In this bulletin:
1. SOL — Solomon Islands PM confirms resignation of 10 Cabinet Ministers
2. VAN — Vanuatu pushes for strong UN resolution to operationalise the ICJ climate ruling
3. FIJI — Proposed FijiansFirst Party files registration application
4. SAMOA — Samoa honours NZ PM Luxon with chiefly title
5. PALAU — Palau president places God at the centre of decisions in climate fight to keep islands afloat
6. PNG — PNG has moral obligation to Bougainville, says Tsiamalili
7. NZ — Tribe accuses New Zealand crown of bias over Indigenous land claims of Chatham Islands
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Hotel cancellations as industry encourages flexibility for travellers
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Australia helps light up Samoa’s remote communities
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Australian Treasurer on war footing over tax reform, rates pain
11. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Legal analysis raises questions over Pro-investor approaches to Deep-Sea Mining
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Global treaty on fishing vessel safety to enter into force in 2027
SOL – POLITICS: SOL GOVT PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Solomon Islands PM Manele confirms resignation of 10 Cabinet Ministers
HONIARA, 16 MARCH 2026 (SOL GOVT) — Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has confirmed that ten Cabinet Ministers have tendered their resignations.
In a statement issued by the Government, the Prime Minister said he received formal advice from the Governor-General confirming the resignations of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation and Communications. Fredrick Kologeto; Minister for Health and Medical Services Paul Bosawai; Minister for Justice and Legal Affairs Clezy Rore; Minister for Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration Harry Kuma; Minister for Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification Derick Manuari; Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Wayne Ghemu; Minister for Public Service Francis Sade; Minister for Rural Development Daniel Waneoroa; Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace Hon. Stephen Kumi; and Minister for Agriculture and Livestock. Franklyn Wasi.
Prime Minister Manele urged public servants across government ministries and agencies to remain focused on their duties and continue delivering essential services to the people of Solomon Islands.
He called on the nation to remain calm while political leaders work to address the current situation.
PM Manele emphasised the Solomon Islands’ Constitution provides clear democratic processes for addressing political developments, and these processes will be respected as Members of Parliament continue their discussions.
“For now, the priority is for the public service to continue its important work while political leaders engage to resolve the issues before us. It is too early to speculate on any outcome, and we will continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold,” Prime Minister Manele said…. PACNEWS
VAN – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS/PASIFIKA ENVIRONEWS PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Vanuatu pushes for strong UN resolution to operationalise the ICJ climate ruling
By Sanjeshni Kumar
NEW YORK, 16 MARCH 2026 (PACNEWS/PASIFIKA ENVIRONEWS) — Vanuatu is leading international efforts to secure a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that would welcome and operationalise the landmark advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate change, with negotiators aiming for adoption on 22 April.
Speaking during a recent webinar, Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Lee-Anne Sackett, said the resolution comes at a critical moment as climate impacts intensify for vulnerable nations.
“As many of you are aware, Vanuatu and many other small island developing states and other climate-vulnerable states are already living the consequences of climate change,” Sackett said.
“Sea level rise is also a big issue, and loss of land, culture and livelihoods are everyday lived experiences now for most communities. So, it’s really not seen as a future risk for us at this point in time, it’s a present reality.”
The ICJ advisory opinion, delivered in July last year following a request led by Pacific Island nations and youth advocates, clarified states’ legal obligations regarding climate change under international law.
Sackett said the ruling confirmed that climate change is not simply a policy challenge but a matter of justice and legal responsibility.
“Climate change is really not just a matter of policy, it’s a matter of justice, and it’s a matter of international law,” she said.
The court recognised that multiple areas of international law apply to climate obligations, including human rights treaties, the law of the sea and customary international law.
“The court recognised that states’ obligations in relation to climate change are owed to the international community as a whole,” Sackett said.
“It also confirmed that the rules of state responsibility apply, meaning states responsible for internationally wrongful acts will face legal consequences.”
The advisory opinion is now being brought back to the UNGA, which originally requested the ruling, to seek political endorsement and guide its implementation.
According to Sackett, the proposed resolution has three core objectives.
“The first and most fundamental objective, and the one that can’t be compromised on, is a full and unequivocal welcome of the advisory opinion,” she said.
“It’s historic in so many ways… from the consensus resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 2023 requesting the opinion, to the record levels of participation before the court, to the unanimous opinion delivered by the court.”
