In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Transparency International calls for accountability in Pacific climate finance
2. PACIFIC — Pacific Leaders lock in Forum hosts to 2031
3. SOL — Solomon Islands PM Wale reorders cabinet: Kuma returns, Vave joins, Ghiro reshuffled
4. SOL — Wale’s removal of Finance Minister Lilo a serious leadership error
5. PACIFIC — Marshall Islands is a sovereign state, Heine reminds U.S following Trump’s social media gaffe
6. PACIFIC — Peace Corps programme proposed for Palau, Micronesia and Marshall Islands
7. PACIFIC — Pacific campaigners: Indigenous knowledge must have a say in the deep sea mining debate
8. FIJI — Referendum Bill to be ‘dealt with’ this weekend
9. FIJI — Election rules must be settled before polling
10. PNG — Media ethics vital during coverage of 2027 general election: Consultant
11. SOL — Solomon Islands Accedes to UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC)
12. FIJI — Fiji strengthens nature-based approaches to coastal and forest resilience
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Marape discusses U.S visa concerns
14. PACNEWS BIZ — Serbia look to turn bilateral ties with Solomon Islands into practical development gains
15. PACNEWS BIZ — Solomon Islands, New Zealand Agree to Deepen Cooperation on Jobs, Skills and Economic Growth
16. PACNEWS BIZ — Airports partner to elevate aviation skills in the Pacific
17. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Pacific leaders put women at centre of climate action
18. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific nations unite to unlock climate finance and turn ideas into action
19. PACNEWS DIGEST — Don’t Mine the Moana: American Samoa rejects deep sea mining push
20. PACNEWS DIGEST — BoM forecasts strongest El Niño on record as research points to ‘alarming’ climate change influence
21. PACNEWS SPORT — New Caledonia: a historic first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ powered by collective ambition
PACIFIC – FORUM LEADERS MEET/CLIMATE FINANCE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Transparency International calls for accountability in Pacific climate finance
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific communities will not fully benefit from growing climate finance unless governments, development agencies and project leaders are held accountable for how the money is spent, Transparency International Pacific Regional Engagement and Advocacy Lead Kelera Serelini-Varawa says.
Speaking at a Forum side event in Koror this week on integrity, disaster risk and climate resilience, Serelini-Varawa said the rapid growth in climate investment across the Pacific must be matched by stronger integrity and accountability systems.
“We cannot achieve effective climate action if there’s no climate integrity,” she said.
Serelini-Varawa said Transparency International had recently expanded its work in the Pacific climate and integrity space after identifying a need for stronger safeguards to ensure climate investments reach communities.
“We’ve noticed that there’s an increase in the investment for climate finance, investment in climate in general across the region,
“But we’ve noticed, from the engagement we’ve had, there are little integrity mechanisms in place to ensure that our communities actually benefit from this investment.” she said.
Serelini-Varawa said discussions on integrity and governance remained limited, despite regional frameworks recognising their importance.
She said stronger mechanisms were needed to ensure those managing climate projects were accountable to the communities they were meant to serve.
“We want to ensure that those that are leading the projects here in the region are being held to account, that the money that they are managing is for the people,” she said.
Serelini-Varawasaid transparency was critical so communities knew what projects were being implemented and how money was being used.
“They are reporting transparently, [and] the community are aware of what is happening on the ground,” Serelini-Varawa said.
She said discussions with development agencies had shown that these systems were often lacking.
“That is why we feel the need to really come to the Pacific and help ensure that the integrity mechanisms are set in place with global standards to ensure that our people are actually benefiting,” she said.
Serelini-Varawa said the integrity agenda was also closely linked to disaster risk reduction and climate resilience.
“When government is strong, then disaster planning is more effective,” she said.
She said stronger governance could help ensure early warning systems were trusted and public assistance reached affected communities when it was needed.
“Public support is more likely to reach the people at the right time,” she said.
Her message to governments, development partners and the private sector was that climate and disaster investments must deliver benefits directly to Pacific communities.
“We want to ensure that private finance and the investment that’s done here in the region actually reaches out to people and their voices are heard in the discussions that are being made on climate finance,” she said.
Serelini-Varawa said Transparency International was also working with other civil society organisations to strengthen community participation and accountability ahead of the COP process.
“We want to ensure there’s community participation.
“We want to ensure that other CSOs, not only us, are holding government to account,” she said.
She said Pacific governments and their delegations should make integrity a stronger part of international climate negotiations.
“We want them to really voice integrity as important, even to get their priorities heard in the diplomacy and the COP process,” she said.
Serelini-Varawa warned that international climate negotiations could be undermined by outside influence, including from fossil fuel interests.
“We can go out there and negotiate and negotiate, but if there’s influence, it’s really hard to get things across,” she said.
She said Pacific civil society would continue working with governments and communities to push integrity, accountability and public participation as central parts of climate action…. PACNEWS
PACIFIC – FORUM LEADERS COMMUNIQUE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Pacific Leaders lock in Forum hosts to 2031
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific Islands Forum leaders have locked in the hosts for the next five annual leaders’ meetings, with New Zealand, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Vanuatu and French Polynesia set to welcome the region between 2027 and 2031.
The decisions, confirmed in the 2026 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Communique, provide a clear schedule for the Forum’s major political gathering over the next five years.
Leaders recalled their earlier endorsement of New Zealand as host of the 56th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and Related Meetings in 2027.
Naero will host the 57th Pacific Islands Forum and Related Meetings in 2028, coinciding with the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary.
Forum leaders have now also endorsed the Republic of the Marshall Islands as host of the 58th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and Related Meetings in 2029, marking the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary.
Vanuatu will host the 59th Pacific Islands Forum and Related Meetings in 2030, coinciding with its 50th Independence Anniversary Golden Jubilee.
Leaders also reaffirmed their endorsement of French Polynesia as host of the 60th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and Related Meetings in 2031.
The schedule means four of the next five Forum meetings will coincide with major national anniversaries, giving host countries an opportunity to combine their national celebrations with the region’s most important annual political gathering.
