bring Vanuatu into line with many other countries that have recognised environmental rights and will strengthen efforts to address climate change and protect future generations.

The proposed amendments would also allow Parliament to create laws governing the removal of Electoral Commission members.

Currently, the Constitution sets out how members are appointed but does not provide a process for their removal.

The Government is expected to have sufficient support to pass the amendments, with around 40 Members of Parliament supporting the Government compared with 12 in opposition.

As Parliament begins debate today, attention will focus on whether the amendments are approved and whether the PSC proceeds with its plan to challenge the changes in court if they become law…. PACNEWS

FIJI – DIPLOMACY: FIJI TIMES                        PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Fiji PM rules out military involvement with Israel, human rights record ‘none of our concern

SUVA, 04 JUNE 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji will not be militarily involved in any of the conflicts currently involving the State of Israel.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka made this reassurance saying Fiji’s relationship with Israel would remain focused on development co-operation and strengthening bilateral ties, not military engagement.

Rabuka said Fiji’s interest in the partnership was based on development opportunities and the long-standing relationship between the two countries.

“We are looking at our own development and they are capable of giving us the development we need,” he said.

He said Fijians had benefited from training opportunities in Israel over the years, including young people currently undergoing training there.

“Right now, we have some young people undergoing training in Israel.

“Our own president did some training in his career path with the Native Land Trust Board at the time in Israel.”

Rabuka said Fiji’s engagement with Israel had also been shaped by its long history of peacekeeping in the Middle East.

He said many Fijians had experienced the hospitality of the people and State of Israel through Fiji’s involvement in peacekeeping operations in the region.

Rabuka said the Government would not allow the relationship to become militarised, as this would contradict Fiji’s wider regional position including the “Ocean of Peace” concept for the Pacific.

Israel’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar also stated that Israel would not ask Fiji for military support, saying Israel was capable of “fighting its own wars”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says concerns over alleged human rights violations involving Israel are “none of our business”.

He made the comment when asked how Fiji would balance its “Ocean of Peace” policy with the opening of Israel’s embassy in Suva, amid continuing international concern over Israel’s actions in Gaza, the occupied Palestinian territory and Lebanon.

“That is none of our business,” he said.

“We deal with them at diplomatic level. We are dealing with members of the United Nations and setting up and allowing them to set up their embassies here.”

Rabuka said the human rights issues raised against Israel were being handled through international mechanisms, and Fiji would engage on those matters through its representatives at the United Nations.

“The opening of the embassy here in Suva marks a new era in Fiji’s relations, one that is practical, forward-looking and anchored in common faith and friendship.”

International concern has included findings and warnings from United Nations bodies over civilian deaths, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, and allegations of serious violations of international law.

The International Court of Justice is also hearing South Africa’s case against Israel under the Genocide Convention, with the court previously ordering provisional measures while the case continues…. PACNEWS

PAC – OCEAN CONSERVATION: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Papua New Guinea plans largest marine sanctuary in Melanesia

PORT MORESBY, 04 JUNE 2206 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Papua New Guinea plans to establish the largest no-take marine protected area in Melanesia, creating a vast ocean sanctuary that officials say will protect globally significant marine biodiversity while supporting the long-term sustainability of the country’s fisheries.

The proposed Western Manus Marine Protected Area would cover more than 214,000 square kilometers of ocean in the Bismarck Sea, an area nearly the size of the United Kingdom. 

The sanctuary would prohibit fishing and other extractive activities and become a cornerstone of the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, a regional conservation initiative involving Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu.

The announcement was made during the inaugural Melanesian Ocean Summit in Port Moresby, where leaders and conservation groups gathered to discuss ocean protection across the Pacific.

“We are excited to take a historic step in implementing the Melanesia Ocean Corridor of Reserves by announcing the formal creation of the Western Manus National Marine Sanctuary,” Jelta Wong, minister of Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority, said in a statement.

Wong said the proposed sanctuary would cover roughly 9 percent of Papua New Guinea’s exclusive economic zone and become the largest no-take marine protected area in Melanesia.

Located within the Coral Triangle, one of the most biologically diverse marine regions on Earth, the protected area includes underwater mountains, canyons and deep-sea habitats that serve as a migration corridor for sharks, rays, whales, dolphins, turtles and seabirds.

Government officials said the sanctuary supports the country’s goal of protecting 30 percent of its waters by 2030, part of a broader international effort known as the 30×30 initiative.

“We take our commitment to protect 30 percent of our waters by 2030 very seriously, and this new MPA brings us one large step closer to that goal,” said Yvonne Tio, executive manager of Papua New Guinea’s Conservation and Environment Protection Authority.

Scientists say the area remains one of the least explored marine ecosystems in the Pacific. Surveys have documented more than 700 reef fish taxa and more than 300 hard coral species, as well as deep-sea creatures rarely observed in the region.

Research conducted in 2024 by National Geographic Pristine Seas, in partnership with Papua New Guinea agencies and conservation organisations, helped identify the region as a priority for protection. During a three-month expedition, researchers recorded deep-sea species never before documented in Papua New Guinea and found healthy coral reefs alongside signs of pressure from overfishing.

“At a time when coral reefs are in crisis, it’s exciting to see the Western Islands still shimmering with healthy corals and schools of fish like wahoo, rainbow runners and jacks,” said Lindsay Young, vice president of research at Pristine Seas.

Young said the proposed reserve would help protect the connections between shallow reefs, deep-sea habitats and open-ocean ecosystems that support a wide range of marine species.

While commercial fishing would be prohibited inside the sanctuary, officials and conservation advocates argue the measure could strengthen fisheries outside its boundaries through a process known as spillover, where fish populations increase within protected waters and expand into nearby fishing grounds.

The proposed protected area includes waters where about 10 percent of Papua New Guinea’s industrial tuna fishing occurs. Supporters point to studies showing tuna catch rates have increased near the boundaries of large marine protected areas elsewhere in the Pacific and Indian oceans.

“Papua New Guinea’s commitment to establish the Western Manus Marine Protected Area is a powerful step toward meeting the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030,” head of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ environment and climate team…. PACNEWS

FIJI – POLITICS: ISLANDS BUSINESS                PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Next Generation Party ideas

SUVA, 04 JUNE 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — In a political landscape dominated by well-known parties with old faces and entrenched ideas, new politicians often struggle to gain traction.

