In this bulletin:
1. UN — Tonga nominates Ecuadorian diplomat in race to be next UN chief
2. USA — U.S sued as it pushes to auction massive tracks of water around American Samoa
3. PACIFIC — Pacific Youths reject tokenism at climate talk
4. FIJI — Derelict vessels threaten Suva harbour as Fiji begins US$1m clean-up
5. USA — Career U.S diplomat Justin Bytheway nominated as Ambassador to Tonga
6. FIJI — Fiji Taxpayers standby to fund President’s Commission of Inquiry appeal
7. PNG — Flourishing between two nations
8. USA — U.S hits ICC president and senior prosecutor with sanctions in another move against the court
9. PACNEWS BIZ — FFA welcomes Vanuatu Police Commissioner for regional fisheries security talks
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Vanuatu considers raising minimum seasonal work age to 25
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Power outages expose gap between Tonga’s energy ambitions and reliability on the ground
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji tourism sector strengthens weather warning systems
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Wame Blood nomination a victory for PNG’s creative industry
14. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Japan’s Renewed Engagement with the Pacific
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Tui Nayau: HIV and drug crisis ‘consuming our own’
16. PACNEWS DIGEST — Women at the Heart of Economic Change
UN – DIPLOMACY: AFP PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Tonga nominates Ecuadorian diplomat in race to be next UN chief
NEW YORK, 19 AUGUST 2026 (AFP)— Ecuador’s Ivonne A-Baki, a diplomat who represented Quito in the United States, has entered the race to lead the UN, the head of the General Assembly said in a letter Tuesday.
Nominated by Tonga, the former foreign trade minister joins a growing field of candidates for secretary-general of the international organisation, which has been buffeted by global divisions and budget issues.
“I am pleased to present, on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga, the candidacy of (…) Ivonne Baki for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations,” stated Tonga Permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Viliami Va’inga Tone, in a letter addressed to the President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, and the Presidency of the Security Council, this month headed by the Danish representative, Christina Markus Lassen.
The Ambassador of Tonga supported Baki’s nomination emphasising her “experienced leadership, capable of uniting everyone” in a “critical moment of transition” for the United Nations.
“I am convinced that Ambassador Baki has the experience, diplomatic skill, and integrity necessary to mobilise the international community in order to strengthen multilateralism and promote the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter,” he pointed out.
Ambassador Tone also highlighted Baki’s career of more than two decades, during which she has promoted “international initiatives on sustainable development and intercultural dialogue,” in addition to her work in defence of environmental protection and the search for “consensus” among different regions.
A-Baki, born to Lebanese parents, was instrumental in brokering dialogue between Ecuador and Peru following their brief 1995 border war.
Five women and three men are so far in the running to succeed Antonio Guterres of Portugal, who will complete his second five-year term on 31 December 2026. Nominations are still open, raising the prospect of further late entrants.
In its nomination, Tonga highlighted A-Baki’s roles as a cabinet minister, the first woman Ambassador from Ecuador to Washington and Ambassador to Qatar.
“I have lived through the ravages of war,” she wrote on X.
“As the only candidate whose heritage bridges Latin America and the Middle East, and the only nominee to have helped broker a peace agreement between two sovereign UN member states, I stand ready to help renew the UN Charter’s foundational promise: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war in a world where conflict continues to grow.”
A-Baki was the face of a failed plan to prevent oil exploitation in an Amazon reserve in exchange for a hefty international contribution.
The environmental initiative was shelved in 2013 by then-president Rafael Correa, who authorised crude extraction in the Yasuni National Park after acknowledging the plan’s economic failure.
The UN Security Council met last month for the first so-called “straw poll” to gauge support for the then-seven candidates for the secretary-general role.
United Nations insider Rebeca Grynspan was leading after the first round of the process.
The other nominees are former Guyanese foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Olara Otunnu of Uganda and Macky Sall of Senegal.
Although IAEA chief Grossi has arguably the best name recognition, observers say there is no clear favorite in the race that could last several months.
Diplomats are reluctant to predict the outcome because the council’s five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom — have yet to indicate their preferences.
Even if a candidate bags the required nine votes from the 15 available in the council, they must also avoid a veto by the five major powers, which are deeply divided.
Once a candidate clears those bars, their name will go to the General Assembly of all UN member states for confirmation…PACNEWS
USA – DEEP SEA MINING/LAWSUIT: AP PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
U.S sued as it pushes to auction massive tracks of water around American Samoa
SAN JUAN, 19 AUGUST 2026(AP) — A legal environmental group sued the U.S government on Tuesday, a month after the Trump administration announced plans to auction off massive sections of water surrounding American Samoa for potential deep-sea mining.
Earthjustice filed the federal lawsuit against the U.S National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on behalf of two groups: Fa‘asao Amerika Samoa and Conservation Council for Hawai‘i.
The legal nonprofit is requesting that a judge order the National Marine Fisheries Service to stop moving forward with its plans and to comply with the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws.
“The United States has never opened its waters to deep-sea mining. Until now,” the lawsuit stated.
It noted that the U.S plans to sell leases with the intention of allowing mining across some 33 million acres (about 51,560 square miles) of seabed off American Samoa that is rich in minerals including nickel, cobalt and manganese that are used to build batteries, electronics and other products.
The lawsuit stated that the U.S first must ensure that such activity will not destroy critical habitats or push species closer to extinction.