The communiqué said the host arrangements reflected the Forum’s commitment to maintaining its annual leaders’ meetings as the region’s central platform for political dialogue and decision-making.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau has ended, with attention now turning to implementing the decisions agreed by leaders and preparing for the next Forum gathering in New Zealand in 2027…. PACNEWS
SOL – POLITICS: SOLOMON ISLANDS GOVT PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands PM Wale reorders cabinet: Kuma returns, Vave joins, Ghiro reshuffled
HONIARA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SOLOMON GOVT) — Three more ministers have been sworn into office today, following a Cabinet reshuffle that sees one minister return to his former portfolio, one take up a new ministry and another new addition to Cabinet.
The three Cabinet ministers were formally sworn into office at Government House today.
They are Minister for Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration Harry Kuma, who returns to his former portfolio.
Nestor Ghiro has been appointed Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, replacing Franklyn Wasi.
Meanwhile, Isikeli Vave Jnr has been sworn in as the new Minister for Home Affairs, replacing Ghiro.
Prime Minister Matthew Wale together with members of his Cabinet witnessed the swearing-in ceremony and welcomed the ministers to their respective portfolios.
The new Cabinet Ministers have further strengthened Prime Minister Wale’s GREAT Coalition…. PACNEWS
SOL – POLITICS: SIBC NEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Wale’s removal of Finance Minister Lilo a serious leadership error
HONIARA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SIBC NEWS) — In a statement issued Thursday night, the Official Opposition says Prime Minister Matthew Wale has made a serious error of leadership by removing Gordon Darcy Lilo from the Ministry of Finance and Treasury at a time when Solomon Islands requires stable, experienced, and credible economic stewardship.
The decision comes at a critical moment for the country. Solomon Islanders continue to face cost-of-living pressures, limited employment opportunities, slow economic activity, and growing concern about the direction of public finances and national development.
Lilo brings substantial experience to public office, including service as Prime Minister and in senior economic and financial roles. His removal from the Finance portfolio deprives the Government of a leader with a strong understanding of macroeconomic management, fiscal discipline, public finance, investment confidence, and the reforms needed to strengthen the country’s economic foundations.
Prime Minister Wale must explain why he has chosen to remove an experienced Finance Minister at a time of political instability and immediately before Parliament debates the Motion of No Confidence on Monday, 7 September 2026.
The timing raises serious concerns. Rather than being guided by the country’s economic interests, the decision appears driven by short-term political survival and internal coalition manoeuvring.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is not a political prize. It is one of the most important institutions of Government. Its leadership has direct consequences for the national budget, public expenditure, development priorities, investor confidence, donor and development-partner engagement, and the everyday cost of living faced by Solomon Islanders.
Changing the Minister responsible for Finance in the middle of a political crisis creates uncertainty at precisely the time when the country needs clarity, continuity, and confidence.
The Official Opposition recognises that the Prime Minister has constitutional responsibility for ministerial appointments. However, constitutional power must be exercised with sound judgment and in the national interest. It should not be used as a tool to reward political loyalty, manage internal dissent, or secure support ahead of a no-confidence vote.
Lilo has consistently advocated for transparent government, sound economic management, and measures aimed at strengthening national prosperity. Removing him at this time sends the wrong message to Solomon Islanders, investors, development partners, businesses, and public servants.
Prime Minister Wale’s decision is not a sign of strong leadership. It is a sign of a Government under pressure, a coalition in disarray, and a Prime Minister making hurried political calculations while the country’s economic future is at stake.
The people of Solomon Islands deserve a Government focused on responsible economic management, stable leadership, employment, public services, rural development and the proper use of public resources. Not political games and last-minute Cabinet manoeuvres.
The Motion of No Confidence to be debated on Monday, 7 September 2026, will give Parliament the opportunity to determine whether Prime Minister Wale continues to command the confidence required to govern.
The Official Opposition will remain focused on the national interest, the protection of economic stability, and Parliament’s duty to act independently, without fear, favour, intimidation, or improper influence…. PACNEWS
PAC – POLITICS: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Marshall Islands is a sovereign state, Heine reminds U.S following Trump’s social media gaffe
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine has called on Washington to observe “mutual respect,” reminding the U.S government of her country’s status as a sovereign nation.
Heine met with U.S Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror to revisit the “longstanding partnership” between the two countries and reinforce their diplomatic relations.
According to a statement from the Office of the President of the Marshall Islands, Heine “reaffirmed the importance of maintaining a strong partnership based on mutual respect, close consultation and recognition of the Marshall Islands’ sovereignty as a nation in free association with the United States.”
Heine pointed up the Marshall Islands’ political status following President Trump’s recent Truth Social post, which placed the island nation among the cluster of U.S territories.
The Federated States of Micronesia, another freely associated state, is also on the list of “U.S territories,” along with the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump has declared under U.S control.
According to the Office of the Marshall Islands President, the discussion between Heine and Landau also covered “continued cooperation under the Compact of Free Association, regional security, infrastructure and development priorities and efforts to strengthen engagement with Marshall Islands communities.”
During his meeting with Forum members, Landau announced a $150 million assistance package for Pacific island nations, which includes funding for infrastructure and telecommunications upgrades in the Marshall Islands.
According to the State Department, the U.S Trade and Development Agency has approved funding for technical assistance to the Marshall Islands Ports Authority to help modernise the premier ports of Majuro and Ebeye.
“The project’s goals are to increase freight capacity, improve port efficiency, and strengthen supply chain reliability,” the State Department said.
The USTDA has also approved funding for technical assistance to help modernise the Amata Kabua International Airport, including its airfield and terminal facilities.
“The assistance will address anticipated growth and operational improvements over a 20-year horizon and facilitate aviation partnership opportunities for U.S industry,” the department said.
The trade agency will also provide technical assistance to expand the Marshall Islands’ nationwide mobile network. “The assistance will identify optimal technology options, financing pathways and implementation strategies for the Marshall Islands National Telecommunications Authority,” the department said.
Another breakthrough during the meeting was the plan to establish the North Pacific Peace Corps programme to serve the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Landau has signed a letter of intent with Heine, FSM President Wesley Simina and Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr to establish the unified programme.
“President Heine welcomed continued U.S support for resilient infrastructure and the return of Peace Corps activities to the Freely Associated States, while also expressing appreciation for U.S assistance toward the reconstruction of the Nitijela,” the Marshall Islands government said…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Peace Corps programme proposed for Palau, Micronesia and Marshall Islands
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — The United States has signed a letter of intent with Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia to establish a unified North Pacific Peace Corps mission to serve the freely associated states despite a new proposal to defund the programme in fiscal 2027.
