PACNEWS THREE, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026

In this bulletin:

1. PACIFIC — Vanuatu seeks to host Pacific Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre
2. COOKS — U.S military presence at Cook Islands port ‘being negotiated’, Ambassador says
3. COOKS — Cook Islands port deal puts focus on military use of infrastructure in the Pacific – law expert
4. NZ — Pacific share of NZ overstayers rises
5. PACIFIC — Trade over aid: U.S promotes commercial diplomacy in the Pacific
6. AUST — Fiji, Australia strengthen maritime security cooperation
7. PACIFIC — Only 30 percent understand technical weather information: Vanuatu survey
8. SOL — Democracy must mean more than Elections: Solomon Islands Opposition leader
9. SAMOA — New Specialist Hospital to cut overseas medical referrals in Samoa
10. NZ — Ex-Fire and Emergency chief receives King’s honour for decades of service to Pasifika
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Pacific countries unite at COFI37 to advance Pacific-led fisheries solutions
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Airways hosts global oneworld airline leaders
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Frosty and dry conditions from El Niño create localised food shortages in PNG
14. PACNEWS BIZ — ‘Don’t just look for jobs, create opportunities’: Pata’aku challenge Bougainville students
15. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji receives 100 Solar streetlights from China
16. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Pacific feminists push for change
17. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific leaders and industry unite to design Regional Framework for Recycling and Circular Economy Solutions

PAC – MULTI HAZARD EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Vanuatu seeks to host Pacific Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre

NUKU’ALOFA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST)—-Vanuatu has formally put forward its interest in hosting a Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre for the Pacific region, drawing on its growing capacity in meteorological, geological and disaster-risk monitoring.

Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change, Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services, Environment, Energy, Disaster Management and Geological Hazards, Ralph Regenvanu, made the announcement during the Fourth Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology in Tonga Wednesday.

Minister Regenvanu said Vanuatu was prepared to use the systems and expertise it had developed in weather, climate and geo-hazards monitoring to support early warning efforts across the Pacific.

“I wish to formally register Vanuatu’s interest in hosting a Multi-Hazard Early Warning Centre for the Pacific region, building on the capability we already have,” he said.

He said he would work to advance the proposal in his capacity as minister, with further details expected to be announced during the next Pacific Meteorological Council meeting, scheduled to be held in Vanuatu in 2028.

“I will do my part as Minister, with further details to be announced at PMC in Vanuatu in 2028. I invite SPREP to engage with my team to progress this further,” Minister Regenvanu said.

Speaking under the agenda item on the sustainability of weather, climate, water and ocean services for a safe, secure and prosperous Pacific, Regenvanu outlined Vanuatu’s progress in developing its national meteorological and hydrometeorological services.

He acknowledged Fiji’s regional role as the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre for tropical cyclones and thanked the country for its work in developing regional training and instrument centres.

Regenvanu said Vanuatu Meteorological and Hydrometeorological Services (VMHS), formerly known as the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD), had developed over the past 15 years.

He said Vanuatu had increasingly taken responsibility for providing cyclone information and warnings for the country, reflecting the growing capacity of national meteorological services across the Pacific.

Regenvanu also spoke about the importance Vanuatu places on strengthening early warning systems to save lives. The country’s institutional structure was reorganised in the early 2000s to bring meteorology, geo-hazards and disaster management responsibilities under a coordinated framework.

He said this structure enabled Vanuatu to expand its weather, climate and geological-hazards work through different monitoring systems supported by a unified information-dissemination platform.

Regenvanu referred to recent geological events, including the devastating earthquake of 17 December 2024, and the ongoing volcanic eruption on Ambae, which has been declared a disaster area.

In response to these challenges, the Government has expanded the former Geo-Hazards Division within VMGD into a separate Vanuatu Geological Hazards Department.

The expansion also strengthens Vanuatu’s role as host of the Melanesian Volcano and Earthquake Network, known as ORSET, allowing the country to provide increased scientific and technical support for geo-hazards monitoring across the sub-region.

Regenvanu said Vanuatu was now able to provide national and sub-regional information on geological hazards, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

He said the development was consistent with the country’s long-term vision of becoming a regional support centre, complementing the role of the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre in Nadi, Fiji.

He described the proposed multi-hazard approach as an example of the Pacific’s commitment to strengthening early warning systems through the Weather Ready Pacific programme and the Early Warnings for All initiative.

The proposed centre would bring together Vanuatu’s existing meteorological, geological and disaster-management systems to support regional coordination, information sharing and early warning preparedness across the Pacific…..PACNEWS

COOKS – DIPLOMACY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

U.S military presence at Cook Islands port ‘being negotiated’, Ambassador says

WELLINGTON, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) —The United States says a military presence at a planned port upgrade in the northern Cook Islands, located near a former U.S World War II airfield, is “all being negotiated”.

The US and New Zealand governments will jointly fund the NZ$101 million (US$57.73 million) project on Penrhyn Island. The Americans will be contributing US$50m (NZ$84m), while New Zealand will contribute NZ$17.5m (US$10m).

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the project on the margins of the recent Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau earlier this month.

U.S Ambassador to the Cook Islands Jared Novelly told Cook Islands News earlier that the “friendly port” would help Pacific Island nations combat “bad actors”

But in an exclusive interview with RNZ Pacific this week, Novelly said a future U.S military presence at Penrhyn remained under discussion.

The agreement between the three countries would upgrade a port in Omoka, near an airfield built by U.S troops in World War II.

Novelly said the port project itself “is not a [U.S] military base”.

“Ideally, it would be beneficial for us to [have a base], from a policing of illegal fishing and narco-terrorism,” he told RNZ Pacific.

“But this is not meant to be a US military base. The Coast Guard’s different. You know, the U.S Navy, if they happen to come through, is going to be supporting their mission in a not military way.

“We should we should look at this as an extreme maritime benefit to the Cook Islands and to the Pacific writ large.”

Penrhyn (also called Tongareva) is the northernmost island in the Cook Islands, and its port is at the village of Omoka.

Local environmental groups have raised concern over the connection between this investment and the U.S administration’s interest in seabed minerals.

U.S officials have previously linked the project to the wider Critical Minerals Framework, but Novelly said the port upgrade had a range of benefits and should not be viewed primarily through the lense of critical minerals.

Novelly, who is also Ambassador to Niue and Samoa, pointed out there were many local benefits to the port upgrade, but the main focus is strengthening maritime security, particularly tackling illegal fishing and drug trafficking across the Pacific.

“The Pacific is so vast and to be able to police it from bad actors requires certain assets, and those assets need to be able to resupply, and that’s something that a port can do in a way that maybe it’s lacking right now.”

He said the U.S Coast Guard, the New Zealand Defence Force, and other regional partners could potentially use the facility.

The U.S is also considering whether the US Coast Guard vessels could operate from the port, but Novelly noted that their larger cutters would be unlikely to fit.

On the note of regional security, Novelly said the U.S is open to a security deal with the Cook Islands, if that was what it wanted.

He stated that although there have not been discussions yet, a broader deal could be on the table if requested.

“I have not had any discussions about that, but I’d like to think that anything’s on the table.”

Novelly described his friendship with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown as “close” and said he would raise any requests from him with relevant U.S officials.

“I have, I believe, a close relationship with the prime minister, and a lot of people in government there.