She said protecting the integrity of the court and the advisory opinion was particularly important at a time when multilateral institutions face growing pressure.
“It’s a critical time to be protecting international law and the rules-based order that we all operate under in international relations,” Sackett said.
The second objective of the resolution is to strengthen climate action by aligning state conduct with the obligations outlined by the court.
“The court has provided clarification of legal obligations not just under the climate treaties, but also under other areas of international law,” she said.
“So, it’s critical that we think about how states can now ensure they are fulfilling those obligations.”
The third objective focuses on advancing climate justice, particularly by addressing climate harm and state responsibility.
Sackett said Vanuatu had initially proposed establishing a register for climate damages alongside a mechanism for climate reparations.
“In the current political context, it’s a really tough fight,” she said.
“But we saw this architecture as a great opportunity for UN membership to explore.”
Negotiators are now considering a process-focused approach that would request the UN Secretary-General to examine options for such mechanisms.
Language relating to fossil fuels is also included in the draft resolution, although negotiations remain sensitive.
“Yes, there’s explicit language on fossil fuel,” Sackett said.
“Initially, we hoped for fossil fuel phase-out, but as you can imagine that is particularly sensitive.”
Alternative wording referring to a transition away from fossil fuels in line with the COP28 UAE Consensus is currently being discussed.
For the resolution to carry significant weight, Sackett said it must secure broad support from UN member states.
“What broad support looks like is not a simple majority of states supporting the resolution,” she said.
“We’ve seen in previous resolutions around advisory opinions about 130 states or even 150 states voting in favour.”
Negotiations are ongoing, with a revised draft expected to be followed by further consultations.
“The new date that we are proposing is the 22nd of April for the adoption of the resolution, which happens to be Earth Day,” Sackett said.
“So, fingers crossed we make it to that.”
Legal experts say the ICJ ruling has already reshaped the international legal landscape around climate responsibility.
Joie Chowdhury, Senior Attorney at the Centre for International Environmental Law, described the advisory opinion as a turning point.
“At a moment when climate devastation is accelerating worldwide and climate-destructive conduct too often escapes accountability, we recognise the ICJ’s climate ruling as historic,” Chowdhury said.
“The opinion provides a sound foundation to move beyond vague promises and voluntary pledges and ground climate ambition in legal obligation.”
She said the court clarified that states have binding duties under multiple sources of international law and confirmed that obligations to protect the climate system are owed to the international community as a whole.
The ICJ also found that failure to take appropriate action on fossil fuels could amount to a breach of international law.
“The failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system, including through fossil fuel production, fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel exploration licences, or the provision of fossil fuel subsidies, may constitute an internationally wrongful act,” Chowdhury said.
The court also recognised that climate change threatens a wide range of human rights.
“It affirmed that climate degradation impairs numerous human rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, housing and family life,” she said.
Chowdhury said the upcoming UN resolution would be key to translating the court’s legal findings into action.
“General Assembly resolutions responding to advisory opinions do more than simply welcome them, they operationalise them.
“What remains now is the political will to act on the court’s ruling, for the sake of the people today and for the generations yet to come,” she said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Proposed FijiansFirst Party files registration application
SUVA, 16 FEBRUARY 2026 (PACNEWS) — A new political party has filed nomination with the nation’s Elections Office in Suva.
The proposed FijiansFirst Party submitted its registration application at the Fiji Elections Office today.
Registrar of Political Parties, Ana Mataiciwa confirmed the application was lodged on Monday, 16 March 2026.
The application was submitted by founding member and General Secretary Ravindran Kumaran and party member and Member of Parliament Ketan Lal.
Mataiciwa said the application will now be published in a newspaper and in the Fiji Government Gazette, as required under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013.
Once the notice is published, the statutory objections period will begin.
“During the objections period, any person may submit a written objection to the Registrar regarding the party’s application for registration. The Registrar will assess and determine all objections within seven (7) days of receipt after giving the proposed party an opportunity to respond,” Mataiciwa said in a statement.
She said both the objectors and the applicant party will be informed once the assessment process is completed.
After the objections process, the Registrar will determine whether the proposed FijiansFirst Party meets the legal requirements under the Act and whether it will be formally registered.
Mataiciwa said the process is designed to ensure transparency and allow public participation in the registration of political parties…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – DIPLOMACY: AAP PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Samoa honours NZ PM Luxon with chiefly title
APIA, 16 MARCH 2026 (AAP) — Samoa has bestowed the honour of a chiefly title on New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during a visit to the Polynesian nation on Monday.