Christopher Landau, assistant secretary of the Department of State and Peace Corps acting director, signed the agreement with FSM President Wesley W. Simina, Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine and Palau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. on the sidelines of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leadership Meeting in Koror on 01 September.
“With the signed letter of intent, the Peace Corps will follow its established, comprehensive process for opening programmes,” the Peace Corps programme said in a press release.
The Peace Corps Mission returned to Palau in July after an eight-year hiatus.
More than 4,400 Peace Corps volunteers served in Palau and the FSM under a single programme from 1966 to 2018, assisting both nations in obtaining grants for social programmes and infrastructure projects.
In the Marshall Islands, more than 140 Peace Corps volunteers served from 1966 until 1996.
The FSM officially requested the return of the U.S Peace Corps Mission to the Pacific nation in 2022. The Marshall Islands followed suit in 2023 and renewed its invitation this year.
“This letter of intent reflects the shared understanding of four sovereign governments that our people-to-people ties are worth strengthening, formally and deliberately, in the spirit of the shared history that already binds us,” Landau said.
“Each of our nations brings its own laws, its own institutions and its own processes to this effort,” he added.
Under the Trump administration, the Peace Corps has undergone sweeping changes, including a 40 percent cut to the mission’s staff and organisational restructuring.
Landau is serving a dual role as acting Peace Corps director and deputy Secretary of State, which is a break from convention.
According to the congressional think tank Legis1, the Peace Corps’ interim performance plan “is explicitly oriented toward advancing an America First foreign policy.”
Landau said the resurrection of the mission in Palau, the Marshall Islands and the FSM will “actively renew and further our engagement, and to give a new generation of Peace Corps volunteers the opportunity to serve in the North Pacific.”
He said the agency will consider factors including the health and safety of volunteers and staff, administrative priorities, programmatic alignment, agency resources, and host government engagement in its country assessments of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
The Peace Corps headquarters is requesting a budget of $430.5 million for fiscal 2027. In the U.S House of Representatives, Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry has proposed amendments to a U.S House appropriations bill that would chop off funding for the Peace Corps and other foreign aid programmes in the 2027 fiscal year.
The Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy to foster world peace and friendship and assist developing countries by providing skilled volunteers in areas such as education, health, agriculture, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment and community development…. PACNEWS
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: PMN PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Pacific campaigners: Indigenous knowledge must have a say in the deep sea mining debate
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN) — Pacific Indigenous knowledge must be given the same weight as other forms of science in the deep sea mining debate, Greenpeace says.
The environmental group says the rights of communities who hold that knowledge must also be protected.
Juressa Lee, a Cook Islands-Māori deep sea mining campaigner with Greenpeace Aotearoa, says Pacific communities have knowledge of the ocean built over generations that is often missing from discussions about whether mining should go ahead.
She says bringing Indigenous knowledge into research is not enough if communities do not control how that knowledge is used.
“I would challenge that when we talk about having sufficient information, that it must also be guided by the sciences and knowledge systems of the first people of the region, which has been targeted for a particular activity, in our case, the Pacific for deep sea mining because our ancestors, our people were the first stewards,” she told PMN News.
Lee says Pacific people have been voyagers and ocean stewards for generations with knowledge passed down through stories and cultural traditions.
“The first wayfarers. No one understands the Pacific Ocean over the length of time that our ancestors have.”
She says that knowledge is held by people in communities who are often not consulted.
“And when we talk about what others may call myths and legends, we may call pūrākau, for example, these were just vessels for that knowledge to be passed down.”
Lee says Indigenous rights must be protected when that knowledge is brought into formal research.
“Because having, you know, letting us participate and then using our knowledge is actually just, it’s theft.”
Her comments come as Pacific leaders and civil society groups gather in Palau for the Pacific Islands Forum with climate change, ocean protection, and development among the issues being discussed.
But the Cook Islands government says exploration does not mean it has decided to mine.
Prime Minister Mark Brown says the country has a strong regulatory system and will not move from exploration and research to extraction without more evidence.
“We need to have the answers before we move forward to extraction,” Brown told William Terite on Pacific Mornings.
Brown says the country’s approach is based on caution and evidence than rushing to take advantage of its seabed resources.
“It’s again a vindication, a strong mandate from our people, that the pathway we are taking – one of precaution, one of science, and evidence – is the one that they support.”
Moemoana Schwenke, a young Pacific climate campaigner, says meaningful youth participation also needs to go further.
The Sāmoan environmentalist and former Miss Pacific Islands says young people are present around the Forum but many are still shut out of the closed discussions where key decisions are made.
“I think it’s important to note that these kind of conferences and meetings are very closed. And if leaders do really want to meaningfully engage with youth, there needs to be more space for them inside these closed forums.”
Schwenke says young Pacific people need to be part of decisions that will shape the future they inherit.
“For my country, youth make up majority of our population. So, of course, they need to be involved in the decision-making and be part of the solution because the decisions made today are going to affect the world that they inherit, as well as their children.”
She says the Pacific’s climate reality must remain at the centre of those discussions.
“Climate change is not a distant future problem for the Pacific, and it’s already shaping our lives, our food systems, our oceans, our culture.”
Schwenke says the 1.5°C target is not simply a figure being discussed at international meetings.
“And I think we would also stress the 1.5-degree goal, and it’s not just another number. It’s reality. It’s our people. It’s our homes.”
She says Pacific communities are also bringing solutions based on their own knowledge and culture.
“Our communities have knowledge and our cultures have systems of stewardship. And I believe our culture is what no other external force can take away from us. That’s our superpower as Pacific people.”
Schwenke says countries that want to be good development partners need to support Pacific priorities.
“And if our development partners want to be good neighbours to us in the Pacific, they need to phase out fossil fuels, and they also need to back us in our priorities.
“In the Pacific, we do things collectively, and we live by Pacific values and Pacific ways of love, humility, respect.