The environmental group called a recent decision by the National Marine Fisheries Service that leases would not affect critical habitat or endangered or threatened species “a wholly arbitrary and capricious determination.”
“The Samoan people rely upon a healthy ocean ecosystem,” the lawsuit reads. “This ecosystem feeds Samoan households, protects shorelines, and has formed the basis of many cultural practices that have existed for over a millennium.”
It noted that many animals around American Samoa also migrate to Hawaiian waters, including sea turtles known as “i‘a sa,” which means “sacred fish.”
American Samoa views whales, sharks, giant manta rays and other animals as sacred, and there’s a ban on catching or harming such species.
The environmental group asserted that failure to comply with U.S acts is harming “professional, scientific, educational, aesthetic, spiritual, and cultural interests” in American Samoan and Hawaiian waters.
It said that waters surrounding American Samoa support “rare and diverse marine species” including shallow and mesophotic coral reefs, sponges, crabs, deep-sea cucumbers, sea turtles and hundreds of coral and fish species.
The organisation noted that the waters serve as habitat to five sea turtle populations and four types of whales that are all endangered, as well as five coral species and four animals including the giant manta ray that are threatened.
The area that the U.S envisions leasing is located 57 miles (92 kilometers) from the Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
The administration of U.S President Donald Trump is seeking to expedite mining permits even as dozens of countries have called for a moratorium or ban on deep sea mining because of environmental concerns including noise, light and suffocating dust storms.
“To date, there has not been a commercial seabed mining operation established anywhere in the world,” Earthjustice said in its lawsuit.
The International Seabed Authority, a Jamaica-based UN body that oversees deep international waters, has authorized exploration licenses for nearly two dozen contractors, but it has not allowed any commercial mining.
Much of the ongoing exploration is centred in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, which covers 1.7 million square miles (4.5 million square kilometers) between Hawaii and Mexico.
The U.S has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, so the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) regulates U.S exploration and commercial recovery of minerals.
A spokesperson with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s fisheries service told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it was unable to comment on litigation matters.
The U.S Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment….PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Pacific Youths reject tokenism at climate talk
SUVA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (FBC NEWS)—Pacific youth leaders are demanding faster emissions reductions and an accelerated transition away from fossil fuels, warning that stronger climate action is needed to protect vulnerable island communities.
Speaking at the Regional Conference of Youth for Oceania in Suva, National Youth Council of Fiji Vice President Selai Rasaqiwa says Pacific youth could not accept what she described as “soft commitments” on climate change.
She called for rapid emissions reductions, a faster transition away from fossil fuels and greater accountability from major emitters.
Rasaqiwa says keeping global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius was not simply an international policy target for Pacific communities, but a matter of survival.
“For us, the difference between 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2.2 degrees Celsius, that’s the survival of our low-lying islands and coastal villages.”
She says youths are demanding climate commitments that translate into concrete action not just participation particularly as the region faces growing pressure on its food systems, land and coastal communities.
Rasaqiwa also called for greater accountability from major emitters, saying the Pacific can not afford continued delays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Rasaqiwa says Pacific youth should not be treated simply as victims of climate change, but as leaders who have a role in shaping climate policy.
“Pacific youths are not just victims of climate change. We are navigators, negotiators, scientists, right holders, and leaders “
She says young people deserved seats at decision-making tables before, during and after COP31.
For Pacific youth, Rasaqiwa further says the challenge now is ensuring youth demands from the RCOY do not remain words on paper, but influence the decisions being made on the global climate stage….PACNEWS
FIJI – DERELICT VESSELS: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Derelict vessels threaten Suva harbour as Fiji begins US$1m clean-up
SUVA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—Fiji has launched a US$1 million initiative to remove 17 high-risk derelict vessels from Suva Harbour as the Government moves to improve maritime safety, protect the marine environment and strengthen accountability for abandoned vessels.
The initiative, supported by the Captain Johnathan Smith Fund established through a partnership between the Fiji Government and the Waitt Foundation, will focus on the removal of the vessels while also supporting legal and regulatory reforms aimed at preventing vessel abandonment in the future.
Speaking at the launch, Fiji’s Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, said the initiative was not simply about clearing old vessels from the harbour, but about restoring the harbour’s broader environmental, maritime and economic functions.
“This is important because the challenge before us is not simply about removing old vessels,” he said.
“It is about restoring the health and functionality of our harbour, protecting our marine environment, improving maritime safety, strengthening accountability, and ensuring that the burden of abandoned vessels does not continue to fall on Government, communities and future generations.”
The Government says derelict vessels pose risks to navigation and marine ecosystems, with the potential to obstruct waterways, introduce pollutants, damage coastal habitats and affect fisheries and other food sources relied upon by coastal communities.
“For our coastal communities, these vessels are much more than an eyesore,” he said.
“They represent environmental risks, navigational hazards and lost economic opportunities. They can interfere with access to fishing grounds, affect marine habitats and undermine the productive use of our coastal waters.”
He said removing the vessels was therefore part of Fiji’s wider commitment to sustainable ocean management and Marine Spatial Planning.
“Our ocean is one of Fiji’s greatest national assets. It supports food security, livelihoods, tourism, fisheries, transport, trade, culture and our national identity. We must therefore manage it strategically and sustainably,” he said.
Rabuka said the project brings together several government agencies, including the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Ministry of Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji and Fiji Ports Corporation Limited, through the Joint Maritime and Enforcement Committee.