Though quite how he got it is another story.
On Sunday, Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt told local media Luxon, through New Zealand diplomats, had requested the title in preparation for the trip.
Following denials from his office, and a backlash in both New Zealand and Samoa, Schmidt then corrected himself.
“It was always the government’s intention to extend this honour to Prime Minister Luxon,” a Samoan government statement read.
A matai is afforded to leaders in Samoa, including the head of villages, or members of parliament, in accordance with the country’s traditional form of governance.
In recent years, titles have been increasingly offered to foreigners, and not uncontroversially.
Several New Zealand prime ministers and leaders, as well as King Charles and Anthony Albanese, on their attendance at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, have been granted a matai.
Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i is another to have received the honour, offered to the Wallabies star when he visited as a 19-year-old by the villages of his Samoan grandparents.
In Samoa, to hold a matai is an honour, but also comes with a promise of service to the community.
To this end, Schmidt – whose matai is La’aulialemalietoa – offered another retraction, avoiding the suggestion the matai had been given as a quid pro quo as it seeks a relaxation of onerous travel restrictions.
A hot issue in Samoa, as with many Pacific nations, is visa rules for entry to New Zealand and Australia.
While Schmidt said it would be a “perfect first act of service” by Luxon in his interview on the weekend, the government statement also climbed down from that goal.
“It was never intended that the bestowal of a matai title would place an obligation on PM Luxon with respect to New Zealand Government decisions, including on immigration policy,” the statement read.
Luxon told journalists he was mulling policy options on the matter, acknowledging “that Samoa and Tonga are a major source of overstayers”.
“If we don’t have some sort of visa screening, that problem could be much bigger and that causes a different set of challenges. So, it’s just finding the balance through that,” he said.
Luxon, who will also visit Tonga this week, has made trans-national crime his biggest issue of the trip, given the proliferation of drug trafficking though the region.
As for his title kerfuffle, the NZ foreign ministry, MFAT, has put the issue down to a miscommunication.
“As is normal in the preparation for a prime minister’s visit there were detailed discussions with the host government about arrangements,” a MFAT spokesperson said.
“The high commissioner asked for advance notice of any important announcements or honours to ensure that the prime minister could be properly prepared…. PACNEWS
PALAU – CLIMATE CHANGE: CATHOLIC LEADER PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Palau president places God at the centre of decisions in climate fight to keep islands afloat
KOROR, 16 MARCH 2026 (CATHOLIC LEADER) — Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr says their government puts God at the centre of climate policy because they believe they own none of it – “everything on this planet belongs to God”.
Palau is a tiny Pacific island nation of about 18,000 people across 340 coral and volcanic islands in Micronesia.
It boasts barrier reefs, lagoons, world-class diving, rich marine biodiversity, ancient culture and strong environmental protections to maintain it all.
“(God) has entrusted us with the responsibility to be good stewards,” Whipps said in an interview with Enrique Ramirez, a senior policy performance and improvement officer at Brisbane Catholic Education.
“When it comes to climate, caring for our common home is simply part of that responsibility.”
Pacific island nations like Palau are sounding alarm bells about the trajectory of climate change.
“We know that the Pacific is the most vulnerable region to climate change-related weather events,” Whipps said.
“There are three countries where all islands sit only two metres above sea level, meaning they risk disappearing.
“In Palau, we also have islands that will disappear if we remain on our current trajectory.”
Whipps champions the “30 percent conservation” initiative, backs a moratorium on deep-sea mining and promotes a fossil-fuel-free Pacific.
“It cannot be only the Pacific Islands fighting climate change; it requires the whole planet,” he said.
“It is essential for our children to understand this, and for everyone to take responsibility.”
Australia, he said, was the biggest Pacific island and the other nations looked to it as a “big brother”.
He told Ramirez, “As an oldest child myself, I know that our biggest responsibility is that we take care of all our siblings”.
One unique solution to raising awareness has been the Palau pledge for tourists, which was a large part of the Palauan economy.
“When you come as a visitor, you make a commitment to our children to be a good steward,” Whipps said.
“The pledge helps people understand how to minimise their impact, whether by making responsible choices, encouraging businesses to be more environmentally friendly and use renewable energy, or properly managing and recycling waste.
“All of these actions help us reduce our carbon footprint.”