“I think if that’s something that is of interest to them, then they only need to bring it up with me, and I’ll I’ll talk to the right people to try and see what I can do to help my friend there.”

In the meantime, the diplomat is looking forward to travelling to Penrhyn in the near future to get a lay of the land.

“The term that we use in real estate is either boots on the ground or being a dirt man. And I’m a dirt man. I need to be there and and see the soil and see where things are going to be and how it’s going to lay out.

“I can’t wait to get there to see it.”

Novelly said he is looking forward to meeting the people of Penrhyn, who he heard are happy to know their port will be upgraded…..PACNEWS

COOKS- DIPLOMACY/SECURITY: PMN PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Cook Islands port deal puts focus on military use of infrastructure in the Pacific – law expert

RAROTONGA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN)—The planned upgrade of Penrhyn’s port in the northern Cook Islands is putting a new focus on what happens when Pacific infrastructure serves both civilian and military interests.

The United States has said it is open to a military presence being part of the port development, which adds a new layer to the project already agreed between the Cook Islands, New Zealand and the U.S.

Al Gillespie, an international law expert, says Penrhyn is an example of what is known as “dual use” infrastructure.

“There’s a lot of what we call it dual use material or dual use infrastructure,” he told Pacific Mornings.

“And you can think of things like wharves and airports or ports. And they’ve got a task that can be both civilian and military.”

The U.S and New Zealand announced their partnership with the Cook Islands at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit in Palau earlier this month.

The project is expected to improve the port on Penrhyn, also known as Tongareva, making it easier to move people and goods between the remote atoll and the rest of the Cook Islands.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says: “This is a positive and hugely significant initiative that demonstrates the strength of New Zealand’s partnerships with both the Cook Islands and the United States.”

Prime Minister Mark Brown has described the port as “a lifeline for Tongareva”, saying the upgrade will support the movement of fuel, food and building materials and improve connections with other islands.

“This port is a lifeline for Tongareva allowing for safer landings, better access to services, and stronger connections between our Pa Enua and the world,” Brown said.

“This wharf upgrade complements our new domestic shipping investments and our own efforts in improving transport connections for our Pa Enua,” Brown said.

The United States has committed US$50 million (NZ$86.99 million) while New Zealand is putting in NZ$17.5m (US$10m) . A feasibility study is now being carried out before the next stages of the project.

The U.S has presented the project as part of its wider engagement with the Cook Islands and Pacific development, while also saying it is open to a military presence at the port.

U.S Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, said the project would strengthen Washington’s relationship with its Pacific partners.

“Through transformational infrastructure initiatives such as this, we are making the United States and our partners safer, stronger and more prosperous.”

But Gillespie says civilian and military uses can become difficult to separate when Pacific countries need outside funding for major infrastructure.

“In theory, you want to keep them separate. But in reality, they often get merged because the countries need the money for the development and they’ll often turn a blind eye to its other purpose.”

He says the issue is bigger than Penrhyn itself.

“It’s one piece of a much larger strategy. But it’s not just the United States. It’s also all the other countries in the region that have an interest in trying to maintain a dominance or get position.”

The comments come as the U.S, China, Australia and New Zealand continue to deepen their security and development engagement across the Pacific.

Gillespie says Pacific countries should be careful about becoming part of growing military competition.

“The goal, as I’ve always argued, is that we should be trying to demilitarize and make the Pacific neutral. It’s in no one’s benefit that it ends up being pieces on a chessboard.”

The Penrhyn project has been presented by the Cook Islands Government as an important development for the remote island.

For the Cook Islands, the project is also part of wider efforts to improve transport links and infrastructure across the Pa Enua.

For Gillespie, however, the growing involvement of outside powers means Pacific countries will need to consider how infrastructure funded through development partnerships could be used in the future.

That question is likely to become more important as the U.S, China, Australia and New Zealand strengthen their security and development relationships across the region…..PACNEWS

NZ – OVERSTAYERS: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Pacific share of NZ overstayers rises

WELLINGTON, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC)—The number of visa overstayers in New Zealand has fallen by almost nine percent over the past year, but Pacific Islanders now account for a larger share of those remaining in the country illegally.

Figures released by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) show the total overstayer population has declined by 8.7 percent to 19,153, while Pacific nationals account for about 26 percent of the total, up from 25 percent last year.

Of the current overstayer population, an estimated 2,541 are Tongan nationals and 1,462 are Samoan nationals.

INZ figures show that among people who arrived on temporary visas between June 2023 and June 2026, 2.14 percent of Tongans and 1.25 percent of Samoans overstayed.

The overall rate for all temporary visa arrivals was 0.13 percent.

INZ has classified Pacific nationals as a higher-risk group for overstaying, although the figures also show that countries such as the United States, China, India and the United Kingdom have comparable numbers of overstayers to Tonga and Samoa, but lower rates because of their much larger numbers of lawful arrivals.

No Pacific Island country currently has visa-free access to New Zealand.

The visa waiver for Tuvalu, Kiribati and Nauru was removed in 2003. Tonga, Samoa and Fiji had previously been removed from the waiver in 1987, less than three months after being added, following more than 5,200 arrivals and fewer than half leaving when their visas expired.

The latest figures come as political parties debate changes to New Zealand’s Pacific immigration settings.

New Zealand Labour Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni has announced the party would introduce visa-free travel for Pacific Islands Forum countries, allowing visitors to enter New Zealand on an NZeTA for up to three months, under the same electronic travel arrangement available to citizens of dozens of other countries.

Sepuloni said the proposal recognised the close links between New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours.

“We’re talking about seamless travel between Pacific countries and New Zealand … and a recognition of the cost and burden that the current system puts on New Zealand Pacific families,” she told RNZ Pacific.

She said Pacific countries should have access to the same electronic travel system available to other countries.

“Our relationship has matured enough for us to be able to move to a place that they have access to the same electronic system that 60 other countries have. It’s the right thing to do,” she said.

Asked whether visa-free travel could increase overstaying, Sepuloni said the existing rules would continue to apply.

“The expectation is that the rules still apply … and our expectation is that people will follow them,” she said.

She also rejected the suggestion that Pacific people overwhelmingly disregard immigration rules.

“By and large, our Pacific people follow the rules. It’s not like we have our people coming from the Pacific, and they are overwhelmingly choosing to break the rules. It’s the complete opposite, actually,” she said.

New Zealand First, led by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, last week proposed a two-year clemency period for Pacific overstayers.

Peters has previously indicated that visa-free travel for Pacific countries could be possible if there is greater confidence that visitors would comply with visa conditions.

“The first thing you’ve got to do is regularise what it means … you leave at the end of that specific time, or before,” Peters said.

“As I said in that speech months ago in the forecourt of Parliament: cousins don’t rip off cousins.”

Sepuloni said she was concerned about the proposed two-year clemency arrangement, arguing that individual immigration cases often involve circumstances that cannot be dealt with through a blanket policy.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of immigration cases as an electorate MP, and there are always individual circumstances that don’t fit in a box,” she said.

“It worries me that they’re saying they’ll give this two years clemency, and at that point, if you are not regulated, they will deport you, and you will never be allowed to come back.”

Former National MP and Pacific community advocate Arthur Anae is also pushing for changes.

Anae is due to present a petition to the New Zealand Parliament calling for equal treatment of visitors from Pacific Island countries.

He said the issue included people unable to attend important family events because of visa processing delays, as well as cases where people were wrongly deported because of administrative errors.