“When we bring together our different mandates, expertise, resources and partnerships, we can deliver solutions that are greater than the sum of our individual efforts,” he said.
However, he said removing the vessels alone would not solve the problem.
“Removal alone is not enough. We must address the systems and regulatory gaps that allow vessels to become derelict in the first place,” he said.
“The objective must be simple: those responsible for vessels must also be responsible for their proper management, maintenance and eventual disposal,” he said.
“Government resources should not continually be required to address liabilities created by irresponsible abandonment.”
He said communities should also not be left to bear the environmental and economic costs, while future generations should not inherit the same problems.
The initiative is also being linked to Fiji’s broader ambition to sustainably manage its ocean resources and fully protect 30 percent of its ocean through effective marine conservation and management measures.
Rabuka said Fiji could not credibly plan for a healthy and productive ocean while abandoned vessels continued to threaten marine ecosystems, navigation and economic activity.
He also connected the project to Fiji’s aspiration for the Pacific to become an “Ocean of Peace”, saying the concept extended beyond security at sea to ensuring the ocean remained safe, healthy, productive and resilient.
“A cleaner and safer Suva Harbour supports healthier marine ecosystems and provides a stronger foundation for maritime activity, fisheries, tourism, transport and investment,” he said.
The initiative also has an economic dimension, with Rabuka saying well-managed ports and maritime spaces are critical economic infrastructure that can support trade, investment and business activity.
As Fiji works towards its goal of achieving High Income Country status by 2050, he said environmental protection and economic growth must be pursued together.
“Environmental protection is not a constraint on economic growth. Properly managed, it is an enabler of sustainable and enduring growth,” he said.
Rabuka said Fiji’s broader environmental and sustainable development commitments must also be translated into practical action.
“These commitments are meaningful only when translated into action on the ground,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the removal of the 17 vessels should ultimately lead to a stronger system capable of preventing the problem from recurring.
“Let us use this milestone to build a stronger system that prevents the problem from returning. Let us continue to protect our ocean as an economic, environmental, cultural and strategic asset capable of supporting prosperity for generations to come,” he said….PACNEWS
USA – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Career U.S diplomat Justin Bytheway nominated as Ambassador to Tonga
WASHINGTON, 19 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)—Career U.S Foreign Service officer Justin S. Bytheway has been nominated to serve as the next United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Tonga.
A Certificate of Demonstrated Competence submitted to the U.S Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 17 August 2026, says Bytheway has extensive diplomatic and management experience from postings across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
Bytheway is currently serving as Management Officer at the U.S Consulate General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where he leads a cross-functional team responsible for management operations supporting U.S policy objectives in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
He also advises senior leadership on mission readiness, accountability, crisis response and management issues.
His previous overseas assignments have included Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Australia, Cuba and India. In Washington, he served in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, working in the Office of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Affairs.
He has also undertaken an interagency assignment with the Office of the Secretary of Defence, focusing on defence-related issues.
The Senate report says Bytheway’s experience includes leading teams in complex overseas environments, crisis response, small-post leadership and maintaining mission operations during periods of significant disruption.
It says this background makes him well-qualified to serve as U.S Ambassador to Tonga.
Bytheway holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Brigham Young University and a Master of Strategic Studies from the US Army War College…. PACNEWS
FIJI – COURTS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Fiji Taxpayers standby to fund President’s Commission of Inquiry appeal
SUVA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN)—-Fiji taxpayers will carry the cost if President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu decides to appeal the High Court ruling on the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed.
Rabuka said that any appeal by the President would be funded by the Government, meaning taxpayers would ultimately bear the cost of another legal battle over the controversial CoI.
“That appeal will come from the office of the Government,” he said. The confirmation comes as the President has yet to decide whether to appeal the ruling.
Acting Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Siromi Turaga said officials had only started reviewing the lengthy judgment on Monday.
“We haven’t finalised our decisions,” Turaga said.
“We just started on Monday going through the judgment. It’s a long judgment. After that, we will decide and make our decisions.”
The uncertainty comes as concerns grow over how much public money has already been spent on the CoI process and whether taxpayers should also fund another round of legal proceedings.
Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel, however, was unable to confirm whether an appeal would be funded by taxpayers. “I’m not sure about it so far,” he said….PACNEWS
PNG – DEFENCE: ADF PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Flourishing between two nations
KOKOPO, 19 AUGUST 2026 (ADF) —For Vunamami born and raised Captain Aquila Jack, returning to East New Britain, Papua New Guinea (PNG) for Operation Render Safe was a valued homecoming.
The senior ammunition technician officer with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) grew up in Vunamami, a village near Kokopo, where unexploded ordnance from World War II remains a challenge for many communities.
“Most people here in East New Britain rely heavily on the land,” Captain Jack said.
“Many families depend on cash crops and food from their gardens, and these hazards reduce their ability to do those activities safely.”
Operation Render Safe is a multinational effort involving the PNGDF, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and partner nations to locate and dispose of explosive remnants of war across the Pacific.
Captain Jack has been involved since the technical reconnaissance phase in 2025 as part of the Combined Joint Task Force Wallaby team, helping identify and map unexploded ordnance across the Gazelle District.
This year, he returned as the operation’s ammunition technician officer, overseeing ammunition storage and supporting explosive ordnance disposal teams working across multiple sites.
“Coming here to reduce those risks allows people to live more safely,” he said.
“It also allows the province to grow and develop.”