The island nation was also forging ahead with plans to launch electric buses this year and incorporate other technologies like solar panels, battery storage and hydrogen-powered boat engines.
“Our current solar capacity to run the grid is about 20 percent and this is not too much, but we are also planning to install batteries so we can improve to 25 percent,” he said.
“That is a big achievement for a small island, but we hope to encourage other Pacific islands to join.
“We want 100 per cent of renewables in the Pacific, and to achieve that, we just need a little bit of support, and I think we can transition already to make it economically viable.”
Whipps said he had the opportunity to attend the Energy Forum in Australia last year and they spoke about the importance of climate change and supporting policies that helped mitigate against its impact.
“Australia is the biggest Pacific island, we are part of the Pacific Island Forum, and we like to say that Australia is our big brother …,” he said.
“About the Australian people, at the end of the day, policymakers may be conservative or liberal, but what matters most is what is in people’s hearts.
“I believe the results of the last election and the positions Australians are taking on climate change demonstrate that the Australian people truly see themselves as big brothers in the Pacific and genuinely care about what is happening in the region, especially when it comes to climate change.”
He said the Pacific was the most vulnerable region to climate change–related weather events.
“There are three countries where all islands sit only two metres above sea level, meaning they risk disappearing. In Palau, we also have islands that will disappear if we remain on our current trajectory,” he said.
“I believe each county has the right to be sovereign, the right to live happily, and, most importantly, is that we have been entrusted with this planet by God and it is our responsibility to be good stewards, to take care of what has been given to us, and making the right choices; to drive less and walk more, to eat more vegetarian food, including vegemite and eat less meat.”
He said there were small changes that if everyone did their part, the y could make a global impact.
“It is also important to protect our oceans. Why is this important?” he said.
“So, we can protect the largest carbon sink. We always talk about the importance of the forests, but every second breath we take comes from the oceans, as they produce 50 per cent of the world’s oxygen.
“We must protect the bottom of the ocean, the deep sea.
“One of the good things that Australians and Palauans share is the great commitment to the preservation and sustainable use of the environment, and it is important that together, we help the world to understand.
“That’s why it was so important for us to have Australia to host the UN Climate Change Conference (Conference of Parties) COP in 2026, unfortunately this is not happening as it will be held in Turkey, but at least, Australia is participating and when it comes to negotiations, Australia will be the president of those negotiations.
“We will have a pre-COP in the pacific to prepare and bring the focus on the pacific and bring that to Turkey, because it takes all working together to make a change.
“It cannot be only the Pacific Islands fighting climate change; it requires the whole planet,” he said…. PACNEWS
PNG – INDEPENDENCE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
PNG has moral obligation to Bougainville, says Tsiamalili
BUKA, 16 MARCH 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Bougainville Regional MP and Works and Highways Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jr, says Papua New Guinea has a moral obligation to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Arob).
“Whatever may happen in the future, we will continue to be genetically entwined in the PNG geographical position forever until kingdom come. But it is the system that Bougainville have spoken of that has been unfair for them,” he said.
Tsiamalili stressed the need for a fair system in education and other opportunities, acknowledging the long-lasting trauma from the civil unrest.
“The women of Bougainville were among the most disadvantaged, losing nearly 12 years of their lives fleeing conflict and facing uncertainty about survival,” Tsiamalili said.
“They were also burdened by the trauma of having their husbands and brothers caught in the conflict. And so, the trauma was horrendous.
“These women birthed young men and women back then. And 20 years later, those young men and women have become parents also.
“We have lost a generation of proper family homes, and the trauma is deep with our young men and women of Bougainville.”
Tsiamalili highlighted the sacrifices of PNGDF soldiers sent to Bougainville, many leaving young families behind.
“Trauma is not necessarily in Bougainville but deep in our defence force, there has not been proper counselling or four families on both sides,” he said.
Tsiamalili called for government recognition through education opportunities and quotas for Bougainville students: “It’s the least we can do appreciate our women, mothers and children that have lost a good part of their growing up.”
Tsiamalili also noted that land issues under colonial systems were central to the unrest.
He said at this time of reset, we have an opportunity to write a better future for both PNG and Arob…. PACNEWS
NZ – LAND CLAIMS: NATIONAL INDIGENOUS TIMES PACNEWS 3: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Tribe accuses New Zealand crown of bias over Indigenous land claims of Chatham Islands
WELLINGTON, 16 MARCH 2026 (NATIONAL INDIGENOUS TIMES) — A tribal conflict between two Pasifika descendants over the Indigenous sovereignty of the Chatham Islands is set to be decided by the New Zealand/Aotearoa Court of Appeal.