“We are asking for justice. We want to be treated equally as anybody else. Nothing more, just to be the same,” Anae said.

Anae said he believed there was growing political support for visa-free travel, with New Zealand First and Labour now supporting the idea and the Greens and Te Pāti Māori expected to support it.

National has not yet announced its position, saying it would release its immigration policy in due course…..PACNEWS

PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Trade over aid: U.S promotes commercial diplomacy in the Pacific

WASHINGTON/HAGATNA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES)—Washington is stepping up its engagement in the Pacific with a new support strategy that prioritizes private-sector development over direct aid, according to a federal official.

Matt Murray, the State Department’s deputy assistant secretary for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, said the U.Sis expanding commercial diplomacy to promote trade rather than aid.

“We therefore are reorienting our foreign assistance programs to support private sector-led growth in the Pacific,” Murray said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday.

The new foreign aid policy is aligned with President Donald J. Trump’s 20 January, 2025 executive order, which pauses development and humanitarian assistance, affecting 83 percent of the programs administered by the U.S Agency for International Development.

In February, the State Department and the Pacific Command co-hosted the inaugural U.S-Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Summit at the East-West Centre in Honolulu, where over 80 American companies converged to meet with Pacific Island leaders to discuss partnerships and business opportunities with the U.S private sector.

Murray said digital connectivity is one area where the U.S seeks to assist the island nations with economic development.

“A great example of this approach is our work with the private sector and with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Taiwan to collectively ensure every single Pacific Island Forum country is connected to a trusted undersea cable network,” he said.

The U.S, Australia and Japan jointly funded the US$95 million East Micronesia Cable that now connects the Federated States of Micronesia(FSM), Kiribati and Nauru.

“Another is our reaffirmed commitment to the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, which for nearly four decades has supported jobs and livelihoods for Americans and Pacific Islanders,” Murray said.

Last year, the United States announced US$60 million in assistance to the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency(FFA) associated with the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, which allows U.S.-flagged vessels to fish in the exclusive economic zones of 16 Pacific island countries. The State Department said this investment is generating hundreds of millions of dollars per year in gross revenue for the U.S. economy.

“We’re not simply engaging the Pacific because of a desire just to deter or oppose China, but really because we want to, as the United States, have better relationships with these countries, which are so important to our own security and our own prosperity at home,” Murray said.

Unwittingly dragged into the geopolitical battle for influence, the Pacific island nations form the world’s most aid-dependent region. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has launched more than 30 projects in island nations since 2013, paving the way for Beijing to expand its clout and sparking great-power games in the region.

According to the Lowy Institute, the Pacific islands received US$3 billion in 2022, supporting the region’s development. At the same time, however, it also poses strategic vulnerabilities.

Australia is the largest contributor among 80 foreign donors, Lowy Institute said.

At the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leadership Meeting in Palau, Deputy State Secretary Christopher Landau unveiled a US$150 million investment in the Pacific.

“This financial support will serve to ensure energy security, build critical infrastructure, expand commercial diplomacy, promote trusted digital technology, advance law enforcement cooperation and maritime security, deepen scientific and technical cooperation, and expand people-to-people ties,” Murray said.

He said Washington sought to respond to a strong demand signal from Forum’s member countries affected by fuel-related impacts of the Iran conflict.

“The deputy secretary, therefore, was pleased to announce at the PIF that working with Congress, the department intends to provide US$60 million to help Pacific island countries address both short-term budgetary shortfalls in the wake of the ongoing global energy crisis as well as longer-term needs such as expanding fuel storage capacity and supporting grid stability,” Murray said.

In Tonga, the U.S Trade and Development Agency plans to strengthen Tonga’s fuel supply reliability and energy security through a feasibility study to help upgrade Tonga’s port facilities, fuel storage capacity, pipeline infrastructure, and market-oriented regulatory practices.

Since the investment summit in February, Murray said key negotiations have moved forward with U.S geothermal companies in Vanuatu and Tonga and there has been a major satellite internet connectivity announcement in Papua New Guinea.

Landau will host a second Pacific Investment Summit in early 2027 “to continue advancing commercial cooperation,” Murray said.

Landau’s 12-day Pacific tour also covered the Federated States of Micronesia, the Solomon Islands and Kiribati….PACNEWS

AUST – DIPLOMACY/SECURITY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Fiji, Australia strengthen maritime security cooperation

CANBERRA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)– Fiji and Australia are strengthening naval cooperation, with senior leaders from the Republic of Fiji Navy and Royal Australian Navy meeting in Australia this week to improve coordination and address emerging maritime security challenges in the Pacific.

The Fiji delegation took part in Navy-to-Navy Talks and held engagements with Australia’s Headquarters Joint Operations Command and Maritime Border Command in Canberra.

The Commander of the Fiji Navy also met with the Chief of the Royal Australian Navy to discuss operational cooperation and ways to strengthen interoperability between the two navies.

The discussions covered regional maritime security challenges, maritime domain awareness, information sharing, training and professional development, as well as coordinated responses to shared security threats.

The engagements are also aimed at translating commitments under the Veitacini Treaty and the broader Fiji-Australia Vuvale partnership into practical cooperation.

This includes closer operational coordination and support for Fiji’s maritime capability as both countries work with regional partners to protect maritime sovereignty and security.

During the visit, the Fiji delegation also visited the Australian Defence College, where the Commander Fiji Navy was formally inducted onto the College’s Honour Roll.

The recognition highlights the longstanding professional and institutional links between the Fiji and Australian defence forces, as well as the role of military education in developing future leaders.

The Fiji Navy said the engagement reaffirmed the importance of trusted partnerships, mutual respect and practical cooperation in strengthening maritime security.

It said its relationship with Australia remained important to building Fiji’s national maritime capability while contributing to a secure, stable and resilient Pacific region.

The Republic of Fiji Navy also expressed its appreciation to the Australian Defence Force and Royal Australian Navy for their hospitality and support during the visit.

The Navy said it remained committed to working with Australia and other regional partners to implement shared commitments and strengthen maritime security outcomes for Fiji and the wider Pacific….PACNEWS

PAC – WEATH INFORMATION: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Only 30 percent understand technical weather information: Vanuatu survey

NUKU’ALOFA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2027 (VANUATU DAILY POST)—-Weather information and early warnings need to be communicated in ways communities can understand and use, after a Vanuatu survey found that only about 30 percent of people understood weather information when it was presented using technical terms and conventional directions.

Director of Climate Science and Information at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Salesa Nihmei, said investments in meteorological equipment and systems would have little value if communities could not understand or use the information produced.

Nihmei referred to the community survey conducted in Vanuatu.

He explained that many people may not understand directions such as “northeast” or “north”, making it difficult for them to interpret forecasts and warnings.

Nihmei said weather information should be aligned with traditional knowledge and local ways of describing weather patterns and directions.

“If you say the rain is coming from a certain direction, you need to use the direction that people understand,” he said.

He explained that local knowledge could help communities understand where rain was likely to fall, where people should go for safety and which areas might be suitable for fishing or other activities.

Nihmei said meteorological services should not oversimplify information to the point that its scientific meaning is lost. Instead, communities should be supported to build their capacity to understand weather and climate information.

He also pointed to the importance of working with broadcasters and other communication partners to ensure forecasts and warnings are shared in forms people can understand.