Captain Jack’s involvement in Operation Render Safe reflects the close relationship between Papua New Guinea and Australia – built through decades of cooperation in training, exercises and operations.
After completing officer training at Igam Barracks in Lae, he undertook several courses in Australia, including logistics training, the All Corps Captains’ Course at Canungra and the Ammunition Technician Officer Course at Bandiana.
Captain Jack said studying in Australia required adjustment, both culturally and professionally.
“The standard of training in Australia is very high and requires a lot of time, effort and commitment to meet expectations and succeed.
“What I learned most was professionalism,” he said.
Since returning to PNG, Captain Jack has applied those lessons in his role at PNGDF Headquarters in Port Moresby, where he advises senior leaders on ammunition management and safety.
Along the way, he has maintained relationships with ADF personnel he met during training.
“It’s been really good to take what we’ve learned in training and apply it during operations and exercises,” he said.
“That helps build interoperability and understanding between our forces.”
Captain Jack said moving between Australia and PNG for training and operations had broadened his view.
“Travelling between Australia and PNG for study, operations and exercises has given me a different perspective on life,” he said.
“It’s helped me compare how things are done professionally and personally, and I’ve been able to bring those lessons back into my work.”
Captain Jack believes those connections are one of the enduring outcomes of operations such as Render Safe.
“These partnerships aren’t just about work; they’re about people-to-people connections,” he said.
Back home in East New Britain, those relationships are helping remove a dangerous legacy of war while supporting safer communities for future generations.
“It gives me peace of mind knowing that my family can go to their gardens and conduct their daily lives safely,” Captain Jack said…PACNEWS
USA – SANCTIONS: AP PACNEWS 3: Wed 19 Aug 2026
U.S hits ICC president and senior prosecutor with sanctions in another move against the court
WASHINGTON/ THE HAGUE, 19 AUGUST 2026 (AP)— The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on the president of the International Criminal Court and one of its top prosecutors as it continues a campaign to dismantle the tribunal, which it accuses of trying to unfairly prosecute U.S and Israeli soldiers for alleged crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza.
The State Department said Tuesday it had hit ICC president Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, who is from Senegal, with sanctions that freeze any assets they have in U.S jurisdictions or come into contact with the U.S financial system.
“The Trump Administration has been clear: the International Criminal Court is a corrupt and fatally politicised supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.
“We will not tolerate its assault on state sovereignty.”
The move is the latest by the Trump administration against the ICC, which it says has exceeded its mandate by investigating or trying soldiers, commanders and political officials from countries, such as Israel and the United States, that are not members of the court.
The ICC was quick to respond, as it has done when faced with previous Trump administration actions, saying that the sanctions “undermine the rule of law.”
“When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk,” it said…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
SOL – FISHERIES: FFA/PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 07 Aug 2026
FFA welcomes Vanuatu Police Commissioner for regional fisheries security talks
HONIARA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (FFA/PACNEWS)–The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has welcomed Vanuatu Police Commissioner Karlshem Bongran and his delegation to its headquarters in Honiara for a courtesy visit.
The visit provided an opportunity for FFA to outline its role in supporting its 17 members to sustainably manage offshore fisheries resources, strengthen regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS), and maximise the social and economic benefits of the region’s tuna fisheries.
FFA Director-General Noan David Pakop said cooperation remains central to the agency’s work, with the priorities of its members guiding its regional efforts.
He said regional cooperation helps strengthen sustainable tuna fisheries management and fisheries surveillance, reduce losses from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and increase opportunities for government revenue, export earnings and employment across the tuna sector.
The delegation also visited the FFA Regional Fisheries Surveillance Centre, where they were briefed on its role in regional surveillance, information sharing and coordinated monitoring.
FFA said these capabilities also contribute to broader regional security.
The visit also highlighted the Niue Treaty Subsidiary Agreement (NTSA), which enables FFA members to coordinate fisheries surveillance, share information and strengthen collective action against IUU fishing across the Pacific.
Commissioner Bongran acknowledged FFA’s work in supporting its members and welcomed the opportunity to learn more about the regional systems and capabilities available to Vanuatu to support its national fisheries and security priorities….PACNEWS
VAN – SEASONAL WORKERS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Vanuatu considers raising minimum seasonal work age to 25
PORT VILA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST) —Vanuatu is considering raising the minimum age for workers entering Australia and New Zealand’s seasonal labour mobility programmes from 21 to 25, a move the Commissioner of Labour (COL), James Willie, says would give young people more time to remain in education and training before seeking overseas employment.
COL Willie said the proposed change would apply to workers entering the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme and Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP) arrangements….PACNEWS
TONGA – POWER OUTAGES: TALANOAOTONGA PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Power outages expose gap between Tonga’s energy ambitions and reliability on the ground
NUKU’ALOFA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (TALANOAOTONGA)—Tonga Power Limited (TPL) has apologised to electricity users across Tongatapu after the failure of its largest generator last Saturday triggered rotational power outages and exposed continuing pressure on the island’s electricity system.
In a statement, TPL said the failed generator has significantly reduced available generation capacity, forcing controlled load shedding to prevent a full blackout.
Repairs are expected to take about two weeks, while two new generator units are also being installed.
The latest disruption comes as Tonga is investing in a broader transition away from diesel generation.
The Government’s Tonga Energy Road Map 2021–2035 targets a transition towards 100 percent renewable electricity, while recent projects have focused on solar, wind, battery storage and strengthening the grid.