And while Fiji’s older politicians have spent the last four years dominating Parliament, a group of young people has been out in the community and all-over social media with a message of change.

Led by influencer Apisai Moce – known as Bis Moce to his followers – the Next Generation Party is positioning itself as a grassroots alternative to what it calls “baggage-laden” politics.

The Next Generation Alliance Party, formed by a group of professionals, community leaders, and ordinary citizens, aims to restore hope and rebuild trust in leadership.

Fiji goes to the polls no later than February 2027 and voters have signaled in the mainstream and social media that they want to be represented by people who will address grassroot issues.

Moce said a driving factor behind the party’s formation was mounting public concern over the rising cost of living, youth migration overseas, worsening drug-related issues, and a sense that many families were being left behind.

“We didn’t have financial support from wealthy individuals or businesses,” Moce said.

“We funded things from our own pockets, with help from ordinary citizens, supporters, and our families.”

The party’s manifesto outlines five national priorities. The first is to restore clean leadership through anti-corruption reforms, digital procurement systems, and stronger institutional oversight.

Protecting the family and young people is high on the list of priorities by addressing drug prevention, domestic violence, education reform, skills training, and youth employment pathways.

Third is lowering the cost of living and creating sustainable jobs by focusing on agriculture, food processing, organic farming, and the tech industry. Addressing the deteriorating state of the health care system will be a major focus through hospital upgrades, improved rural and maritime services, and better staff retention.

Fifth is infrastructure and national development, including roads, water systems, electrification, broadband access, and more equitable resource distribution across all provinces.

The party said its policies had been shaped directly by conversations with young Fijians, who expressed frustration with corruption, political division, and short-term thinking.

Young people want better-paid jobs, more affordable living, improved access to housing, stronger education pathways, and opportunities to build businesses without leaving the country.

There is also strong interest in technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, renewable energy, and agri-tech.

The party has in response to this, included digital literacy, coding and robotics programmes, youth innovation hubs, apprenticeships, and startup development in its platform.

The party is encouraged by early feedback, particularly from young people, working families, and members of the diaspora. Support from the Vanua (chiefs and people) has also been significant. However, the party acknowledges it still needs to earn public trust.

“The focus remains on listening carefully, engaging respectfully, and strengthening policies through ongoing consultation,” Moce said.

“Sometimes being new is an advantage.

“We are not carrying decades of political baggage or entrenched interests,” he said…. PACNEWS

NZ – CHILD ABUSE: PMN                              PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Online child abuse reports linked to NZ rise 29 percent as UN warns bans are not enough

WELLINGTON, 04 JUNE 2026 (PMN) — The online dangers facing children are growing faster than efforts to protect them, according to new figures showing a sharp rise in child exploitation reports linked to New Zealand.

Data released by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) Te Tari Taiwhenua this week shows New Zealand enforcement agencies received more than 20,000 reports of online child exploitation and abuse from the United States-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in 2025.

The figure represents a 29 percent increase from the 16,223 reports linked to Aotearoa in 2024.

Of particular concern is the rapid rise of suspected AI-generated child sexual exploitation material.

Authorities identified 151 reports involving suspected AI-generated material in 2025, up from just 21 the previous year.

“The sharp rise in suspected AI-generated child sexual exploitation material is of significant concern,” DIA General Manager Digital Safety and Identity Investigations, Jared Mullen, said in a statement.

“While it may be artificially created, the harm it drives is real. AI-Generated child sexual exploitation material can normalise abusive behaviour and increase demand.

“This report is crucial to exposing the scale of online child exploitation,” Mullen said.

The figures were released as the United Nations issued a warning that governments cannot rely solely on social media bans to protect children online.

The UN Human Rights Office says many of the risks children face online are the result of deliberate platform design choices than unavoidable consequences of technology.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said online harms affecting children stem from business practices that prioritise engagement over safety.

“Online harms to kids’ safety, privacy and wellbeing result from design choices and business practices that undermine safety including addictive design features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and persistent notifications,” his statement read.

The warning comes as more countries consider age-based restrictions on social media. Australia introduced a ban on social media access for children under 16 in late 2025 while several other nations are weighing similar measures.

While much of the debate has centred on Australia, New Zealand and Europe, Pacific countries are also grappling with how to protect young people as internet access, smartphone use and social media engagement continue to grow across the region.

But Türk said restricting access alone is not enough. “Simply limiting access to platforms that remain unsafe cannot stand as the endpoint,” he said.

The UN is calling for technology companies to build safety measures into platforms from the outset, strengthen privacy protections, and assess how their products affect children before they are released.

The UN’s new framework also calls for mandatory child-rights impact assessments and stronger safeguards to ensure children’s privacy is protected online.

The DIA report also highlights the scale of enforcement efforts in New Zealand.

Last year, authorities executed 52 search warrants, successfully prosecuted 18 offenders, safeguarded 24 children from further harm, and blocked nearly 700,000 attempts to access websites known to host child sexual exploitation material.

“Making this information public ensures New Zealanders understand the seriousness of this offending and the action underway to detect it and protect children,” Mullen said.

For Pacific families across Aotearoa and the Pacific region, the figures serve as a reminder that online safety is becoming an increasingly important issue as more children spend time on social media and digital platforms.

As artificial intelligence and digital platforms evolve at speed, authorities warn that protecting children online can no longer be left to parents and schools alone, with growing pressure on governments and technology companies to play a bigger role…. PACNEWS

UN – FOSSIL FUEL: CLIMATE HOME               PACNEWS 3: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Santa Marta process can confront trade protection for fossil fuels, experts say

SANA MARTA, 04 JUNE 2026 (CLIMATE HOME) —Just as Colombia – a coal-producing country that has halted new exploration licenses for hydrocarbons – was set to host the first fossil fuel phase-out summit in late April, the government received notice from a foreign energy firm operating on its soil. It was being sued for millions of dollars.

One day before Colombia hosted representatives from around 60 countries for the first Global Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, Spain-based firm Termocandelaria Power, which operates two of the country’s diesel- and gas-fired power plants, sued the government for US$198 million alleging a breach of investor protection rules under a bilateral agreement.