Director of the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department (VMGD), Levu Antfalo, said the two main objectives of a weather-ready system were to ensure people received the information they needed and understood what it meant.

However, he said communication remained a major challenge because Vanuatu relied on telecommunications companies to distribute warnings.

Antfalo noted that Vanuatu used services provided by Vodafone and Digicel but did not own the telecommunications networks. As a result, the reach of weather warnings was partly limited by network coverage.

He said VMGD was also making use of community networks, local media, communication officers and direct engagement with people to ensure warnings reached communities.

Antfalo acknowledged that informal communication could have both positive and negative effects. While correct information could be passed on quickly, inaccurate or misunderstood messages could also create fear and panic.

He said VMGD was working with telecommunications partners to ensure official warnings issued by the meteorological service could be prioritised and delivered directly to mobile phones.

This could include emergency warning messages appearing on phones immediately after an official warning was issued.

Antfalo also said discussions were taking place with a company in Japan on the possible use of satellite systems to deliver warning messages to areas not covered by existing telecommunications networks.

He said the initiative would require further work over the next two to three years.

VMGD was also working with Google on a longer-term initiative that could allow weather warnings to appear when people were using Google services within an affected area.

Antfalo said VMGD’s communications team, local media and field officers played an important role in sharing weather information through different platforms.

He said officers were also working to translate technical weather and climate terms into language that ordinary people could understand.

However, he identified communication with people living with disabilities as another major challenge that still needed to be addressed.

He said VMGD needed to improve how scientific information was translated into formats and languages accessible to people with different disabilities.

Antfalo also pointed to the role of Vanuatu’s climate champions, who meet virtually each month and receive weather and climate information from VMGD.

The climate champions help communicate the information in simple and locally appropriate language because they understand their communities, including people who may have difficulty hearing, seeing or accessing information through conventional channels.

Research Fellow in the Climate Prediction Department of the Climate Service and Research Division at the APEC Climate Centre, Jin Ho Yoo, said the challenge of translating technical information into practical and actionable advice was not limited to the Pacific.

He said meteorological services needed to communicate forecasts in ways that enabled people to make decisions while maintaining scientific accuracy.

Yoo explained that a forecast stating there was a 60 per cent chance of rain was scientifically accurate, but people might not know how to act on that information.

If the forecast was simplified to say, “Tomorrow, it will rain,” people might prepare for rain. However, if no rain occurred, they could lose confidence in the meteorological service.

He said weather information should therefore be communicated through dialogue between service providers and users.

Yoo explained that different people and sectors had different thresholds for taking action.

For example, a person whose health could be affected by rain might need to act even when there was only a small chance of rainfall. However, someone planning to play football might not be concerned about a 40 per cent chance of rain.

He said meteorological services needed to work with communities and decision-makers to identify the levels of rainfall, temperature or other hazards that should trigger action.

“Different decision-makers have different thresholds of action,” Yoo said.

He said collaboration between meteorological services, stakeholders and communities would make it easier to translate complex scientific information into clear guidance.

Yoo said communities should understand when a forecast reached a certain threshold and what action they needed to take, rather than simply receiving technical information without clear guidance…..PACNEWS

SOL – POLITICS/DEMOCRACY: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Democracy must mean more than Elections: Solomon Islands Opposition leader

HONIARA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS)—Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Manasseh Sogavare has challenged Solomon Islanders to look beyond elections and take greater responsibility for protecting the country’s democracy.

In a statement marking International Day of Democracy this week, the four-time former prime minister said democracy must be measured by what happens between elections, not simply by the casting of ballots every four years.

Sogavare said the principle that “all power in Solomon Islands belongs to its people” must remain at the centre of the country’s democratic system.

“Democracy cannot be reduced to the casting of a ballot,” he said.

He said democracy also depended on whether citizens were properly informed, able to question decisions made in their name and whether Parliament could perform its constitutional responsibilities without unnecessary interference.

It also required respect for public institutions, accountability from leaders and equal application of the rule of law, he said.

Sogavare, one of Solomon Islands’ longest-serving politicians, said citizens themselves had a responsibility to uphold democratic values.

“I have previously said that participation in democracy is not only a right, it is also a duty,” he said.

“That duty belongs to all of us.”

He warned against citizens demanding accountability from political leaders while refusing to accept responsibility for their own conduct.

“We cannot demand accountability from our leaders while excusing ourselves from responsibility as citizens,” he said.

“We cannot demand honesty in public office while tolerating dishonesty when it serves our own interests.”

Sogavare also called for greater tolerance of political differences, stressing that disagreement between Government and Opposition was a normal and necessary part of parliamentary democracy.

“An Opposition that questions Government is not an enemy of Government,” he said.

“A Government that is subjected to scrutiny is not prevented from governing.”

He said the two sides had different constitutional responsibilities, with Opposition scrutiny serving as an important check on government power.

“Where Government acts in the national interest, the Opposition should support it. Where questions must be asked, we must ask them. Where accountability is required, we must insist upon it,” he said.

But Sogavare also drew a line between legitimate political disagreement and disorder, intimidation or violence.

“Democracy must never become an excuse for disorder, intimidation or violence,” he said.

He said political grievances must be pursued through democratic and constitutional processes, warning that abandoning those processes because of an unfavourable political outcome would weaken democracy.

Sogavare also urged Solomon Islands to develop a democratic system rooted in its own history and traditions rather than simply copying models from elsewhere.

He said traditional communities had long understood concepts of collective responsibility, leadership obligations and the wider impact of decisions on communities.

“The challenge for Solomon Islands is therefore not simply to copy democracy as it is practised elsewhere,” he said.

“Our challenge is to make democracy meaningful within our own national experience, while protecting the fundamental principles upon which our constitutional democracy rests.”

With Solomon Islands approaching its 50th anniversary of independence, Sogavare said the country should be asking what kind of democracy it wants to leave for the next generation.

“A democracy that exists only on election day will not be enough,” he said.

He called for a democracy grounded in the Constitution, strengthened by institutions, informed by culture and tradition, protected by the rule of law and sustained by citizens and leaders who understand that rights come with responsibilities.

“Democracy belongs to the people.

“We must therefore take responsibility for it together,” Sogavare said…..PACNEWS

SAMOA – HEALTH: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

New Specialist Hospital to cut overseas medical referrals in Samoa

SAVAII, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIAS)— Samoa is moving to expand specialist healthcare services and reduce the need for patients to travel overseas with the construction of a new private specialist hospital on Savai‘i.

The Pasifika Specialist Healthcare Samoa hospital broke ground at Salelologa on Monday, with construction expected to take between 12 and 14 months.

Samoa spends about ST$12 million (US$4.39 million) annually sending patients overseas for treatment in New Zealand, Fiji and India, according to Deputy Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt.

He said the new hospital would provide operations and specialist services that are currently unavailable in Samoa.

“For many years, Samoa could only transfer patients to New Zealand,” Schmidt said.

He said the country had been unable to meet the growing demand for treatment for illnesses affecting its population.

Under the project, the Government will provide 10 acres of land in the new Salelologa township, while Pasifika Specialist Healthcare Samoa will fund the construction and infrastructure.

The development will also include a 100-room hotel to accommodate patients travelling from overseas for treatment.

Founder and director of Pasifika Specialist Healthcare Samoa, Faaofonu’u Parvish Nikesh Kumar, said the project was driven by the need to address gaps in Samoa’s healthcare system.