“And our development partners, like Australia, like New Zealand, need to be on board, paddling on the same canoe towards the direction of a future that we not only survive but we can thrive in,” Schwenke said.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting ends on Friday…. PACNEWS
FIJI – REFERENDUM: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Referendum Bill to be ‘dealt with’ this weekend
SUUVA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — The Referendum Bill is expected to be “dealt with” this weekend as Fiji moves closer to establishing the legal framework for the country’s first referendum on constitutional change.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said he had not been briefed on the progress of the Bill but confirmed the Cabinet sub-committee overseeing it would be meeting soon.
“It’s going to be dealt with. Our people in the Cabinet sub-committee will be meeting,” he said.
The development comes as questions remain over the timeframe for the Bill and whether Fijians will have enough time to understand the referendum process.
When asked if the process was being rushed, leaving people not fully aware of the process, Rabuka said there would be time.
“They will have time. We’ll make sure they have time to look at all the things.”
The Bill will provide the legal framework for Fijians to vote in Fiji’s first referendum on constitutional change.
It remains before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights, with no clear indication of when it will return to the House.
Committee chairperson Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure told this masthead on Monday that he could not say when the committee would report back to Parliament.
He said the committee was still deliberating.
Rabuka has said the Constitutional Review Commission’s draft Constitution could reach Parliament during the September 28 sitting.
Whether a referendum question is included will depend on how MPs vote on the Constitution Amendment Bills…. PACNEWS
FIJI – ELECTION: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Election rules must be settled before polling
SUVA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FBC NEWS) — Election rules must be settled well before polling day to give election officials, political parties and voters enough time to prepare.
That’s the position of the Centre for Democracy and Dialogue, as Parliament considers proposed amendments to Fiji’s electoral laws.
CDD Chief Executive Nilesh Lal says the timing of the changes is important, particularly as Fiji is already within the constitutional window in which an election could be called.
“We cannot be changing the rules of the game too close to the game. Election officials need time to train, political parties need to understand the rules, and voters need confidence in the system.”
Lal says election officials need adequate time to understand and implement any new requirements.
He says political parties also need clarity on the rules, while voters need confidence that the electoral system is stable and predictable.
The Centre is citing international best practice which recommends that fundamental changes to electoral laws should not normally be made less than a year before an election.
CDD says while electoral reform is important, changes must be made early enough to allow all stakeholders to properly prepare for polling.
It is urging Parliament to carefully consider the timing and practical impact of the proposed amendments…. PACNEWS
PNG – ELECTION/MEDIA: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Media ethics vital during coverage of 2027 general election: Consultant
PORT MORESBY, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Ethical journalism must be at the forefront of media coverage during next year’s general elections, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) consultant Tjasa Slokar says.
Journalists from various mainstream media organisations this week participated in a series of training sessions on objective and ethical reporting on elections in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Bougainville.
The week-long training is facilitated by UNDP PNG in partnership with the PNG Media Council and funded through the European Union’s Transparency and Accountability in PNG Project.
“We had previous workshops on ethical reporting and with the upcoming general elections, the Papua New Guinea Media Council requested to have a series of training sessions on objective and ethical reporting on elections in the country,” Slokar said.
She said the training strengthens journalists’ knowledge and practical skills in reporting on election-related issues, including electoral integrity, transparency and accountability.
The training will conclude on Friday…. PACNEWS
SOL – DIPLOMACY: SUNDAY ISLES PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands Accedes to UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC)
HONIARA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SUNDAY ISLE) — The Solomon Islands Government has announced it is now a State Party to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC), following the formal deposit of its Instrument of Accession on Thursday (27th August 2026).
The Instrument of Accession was deposited by the Charge de Affairs of the Permanent Mission of Solomon Islands, Fiona Indu to the Chief of the Treaty Division of the United Nations, David Nanopoulos at United Nations headquarters in New York.
With this accession, Solomon Islands becomes the 195th State Party to the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime bringing the Convention closer to universalisation.
Accession to the Convention demonstrates Solomon Islands’ commitment to principles and objectives of the Convention, strengthening international cooperation and supporting global efforts to prevent and combat transnational organised criminal activities to protect it sovereignty and people. This is critical against the backdrop of the country and region becoming target for transnational organised crimes, particularly trafficking of narcotics/drugs.
At the national level there are ongoing efforts by Government are in alignment with implementation of the Convention, including the National Action Plan on Trafficking of Person, National Security Policy, addressing trafficking of narcotics, and the oversight mechanism under the Anti-Trafficking Human Trafficking Advisory Committee.
The Permanent Mission of Solomon Islands to the United Nations acknowledges the important work undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration, and other line ministries that contributed to completing the necessary domestic processes leading to Solomon Islands’ accession to this important Convention…. PACNEWS
FIJI – CLIMATE ACTION: FIJI GOVT PACNEWS 3: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Fiji strengthens nature-based approaches to coastal and forest resilience
SUVA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI GOVT) — Fiji is taking steps to strengthen the use of nature-based solutions to protect coastal communities, forests and natural resources from the growing impacts of climate change.
A new briefing paper, “National Policy Framework Assessment on Nature-based Solutions for Coastal Resilience and Forestry Sectors, Fiji,” has identified opportunities to better integrate ecosystem-based approaches into national policies, legislation and institutional frameworks.
The assessment was highlighted following a courtesy visit by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Director of Biodiversity Conservation and Fiji Office, Amena Yauvoli.
Developed under the Promoting Pacific Islands Nature-based Solutions (PPIN) Project, the assessment builds on Fiji’s existing strengths, including customary land stewardship and ridge-to-reef approaches to natural resource management.
It also identifies areas requiring further attention, including policy gaps, long-term financing and stronger coordination between institutions to support the wider implementation of nature-based solutions.
Recommendations include strengthening cross-ministry coordination, improving monitoring frameworks, supporting equitable benefit-sharing and ensuring local landowners and communities remain actively involved in the management of natural resources.
Strengthening these areas will support Fiji’s efforts to build more resilient coastal and forest ecosystems while promoting sustainable resource management and community participation.
The initiative also provides an opportunity for Fiji to strengthen its leadership in the Pacific in using nature-based solutions to address climate change and protect natural resources for future generations…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – VISA: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Marape discusses U.S visa concerns
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — PNG Prime Minister James Marape has raised concerns over visa bonding charges affecting Papua New Guineans travelling to the United States.
He discussed the visa bonding issue during a bilateral meeting with U.S Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and senior U.S Government officials on the sidelines of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Koror, Palau, Wednesday.