The mandated governance entity which manages the Treaty of Waitangi settlement has accused the government of reneging on a promise to remain neutral on the issues of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination and autonomy) of the Chatham Islands.
The Moriori Imi Settlement Trust is seeking a declaration of whether it would be unlawful for the Crown to enter into an arrangement with a Māori claim of the 10 islands belonging to the Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri iwi tribe, which would recognise and/or transfers interests which conflicts with the rival Moriori’s own rights.
Descendants of both the Moriori and Ngāti Mutunga from and living on the Chatham Islands attended the Court of Appeal proceedings in Wellington last week before judges reserved a decision on the case.
The Moirori are a Polynesian group arriving on the Chatham Islands — traditionally known as Rēkohu — more than 500 years ago. They are also the people iwi tribes originally descend from in Aotearoa.
However, in 1835, members of the Taranaki Ngāti Mutunga and other closely aligned Ngāti Tame Māori from the Te Ika-a-Māui (North Island) sailed more than 800 kilometres eastwards to invade the islands they would call Wharekauri, going on to kill around 300 Moriori while enslaving more than 1500 of the tribe’s survivors.
Hundreds of remaining Moriori inhabitants were only released from slavery following New Zealand’s annexation of Chatham Islands in 1842, after a local proclamation from a magistrate 21 years later.
The heart of the case relates to the Crown signing an agreement in principle to settle the iwi’s historical treaty claims from November 2022.
Acknowledging it had failed to consult the tribes back in 1842, the Crown’s agreement includes a financial redress of up to $18 million (US$10.44 million), an additional option to culturally transfer significant lands to the iwi as a part of a cultural redress, as well as a shared redress with the Moriori.
It also outlines a broad settlement framework, including the recognition of Crown breaches of Te Tiriti (the Treaty of Waitangi), and the acknowledgement of Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri mana (authority) and tino rangatiratanga.
Moriori chief negotiator, Maui Solomon, said the settlement trust asked the Crown to remove the wording of tino rangatiratanga, however that request has so far been refused.
“During our negotiations with the Crown we started in 2016, we signed our settlement in 2020, the Crown undertook to us that they would remain neutral – as between the Moriori and Ngāti Mutunga – on issues of mana whenua and tino rangatiratanga – they have not done that,” he told Radio New Zealand.
Solomon said although the Te Tiriti was signed and applied in New Zealand to the Māori, the Crown claimed sovereignty over the Chatham Islands which ensured the Moriori should have the same rights under the treaty.
“Wherever they’re claiming rights, they also assume the obligations” he said.
“We don’t oppose Ngāti Mutunga having a settlement, per se.
“Even though we say, well, actually the Crown already rewarded Ngāti Mutunga by giving them all our land in 1870 by applying mainland custom of take raupatu (to alternate tribal hosts).”.
The Moriori had preferred to settle out of court, Mr Solomon added.
However, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust chair, Monique Croon, pointed out it was disappointing to be in court over an issue they believed is straightforward.
“With tino rangatiratanga and our grievances, they are with the Crown, not against Moriori,” she said.
“And so, we’ve always supported Moriori to have a settlement and again, we like to engage, and we like to be part of sharing, working through that shared redress.’
The Moriori’s historic 2020 treaty claims did not include reference to mana whenua or tino rangatiratanga for them.
But Croon stood by claims that the Moriori made a choice during negotiations with the Crown.
“Within their legislation in their deed have agreed to have shared redress with Ngāti Mutanga,” she said
“At this stage, we still haven’t been able to get together, engage with the Moriori on that shared redress…we all share whakapapa (a genealogical lineage).
“We live on a little island of Wharekauri where we’re a small population – and it’s important that we continue working together.”
The Moriori Imi Settlement Trust chair Tom Lanauze disputes Ngāti Mutunga claimed tino rangatiratanga from the Moriori when they invaded the islands in 1835.
Even when Moriori people were slaughtered and enslaved there were still Moriori people on the Chatham Islands, Lanauze added.
“We didn’t lose our tino rangatiratanga by any means, in my view – and it’s still there today,’ he said.