A Tonga-Australia renewable energy partnership signed in January is intended to support the transition while improving reliability, security, sustainability and affordability.
That transition is already visible on Tongatapu. The Lapaha wind farm, officially opened by King Tupou VI in July 2025, has three turbines with a combined capacity of 2.25MW.
Battery storage is also intended to help address the technical challenge of integrating intermittent renewable generation.
TPL’s storage projects are designed to provide reserve capacity, stabilise the grid and shift excess daytime renewable generation into evening and night-time demand periods.
In October 2024, TPL and the Japan International Cooperation Agency launched a project to improve grid operations through centralised control, specifically to support greater integration of renewable energy.
But the latest outages underline a fundamental reality: renewable generation and modern grid infrastructure cannot immediately remove the need for dependable backup generation.
TPL has previously acknowledged the need to replace ageing generators, with investment also directed towards upgrading Tongatapu’s transmission network for new solar and battery projects.
For households and businesses facing repeated outages, the immediate question is therefore not only when the failed generator will return to service, but whether Tonga’s expanding renewable energy system is being matched by enough reliable generation, storage and grid capacity to keep the lights on.
The current repairs and two new generators are expected to improve short-term capacity. The longer-term test will be whether these investments finally translate into the reliable electricity supply that Tonga’s energy transition is intended to deliver….PACNEWS
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: PACNEWS/FIJI MET PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Fiji tourism sector strengthens weather warning systems
NADI, 19 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS/FIJI MET)—Fiji’s tourism industry is working to strengthen how weather risks are communicated and managed, with stakeholders meeting for a workshop focused on improving early warnings for the Nadi and Denarau tourism areas.
The Fiji Tourism Impact-Based Forecasting Workshop brings together the Fiji Meteorological Service, National Disaster Management Office, Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, hotel and resort operators, marine and dive operators and other tourism stakeholders.
The workshop is focused on improving the operational use of weather forecasts and warnings so tourism operators can make timely decisions to protect visitors, staff and businesses.
Nadi and Denarau face a range of weather-related hazards, including heat stress, marine hazards, severe weather, lightning, flash flooding and coastal inundation.
These risks can affect guest safety, staff welfare, transportation, tourism activities and business continuity.
A key question being addressed during the workshop is what a weather warning means for tourism operators and what action should follow.
Through the Impact-Based Forecasting approach, participants are reviewing and developing practical Green, Yellow, Orange and Red operational thresholds for activities including small-craft transfers, snorkelling and diving, beach activities, outdoor events, river and flash-flood attractions and heat-related risks.
The approach is intended to move beyond simply receiving weather forecasts by ensuring warnings are clear, practical and actionable.
Participants are also examining escalation procedures, communication channels and operational triggers that can support faster decision-making when weather risks increase.
Risk communication is another major focus, including how warnings currently reach tourism operators, what information they need and how messages can clearly explain the hazard, potential impacts and actions required.
For the Fiji Meteorological Service, the workshop is part of the transition towards Impact-Based Forecasting, which focuses not only on what the weather is expected to do but what those conditions could mean for people, businesses and critical activities.
The initiative aims to help Fiji’s tourism sector become better prepared and better equipped to make timely decisions when weather-related risks arise…..PACNEWS
PNG – CREATIVE INDUSTRY: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 19 Aug 2026
Wame Blood nomination a victory for PNG’s creative industry
SUVA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS)—Papua New Guinea’s acclaimed music group Wame Blood has been hailed for representing the nation at the 2026 Pacific Music Awards in Auckland, New Zealand, despite not receiving an award.
Prime Minister James Marape described the group’s nomination as a significant achievement for Papua New Guinea’s growing creative industry and said its participation on one of the Pacific’s premier music stages was a victory for the country.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Wame Blood for representing Papua New Guinea with pride, dignity and professionalism at the Pacific Music Awards,” Marape said.
“Being nominated alongside some of the Pacific’s finest musicians is itself a remarkable achievement. It shows that Papua New Guinean music is gaining recognition beyond our shores and that our artists are capable of competing on the regional and global stage.”
Marape commended Wame Blood for using music to showcase Papua New Guinea’s culture, stories and identity while building valuable relationships within the international music industry.
“Our music, like our art, culture and traditions, is part of who we are as a nation. Wame Blood has demonstrated that our unique Melanesian identity has a place on the world stage, and I encourage them to continue pursuing excellence,” he said.
The prime minister also acknowledged the band’s message of gratitude to its supporters, including the Papua New Guinean community in Auckland, sponsors and partners who helped make the journey possible.
“It was my pleasure for the Government to support Wame Blood’s participation because investing in our creative industries is investing in our young people, our culture and our future,” Marape said.
He said the creative economy had enormous potential to generate employment, promote tourism, strengthen national identity and create opportunities for talented Papua New Guineans to reach international audiences.
Marape encouraged other young Papua New Guineans with talents in music, film, literature and the performing arts to pursue their dreams with confidence and determination.
“Our artists are ambassadors for Papua New Guinea. Every performance, every song and every achievement helps tell our country’s story to the world,” he said.
“I congratulate Wame Blood once again and wish them every success as they continue their musical journey. “I have no doubt that this nomination is only the beginning of many greater achievements to come.”…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
Japan’s Renewed Engagement with the Pacific
Japan is broadening its Pacific partnerships across development, climate resilience and security, but sustaining this engagement will depend on keeping its strategic ambitions aligned with Pacific priorities
By Pratnashree Basu
TOKYO, 19 AUGUST 2026 (OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION)—At a time when the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are becoming more strategically consequential and politically contested, Tokyo is intensifying its engagement with the region.