Termocandelaria said government measures since 2024 have prevented its Colombian subsidiaries from receiving full payment for the power they supplied to a public utility, while the Colombian government justified its actions as needed to guarantee financial solvency and deliver electricity to rural communities.

While Termocandelaria declined to comment for this article, the company said in a press release last month that investment protection treaties “are designed to provide a stable and predictable legal framework for long-term investments in strategic sectors”.

The timing shows how trade agreements that offer investors protection when government decisions are seen as causing harm to their business – a system known as investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) – can hamper the transition away from fossil fuels even when countries are pushing for it. Governments in the Global South are particularly exposed, experts told Climate Home News.

As part of the official academic contribution to the Santa Marta conference, researchers recommended that governments should “recognise” ISDS as a barrier to the energy transition and called for negotiations on an international initiative to dismantle ISDS protection for fossil fuel investments, either through “a new standalone” international agreement or as part of a broader treaty.

Mario Osorio, a research fellow at the Centre for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), said Termocandelaria’s claim against Colombia “puts in perspective how serious, concrete and real these threats are” for developing countries.

Osorio said the second fossil fuel transition conference – to be held next year in Tuvalu – presents an opportunity for advancing ISDS reform from discussion to “something more concrete”.

ISDS is a mechanism in international trade that allows foreign corporations – many of them linked to fossil fuel interests – to sue governments in international arbitration courts. One 2022 study estimated that possible legal claims from fossil fuel investors could reach US$340 billion.

In the lead-up to the Santa Marta conference, Colombian President Gustavo Petro pledged to exit the ISDS system by reviewing Colombia’s 129 investment protection agreements. This came after more than 200 economists sent Petro an open letter urging Colombia to abandon the ISDS system.

Eunjung Lee, a senior policy advisor at UK-based think-tank E3G, said the Santa Marta conference had helped elevate ISDS reform as a key element of the transition away from fossil fuels, despite the issue remaining relatively little-known, even among climate negotiators.

She added that governments tend to be cautious about discussing ISDS at climate summits, as these treaties also implicate trade and economy ministries. “If it is not your file, then you can’t really say much about it and taking action is not necessarily up to you,” she explained.

Kyla Tienhaara, Canada Research Chair in Economy and Environment and a professor at Queen’s University who has worked on the issue for two decades, said the conference in Santa Marta marked a new approach, and that Colombia had placed ISDS “prominently in the agenda”.

The next transition conference presents an opportunity for governments to land on something more practical, particularly under the agreed work stream on “macroeconomic dependence and financial architecture”, but it will depend on the co-chairs Tuvalu and Ireland, she said.

Ireland was sued in May by oil company Lansdowne for failing to award a lease in the Barryroe offshore field. The claim was made under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), which fossil fuel companies have used to sue several governments over the consequences of enacting their climate policies.

Following a similar move by some other European states, Ireland left the ECT in April while the Santa Marta conference was ongoing, but existing fossil fuel investments are still protected for 20 years under a “sunset clause”.

Despite the prominence of the issue in the conference rooms, experts told Climate Home that the chairs’ takeaways report was “disappointing”, as it did not explicitly mention ISDS as a key obstacle to the energy transition.

The Netherlands, which co-hosted the summit, may have faced conflicting interests, said Tienhaara, as it is second only to the US as a “home state” for the investors bringing the most ISDS cases, including foreign companies structuring their investments through the country.

The Dutch government also withdrew from the ECT last year, which means it understands and has acted on the threat of investment treaties to climate action, the researcher said. “Unfortunately, they seem unwilling to extend their concern to the harm that these treaties cause in other countries, particularly in the Global South,” she added.

Lee of E3G said Global North countries like the Netherlands tend to export capital to developing countries, which is why they seek to protect their investors’ interests and are unlikely to drive a dismantling of the ISDS system themselves.

Developing countries like Colombia, which have been negatively affected by ISDS claims, have an incentive in “voicing their concerns” and forming a bloc around this topic. “Uniting Global South countries can make a stronger case,” Lee said…. PACNEWS

PACNEWS BIZ

SAMOA – FUEL CRISIS: SAMOA OBSERVER                                                                PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 04 June 2026

Samoa on Amber alert: Power shedding and school closures to begin

APIA, 04 JUNE 2026 (SAMOA OBSERVER) —The nation is now on amber alert, which means that Samoa Electric Power Corporation (EPC) will start power shedding, and schools will be asked to revert to remote learning.

The Disaster Advisory Committee made the announcement this morning.

The amber alert means that the nation has less than 30 days of fuel reserves…PACNEWS

FSM – GRANT: ADB                                    PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 04 Jun 2026

ADB provides grant for Typhoon Sinlaku relief in the Federated States of Micronesia

MANILA, 04 JUNE 2026 (ADB) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide a US$500,000 grant to the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to help expedite recovery from Typhoon Sinlaku, which struck the country during 09–12 April this year. 

“ADB extends its deepest condolences to the Federated States of Micronesia for the loss of life, damage, and upheaval caused by Typhoon Sinlaku,” said ADB North Pacific Advisor Aziz Haydarov.

“This grant will support the Government of the FSM to respond to the urgent needs of people in Chuuk and Yap states, and we stand ready to provide additional support as needed to help the country rebuild and recover.”  

The grant will support emergency and humanitarian efforts and will come from ADB’s Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund, which provides fast tracked grants to developing member countries for life-saving purposes in the aftermath of major disasters triggered by natural hazards.

Typhoon Sinlaku affected approximately 34,000 people across 42 municipalities in Chuuk and Yap states. The typhoon’s destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surge caused at least nine deaths and destroyed around 7,000 homes…. PACNEWS

CNMI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: RFA               PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Ending Chinese visa-free travel may hurt Northern Marianas tourism, residents say

SAIPAN, 04 JUNE 2026 (RADIO FREE ASIA) — A growing push in Washington to restrict Chinese travel to the Northern Mariana Islands could kneecap economic recovery in the U.S territory as it rebuilds from the havoc left by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, analysts and residents told Radio Free Asia.

Supporters of the Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorisation Programme, or EVS-TAP, say that ending its 14-day Chinese visa-free travel allowance would put a serious dent in the economy of the islands, officially a commonwealth and abbreviated as CNMI, where according to a 2025 economic study, tourism accounts for more than two-thirds of GDP.