The leaders are in attendance of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) currently underway in Palau.
During the meeting, Marape urged stronger U.S engagement with PNG in energy security and economic investment and an understanding of the visa arrangements.
“PNG regards the U.S as an important partner of choice and wants the relationship to increasingly deliver practical economic benefits,” he said.
In August, the U.S State Department issued notice for Papua New Guineans wanting to travel to the U.S for business purposes to pay about K88,200 (US$20,000) to get a visa.
This as mentioned is not a travel ban, however, the nationals of visa bond countries may be issued visas as long as they meet the qualifications.
Despite this, the U.S continues to actively support PNG through targeted investments in education, digital connectivity and economic development.
Marape said PNG valued its friendship with the U.S but believed legitimate travel between the two countries should be made easier.
“We are friends, and friends should be able to talk very candidly.
“The United States must consider greater use of technology to manage its borders while facilitating genuine visitors from PNG.
“PNG will continue to engage with the U.S on the matter while strengthening the broader economic relationship between the two countries,” he said.
“We appreciate the frank discussions and look to advancing practical cooperation in energy, investment and trade.”
He said in reverse to stronger visa policies for Papua New Guineans, more American businesses are encouraged to invest in PNG.
“This is because we see a greater U.S private-sector participation and investment in PNG, particularly in energy, mining, petroleum and infrastructure,” he said.
Marape pointed to ExxonMobil and the PNG Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project as an example of successful U.S investment in PNG…. PACNEWS
SOL – DEVELOPMENT: SOLOMON ISLANDS GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Serbia look to turn bilateral ties with Solomon Islands into practical development gains
HONIARA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SOLOMON GOVT) — Solomon Islands and Serbia are moving to translate their growing bilateral relationship into practical development outcomes, with cooperation being explored in renewable energy, education, digitalisation, sports, tourism and community development.
This was the focus of discussions between Minister for National Planning and Development Coordination Peter Kenilorea Jr and Serbia’s Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Rade Stefanovic, during a bilateral meeting today in Koror, Palau.
Ambassador Stefanovic said Serbia had received approval to explore a bilateral development cooperation programme with Solomon Islands, with an emphasis on small-scale, community-based projects that can deliver direct benefits to people.
“Serbia is a small country but we have a sincere approach to helping our partners as much as we can,” he said.
Serbia has supported similar community-focused initiatives in other Pacific countries, including projects in solar energy, water and sanitation, and education.
Minister Kenilorea welcomed the approach, and he stated that Solomon Islands is seeking partnerships that deliver tangible benefits at the community level.
“The community-focused approach is particularly welcome. We are interested in small projects that have a direct impact on people and communities,” Minister Kenilorea said.
He said the Government would work with Serbia to identify projects consistent with Solomon Islands’ national priorities, particularly in areas such as energy and education.
Serbia also signalled its intention to contribute to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), adding to its support for Pacific climate resilience and sustainable development priorities.
The bilateral meeting also reviewed progress on existing agreements, including the visa waiver agreement and an MOU on political consultations.
Serbia has completed its domestic procedures for the visa waiver agreement and is awaiting confirmation from Solomon Islands before the agreement can enter into force. Minister Kenilorea undertook to follow up on this matter.
Both sides also expressed interest in activating the political consultations mechanism to strengthen regular senior-level engagement and follow through on agreed areas of cooperation.
Education remains a key opportunity, with Serbia offering scholarships in fields including medicine, engineering, information technology, forestry and agriculture. Serbia also offered to share expertise in digitalisation and e-government, drawing on its experience in developing online public services.
Sports cooperation is also being advanced, with both sides working towards finalising an existing sports cooperation agreement.
Ambassador Stefanovic further invited Solomon Islands to participate in EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, including through the Pacific Century Pavilion, providing an international platform to promote Solomon Islands’ culture, tourism, traditional arts, music and sports.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to deepen relations and turn diplomatic goodwill into practical cooperation that supports Solomon Islands’ development priorities and delivers meaningful benefits for its people…. PACNEWS
PAC – ECONOMY: SUNDAY ISLES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Solomon Islands, New Zealand Agree to Deepen Cooperation on Jobs, Skills and Economic Growth
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SUNDAY ISLES) — The Solomon Islands Government and New Zealand have agreed to deepen cooperation in areas that can create more jobs, strengthen skills and generate greater economic opportunities for Solomon Islanders.
The commitment was reached during a bilateral meeting early this week on the margins of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror, Palau, involving Solomon Islands’ Foreign Minister, Rick Houenipwela, Minister for National Planning, Peter Kenilorea Jr, and New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rt Winston Peters.
A key focus of the discussions was expanding skills development and vocational training, particularly for young Solomon Islanders entering the workforce.
Minister Houenipwela highlighted the GREAT Government’s priority to equip young people with practical and technical skills that can lead directly to employment and contribute to the country’s economic transformation.
The leaders also discussed strengthening and expanding labour mobility opportunities between Solomon Islands and New Zealand.
The Solomon Islands delegation welcomed the benefits of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme, which provides income for families while enabling workers to gain valuable skills, experience and exposure to modern workplaces.
Discussions explored opportunities to expand labour mobility into additional sectors, particularly primary industries, agriculture and value-added processing, where greater employment opportunities could be created.
Fisheries was another important area of discussion. Solomon Islands highlighted its ambition to increase local processing and capture greater economic value from its marine resources, with support from New Zealand.
The meeting also considered the potential of seaweed production as an emerging economic opportunity for coastal communities, including opportunities for women and families to develop sustainable sources of income.
Solomon Islands also acknowledged New Zealand’s continued support to the aviation sector, including assistance with domestic airport infrastructure and strengthening connectivity across the country.
Both sides agreed on the importance of identifying practical and commercially viable opportunities that can translate cooperation into jobs, skills, investment and sustainable economic benefits for Solomon Islanders.
Minister Houenipwela and Minister Kenilorea expressed appreciation for New Zealand’s longstanding partnership and its continued support to Solomon Islands.