Recent engagements with Fiji and the Solomon Islands illustrate the breadth of this effort. Japan and Fiji advanced cooperation on environmental protection, while Tokyo simultaneously expanded security assistance and disaster-resilience programmes.
In July, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale moved to deepen bilateral ties, alongside Japan’s announcement of a US$18.4 million low-interest loan to Honiara. These efforts form part of a wider strategy to consolidate Japan’s position across the Pacific through development finance, climate resilience, disaster management, maritime cooperation, human-resource development, and, increasingly, security.
Japan’s Established Place in the Pacific
The significance of this push lies partly in Japan’s longstanding engagement in the PICs. Japan’s Pacific engagement has grown through a gradual accumulation of diplomatic, development, and people-to-people ties, rather than through a single strategic initiative. From the mid-1980s, Tokyo increased political contact and development cooperation, culminating in the launch of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) in 1997.
Over time, PALM created a regular channel through which Pacific governments could articulate their concerns directly to Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) engagement, spanning more than five decades, has further embedded Tokyo in the region’s development landscape. PALM10, held in Tokyo in 2024, brought together Japan and representatives of all 18 Pacific Islands Forum members and established a framework for cooperation ahead of PALM11 in 2027. This sustained engagement has given Japan a degree of institutional familiarity that can prove valuable as Pacific governments navigate an increasingly crowded field of external partners.
Climate change and disaster resilience are vital components of this relationship. At PALM10, Japan launched the Pacific Climate Resilience Initiative, combining disaster-risk reduction, decarbonisation, and support for Pacific-led initiatives. This focus has continued in 2026, with Japan supporting the launch of an early-warning-system project covering Fiji and the Solomon Islands in May, aimed at strengthening national and regional disaster preparedness.
In Fiji, Japanese assistance has also supported regional meteorological capacity: a JICA project signed in 2025 is establishing facilities and equipment for meteorological services and disaster-risk reduction, intended to serve Pacific countries more broadly. Environmental cooperation therefore provides Japan with an area in which its technological capabilities, development experience, and domestic expertise correspond closely with Pacific priorities.
Where Development Meets Security
The Fiji relationship is particularly illustrative, because Suva occupies an important regional position. Fiji is a diplomatic and institutional hub, hosts several regional organisations, and has considerable convening influence within the Pacific Islands Forum. Japan’s engagement has consequently acquired a regional dimension. Beyond environmental and development assistance, Tokyo signed an Official Security Assistance (OSA) project with Fiji in March 2026, providing security-related equipment and assistance to the Fiji Military Forces. Japan has also pursued trilateral cooperation with Australia and Fiji, including assistance related to Fiji’s military infrastructure. The combination of development, environmental, and security cooperation gives Japan a more comprehensive presence in Fiji.
Tokyo’s engagement extends well beyond Fiji. Its J-PRISM 3 programme on solid-waste management covers nine PICs — Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu — demonstrating the regional character of Japanese technical cooperation. JICA’s regional structure is similarly broad: its Fiji office covers Kiribati, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Nauru, and Niue, while working alongside offices in Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu. These relatively low-profile programmes matter because they create sustained institutional relationships, rather than episodic summit diplomacy.
Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and the smaller Micronesian and Polynesian states are also becoming more prominent within Japan’s security dialogue. The third Japan–Pacific Islands Defence Dialogue, held in February 2026, brought together all three Pacific states with armed forces (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga), as well as 11 PICs without armed forces and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The discussion focused on climate change, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and the implications of climate vulnerability for security. This is significant because it expands Japan’s security engagement beyond traditional defence cooperation. For many Pacific governments, military capabilities are closely linked to maritime surveillance, disaster response, search and rescue, and the management of transnational threats. Japan can therefore enter the security conversation without making conventional defence cooperation its sole organising principle.
Tokyo’s ties with the Solomon Islands illustrate the more explicitly geopolitical edge of this strategy. Prime Minister Wale’s July visit to Tokyo came shortly after he assumed office, as Honiara sought to recalibrate its external relationships. Takaichi explicitly linked stronger cooperation to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), and emphasised support for the Solomon Islands’ resilience and freedom to determine its own choices. The two sides also stressed the importance of Pacific regional unity, and agreed to work towards PALM11 in 2027. Japan’s loan, subsequently signed through JICA, is intended to strengthen the Solomon Islands’ fiscal and economic resilience. The timing is notable, as the Solomon Islands has maintained close ties with China since establishing diplomatic relations in 2019 and signing a security agreement with Beijing in 2022, while the new Wale government has signalled interest in broadening its external partnerships.
This does not mean Japan is attempting to reproduce Australia’s or the United States’ security role in the Pacific. Tokyo’s comparative advantage remains its ability to combine development assistance, technical expertise, infrastructure, disaster management, and maritime capacity-building with a growing security component. Japan’s own experience as a disaster-prone island state gives such cooperation a degree of practical credibility. Its Pacific engagement can consequently remain relevant even when individual governments resist framing their foreign policy through great-power competition.