“China was one of our top source markets prior to the pandemic, generating significant revenue through airlines, hotels, restaurants, retailers and small businesses,” the Marianas Visitors Authority’s managing director Jamika Taijeron, told RFA.

“Our tourism stakeholders need consistency and predictability in federal travel policies so they can plan long‑term operations, maintain workforce stability and stay committed in their Marianas investments,” she said.

Though the program was introduced in 2024 with the intent on boosting tourism, a group of lawmakers in March expressed their concern, saying it encourages birth tourism.

The federal scrutiny began weeks before the typhoon rolled through, but the resulting destruction has magnified the stakes in the islands.

As the CNMI works to restore power, repair damaged infrastructure and revive a tourism industry still far below pre‑pandemic levels, its tourism sector must still compete with other tropical getaway destinations in the Pacific.

Sinlaku knocked out power to more than 15,600 customers, toppled hundreds of poles and transformers, and forced Saipan International Airport into limited daytime‑only operations. Officials estimate overall damage could reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars, affecting homes, government facilities and tourism‑dependent infrastructure.

The territory is roughly 6,000 miles from the U.S mainland but only hours from major Asian hubs, and China remains the only large‑scale tourism market capable of restoring pre‑pandemic visitor volumes, according to statistics from the Marianas Visitors Authority.

The CNMI welcomed 487,008 visitors in 2019, including 185,526 from China. By 2023, total arrivals had fallen to 215,543, and Chinese arrivals dropped precipitously to 10,764 in fiscal 2025, brought on by a sudden halt in EVS-TAP processing at the beginning of the current administration. Even though the program has restarted, the market remains a fraction of its former size.

Even though tourism is critically important to the CNMI’s economy, concerns about security have some in Washington characterizing EVS-TAP as “Communist China’s back door” into the United States.

On 09 March9, more than a month before Sinlaku’s landfall, 34 members of the House of Representatives urged the secretaries of Homeland Security, State and the Interior to shut down EVS-TAP and other federal entry programs that allow Chinese nationals to visit the CNMI without visas. Their letter echoed concerns raised in January by three U.S senators and mirrored a bipartisan push last year citing birth‑tourism cases and human‑smuggling prosecutions.

The lawmakers cited estimates that more than 3,300 babies have been born in the CNMI to Chinese nationals since 2009, with annual births rising from fewer than 10 to nearly 600 at the peak. They warned that many of these U.S-born children were raised in China and could reach voting age by 2030, a scenario they said could allow a “hostile nation” to influence American elections.

In public statements, Kimberlyn King‑Hinds, the CNMI’s delegate to Congress, rejected the claims, saying that Washington often misunderstands the islands’ circumstances. Critics have accused her of supporting policies that benefit Chinese interests, but she said her position is rooted in economic necessity.

“It’s not about China. It’s about retirement. It’s about paying employees,” she said. “This is about the economy. This is about tourism. This is about customers. We need customers for this economy to keep moving. That’s just the reality.”

Legal analyst and former CNMI resident Chanho Roh told RFA the debate in Washington reflect broader tensions in U.S immigration enforcement, with unusually high stakes for the islands.

“Even when Congress closes one legal loophole, new methods or pathways often emerge,” he said, noting that birth tourism and visa‑waiver policy are politically linked but “not identical policy questions.”

Roh said visa‑waiver arrangements typically rely on reciprocity, and CNMI residents do not receive comparable visa‑free access to China, including Hainan Island. But he warned that eliminating the program without an “alternative economic strategy” risk worsening the Commonwealth’s decline.

“The aftermath is already visible — abandoned developments, unresolved legal disputes involving Chinese investors, and deteriorating properties that affect the islands’ appearance and economy,” he said.

In a letter that addressed the claims of the 34 lawmakers, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce said terminating the visa‑waiver programs would deepen the CNMI’s economic strain and jeopardise its fragile recovery. Lawful tourism supported by the programs, the group said, remains essential to sustaining small businesses and protecting jobs for U.S citizens and residents.

The Chamber acknowledged that birth tourism was once a challenge but said it is no longer a prevailing issue. Targeted policy changes, enhanced screening and close coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection have “effectively mitigated” the problem.

The CNMI’s heavy reliance on tourism leaves it exposed to sudden shocks, such as the recent super typhoon, Betty Bai of Saipan Chinese News and a tourism events operator, told RFA.

She noted that competitors such as Thailand, Maldives, Palau and Fiji offer visa‑free or visa‑on‑arrival access for Chinese travelers. “CNMI lost its edge,” she said.

Rather than debating extremes, she said, the focus should be on managing the visa policy properly and “making it work.”

But even if EVS-TAP is left alone, diversification is necessary in the tourism industry, Steve Jang, an entrepreneur and operator of Plumeria Steakhouse in the bustling tourist hub of Garapan, told RFA.

“Eliminating the waiver would almost certainly reduce arrival numbers, leading to lower occupancy rates, reduced business revenue and potential job losses. “Relying too heavily on any single market is a risk. Diversification would make our local economy more resilient,” he said…. PACNEWS

TONGA – INFLATION: TALANOAOTONGA PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Tonga Reserve Bank warns inflation could reach double digits amid global price risks

NUKU’ALOFA, 04 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS) — Tonga’s inflation outlook remains under pressure from global fuel and import price shocks, with the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT) warning that consumer prices could rise into double digits this year if international disruptions continue.

In a statement released last Friday, the NRBT said annual headline inflation increased to 5.5 percent in April 2026, exceeding the bank’s 5 percent reference rate for the first time in 16 months. 

The rise was driven largely by imported goods and services, reflecting Tonga’s heavy dependence on overseas supplies.

The central bank identified the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as a significant external risk. Uncertainty surrounding major global energy and shipping routes continues to affect fuel supplies reaching Tonga through regional hubs such as Singapore and Fiji, increasing pressure on transport and import costs.

Imported items accounted for around 4.5 percentage points of the annual inflation rate. Transportation services were the largest contributor, adding about 2 percentage points, followed by imported food at 1.5 percentage points. Domestic food services, including restaurants, contributed a further percentage point, while higher kava prices were also among the key drivers.