The Moriori Imi Settlement Trust applied for interim orders in the High Court in June 2025 that the Crown not take any further action in progressing the Ngāti Mutunga Treaty claim to the extent it would recognise that Ngāti Mutunga holds tino rangatiratanga over the islands.
Justice La Hood dismissed the application, finding that “interim relief isn’t reasonably necessary to preserve Moriori’s rights”.
In December last year, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown initialled a draft deed of the settlement.… PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Fiji Hotel cancellations as industry encourages flexibility for travellers
NADI, 16 MARCH 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji’s tourism industry has begun seeing some booking cancellations as global airlines adjust schedules, reroute flights and suspend certain services amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Tourism Fiji chief executive officer Paresh Pant said the industry was responding by encouraging flexibility for travellers affected by the disruptions.
“In these instances, as per the advice from Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, Tourism Fiji is encouraging operators to be flexible and offer impacted travellers a full refund, change of booking date without additional fees or the opportunity to hold the booking value as a credit for a future stay,” Dr Pant said.
Despite the airline adjustments, he said Fiji’s geographic position continued to provide reassurance for visitors.
“Given our geographic location, Fiji remains distanced and safe, which continues to be reassuring for travellers.
“However, as the global situation continues to change, we are monitoring booking patterns and remain in regular dialogue with Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, our airline and industry partners.
“Given the forward nature of travel bookings, it is still early to determine any direct impact on arrivals.”
Asked whether ticket adjustments by Air New Zealand could lead to a drop in visitor numbers from New Zealand, Dr Pant said airfare pricing and operational changes were commercial decisions made by airlines and generally applied across its wider networks.
“New Zealand remains one of Fiji’s most important visitor markets and continues to show strong interest in the destination.
“As with the wider aviation sector, there may be broader operational considerations such as fuel price movements if global conditions continue to evolve.”
Dr Pant noted that New Zealand’s economy had faced pressure in the post-pandemic period, which had already influenced travel behaviour and spending patterns.
“However, Kiwis traditionally place a strong emphasis on holidays and travel, particularly to familiar destinations like Fiji.
“Nearby destinations that offer good value and convenience tend to remain a priority for many New Zealand travellers.”
He added Tourism Fiji currently had a range of targeted campaigns underway in the New Zealand market aimed at maintaining the destination’s appeal.
“In the event of any softening in demand, we will work with our partners to adapt and amplify initiatives as needed.
“At this stage, we have not observed any significant shift in demand from key source markets including New Zealand, Australia, the United States and parts of Asia.
“As with most global events, any broader impacts on travel sentiment typically take time to be reflected in booking patterns.
“During periods of global uncertainty, travellers often seek destinations that are easy to access and have a reputation for safety. Fiji’s location and warm hospitality continue to resonate strongly with visitors, and we continue to reinforce Fiji as a place where travellers can experience a sense of safety, connection and happiness…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – RENEWABLE ENERGY: SAMOA GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Australia helps light up Samoa’s remote communities
APIA, 16 MARCH 2026 (SAVALI NEWSPAPER) — More than a hundred households and Samoa fale communities in rural Samoa will soon be receiving electricity from a clean source thanks to the Australian Government.
According to a release from the Australian Embassy in Samoa, this will be made possible through a new renewable energy project delivered in partnership between the two countries.
“Announced by Australia’s Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong, during her recent visit to Samoa, the project is Samoa’s first initiative under Australia’s REnew Pacific program and the first investment in Samoa by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP),” the release reads.
The project is being led by Samoa’s Electric Power (EPC) Corporation together with the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD) and will involve installing solar and battery systems to the households of 108 families and 5 community fales in both Upolu and Savai’i.
The project does not end there with these households or communities, Apolima’s mini grid will also be receiving an upgrade to its system allowing it to provide 24/7 renewable electricity to 11 households.
EPC General Manager Fesola’i Tau’ili’ili Faumui Iese Toimoana said this is the first – ever funded project for Samoa under AIFFP.
Adding that it marks a milestone for the electric corporation and Samoa in its efforts towards ‘universal access to clean energy’.
“Through REnew Pacific, EPC will deliver reliable solar and battery systems to families who have waited the longest for safe power.”
According to Fesola’i, the investment is a ‘tangible expression’ of Australia’s friendship and shared commitment to Samoa’s ‘sustainable and resilient future’.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa, Mr. Will Robinson reiterated Australia’s joy to be joining forces with Samoa to deliver clean, renewable energy to the very homes of families and communities across the country.