Balancing Strategic Ambition with Pacific Agency
The current regional environment nevertheless makes this engagement strategically important. The July 2026 Chinese missile test into the Pacific and the subsequent inability of Pacific foreign ministers to agree on a collective response exposed the political divide within the region. Kiribati and Nauru did not endorse a proposed statement, while other Pacific governments expressed concern about growing militarisation. The episode underscores why Pacific governments continue to emphasise regional agency and an “Ocean of Peace”, even as external powers compete for influence. Japan will have to navigate this political reality carefully. Excessive securitisation of its Pacific policy could weaken the very trust accumulated through development cooperation.
Therefore, Japan’s Pacific strategy is likely to remain most effective when security cooperation is embedded within broader economic, environmental, and societal partnerships. Its work with Fiji demonstrates how climate resilience, waste management, disaster preparedness, and security can reinforce one another; its engagement with the Solomon Islands shows the value of sustained development relationships when political alignments shift; and its regional programmes demonstrate that Tokyo has mechanisms for working with states that occupy very different positions in the Pacific’s geopolitical landscape. With PALM11 scheduled for Yokohama in 2027, Tokyo has an opportunity to consolidate this approach. The durability of Japan’s Pacific strategy will depend on whether its expanding strategic interest can be matched by partnerships that remain responsive to Pacific priorities….PACNEWS
Pratnashree Basu is an Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Tui Nayau: HIV and drug crisis ‘consuming our own’
By Inoke Rabonu
SUVA, 19 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN)–The HIV epidemic, drugs and unemployment are “burying our people”.
This is the statement by Turaga na Tui Nayau, Tui Lau and Sau ni Vanua o Lau Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara, as he calls for urgent legal reform and stronger traditional structures to confront the crises affecting iTaukei communities.
In a statement titled A Nation at a Crossroads: Speaking Truth With Love for Fiji, Ratu Tevita said Fiji’s national conversation needed to focus more sharply on problems directly affecting families and young people.
He highlighted HIV as an immediate national emergency, pointing to figures presented at the Pacific HIV Symposium in Nadi this week.
“At the Pacific HIV Symposium in Nadi this week, His Excellency the President confirmed 2,016 HIV diagnoses in 2025 – a 27 percent rise on the previous year, and the highest total since surveillance began in 1989. Diagnoses among children and teenagers aged 10 to 19 rose by 45 percent. Roughly one in every 60 adults is now affected. And approximately 90 percent of new diagnoses are among iTaukei. Let that last figure sink in: this is not a crisis in the abstract, it is ours, and it is consuming our own.”
Ratu Tevita said Government and Parliament needed to urgently address legislation identified by the Fiji Medical Association as a barrier to early detection, treatment access and contact tracing.
“The Fiji Medical Association has correctly identified outdated legislation as a barrier to early detection, treatment access and contact tracing. I call on Government and Parliament to act with urgency. Legal reform here is not a moral compromise; it is a moral imperative, and bureaucratic inertia must not cost us another generation.”
‘Symptom of something deeper’
Ratu Tevita said HIV could not be viewed solely as a health issue.
“And let us be honest: HIV is not only a health crisis. It is a symptom of something deeper – the fracturing of our social fabric and the loss of the protective embrace of our traditional structures. When our families are broken and our tokatoka, mataqali and yavusa weakened, our young are left exposed to the forces that destroy them.”
He called on iTaukei communities and leaders to take greater responsibility for addressing the problems affecting their people.
“I say this not as a critic standing outside but as a chief standing within: it is time for the iTaukei to walk the talk. We have professed Christianity for generations, yet iTaukei make up 74 percent of our prison population. We speak of community and vanua, yet our young men are falling to drugs and violence. The murders, the robberies, the HIV crisis, the methamphetamine epidemic – who bears the heaviest burden? It is us. And that is a severe indictment upon our collective leadership.”
Questions spending priorities
Ratu Tevita acknowledged Australia’s support for Fiji’s HIV response, including FJD$23.5 million(US$11.75 million) announced by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on August 6, which he said took Australia’s total support beyond FJD$40 million(US$20 million).
However, he questioned the reported spending on the Pre-COP31 meetings scheduled for Nadi from 05 to 08 October.
“It is because we are friends that I can ask what comes next without causing offence. Australia has reportedly committed close to AUD$20 million – about FJD$31 million(US$15.5 million) – on the Pre-COP31 meetings it brings to Nadi from 5 to 8 October. Four days will cost more than the largest single HIV commitment Australia has made to us. Is that the right proportion?”
He said climate change remained a serious challenge, particularly as communities faced relocation, but argued Fiji also needed to confront immediate social crises.
“Fiji has too often hosted grand conferences that consume resources without measurable outcomes for ordinary Fijians. Climate change, meanwhile, is already moving our villages – six have relocated and dozens more are earmarked – and I do not diminish that for a moment. But HIV, drugs and unemployment are burying our people this year. Neither crisis cancels the other, yet only one can be slowed within the life of a single government. Our priorities must reflect that.”
Calls for GCC constitutional protection
Ratu Tevita also called for the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) to be entrenched in the Constitution.
He declared his interest as one of the GCC’s deputy chairmen and said its restoration by the Government in 2023 through ordinary legislation did not provide sufficient protection.
“This Government restored the Great Council of Chiefs in 2023, and that was right – but it did so by ordinary legislation. What an Act of Parliament gives, an Act of Parliament can take back, and a decree can take faster. That is not hypothetical; it is what happened in 2012. I declare my interest openly: I serve as one of the Council’s deputy chairmen. If the GCC is to carry real, mandated responsibility for iTaukei welfare and advancement, its mandate must be entrenched in the Constitution, not left to a simple majority. Village by-laws granting chiefs appropriate authority in their communities also remain unintroduced; that absence weakens traditional governance where it matters most, and must be urgently addressed.”