NRBT Governor Tatafu Moeaki said the inflation outlook remained subject to “upside risks” from global fuel prices, freight costs and food imports. 

He noted that local fuel prices increased in May, while electricity tariffs rose by 35.8 percent for a three-month period.

Core inflation, which excludes some volatile price movements, remained elevated at 9.5 percent in April, up from 8.7 percent a year earlier.

The Reserve Bank said it would continue monitoring inflation trends closely and consider policy responses if external price pressures begin to spread more broadly through the domestic economy…. PACNEWS

AUST – ANTI SLAVERY TARRIFS: AAP           PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 04 Jun 2026

Australia caught in U.S plans for ‘anti-slavery’ tariffs

CANBERRA, 04 JUNE 2026 (AAP) — Australia prime minister Anthony Albanese has blamed an “ideological disagreement” for the latest round of American tariffs proposed for countries including Australia over what the U.S says is their failure to address modern slavery.

The White House is proposing new levies for 60 countries that it says are not doing enough to fight slavery in their supply chains.

Under the proposal, a 10 percent temporary tariff imposed in February on Australian goods would increase to 12.5 percent from 24 July.

“The acts, policies and practices of Australia related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a forced-labour import prohibition are unreasonable and burden or restrict US commerce,” U.S Trade Representative Jamieson Greer found in a report published overnight.

The tariffs are unwarranted and will only push up prices for consumers in the U.S, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday.

“There is an ideological disagreement where the United States administration has broken with what was a decades-long understanding that tariffs are not positive for the country that is imposing them,” he told the ABC’s AM programme.

Trade Minister Don Farrell spoke with Greer on the sidelines of the OECD ministerial meeting being held in Paris to argue the new import tax was unjustified.

Australia has “robust, comprehensive and world-leading” laws to tackle modern slavery, Albanese said.

Beef and gold from Australia will maintain their existing exemptions from U.S tariffs, AAP understands.

Other American allies including Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the European Union, along with adversaries including China and Russia, are also covered under the latest tariff ruling.

“The failure of our most important trading partners to address the importation of goods made with forced labour is unacceptable … we will no longer tolerate this disparity,” Mr Greer said in a statement on Wednesday (AEST).

Former Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey said he’d argued personally with Trump about his tariff policies and warned he was “not for moving”.

“America is running out of money, and they need to get it from somewhere. And the President of the United States is convinced that foreigners pay tariffs imposed by America, whereas in fact it is American consumers that pay higher prices,” Mr Hockey told ABC Radio National on Thursday…. 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

Traditional knowledge strengthens climate resilience in Fiji’s coastal fisheries

By Sanjeshni Kumar

SUVA, 04 JUNE 2026 (PACNEWS) — Traditional knowledge, communal support systems and customary governance structures are helping coastal communities in Fiji adapt to the growing impacts of climate change on fisheries, according to new research conducted in Ra Province.

The study, led by researchers Dr Sangeeta Magnubhai and Dr Salanieta Kitolelei, found that indigenous knowledge and community-based practices continue to play a critical role in strengthening resilience as rising temperatures, stronger cyclones and changing marine ecosystems place increasing pressure on fisheries and food security.

“We know that climate change is affecting ecosystems and fisheries all over the world with acute impacts expected in small-scale fisheries, particularly in the tropics,” Dr Magnubhai said.

She said climate change is affecting fisheries through multiple pathways, including warming ocean temperatures, coral bleaching and more intense cyclones that damage marine habitats and alter fish populations.

“As we move towards what I consider this uncertain future or unpredictable future of turbulent times, there is a need for all sectors, and that includes the fisheries sector, to be really thinking about how it would integrate and consider these climate impacts, and how do we actually build resilience in the fisheries that we have.”

The research focused on three coastal communities in the Nakorotubu district of Ra, where researchers worked with villagers to understand how climate change is affecting fisheries and identify the factors that help communities adapt.

A key finding was the continued relevance of indigenous knowledge systems, including traditional calendars, farming practices and environmental indicators that communities have relied on for generations.

Dr Kitolelei said local knowledge remains an important tool for preparedness and adaptation.

“Indigenous knowledge of our people, it’s practical knowledge because it’s practiced, and also it’s used for adapting,’ she said.

In many communities, traditional practices such as planting yams and sweet potatoes before cyclone season continue to provide a reliable food source when storms damage crops. Villagers also maintain knowledge of caves historically used as evacuation sites, some of which were used again during Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 when access to formal evacuation centres became difficult.

Researchers found that resilience is also deeply rooted in communal values and collective action.

“One thing I like to highlight is the inherent resilience in the people. It’s inbuilt into the system of the iTaukei people,” Dr Kitolelei said.

“How they respond to disasters, they respond communally through solesolevaki.”

The study highlighted how families, neighbours, village networks and relatives living in urban centres or overseas provide support during times of crisis, helping communities recover more quickly from disasters.

The research also documented how local fishers are observing environmental changes linked to climate change, including shifting rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and changes in the distribution of marine species.

In some areas, fishers reported seeing species appear in locations where they were previously uncommon, while traditional indicators such as flowering and fruiting seasons have become less predictable.

“A lot of people say it’s becoming redundant. But an important thing to note is we need to document it, document the changes so that that change can inform the climate change impacts in the future,” Dr Kitolelei said.

The researchers also found that major climate-related disasters can accelerate adaptation.

Communities in Ra reported changing their preparedness measures following Cyclone Winston, including paying closer attention to weather warnings, reviving traditional food security practices and strengthening community disaster planning.

Dr Magnubhai said these experiences demonstrated how severe climate events can drive communities to adopt new approaches more rapidly than gradual environmental changes alone.

“It seems like when there are these big events, which is when it creates this kind of accelerated adaptation,” she said.

The study further challenged common perceptions about vulnerability, particularly regarding women involved in fisheries.

Researchers found that women play a significant role in coastal fisheries, food security and environmental stewardship, while actively contributing to community resilience and adaptation efforts.

“We didn’t really like this sort of language of seeing women as kind of victims and vulnerable when actually, when you actually listen to what they do in communities, how they respond, what knowledge they draw on, they’re not at all,” Dr Magnubhai said.