The bilateral meeting reaffirmed the strong and enduring relationship between Solomon Islands and New Zealand, with both sides committed to expanding practical cooperation that supports Solomon Islands’ development priorities and improves opportunities for its people…. PACNEWS
FIJI – AVIATION: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 04 Sep 2026
Airports partner to elevate aviation skills in the Pacific
SUVA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji Airports Ltd and South Korea’s Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC) have strengthened their partnership with a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that aims to advance aviation training and professional development in the country and the Pacific.
Fiji Airports board chairperson Isei Tudreu and IIAC chief administration officer and vice president Ga Kyun Shin in Nadi on Tuesday this week.
Fiji Airports chief executive officer Mesake Nawari said the partnership represented an important step towards strengthening aviation capability, developing people and building greater resilience across Fiji and the Pacific.
He said the partnership reflected a strong alignment between their aspirations for aviation training in the Pacific and the IIAC’s expertise and experience.
“Aviation is a lifeline because aviation plays such a critical role in our region, we must continue investing in the people who make safe, secure and reliable air connectivity possible,” Nawari said in a statement. “Our ambition is to develop Fiji Airports Aviation Academy into a regional aviation training centre of excellence for the Blue Pacific.
“We want to create a centre where aviation professionals from Fiji and our neighbouring Pacific island countries can access high-quality, internationally recognised training closer to home.”
He said this partnership came at an important time as the Pacific aviation sector continued to evolve and demand increased for skilled professionals across air traffic management, aerodrome operations, aviation security, safety, rescue and firefighting, airport management and other specialised aviation disciplines.
Shin said the MoU would create opportunities to expand practical cooperation between the two organisations.
“Through this MoU, we look forward to expanding our practical cooperation, including customised training programmes and joint training initiatives for Fiji and the wider Pacific region,” he said…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific leaders put women at centre of climate action
By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
KOROR, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific Islands Forum leaders have adopted a new Pacific Pact on Gender and Climate Action, committing to increase women’s influence in climate decisions, strengthen gender-based climate data and ensure climate finance reaches women and communities on the frontline of the climate crisis.
The Pact, endorsed by Forum leaders at their 55th meeting in Palau, sets out a regional commitment to gender-responsive climate action as Pacific countries prepare for pre-COP31 meetings and the COP31 climate conference.
Leaders said the Pact would support the effective implementation of the Belém Gender Action Plan while recognising the different priorities, capacities and circumstances of Forum Island members.
The agreement focuses on three areas: promoting Pacific women’s leadership in climate decision-making, strengthening gender-responsive climate data and evidence, and advancing gender-responsive approaches to climate finance.
“Pacific women’s leadership, knowledge, agency and contributions” are critical to sustaining resilient communities, healthy oceans and sustainable livelihoods, the leaders said.
Women to have greater say
Forum leaders committed to strengthening women’s representation in national climate delegations, ministerial portfolios and climate governance bodies.
They also agreed to sustain a network of Pacific women climate negotiators to ensure continuity across international negotiations.
“We commit to advance women’s leadership and voice in climate action at every level,” the Pact said.
Leaders said women should also have a greater role in determining how climate responses are designed and delivered.
They committed to placing women in the governance of national climate finance entities and strengthening their participation in engagement with the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and other climate funds.
“We will carry Pacific women’s leadership into the ocean–climate forums where our future is decided,” the Pact said.
The agreement also recognises Pacific women’s traditional and Indigenous knowledge as climate leadership.
Leaders said women play a central role in community-level adaptation and hold knowledge of seasons, water, marine ecosystems and food systems.
“We commit to value this knowledge and leadership alongside formal qualifications and titles, and to ensure it shapes the climate decisions taken in our countries and our region,” the leaders said.
Closing the data gap
The Pact also addresses gaps in climate and gender data across the Pacific.
Leaders committed to build evidence based on Pacific realities while acknowledging existing data constraints and capacity gaps.
They agreed to develop Gender Country Profiles using a climate and disaster lens, with countries updating the profiles according to their own national timelines.
The Forum will also develop indicators that capture areas often missed by global data systems.
These include women’s adaptation work, traditional ocean knowledge, customary marine tenure and livelihoods linked to reef gleaning, near-shore fishing, post-harvest processing and coastal cultural economies.
Leaders said the data must be based on what is “measurable and meaningful” in Pacific communities.
The Pact also supports the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans, alongside regional cooperation and community-led initiatives.
Climate finance must reach women
A central commitment of the Pact is to ensure climate finance produces equitable and inclusive outcomes and reaches those most vulnerable to climate change.
Leaders said they would push for climate finance to reach communities and civil society organisations directly, including women-led organisations and women’s community groups.
The Pact recognises that these groups carry much of the everyday work of building resilience and often reach women beyond the scope of national institutions.
“We will press for climate finance to reach communities and civil society organisations directly, including women-led organisations and women’s community groups,” the leaders said.
Forum members also committed to tracking and verifying gender outcomes across multilateral climate funds, bilateral funding, private sector finance and other climate funding sources.
The Pact directs particular attention to coastal and reef-dependent communities, where many Pacific women’s livelihoods, food security and traditional knowledge are concentrated.
Leaders said adaptation finance must better reflect where Pacific women live and work and how they depend on coastal and marine resources.
Call to climate partners
Forum leaders said Pacific climate leadership could not be separated from the region’s responsibility to protect the Blue Pacific Continent.
They recognised women as custodians of traditional and Indigenous knowledge, customary marine tenure and resource management practices and said women play critical roles in ocean-based economies, food systems and community resilience.
The leaders are now calling on development partners, climate funds and the international community to recognise the Pact and the Pacific Resilience Facility as Pacific-led contributions to gender-responsive climate action.
“We, Pacific Leaders, call on our partners, on the climate funds, and on the international community gathering at pre-COP31 and COP31 to recognise this Pact and the PRF as the Pacific’s own contribution to gender-responsive climate action,” the Pact said.
The leaders said international support should align with the commitments that Pacific countries had set for themselves.
The Pacific Pact on Gender and Climate Action adds a gender dimension to the region’s wider push for stronger climate action, greater access to finance and community-led resilience, with Forum leaders making clear that women must have a greater role not only in responding to climate change but in deciding how the Pacific responds to it…. 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 nations unite to unlock climate finance and turn ideas into action
APIA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP) — With Pacific countries facing an adaptation finance gap estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars, officials from 14 Pacific Small Island States gathered in Apia this week to transform project concepts into investment-ready proposals capable of unlocking vital climate funding.