‘Accountability flows in all directions’
Ratu Tevita said responsibility for addressing Fiji’s challenges did not rest with Government alone.
“So we cannot keep pointing at government alone. Government must be held to account – absolutely. But accountability flows in all directions: to our chiefs, our faith leaders, our parents, our youth.”
He called for reflection and the strengthening of traditional social structures while emphasising that Fiji belonged to all its people.
“To my fellow iTaukei: I speak with love, not accusation, and as one of you, not above you. The way forward is not found in waiting for a government to rescue us, nor in surrendering our identity to modernity, but in the disciplined and dignified strengthening of who we are. That work begins within each of us. Fiji is for all of us, or it is for none of us.”……PACNEWS
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The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Women at the Heart of Economic Change
At Nadi Market, Adi Bale Kurunavanua is helping turn women’s economic participation into greater opportunity, voice and action
NADI, 19 AUGUST 2026 (UNDP)— When women show up at the market, they bring more than goods to sell.
They bring livelihoods, household incomes, business experience, skills and knowledge of what their families and communities need.
For Adi Bale Kurunavanua, President of the Nadi Market Vendors Association, women’s economic empowerment starts with having the confidence, opportunities and support to make decisions about their livelihoods and their futures.
Earning an income matters. So does having the confidence, information, opportunities and collective voice to make decisions and shape the conditions in which women work.
“Women do not only talk or share ideas. When we see a need, we move and take action. As women, as mothers and as leaders, we understand what our families and communities need. We do not just wait for someone else to do it — we step forward and make it happen.” said Adi Bale Kurunavanua, President, Nadi Market Vendors Association.
From Earning an Income to Having Economic Agency
For many women in Fiji, markets are an important source of income and economic opportunity. Women vendors contribute to household livelihoods while managing businesses, caring for families and participating in community life.
Yet economic empowerment is about more than having a place to sell.
It is also about whether women have access to the information, skills, services, networks, infrastructure and decision-making spaces they need to strengthen their businesses and livelihoods.
Through the Markets for Change (M4C) Project, women market vendors are supported to access information, training, services and leadership opportunities that can strengthen their economic security and participation.
For Adi Bale, this support helps women move from simply being present in the marketplace to having greater confidence and agency over their economic lives.
Women’s Businesses Support Families and Communities
One vendor may struggle to have a concern heard. Organised vendors can turn that concern into a shared priority.
Through market vendors’ associations, women can come together to discuss the challenges they face, identify solutions and engage with those who make decisions affecting their working environment and livelihoods.
For Adi Bale, this collective approach is important because women vendors understand the realities of the market first-hand.
They know the challenges of running a business while supporting a family. They see where improvements are needed. And by organising, they are better able to move from identifying problems to acting on them.
“When women come together, we can identify the problem, discuss the solution and then take action. We don’t just sit and wait. We have to move forward and do what needs to be done.”
This is central to women’s economic empowerment: women need not only opportunities to earn, but also the agency and collective power to shape the conditions in which they earn.
Collective Action Can Strengthen Livelihoods
For individual vendors, challenges can sometimes feel difficult to address alone.
Working collectively through market vendors’ associations gives women a stronger platform to share experiences, identify common challenges and engage with stakeholders on issues affecting their livelihoods.
That ability to organise and act collectively gives women greater influence over the conditions in which they earn their livelihoods. It also shifts the way women vendors are seen and not simply as beneficiaries of economic development, but as business owners, leaders and partners with knowledge and experience that can help shape better marketplaces.
Building Confidence, Opportunity and Resilience
Women’s economic empowerment therefore requires more than increasing women’s participation in the economy.
It also means addressing the conditions that can limit their opportunities.
Through Markets for Change, efforts to strengthen market infrastructure and working conditions are combined with support for vendor capacity, leadership and gender equality.
The aim is to create marketplaces where women can work safely, access opportunities, strengthen their businesses and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect them. This matters because the impact reaches beyond individual vendors.
Women’s businesses support families, connect producers and consumers and contribute to local economies. Greater economic security can also give women more choices about their livelihoods and their futures.
For Adi Bale, confidence is an important part of that change.
“Women need to believe in themselves and be confident to speak. We already have the experience. We understand what our families and communities need. We just need to step forward, use our voice and take action.”
Her message carries particular significance for younger women. Seeing women running businesses, organising collectively and taking leadership roles can demonstrate that women have a place not only in the economy, but in shaping how economic opportunities are created.
When Women Earn, Lead and Act, Change Follows
What is happening at Nadi Market reflects a wider reality across Fiji and the Pacific.
Women are market vendors, farmers, fishers, entrepreneurs, workers and small-business owners. Their work sustains households and contributes to communities and local economies.
But the measure of economic empowerment cannot be income alone. It is also whether women can make decisions about that income, access opportunities, strengthen and sustain their businesses, influence the systems around them and build greater security for themselves and their families.
For women like Adi Bale, that change is strengthened when women organise, speak and act collectively.
At Nadi Market, women are doing more than selling goods.
They are earning livelihoods and supporting families, but they are also building networks, taking leadership and making their voices heard. That is where economic participation becomes economic agency — when women are not only part of the economy but have the opportunity and voice to help shape it……PACNEWS