Kumar, a Fijian businessman who owns a major private hospital operation in Fiji, said the project had three key objectives: accelerating healthcare development through improved technology, supporting universal health coverage by making healthcare more affordable, and establishing Samoa as a regional destination for specialist medical treatment.

He said the hospital would be the fifth major healthcare project undertaken by his group.

Kumar said he had first brought the proposal to Samoa in 2017 but it did not receive support from the previous government.

He said the new facility could reduce the transfer of patients from Savai‘i to Apia and eventually attract patients from other Pacific countries.

“This is not just about building a hospital. It is about strengthening healthcare in Samoa and making specialist treatment more accessible to our people,” Kumar said.

The project is also expected to support the local tourism sector by bringing patients and accompanying family members from overseas.

Kumar’s connection to Samoa has also deepened with his recent installation as Fa’aofonu’u of Gautavai village.

He received the chiefly title during a traditional ceremony in Savai‘i ahead of the hospital groundbreaking.

He told the Prime Minister and guests that the honour had made his relationship with Samoa personal.

“I’m now a son of Samoa,” he said.

Kumar acknowledged the Samoan Government and Cabinet for supporting the project and helping move the development forward.

The hospital is expected to expand access to specialist medical care in Samoa and reduce the number of patients who must travel overseas for treatment….PACNEWS

NZ – KING HONOURS: PMN PACNEWS 3: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Ex-Fire and Emergency chief receives King’s honour for decades of service to Pasifika

WELLINGTON, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN)—A veteran Pacific fire leader has been formally recognised for more than four decades of service.

Leota Pauga Esitone Pauga received his Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit at Government House in Wellington on Tuesday.

Leota has been recognised with an MNZM for more than 40 years of service to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and Pacific communities.

He was among four Fire and Emergency New Zealand personnel presented with their King’s Birthday Honours by Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro.

Two other Fire and Emergency recipients will receive their awards at ceremonies later this month and in October.

Kiro said the honours recognise the contribution of people across Aotearoa.

“The achievements and service of every New Zealander honoured on this list have helped make our country a stronger, better place, and I would like to thank them for their contributions.”

Leota, who retired in 2025 after more than 40 years with Fire and Emergency and the former New Zealand Fire Service. He became a career firefighter in 1981 and spent 32 years in operational roles before moving into senior leadership positions

But his contribution has also helped change the way fire safety and emergency services connect with Pacific communities.

He co-founded Afi Pasefika, also known as Pacific Fire, which has grown into a national network supporting Pacific representation within Fire and Emergency.

The network works with Pacific communities to deliver fire safety messages, encourage Pasifika to join the service and provide career advice to them.

Leota has previously spoken about the reason that work became so important to him.

During his career, he saw repeated fire deaths involving Pacific people particularly children and older people in Auckland communities.

“The sad thing is that they were the main sort of deaths that were happening. It wasn’t until the fire service started collecting data [to find] out who the fire deaths are [that] it really showed up.”

He has said Pacific family structures, including grandparents caring for grandchildren while parents work, were among the factors that could leave some households more exposed to fire risk.

Afi Pasefika was created to help bridge that gap, including through fire safety information in Pacific languages and greater cultural understanding within the service.

Leota also helped strengthen the relationship between Fire and Emergency and the Sāmoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority, including collaborative work to improve operational capability.

He led a team of New Zealand firefighters to Sāmoa in 2024 as part of Aotearoa’s contribution to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

His work also extended to the wellbeing of firefighters and their families. He represented Fire and Emergency on the Te Kiwi Māia Advisory Group from 2021 to 2025, helping support access to specialised wellness and recovery services.

When he was first told he had received the honour, Leota said the recognition came at a difficult time after the death of his younger brother.

“Just a few days before that, I heard that one of my younger brothers lost his battle with prostate cancer,” he said.

“So to get the phone call after that bad news, it was a nice and pleasant surprise for me. Just something to cheer about at that period of time. I know my brother would have loved it if he knew, because we’re very close.”

Leota has previously said he sees the honour as recognition not just of his own career but of the people who supported him along the way.

“I want to thank the Fire and Emergency New Zealand, all my bosses, my team and those that helped me achieve this. The award is theirs as well.”

The six Fire and Emergency personnel recognised in this year’s honours include Leota and fellow MNZM recipient Michele Poole, alongside King’s Service Medal recipients Ian Blunt, Ted Ford, Graeme Kates and Ralph Pitcher.

For Leota, the formal investiture marks another chapter in a career that has linked fire safety, Pacific communities and emergency services across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific….PACNEWS

PACNEWS BIZ

PAC – FISHERIES: FFA PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Pacific countries unite at COFI37 to advance Pacific-led fisheries solutions

ROME, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FFA)—Pacific Island countries and territories have reinforced their collective leadership in sustainable fisheries management at the 37th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Committee on Fisheries (COFI37) at FAO Headquarters in Rome Italy, calling for stronger international recognition and support for Pacific-led strategies, regional cooperation and the unique needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Representatives of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and Pacific Community (SPC), and Members from the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Vanuatu, Palau, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia had a high profile at COFI137, including through New Zealand representative Adam Berry, who ably chaired the meeting.

FFA Members highlighted the Pacific’s strong record of regional cooperation, science-based fisheries management and effective monitoring and compliance systems.

The region’s experience demonstrates that coordinated action, supported by science and effective governance, can sustain valuable tuna fisheries while delivering lasting economic, social and food-security benefits for Pacific communities.

Pacific leadership was on display throughout the week. FFA was awarded the Margarita Lizárraga Medal in recognition of its contribution to sustainable fisheries management—an achievement reflecting decades of collective effort and cooperation across the FFA membership. Pacific representatives also featured prominently in high-level panels and side events throughout COFI37, including the panel marking the 10th anniversary of the Port State Measures Agreement and events on BBNJ and fisheries, World Trade Organisation, climate change and youth, helping bring Pacific experience, achievements and priorities to the forefront of global fisheries discussions.

The Pacific called for international support to strengthen existing regional systems and initiatives, including fisheries science, data, monitoring, compliance, enforcement, traceability and capacity development. Support for SIDS should be practical, country-driven and delivered through established regional institutions, ensuring that international assistance complements rather than duplicates existing Pacific arrangements.

Climate change was highlighted as one of the most significant threats to Pacific fisheries and aquaculture, with changing tuna distributions and growing pressures on coastal fisheries posing risks to food security, livelihoods, government revenue and economic development. Pacific representatives called for increased financial and technical support for climate adaptation and mitigation, including improved data and monitoring, resilient fisheries management and support for communities on the front line of climate impacts.

The Pacific also emphasised the importance of coherent international fisheries governance. New and emerging international commitments and measures should complement existing regional and subregional fisheries arrangements, respect the mandates of regional fisheries management organisations and avoid creating unnecessary or duplicative reporting and compliance burdens for small administrations.

Strong regional cooperation was further highlighted as essential to combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Pacific initiatives in regional surveillance, electronic reporting and electronic monitoring, information-sharing and electronic Port State Measures demonstrate the value of collective approaches to protecting fisheries resources. The Pacific called for continued international support to strengthen these systems, build national capacity and improve the ability to identify and respond to emerging IUU risks.