“This first REnew Pacific project in Samoa shows what true partnership looks like: local leadership driving lasting change.”
Expanding solar power will provide safer, more reliable energy, support study and small businesses, and strengthen resilience to climate impacts.
Australia has invested WST143 million (AUD$75million) into this off-grid renewable energy project ensuring that rural and remote communities across the Pacific, including Samoa and Timor-Leste.
Launched in 2024 it operates across eight Pacific countries as well as Timor –Leste and supports locally led renewable energy projects that improve access to electricity and strengthen resilience in remote communities.
The initiative forms part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, a WST665 million (AUD350 million) initiative delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium…. PACNEWS
AUST – IRAN CRISIS: AAP PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 16 Mar 2026
Australian Treasurer on war footing over tax reform, rates pain
CANBERRA, 16 MARCH 2026 (AAP) — Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers will argue conflict in the Middle East and its impact on the Australian economy justify fast-tracking tax reform, as households brace for higher interest rates.
The Reserve Bank had been widely tipped to keep interest rates on hold at its Tuesday meeting, but skyrocketing fuel prices caused by the U.S-led war on Iran have changed forecasts.
The big four banks expect a rate rise this week and another in May, which would bring the cash rate to where it was before the Reserve Bank first began cutting rates in February 2025.
Soaring fuel prices had treasury forecasting inflation in the “mid to high fours” range, Dr Chalmers said.
But while growth could be hit, there were no expectations Australia would enter a recession.
“I see developments around the world and pressures on Australians here at home not as a reason to go slower, but a reason to go further, and that’s the approach that I’ll be taking to the deliberations that I lead with the cabinet colleagues,” the treasurer told Sky News on Sunday.
“I’ll be working up a number of reform packages for this budget, and they’ll be focused on savings, they’ll be focused on productivity.
“I’ll give the colleagues a whole bunch of options when it comes to tax reform,” he said.
The Reserve Bank should leave the cash rate on hold at 3.85 percent, AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said.
“There’s a strong argument to wait for some of the dust to settle till May,” he said.
Dr Oliver said if petrol prices continue at their current average of $2.26 (US$1.58) a litre, inflation could reach about five per cent – well outside the Reserve Bank’s target band.
He said any tax reform needed to be implemented as part of a broader package, or Australians would face higher taxes.
Nationals leader Matt Canavan said Labour’s spending had placed Australia in a much weaker position.
“This is why it’s so important for a government to be able to take the sometimes tough decisions that deliver better results for the Australian people,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
“The government has not been saving for a rainy day, and a rainy day has arrived, and we don’t really have a roof over our head.”
Greens leader Larissa Waters said Australia must use every diplomatic lever available to pressure the US into ending its war against Iran.
“The RBA should not lift rates when this latest inflation pressure is a supply side mess caused by a pointless war that rate rises can’t stop,” she said.
“The RBA must not punish people for inflation caused by an illegal war that Labour is supporting,” Waters said…. PACNEWS
Legal analysis raises questions over Pro-investor approaches to Deep-Sea Mining
SUVA, 16 MARCH 2026 (PANG) — A legal analysis released by the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) raises regional concerns for Pacific Island Countries exploring deep-sea mining through contentious contracts with private companies.
The legal analysis examines the sponsorship agreement between the Kingdom of Tonga and Tonga Offshore Mining Limited (TOML), which raises serious concerns about the overly generous rights granted to TOML and the extensive liabilities imposed on Tonga. This raises regional concerns about the progress of deep-sea mining, especially as countries meet in Kingston, Jamaica, to discuss deep-sea mining rules at the 31st Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
“This sponsorship deal is a callback to investor agreements that give all the advantages to the corporation, including the right to sue the Tongan government for changes in policy and law in pro-investor, foreign jurisdictions. This is a wake-up call for the region about the exposure they may face from sponsoring such mining, especially with the international legal basis for it being unclear,” commented Adam Wolfenden, PANG Deputy Coordinator.
The legal analysis, conducted by University of Auckland Emeritus Professor of Law, Dr Jane Kelsey, examined the TOML contract with Tonga and found numerous clauses that would grant extensive rights to TOML and allow it to sue the Kingdom of Tonga in an offshore jurisdiction if any government policies or regulations were to impede TOML profits or expectations.