The four weeks training, running from 10 August to 04 September with its 3 weeks on the PCCC E-learning Platform had convene its final phase in person session at the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), brings together representatives from Offices of climate change, finance, private sectors and chamber of commerce from across the region. Participating countries include Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Naoero, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
The training is the third regional session under the Project for Innovative Solutions for the Pacific Climate Change Resilience (ISPCCR) which encompasses capacity building, sharing of knowledge and ideas and appreciating innovative solutions and pathways to framing project proposals. The ISPCCR Regional Project, a joint initiative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Government of Samoa and SPREP through the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) and leadership of Climate Change Resilience Programme (CCR).
Despite growing global climate finance opportunities, Pacific continues to struggle to access investment due to limited capacity constraints and difficulties in translating priorities into bankable projects. This training aims to take a step forward to bridge barriers by providing hands-on support to refine country-specific proposals with expert guidance from SPREP, JICA, Conservation International, KVA Consults and AJ Farming.
SPREP Director of CCR, Tagaloa Cooper, underscored the need for collective action, stating: “The scale and urgency of the climate challenges facing our Pacific require us to move beyond traditional approaches and strengthen the way our governments, financial institutions, private sector, development partners, academia, businesses, communities and other stakeholders work together. Climate finance is not the responsibility of one sector alone.”
She challenged participants to consider three things: “First, what can I take back to my institution and my country? Second, who can I continue working with beyond this training? And third, what practical action can I take to strengthen public–private collaboration and improve access to climate finance in the Pacific?”
JICA Resident Representative in Samoa, Shigeki Furuta, noted that while climate finance opportunities are increasing globally, accessing them remains complex, requiring “a strong understanding of funding mechanisms, effective coordination among stakeholders, and the ability to develop bankable and well-designed project proposals.”
He added: “This training goes beyond building individual capacity. It is about building relationships, strengthening regional networks, sharing solutions, and creating a community of practitioners who can continue working together long after this training concludes.”
During the launching of the in person session, participants shared what they hoped to gain from the week ahead, expressing anticipation for learning practical strategies to develop bankable proposals and better understand how to engage both public and private sector in climate action. Participants shared common ground, particularly those from government, while private-sector participants are beginning to explore how policies and guidelines can better integrate their roles and contributions into climate action at all levels.
Over the week, participants will engage in Modules covering climate finance architecture, accessing finance through public-private collaboration, and practical proposal preparation. Country teams will work intensively on proposal refinement with expert support, culminating in review panel presentations.
The training concludes with presentation of the proposal for review panel composed by experts from SPREP for feedback and certificate presentations. Three proposals will be selected to progress to JICA mentoring services for refinement and further consultation with government and private sector…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Don’t Mine the Moana: American Samoa rejects deep sea mining push
PAGO PAGO, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (GREENPEACE) — American Samoan community leaders, accompanied by Greenpeace USA activists, peacefully confronted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research ship Okeanos Explorer in Pacific waters off Pago Pago Harbor. The activists held banners that read “Don’t Mine the Moana” in protest over concerns that the ship’s efforts to map seabed minerals off American Samoa and test whether radon can help locate mineral deposits could be used to advance the federal government’s deep sea mining agenda in the region.
The proposed Nov. 19 lease sale of approximately 31 million acres of the outer continental shelf in federal waters near the territory is moving forward despite American Samoa’s moratorium on seabed mineral exploration and extraction in its own waters and the joint opposition of its executive and legislative leaders and congressional delegate.
Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, founder of American Samoa’s Finafinau Foundation, delivered a message of protest to the Okeanos Explorer by radio channel, stating: “American Samoa says no to deep-sea mining because the moana is so much more than a resource. It feeds us. It connects our islands. It carries our culture, our history, and our responsibility to those who come after us.
“Part of this expedition is focused on locating and understanding deep-sea mineral resources. At the same time, the federal government is moving toward leasing millions of acres of the seafloor around our islands for those very minerals. For us, those two things cannot simply be separated.
“The knowledge you help create can deepen humanity’s understanding of the ocean and strengthen the case for protecting it. But when that same knowledge is used to locate and characterise minerals for future extraction, we have every right to ask what purpose that science is ultimately serving. We stand in solidarity with communities from the Marianas to Hawaiʻi, California, Oregon, and Washington who have also said no to deep-sea mining and yes to protecting our shared ocean.”
The Okeanos Explorer responded, “We thank you for your message. And coming from Hawai’i and living in Hawai’i we understand the Moana. It is our purpose here to understand the oceans and what that entails from the ocean surface to the bottom of the ocean, and we are only here for research purposes only. It is to the politicians and the people who make the decisions to decide what they do with their oceans. We are only here for science as a whole. To better ourselves as a nation, to better ourselves as a community, and better ourselves as Ohana.”
Gov. Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula has warned that the untested extraction processes could harm the territory’s tuna-dependent economy. StarKist’s Pago Pago cannery — the last one left in American Samoa — employs roughly 2,450 workers and anchors an estimated 4,500 jobs territory-wide, in a territory of about 55,000 people. The territory’s stand echoes a broader regional wave: Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Kanaky (New Caledonia) and the Federated States of Micronesia have all called for moratoriums on seabed mining, and Māʻohi Nui (French Polynesia) and Hawaiʻi have banned it outright in their own waters.
Opposition to the proposed lease sales reached the courts on 19 August, when environmental groups in American Samoa and Hawaii sued the U.S government to halt the proposed sale, alleging that federal agencies failed to adequately assess the potential harm to marine ecosystems. The Okeanos Explorer expedition, which launched from Hawai’i earlier this year, was met with similar concern from native Hawaiians.
“We are being told to soften our concerns because this is ‘only exploration,’ but exploration for deep sea minerals still involves removing material from the seafloor, and it is being done for the purpose of determining whether and how commercial mining can move forward. Exploration is the front door to commercial mining. It is an unacceptable risk to our communities,” said Uisaina T. Collins, Finafinau board member.