The Pacific message at COFI37 was clear: international support must build on Pacific leadership and strengthen the regional systems already delivering results. Sustaining healthy fisheries requires continued investment in science, people, technology and resilient communities, while ensuring that Pacific Island countries retain and increase the long-term economic, social and food-security benefits of their fisheries resources.

The Pacific countries represented at COFI37 reaffirmed their commitment to working collectively through FFA, SPC and other regional and international partners to advance sustainable, climate-resilient fisheries and ensure that the benefits of the Pacific’s fisheries continue to support present and future generations….PACNEWS

FIJI – AIRLINE: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Fiji Airways hosts global oneworld airline leaders

NADI, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji Airways has reinforced its growing influence in global aviation by hosting the first-ever oneworld Management Board meeting in Fiji.

Senior leaders from oneworld and its member airlines gathered in the country this week, marking a significant milestone for the national carrier since becoming a full member of the global alliance last year.

The visit brought together key decision-makers from one of the world’s largest airline alliances and highlighted Fiji’s strategic role in connecting the South Pacific with destinations across six continents.

Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive officer Paul Scurrah said the occasion marked an important chapter in the airline’s history.

“Our airline started 75 years ago as a small operation connecting Fiji to the world and joining oneworld is the next chapter of that story,” he said.

Scurrah said hosting global partners in Fiji provided an opportunity to showcase the airline’s people, culture and long-term vision.

The partnership allows Fijian travellers to access a wider international network through a single ticket, with benefits including smoother transfers, loyalty rewards and shared lounge access across oneworld airlines.

oneworld chief executive officer Ole Orvér said the meeting would help advance customer-focused projects across the alliance while giving members firsthand experience of the destinations Fiji Airways contributes to the network.

Delegates were welcomed with a traditional meke and kava ceremony during their visit.

For Fiji, the meeting further cements Fiji Airways’ status as the alliance’s gateway into the heart of the South Pacific

Meanwhile, global aviation leaders have joined Fiji Airways in a mangrove planting exercise as part of the airline’s environmental programme.

Senior executives attending the oneworld Management Board meeting participated in planting mangrove seedlings along the shoreline of Malamala Island.

The activity formed part of Fiji Airways’ “Every Take-off, One Tree” initiative, launched in 2017 in partnership with the Ministry of Forestry.

Fiji Airways says more than 101,000 mangroves have been planted across the country since the programme began.

Fiji Airways CEO Paul Scurrah said it was fitting for the airline’s global partners to take part in the initiative during their visit.

“Having our oneworld partners here in our home, meeting our employees and standing with us to plant mangroves, felt like the right way to mark the occasion,” he said.

oneworld chief executive officer Ole Orvér said alliance members were honoured to participate in the initiative.

“In addition to the meeting, we were honoured to be welcomed with a traditional Fijian meke and kava ceremony, and to join in a mangrove planting event, helping to preserve the country’s coastline and sustainability initiatives,” he said.

Mangroves help protect coastlines from erosion and storm surges, store carbon and provide habitat for marine life.

The activity gave Fiji Airways an opportunity to showcase its environmental programme and Fiji’s natural ecosystems to senior representatives from international airlines.

The airline says it will continue its mangrove restoration efforts through projects around the country….PACNEWS

PNG – ELNINO: ABC PACIFIC PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Frosty and dry conditions from El Niño create localised food shortages in PNG

PORT MORESBY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ABC PACIFIC)—In the mountains of Papua New Guinea, months of dry weather are producing a seemingly unlikely threat: frost.

Anthony Morant lives in Kosipe, a village in the Goilala district of Central Province, where freezing nights followed by intense sunshine have devastated local food gardens.

“The frost continues to fall every night.

“When the sun rises in the morning, it burns out the crops … we’re going into the fourth month now, and all the current crops are gone,” he said.

Drought, crop-destroying frost and water shortages are not unheard of during El Niño in the western Pacific.

But the severe conditions and potential magnitude of this particular event are causing alarm.

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology says Pacific Ocean temperatures could climb beyond the highest levels observed since reliable records began in 1950.

Across PNG, communities are already reporting destroyed crops, shrinking rivers and growing shortages of food and drinking water.

Food shortages are highly localised so far, but there are concerns they could become widespread as the El Niño worsens.

In June, residents of Upper Mendi in the Southern Highlands said unusually heavy frost had destroyed taro, sweet potato, bananas and sugar cane crops.

Similar images elsewhere in the country show frost-burnt crops, dwindling water supplies and boats stranded by receding rivers, including the vital Fly River transport route in Western Province.

For communities already facing poor transport links and limited access to government services, some fear the dry spell could become a food and water crisis.

Authorities meanwhile are warning that failed food crops could lead to social unrest.

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with unusually warm waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

As the world continues to emit record amounts of greenhouse gases and temperatures rise, research has suggested the natural swings between La Niña and El Niño are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.

While it is not entirely clear what is driving the intensity of this year’s event, Monash University adjunct professor and climate councillor Andrew Watkins said warming global temperatures could be contributing.

“Climate change basically means that we’re heating up the atmosphere, but about 90 per cent of that heat actually gets driven into the oceans,” he said.

In the Pacific, El Niño typically returns every few years, generally bringing hotter and drier weather.

The dry conditions can wreak havoc in parts of PNG, where four in five people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods — much of it subsistence or semi-subsistence farming.

But in Kosipe, it is not just food crops that are affected.

Morant said the situation had impacted schools, with schoolteachers forced to leave the classroom so they could forage for food and secure supplies for the community.

“The situation on the ground has gone from bad to worse.

“Now that both teachers are down here, that means the schoolchildren are affected,” he said.

Morant said the community has enough food to survive for now, but it desperately needs rain.

Experts fear the community’s troubles may be reflective of a broader issue — one that may take months to emerge in other parts of PNG.

Wilson Thompson, president of the PNG Farmers and Settlers Association, said the full consequences of failed crops may not become fully apparent until months later, as areas still receiving regular rain begin to dry up.

He said crops planted in June were unlikely to produce a harvest, while earlier plantings could yield less than half, and in some cases only a quarter, of what farmers expected.

Police are also warning that deepening shortages could contribute to crime and civil disorder between communities.

Internal Security and Police Minister Sir John Pundari said police had been instructed to come down hard on criminals in areas where pressure on water and food could increase tensions.

The PNG government meanwhile has allocated an additional 500 million kina (AUD$157 million) to its El Niño response.

Prime Minister James Marape in June advised local leaders to identify water sources, vulnerable communities and food-security risks so they could respond quickly.

“We have asked provinces and districts to take ownership of this disaster that may happen and have a localised approach,” he said.

Kachen Wongsathapornchai, from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in PNG, said those preparations had begun in some of the worst-affected areas.

Thompson said the advice was not reaching remote communities without regular access to newspapers or other media.

Elsewhere in the Pacific, communities that rely heavily on their gardens are also feeling the effects.

In Vanuatu, where as much as 80 percent of the population relies on subsistence agriculture, communities are also reporting damage to their gardens.

Market vendors say island cabbage is dying, banana trees are producing poor-quality fruit, and dry conditions are increasing the risk of fires burning through food crops.

Northern parts of Vanuatu are expected to receive significantly below-average rainfall, threatening islands that rely heavily on rainwater catchments.

Government agencies are holding weekly meetings with sectors including water and tourism, while community organisations are carrying warnings into some of the country’s most isolated areas.