These investor rights and arbitration processes belong to the “old generation” of bilateral investment treaties. Those are blunt instruments that guarantee extensive investor rights with few, or in this case, no exceptions. Those rights are enforceable extraterritorially through ad hoc private arbitration that lacks fundamental elements of a public legal system,” stated Dr Kelsey.
The rules and regulations for deep-sea mining are far from settled as the ISA Council debates the Mining Code this week. Tonga, as a sponsoring state, is already moving ahead with deep-sea mining without ISA approval, underscoring the urgent need for robust regulations to ensure that national governments are not exposed to excessive legal liabilities while protecting fragile marine ecosystems.
“Tonga must not be rushed into deep-sea mining at the expense of our sovereignty, environment, and future generations. Racing ahead without clear international safeguards exposes our nation to dangerous liabilities and undermines the very principles of sustainable development we stand for,” stated Latai Halafihi, Civil Society Forum of Tonga.
Reverend Ikani Tolu, General Secretary of the Tonga National Council of Churches, stated, “Given deep knowledge gaps, slow recovery rates, transboundary effects, and high value of deep-sea biodiversity and services, a precautionary approach including moratorium until robust science and governance are in place is strongly advised. No doubt deep-sea mining poses significant, largely irreversible ecological risk and socio-economic uncertainties for Tonga.”
“Deep-sea mining is an untested and dangerous new industry that is made even riskier by entering into agreements that give priority to the expectations, financial well-being, and protection of the mining corporation, especially over national laws and policies. Under this agreement, TOML could challenge Tongan laws in Singapore, and there is no requirement to be notified or to provide a financial settlement. This does not support development or environmental protection,” concluded Wolfenden…. PACNEWS
Global treaty on fishing vessel safety to enter into force in 2027
LONDON, 16 MARCH 2026 (IMO) — The 2012 Cape Town Agreement has met the requirements for entry into force and will enter into force in February 2027, closing a longstanding gap in the global maritime safety framework.
The Agreement sets out mandatory safety standards for more than 45,000 fishing vessels of 24 metres in length and over, according to FAO data, helping to prevent casualties, improve working conditions for fishers, enhance competitiveness and protect the marine environment.
Welcoming the milestone, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said: “Thousands of fishers lose their lives every year while working to supply the world’s growing appetite for fish and fish products. The 2012 Cape Town Agreement will help protect fishing crews, while safeguarding vessels.”
Argentina accedes to the CTA
Argentina became the latest country to accede to the Agreement, with Mariana Edith Plaza, Argentina’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, depositing the instrument of accession on 24 February 2026 at IMO Headquarters in London.
This brings the total number of Member State accessions to 28, representing 3,754 vessels of 24 metres or more in length. The Cape Town Agreement enters into force 12 months after at least 22 States, collectively representing 3,600 qualifying fishing vessels – typically ocean-going ships operating on the high seas – consent to being bound by the treaty.
Keeping fishers and ships safe
Once in force, States Parties must incorporate the provisions of the 2012 Cape Town Agreement into national law and enforce it as they would any other legislation.
Flag States must ensure that vessels under their registries comply, while Port States have the right to inspect foreign vessels in their ports to verify compliance with the 2012 Cape Town Agreement requirements. These cover the design, construction, equipment and inspection of fishing vessels, as well as vessel stability and seaworthiness, machinery and electrical installations, life-saving appliances, fire protection and communications equipment.
Beyond safety, the Agreement is also expected to support the reduction of marine plastic pollution from abandoned or lost fishing gear.
Four pillars for fishing vessel safety
The 2012 Cape Town Agreement is the culmination of decades of work by IMO, building on earlier international instruments that did not enter into force, including the 1977 Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels and the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol. The treaty is now set to enter into force in 2027, nearly 15 years after it was adopted in 2012.
The Cape Town Agreement represents the fourth pillar in global fishing vessel safety, alongside the following key instruments, all of which are in force:
*IMO’s STCW-F Convention on training and certification of fishers.
*ILO’s Work in Fishing Convention, 2007, which sets minimum requirements for work on board, including hours of rest, food, minimum age and repatriation.
*FAO’s Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, 2009, which seeks to combat IUU fishing through effective port State measures.
Contracting States
With Argentina’s accession, the 28 Contracting States to the Cape Town Agreement, representing 3,754 qualifying fishing vessels, include:
Argentina, Belgium, Belize, Congo, Cook Islands, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Japan, Kenya, Namibia, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain and Vanuatu….PACNEWS