“So, there’s a level of agency that they have that we need to kind of be thinking about and be careful about how do we frame them.”

The findings suggest that future efforts to strengthen climate resilience in Fiji’s fisheries should build on existing local knowledge, governance systems and community networks rather than relying solely on external solutions.

For the researchers, listening to communities remains central to that process.

“You need to learn from the people before you are able to address whatever problems they’re facing and not reduce their resiliency,” Dr Kitolelei said…. 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

From the wreckage of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, Pacific Islanders slowly recover

SAIPAN, 04 JUNE 2026 (MONGABAY) — Katelynn Delos Reyes thought she knew what to expect when Typhoon Sinlaku slammed into Saipan in April. 

As a lifelong resident of the island, Delos Reyes had survived frequent storms, including Super Typhoon Yutu, the second strongest in U.S. history. Eight years ago, Yutu’s 274-kmph (about 170-mph) winds devastated her village in the southern end of Saipan. Just three years before that, she survived Typhoon Soudelor.

But Sinlaku was different. “At the beginning, it was OK. But later on, it wasn’t,” said Delos Reyes, who is Chamorro, Indigenous to the Mariana Islands.

A few days before it hit the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or CNMI, on April 14, Sinlaku had tropical-storm winds. That made it what is known in the Marianas as a “banana typhoon” because such storms level banana trees but leave others standing. Then over the weekend, the typhoon rapidly intensified by 120 kmph (75 mph) in just 24 hours before becoming a 298-kmph (about 185-mph) monstrosity and the strongest storm on Earth so far this year.

Delos Reyes and her family had done what they could to prepare. They boarded up the windows. They bought gallons of drinking water and filled plastic drums to use in the shower and toilet.

Then the storm hit, and Delos Reyes grew scared. The winds, which had weakened to 240 kmph (about 150 mph), ripped the wood from a window. Rainwater gushed through the ceiling and soaked their belongings, including Delos Reyes’ mattress. She and her partner, her mother, her daughter and their two dogs hid in her mother’s room, where its concrete roof and walls would keep them safe. She heard sections of the roof tumbling away. Eventually, Sinlaku slowed to a crawl, forcing tens of thousands of others to remain sheltered for days.

“How long is this storm going to be with us?” she prayed. “I think, Lord, maybe it’s enough, you can go and finish it elsewhere.”

More than a month after Sinlaku tore across the Western Pacific, families in the Northern Mariana Islands and beyond are still grappling with a lack of electricity and clearing debris as they pick up what’s left of their homes.

The regionwide death toll — including Guam and the Federated States of Micronesia — has ticked up to 17, making Sinlaku the deadliest storm in the Micronesian region of the Pacific since 2002. The deaths include a couple on Guam who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning while running their generator indoors, as well as six crew members of the cargo ship Mariana, which was caught in the storm when its engine died.

In Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia, the storm killed nine people, including a baby whose pregnant mother couldn’t reach the hospital due to fallen trees. Other deaths were attributed to a boat capsizing and a tree falling on someone.

Climate change spurring disasters

Strong storms are common in the Micronesian region of the Pacific but rarely this deadly. Shel Winkley, a meteorologist at Climate Central, said Sinlaku’s sudden escalation happened over ocean waters 0.6°Celsius (about 1.1° Fahrenheit) warmer than average — temperatures made 70-100 times more likely due to climate change, which is caused by the burning of fossil fuels like oil and gas. Scientists have long warned that rising marine temperatures can enable storms like Sinlaku to get stronger faster and hold more moisture, leading to increased flooding.

“In general, climate change is making events like this more intense at their peak intensity,” Winkley said. Sinlaku was named for the Kosraean goddess of breadfruit in the Federated States of Micronesia — a cultural staple also threatened by climate change.

The Pacific is home to many Indigenous peoples who have contributed relatively little to greenhouse gas emissions, yet are already bearing its disastrous effects, ranging from stronger storms to rising seas. Their nations are increasingly calling on major polluters like the U.S and China to be accountable for their carbon emissions and help bear the cost of the extreme weather wreaking havoc on their communities.

The Federated States of Micronesia was among 140 countries in May that voted in favor of a United Nations resolution affirming that state governments have a legal obligation to protect the Earth from the harm caused by greenhouse gases, and nations that fail to do so must pay climate reparations. The U.S., which claims sovereignty over the CNMI and Guam, was one of just eight nations that voted against the resolution.

The latest available report from emergency officials in Chuuk State, the part of the Federated States of Micronesia hardest hit by the typhoon, estimates that the storm destroyed or severely damaged more than 7,000 homes in Chuuk and Yap and displaced more than 13,000 people.

“Access to safe water is critically compromised, food reserves are depleting rapidly, and the outer islands face growing isolation as maritime supply lines remain constrained,” the report warned.

UN agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration, along with nonprofit organisations and countries like the U.S. and China, have been providing typhoon relief for Chuuk. The growing Micronesian diaspora in the U.S. has also mobilized to send food and money.

“They’re going to need financial support to rebuild their houses. They’re going to need chainsaws to cut down trees,” Josie Howard, head of the Honolulu-based nonprofit We Are Oceania, told Hawai ‘i Public Radio.

Picking up the wreckage

In the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, officials are still counting the number of homes destroyed and people displaced. But as of last week, piles of debris still littered roadsides, and the entire island of Tinian remained without electricity. Families opened their windows to catch breezes, seeking relief from the humidity and more than 26°Celsius (80° Fahrenheit) weather.

Indigenous fishers caught ti’ao, or goatfish, to feed their families fresh dinners in the absence of refrigeration. Residents of Guam bought so many battery-powered Ryobi fans to send their loved ones on more affected islands that Home Depot ran out. In both the CNMI and Chuuk, children were missing school because their schoolhouses had been severely damaged and, in some cases, destroyed, with many not expected to return for months.

On Saipan, people waited an average of 2-3 hours at the local recovery centre to talk to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials about applying for aid. As of late May, more than 9,000 CNMI residents had applied for federal disaster assistance, and the recovery centre was serving an average of 300 more each day.

“It’s a snake, kind of like the lines at Disneyland,” JD Reyes, a CNMI Commerce Department official who has been managing the recovery centre, said of the rows of dozens of waiting families, some of whom had brought their children.