ActionAid Vanuatu has placed women at the centre of that effort, using a network that passes official information between government agencies and communities.

Country manager Flora Vano said it helps ensure people receive trusted information rather than rumours.

“It’s not coconut wireless, it’s the right information from the right source,” she said.

“Where there is no reception, we have to walk on our own two feet, from one kitchen to the next kitchen, because the place where women talk is in the kitchen.”

Water shortages are already placing additional pressure on families.

Community mobiliser Leah Sandy said some girls were missing school to help their parents find water and care for relatives.

Other residents have reported skin conditions including scabies and ringworm as river levels fall and water quality deteriorates.

Vano fears worsening shortages could also increase violence against women, particularly when they are blamed for failing to provide enough food for their households.

But communities are adapting.

Families collect drinking water from freshly cleaned iron roofs when it rains, turning to neighbouring wells when those supplies run out.

Vanuatu’s Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department expects the coming months to become more challenging.

“People would say, ‘We’re having rain, what El Niño is this?” Director Levu Antfale said.

“But the tools we’re using and the conditions we’re monitoring are showing that it will reach its climax or peak in November, December and January,” he said…. PACNEWS

B/VILLE – EDUCATION: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026

‘Don’t just look for jobs, Create opportunities’: Pata’aku challege Bougainville students

BUKA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Bougainville needs young people with practical skills who can create jobs, solve problems and drive economic development, Autonomous Bougainville Government Education Minister Thomas Pata’aku says.

Pata’aku made the remarks while officially opening the Bougainville Technical College Open Day in Tinputz this week, where he praised the institution for its contribution to technical education and skills development.

“Every time I come to Bougainville Technical College, I see changes,” Pata’aku said.

“I am proud of the progress being made to equip our children with the right skills to participate in the development of Bougainville.”

Pata’aku, who is also the Member for Ramu Constituency in Siwai, commended the college’s leadership, administration and staff for the progress made since its early development.

He said the Open Day was an opportunity for students to explore different professions, identify their interests and make informed decisions about their career paths.

Pata’aku reaffirmed the ABG’s commitment to ensuring young Bougainvilleans have access to quality education and practical training to prepare them for employment, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship.

“The world is changing rapidly. Technology is transforming workplaces, industries and the way we do business,” he said.

“We must prepare our young people not only to look for jobs, but also to create opportunities, solve problems and lead change.”

Pata’aku said technical institutions had an important role in providing practical skills that could be applied in workplaces, businesses and communities.

He said Bougainville needed skilled people to build infrastructure, strengthen businesses, improve public services, develop new industries and create sustainable economic opportunities.

Addressing students directly, Pata’aku urged them to combine technical knowledge with discipline, integrity, resilience, creativity and a commitment to lifelong learning.

“As you think about your future, do not ask only, ‘What job can I get?’ Also ask, ‘What problems can I solve?’” he said.

He encouraged students to believe in themselves, continue learning and give back to their communities.

Pata’aku said success should not be measured only by personal achievement but also by how people use their knowledge and skills to help others and contribute to their communities.

He also called on parents, teachers, traditional leaders, communities, government agencies, businesses and educational institutions to work together to support young people.

He urged industry partners to provide students with practical experience, mentorship and employment opportunities.

Reflecting on Bougainville’s development aspirations, Pata’aku referred to former ABG President James Tanis, who said the region’s future economy would be built not only on gold, copper and other natural resources, but on the “brains and brilliance” of its children.

“You are not simply preparing for Bougainville’s future—you are the people who will build it,” Pata’aku told the students.

“The Bougainville we want tomorrow will depend on the knowledge, skills, character and leadership we develop in our young people today.”

Pata’aku urged students to remain proud of Bougainville’s history, culture and values while embracing innovation, technology and new ideas….PACNEWS

FIJI – SOLAR POWER: FIJI GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 17 Sep 2026

Fiji receives 100 Solar streetlights from China

SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI GOVT) — Communities across Fiji will receive 100 solar streetlights donated by the Government of Guangdong Province, China, to improve public lighting, safety and the use of renewable energy.

Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management and Acting Minister for Housing and Local Government Mosese Bulitavu received the donation during a handover ceremony in Suva this week.

The solar streetlights will be deployed in towns and cities, informal settlements and rural communities to improve lighting along roads and public spaces and support community activities.

The donation adds to previous assistance from Guangdong Province, which provided 200 solar lights in November 2023 and another 50 in February 2025.

Bulitavu acknowledged the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China for their continued development support to Fiji.

“This donation is a reflection of the strong partnership between the Government of Fiji and the People’s Republic of China, and our shared commitment to sustainable development,” Bulitavu said.

He said the solar lighting would support municipal councils and communities in expanding the use of renewable energy solutions.

The initiative is also expected to contribute to Fiji’s efforts to promote cleaner and more sustainable….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

Pacific feminists push for change

SUVA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) —Ahead of the 4th Pacific Feminist Forum (PFF) next week, Islands Business speaks to the Regional Working Group about the issues shaping feminist movements across the region, the growing influence of young leaders, and what is needed to strengthen Pacific women’s voices in decision-making and regional policy.

The 4th Pacific Feminist Forum is bringing together women’s rights and feminist movements from across the region. What is the main purpose of this year’s Forum, and why is it particularly important at this time?

The 4th Pacific Feminist Forum (PFF), including the three previous PFFs, have been organised to bring Pacific feminists, activists, women’s rights defenders, youths, persons with disabilities, sex workers, LBTI, PIDSOGIESC people (including our indigenous gender and sexually diverse communities such as MVPFAFF+), people living with HIV, faith leaders, movement accomplices and allies together to strengthen our collective voice, solidarity and action. The Forum gives us our own space to reflect and acknowledge our lived experiences and the struggles that have shaped our movement, and collectively strategise on actions that need to be implemented to address our issues.

The 4th PFF is particularly important at this time because the challenges facing Pacific women are becoming increasingly interconnected and complex. Pacific women are living through a time of polycrisis and climate emergencies, growing economic inequalities, continuing violence against women and girls, shrinking civic space, attacks and roll back on human rights and democratic values, and persistent barriers to women’s leadership and decision-making.

Pacific feminist movements are fierce and come with grassroots, feminist, women and indigenous knowledge and expertise and as active local and national leaders working for transformative change. The 4th PFF is the opportunity for Pacific women to respond to regional and global agendas, and actively shape them.

1. What are the key issues and priorities you expect to come through during the Forum?

The interlinkages of climate justice, gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, women’s political participation and leadership to social justice, economic justice, human rights, peace and security, and the rights and visibility of marginalised communities to be important priorities including the work around HIV/AIDS in the region, decolonisation, identity, Indigenous knowledge and Pacific self-determination. These are fundamental to how we understand feminism in our own contexts.

2. Pacific women and feminist organisations are working across issues including climate change, gender equality, economic justice, health, human rights and peace and security. Which of these issues are most urgent for Pacific women today, and why?

All these issues are interconnected and interlinked and cannot continue to be siloed as business as usual. We cannot place importance on one over the other.

Climate change is an immediate and existential issue for Pacific Small Island states and territories. It affects every fabric of society including where and how people live, income generation and economic security, food and water security, and the future of our islands. But it is women who often experience these impacts differently and can carry a disproportionate burden of unpaid care, domestic and communal responsibilities in communities, an inequality heavily magnified for women and gender-diverse people living with disabilities.

Gender-based violence is a pervasive issue in the heavily patriarchal Pacific community. We cannot talk about holistic development, leadership, equity or equality while women and girls continue to experience exacerbated violence and discrimination.

Economic justice is also fundamental. Women’s unpaid care, domestic and communal work, unequal access to resources and economic opportunities, and the vulnerability of many women to poverty all affect their socio-economic justice and ability to participate fully and equally in society.

Underlying all of this is patriarchy. Who has all the power to make decisions, whose knowledge is valued, and whose voices are missing? True regional justice means tackling how patriarchy polices bodily autonomy and criminalizes LGBTQI+ bodies.

That is why feminist organising, strategies and spaces remain so important. It challenges the systems and structures that reproduce these multi-layers of inequalities.

3. What role do you see young women and emerging feminist leaders playing in shaping the future of the Pacific feminist movement?

Young feminists bring new ways of organising and mobilising particularly with modern technologies and using digital platforms for creative expression, storytelling, mobilising, and organising new forms of advocacy to reach audiences that traditional movements sometimes struggle to reach.

Emerging feminist leaders challenge us to think about inclusion, intersectionality, identity, AI technology and the kinds of futures we are creating.

Our responsibility as older or established movements is to share knowledge, mentor, provide accompaniment and also make space to listen.

Pacific intergenerational leadership is vital for the feminist movement. We need generations working alongside each other, learning from each other and building stronger movements together.

4. What would you like participants to take away from the Forum, and what practical outcomes or commitments do you hope will come from the discussions?

The 4th PFF is an opportunity for delegates to network, strategise and be clear on Pacific feminist priorities and understanding that while our contexts may be different, many of our struggles are shared. We want participants to leave with stronger relationships, fierce feminist politics and analysis, renewed courage and practical feminist strategies that they can take back to their own movements and communities.

We are excited to see concrete commitments around strengthening Pacific feminist movements, supporting young feminist leadership, increasing women’s participation in decision-making, advancing social, economic, ecological and climate justice, ensuring the safety and visibility of the diverse human rights defenders including sex workers and disabled advocates who face criminalisation and structural neglect and strengthening regional advocacy.

5. Looking beyond the Forum, what do you believe needs to change at regional and national levels to ensure Pacific women’s voices are reflected in decision-making and policy?

Women’s participation in decision-making needs to be meaningful, diverse and adequately supported, which means stronger strategies of addressing the structural, cultural and financial barriers and systems that prevent women from entering and remaining in leadership.

We also need stronger accountability. Governments and institutions need to listen to women and feminist organisations not only when policies are being developed, but throughout the different stages, from implementation to evaluation.

Importantly, feminist and women’s rights organisations need sustainable resources to do this work. We cannot continually expect movements to respond to crises, advocate for communities and hold institutions accountable while operating with insecure and short-term conditional funding. This resource crisis is amplified for even much more marginalised communities such as grassroots LGBTQI+ groups who face legal barriers to even the simple acts of formal registration and banking.

At the regional level, we need stronger mechanisms for Pacific women to influence regional and global policy discussions. Our experiences should not simply be used as examples in international conversations but we should be at the table, shaping the decisions.

We are ready! We work to defend ourselves, other species and the living planet. Work with us!.

The 4th Pacific Feminist Forum will be held from 21 – 24 September at the Pearl Resort, Pacific Harbour, Fiji.

The 4th PFF is organised by the Regional Working Group which comprises of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement, Voice for Change – Jiwaka (PNG), SISTA (Vanuatu), femLINKpacific, Brown Girl Woke (Samoa), Diverse Voices Action (DIVA) for Equality Fiji, ILGA Oceania, FATULEI Association (Tuvalu), Pacific Disability Forum, and the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) in partnership with the Australian Government…. PACNEWS

PACNEWS DIGEST

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

Pacific leaders and industry unite to design Regional Framework for Recycling and Circular Economy Solutions

PORT VILA, 17 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)—Government representatives, producers, recyclers, development partners, CROP agencies and waste management practitioners from across the Pacific have gathered in Port Vila this week.

They are there for the Circular Pacific via Regional Recycling Network (CP-RRN) Co-Design Workshop and Capacity Building Event, a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening regional cooperation on recycling and advancing circular economy solutions for Pacific Island countries.

The CP-RRN Project supports Pacific Island countries in developing coordinated approaches to managing recyclable materials and reducing waste leakage into the environment. The outcomes of this workshop are expected to contribute to a stronger regional response to waste challenges while advancing circular economy opportunities and sustainable development across the Pacific.

The workshop is being held from 16 to 18 September 2026 at the Holiday Inn Resort, Port Vila, bringing together stakeholders involved in the manufacture, import, collection, pre-processing, recycling, and end-of-life management of key waste streams to jointly design the foundations of a regional framework for improving recycling and circularity outcomes across the Pacific.

Ionie Bolenga, Principal Environmental Protection Officer, Government of Vanuatu, highlighted the importance of the gathering.

“Vanuatu is pleased to host this important regional event and welcomes participants from across the Pacific. The discussions taking place this week will help strengthen partnerships and identify practical actions to address shared waste and pollution challenges,” she said.

“Regional cooperation is essential if we are to unlock circular economy opportunities and build more sustainable communities across the Pacific.”

The gathering this week seeks to identify practical policy and investment actions that can support Pacific Island countries in improving the management of recyclable materials while generating environmental, economic, and social benefits.

Participants are exploring opportunities to harmonise approaches across the region and strengthen collaboration for a stronger voice in front of polluters and the one placing product in the market in the first place.

The workshop will also examine financing mechanisms, policy approaches, and implementation pathways that can support more effective recycling systems and improve resource recovery outcomes across Pacific Island countries.

Anthony Talouli, Director of Waste Management and Pollution Control at SPREP, said:“Pacific Island countries are facing growing challenges in managing waste and recyclable materials. Through this Pacific-led process, stakeholders from across the recycling value chain are working together to lay the foundations for a regional approach that strengthens resource recovery, reduces environmental impacts, creates economic opportunities, and supports cleaner and more resilient Pacific communities.”

Marc Perez Casas, of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said: “Strengthening recycling and circular economy systems requires strong partnerships, practical solutions, and sustainable financing. This workshop provides an important platform for Pacific countries to identify priorities and shape a shared regional approach.”

A key area of discussion is the role of sustainable waste financing mechanisms, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach and others that apply the polluter-pays principle. Through presentations, group discussions, case studies, and site visits, participants will explore how these approaches can strengthen collection systems, increase resource recovery, and improve waste management outcomes in Pacific Island countries and territories.

The workshop is guided by a co-design approach that promotes equity of voice, shared decision-making, transparency, local knowledge, and action-oriented outcomes. This approach aims to ensure that Pacific perspectives and experiences directly inform the development of the regional framework.

Expected outputs include agreement on common principles for a regional framework, identification of priority policy and investment actions, clarification of stakeholder roles and responsibilities, and recommendations for detailed design and phased implementation. Participants will also contribute to an evidence base that will support future policy development and regional collaboration.

As part of the workshop programme, participants will undertake site visits to local recycling and resource recovery initiatives in Vanuatu, providing practical insights into existing waste management systems and opportunities for improvement. These include visits to a used oil recovery facility, Vanuatu Water, and private-sector recycling initiatives…. PACNEWS