The families were from all over the island, Reyes said.

“Soudelor hit the north, and Yutu hit the south,” Reyes said. “This just hit everyone, and what made it worse is it just sat on top of us for more than 24 hours. So, it really made sure, if you’re not affected, you will be.”

His wife was working at the hospital during the storm, so he stayed home to watch their 2-year-old and mop up the water that flooded their house in northern Saipan. Just before dawn, his neighbors ran to his house for shelter because their roof had blown away.

“We actually are very fortunate; we just had our flooding, damage to personal property,” he said. His village went without electricity for more than five weeks. “But at least we have a roof over our head, no windows destroyed, just damage to the car.”

For Delos Reyes and thousands of other residents, recovery remains uncertain. The deadline to apply for FEMA disaster assistance in the CNMI is June 22. Delos Reyes’ family in southern Saipan is one of more than 450 families who have so far received emergency tents or temporary roofs. A FEMA tent now sits in her yard, and a tarp partially covers her missing roof.

For weeks after the typhoon, Delos Reyes dragged her rain-soaked mattress into the yard to dry slowly in the hot sun. The first thing she and her family did was clear the debris from their driveway so an ambulance could reach her mother in an emergency. Delos Reyes is a caregiver for the 94-year-old woman, who has dementia and has been bedridden for seven years. That’s one reason why, no matter how bad each storm gets or how many times she needs to repair her house, Delos Reyes doesn’t plan to leave.

“One day at a time,” she said…. 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

Beyond Aid: Perspectives for the Least Developed and Vulnerable Countries

By Deodat Maharaj

GEBZE, 04 JUNE 2026 (UN TECHNOLOGY BANK) —The global development compact is fraying. 

At a time when the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries face unsustainable debt burdens, climate shocks and technological exclusion, international development assistance is retreating at a historic pace.

According to the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), official development assistance (ODA) fell by 23.1 percent in 2025 in real terms compared to 2024. This is the largest annual decline ever recorded. In absolute number, total ODA dropped from USD$215.1 billion in 2024 to USD$174.3 billion in 2025, bringing aid levels back to where they stood a decade ago, when the Sustainable Development Goals were first adopted. 

For the poor and vulnerable people living in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the consequences are even more profound. Bilateral ODA to LDCs declined by 25.8 percent in 2025, while aid to sub-Saharan Africa fell by more than 26 percent. 32 out of the world’s 44 LDCs are in Africa. Much needed financing for humanitarian assistance also sharply contracted by 35.8 percent. These reductions come at a time when these countries are struggling with rising fuel costs and increasing global economic uncertainty. 

This is not simply a temporary budget adjustment. It reflects a broader shift in global priorities.

For decades, developed countries have repeatedly reaffirmed the long-standing United Nations target of allocating 0.7 percent of gross national income (GNI) to development assistance. Yet only a handful of countries consistently meet that commitment. In 2025, according to OECD data, only Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden met the 0.7 percent benchmark among DAC members. 

Climate finance commitments have followed a similar pattern. Developed countries first pledged at the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference (COP15) to mobilise USD$100 billion annually for climate action in developing countries by 2020. The commitment was subsequently reaffirmed and embedded within the Paris Agreement framework adopted at COP21 in 2015. Although the target was not achieved by the original 2020 deadline, OECD data indicate that it was finally met in 2022 and remained above the USD 100 billion threshold thereafter. Nevertheless, concerns persist regarding the accessibility and predictability of climate finance, as well as the continued heavy reliance on loans rather than grants. Indeed, loans continue to represent most of public climate finance.

Whilst resources for development dwindle, the needs of the LDCs and vulnerable countries continue to intensify. 

LDCs continue to struggle economically. While they account for around 14 percent of the world’s population, they contribute less than 1.5 percent of global GDP. Their debt vulnerabilities are also worsening. Many LDCs are either already in debt distress or at high risk of debt distress. In countries such as Zambia and Ethiopia, debt servicing has increasingly constrained fiscal space, in some cases consuming more public revenue than spending on health or education. These limitations are narrowing governments’ ability to invest in infrastructure, innovation, digital transformation and human capital.

The central question therefore becomes unavoidable: if concessional financing and aid flows continue to decline, how can LDCs finance development and structural transformation? There is no single template for success. However, the evidence shows that it must be built on boosting internal productive capacity, rapidly adopting low-cost and high-impact technology at scale, investment and domestic economic resilience.

First, the private sector — particularly technology-driven businesses — must play a far greater role in development.

Technology businesses are particularly important because they accelerate productivity across sectors. Digital infrastructure, fintech, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, renewable energy technologies and digital public services all have the potential to expand economic participation, improve governance and reduce structural inefficiencies.

Across Africa and other developing regions, innovative enterprises are already demonstrating what is possible. Mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa have transformed financial inclusion by enabling millions of previously unbanked people to access digital financial services. Meanwhile, digital health platforms such as Zipline operating in places like Rwanda are helping to extend essential health services and medical supplies to underserved communities. But these success stories remain uneven and underfunded.

Second, domestic resource mobilisation must become central to development financing strategies.

Countries cannot sustainably finance development if public revenues remain chronically low. Currently, tax-to-GDP ratios in LDCs are often in the range of 10–15 percent of GDP, reflecting limited domestic resource mobilisation capacity. In contrast, OECD developed economies typically raise around 33–34 percent of GDP in tax revenues on average, more than double the level observed in many LDCs. This structural gap significantly constrains fiscal space in poorer economies and increases reliance on external financing. Strengthening tax systems, improving revenue administration, formalizing economic activity and reducing illicit financial flows are essential.

Third, policy environments matter enormously.

Countries that actively promote business competitiveness, trade facilitation, innovation, and institutional reform attract investment and stimulate growth. LDCs often face regulatory and administrative bottlenecks that hinder business and investment. For example, in most LDCs, it takes on average around 20–30 days to register a business, reflecting persistent bureaucratic delays. In contrast, in countries such as Singapore, business registration can take as little as 1.5 days. Rwanda has shown that vision backed by action can deliver a reform agenda where a business can now be registered in approximately four days. 

For sure, no model is universally transferable. Every country faces unique historical, institutional and geographic realities. But the broader lesson is clear: proactive and coherent policy frameworks matter.

The decline in aid should not trigger resignation. It should stimulate a new urgency. This means investing in technology and innovation; creating environments where business can flourish; and strengthening domestic institutions and public finance systems. 

In summary, whilst increased ODA is absolutely needed, the mindset of LDCs must be standing on their own two feet. 

Deodat Maharaj is the Managing Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries and a national of Trinidad and Tobago. He can be reached at: deodat.maharaj@un.org

PACNEWS DIGEST

The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS

GEF approves $232.5 million in new projects and endorses US$3.9 billion replenishment, launching final sprint to 2030 

SAMARKAND, 04 JUNE 2026 (GEF) — The 71st Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) concluded in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with landmark decisions that will boost international environmental finance through 2030.

Meeting alongside the Councils for the Least Developed Countries Fund and Special Climate Change Fund (LDCF/SCCF) and the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), the three governing bodies together approved US$232.5 million in new environmental financing across 24 projects and programs in 22 countries:

*GEF Trust Fund: 16 projects and programmes totaling US$144.3 million in GEF resources, expected to mobilise over US$828 million in co-finance.

*LDCF/SCCF: eight projects totaling US$67.7 million in climate adaptation finance for the world’s most vulnerable nations, including two co-funded with the GEF Trust Fund.

*GBFF: two projects totaling US$20.5 million to advance biodiversity conservation, with 39 percent of GBFF programming directed to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Beyond the work programmes, the representatives of the GEF’s 186 participant countries endorsed the programming directions for the US$3.9 billion ninth replenishment (GEF-9), signaling a powerful commitment by the global community to fund multilateral environmental action through 2030.

The GEF Trust Fund work programme includes funding to five areas: biodiversity (US$60.3 million), land degradation (US$29.3 million), international waters (US$26.5 million), climate change (US$14.3 million), and blended finance (US$13.9 million). It supports activities in 19 recipient countries, including four Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and seven Least Developed Countries (LDCs). In addition to the work program, the Council acknowledged US$200 million in smaller-sized projects that have moved forward with GEF Interim CEO approval since the beginning of the year.

The work programme has contributed to progress toward surpassing GEF-8 goals. For example, the area of protected oceans has reached 1.9 billion hectares, almost twenty times the goal of 100 million hectares. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is also above target, with 2.3 billion tons reduced compared to the goal of 1.9 billion tons. Additionally, cooperation has improved in 59 shared water ecosystems, beating the goal of 40, and 10.1 million hectares of land and ecosystems have been restored, just over the target of 10 million hectares.

“Our focus on integration was fully embedded in the GEF-8 cycle, and the portfolio is generating environmental benefits at scale with high-impact investments driving results across all focal areas,” said Claude Gascon, Interim CEO and Chairperson of the GEF. “The GEF’s blended finance operations are generating more than US$18 in co-finance for each dollar we invest, underscoring the GEF’s catalytic role in mobilising diverse sources of finance.”

GEF-9 endorsed: US$3.9 billion for the sprint to 2030

In an important moment for multilateral environmental cooperation, the Council endorsed the GEF-9 programming directions, covering the period from July 2026 to June 2030. The replenishment establishes a programming level of US$3.9 billion, following initial pledges announced by donor countries on 09 April.

“This is a powerful demonstration of commitment to meeting international environmental goals through multilateral cooperation,” said Gascon. “The replenishment process has shown what becomes possible when we choose cooperation and collaboration—when we come together to act not just for our own countries, but for our shared planet.”

The GEF-9 replenishment package introduces structural reforms to make the GEF faster, simpler, and more accountable, ensuring resources reach countries more efficiently. Key strategic priorities for GEF-9 include:

*Integrated Programs targeting systemic transformations across nature, food, urban, energy, and health systems to integrate the value of nature in production and consumption systems.

*Blended finance at scale, with an aspirational target of programming 25 percent of resources to mobilise private capital.

*Whole-of-government and whole-of-society engagement, deepening participation of civil society, youth, women, and the private sector.

*Strengthened support for vulnerable countries, with 35 percent of resources directed to support LDCs and SIDS, and 20 percent to support Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

GEF-9 will also allocate US$100 million to an Indigenous Peoples and local communities Conservation Initiative, four times more than in the previous GEF investment cycle. The initiative provides dedicated and direct funding to Indigenous-led organisations and contributes to their strengthening to enable their participation in GEF projects as executing agencies and funding intermediaries to enhance access.

Alongside the GEF Trust Fund Council, the 40th LDCF/SCCF Council approved projects in eight countries to support adaptation priorities and reduce flood and coastal risks, support food security, protect biodiversity, improve disaster preparedness, and expand economic opportunities for vulnerable communities. The Council also endorsed the GEF-9 LDCF/SCCF Programming Strategy and Operational Improvements to strengthen access, delivery, innovation, and finance mobilization.

The 6th GBFF Council approved projects in two countries for the conservation and sustainable use and management of biodiversity and critical ecosystems. The Council also approved a new resource mobilization strategy to capitalize the fund through unlocking new sources of financing and increasing contributions from all sources, including governments, the private sector, and philanthropy.

On the opening day of the 71st GEF Council, the Rob Walton Foundation announced a partnership with the GEF to help African governments mobilize up to US$50 million in additional funding for the effective management of Africa’s Keystone Protected Areas — 162 protected and conserved areas identified as foundational to biodiversity, water security, livelihoods, and sustainable development across the continent.

The high-level opening ceremony of the Eighth GEF Assembly will take place on 04 June4. The Assembly, the highest governing body of the GEF meets every four years and brings together government officials, policymakers, civil society, and the private sector. It will showcase successful projects and innovations financed by the GEF across various regions, highlighting how collaborative funding can deliver solutions for environmental sustainability.

“We meet in Samarkand at a moment when the triple planetary crisis is becoming increasingly visible across all regions of the world. At the same time, the window for achieving our global environmental commitments is rapidly decreasing. This is why the role of the GEF is important more than ever,” said Aziz Abdukhakimov, Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Environment, and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change at the opening of the Council meetings.

Council members also heard from five of the multilateral environmental conventions served by the GEF about their expectations for GEF-9 and the need for joined-up action towards international environmental goals…. PACNEWS