Arlo Hemphill, Greenpeace USA’s Deep Sea Mining Campaign Project Lead, said: “The U.S has used the Pacific as a testing ground before, without permission, consultation or foresight of the consequences. Now, Washington wants the Pacific to pay the price again – this time for its misguided critical mineral agenda. How many more times must communities say no to deep sea mining before this Administration gets the message? People – not profit —should decide the future of the ocean.”…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
BoM forecasts strongest El Niño on record as research points to ‘alarming’ climate change influence
CNABERRA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE GUARDIAN) — The growing El Niño weather phenomenon to Australia’s east is already breaking heat records, with forecasts showing it will likely easily surpass previous events, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, as separate research suggested climate change had greatly shortened the odds of the event hitting record extremes.
On Thursday the UN’s weather agency said the event in the Pacific was continuing to strengthen and would probably persist until early 2027, warning it had the “potential to deliver a massive blow to communities and economies across the world”.
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, said: “El Niño is being supersized before our eyes. The science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up.”
In an update this week, the Bureau of Meteorology said the El Niño was now forecast to peak in late spring or summer and “reach levels above the warmest observed since reliable records began in 1950”.
El Niño events tend to mean hotter and drier conditions for Australia’s south and east in winter and spring, and can increase the risk of heatwaves, drought and bushfires.
El Niño strength is assessed by analysing sea surface temperatures in a region of the equatorial Pacific known as Niño 3.4. The bureau has said the strength of an El Niño does not necessarily mean stronger effects for the continent.
However, bureau analysis of the unfolding event suggested this El Niño had already broken records.
“We have been looking at the rate of warming observed in the last two months and it has been faster than any other event. Not only is it strong, but it has escalated rapidly,” said Felicity Gamble, a senior climatologist at the BoM.
Gamble said the relative sea surface temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region for the month of August were likely to be between 2.2C and 2.3C above average – higher than any previous August since 1950 (the year after which records are considered to be more reliable).
She said forecasts were suggesting relative sea surface temperatures in that region could peak over 3C above average, compared with the highest previous figure of 2.6C observed in January 1983.
Gamble said the relative sea surface temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region had warmed by more than 2C between February and July.
She said: “No other period in the historical record exceeds that. This is the first event where we have had that change exceed 2C in the space of six months.
“We could be seeing a record in terms of the strength, and also the rate of warming and the duration.”
Climate experts have said El Niño will likely combine with climate change to push global temperatures to record highs next year.
Gamble said in the Pacific region El Niño was already contributing to droughts in Papua New Guinea, with food and water shortages and major wildfires in Indonesia.
This winter was Australia’s third-warmest on record and the hottest on record for New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.
Scientists at the University of Melbourne have released preliminary research into the influence of climate change on the predicted peak of the El Niño. By analysing historical records and comparing climate models with and without the influence of greenhouse gas emissions, the scientists found climate change had made “an event of this magnitude” six times more likely.
The study has been submitted to a journal for peer review, but the authors said they had used a methodology common to many other published studies.
Dr Andrew King, one of the co-authors of the research, said: “This points to the fact that there is likely a climate change role here in the chance of having these extreme El Niño conditions. It seems likely there is a human fingerprint emerging in this event.
“We are seeing something that does not appear to have happened before and that is alarming.”
The bureau’s long-range forecast for September to November points to an increased chance of below average rainfall for the south and east, but above average for most of the continent’s western half. Temperatures are also likely to be above average south of the tropics…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS SPORT
PAC – FOOTBALL: FIFA PACNEWS SPORT: Fri 04 Sep 2026
New Caledonia: a historic first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ powered by collective ambition
NOUMEA, 04 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIFA) — The New Caledonian Football Federation (FCF) is set to write a new chapter in its history. On 7 September, Les Filles Cagous will make their debut at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup™ in Poland. This is the first time New Caledonia has qualified for a FIFA women’s global tournament at any age level.
This landmark moment reflects far more than a single qualifying campaign. It is the result of sustained efforts to develop football across New Caledonia, supported by FIFA through its programmes and initiatives.
Central to that progress has been the FCF Academy, comprising a women’s section launched in 2019 and a men’s in 2022, with support from FIFA and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), it was designed to bring together the country’s most promising young players, identified from the age of 13, through a scouting programme, and give them opportunities such as overseas training camps. That drive was reinforced later the same year by the introduction of FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme.
The academy has become an important pathway for New Caledonia’s national teams, supplying players to the men’s side that made its FIFA competition debut at the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017™, returning to the same stage in 2023 before the country’s first FIFA U-20 World Cup™ appearance in Chile in 2025. It is now serving a similar purpose for the young women who will represent New Caledonia in Poland.
“The Talent Development Scheme is undoubtedly one of the most significant FIFA-supported programmes in New Caledonia. Thanks to the vision of President Gianni Infantino and [Chief of Global Football Development] Arsène Wenger, it gives young talents around the world equal opportunities to develop, regardless of their background or the size of their association,” said FCF President Steeve Laigle.
“With FIFA’s expertise and support, we have strengthened talent identification, our academies, our competitions and our national teams. The programme has helped deliver historic results, including our first qualification for a FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, while giving more young people the chance to fulfil their potential.”
Julia Honakoko is one such player. A product of the academy, the young forward embodies the pathway the FCF has built. Last April, she became the first New Caledonian player to score against a team from outside Oceania, finding the net against Indonesia during the FIFA Series.
“The biggest lesson I learned at the academy is that talent can open a door, but only hard work, discipline and consistency allow you to remain at the highest level,” she explained. “I also learned that you never improve alone. A player may have great qualities, but she needs teammates, educators, coaches, officials, her family and everyone who makes football possible. Football is a team sport on the pitch, and it is one off it too.”
That collective mindset also shapes the work of the FCF and FIFA. “Through targeted initiatives to identify potential across the territory, FIFA helps us identify and support our young talents. This grassroots work is the real launchpad for our youth national teams, preparing the future leaders of our football with rigour,” added Laigle.
Through the FIFA Forward Programme, that progress extends beyond talent identification and player development. It is underpinned by stronger infrastructure and more competitive domestic competitions. The FCF Academy has been renovated to provide facilities suited to training, competition, and the development of both players and staff. FIFA Forward funding has also strengthened national football and futsal competitions across men’s, women’s and youth categories, while supporting national-team activities and overseas travel.
FIFA’s backing has also reinforced the administrative foundations of the game in New Caledonia. Through FIFA Forward, the FCF was able to build its new headquarters, bringing its operations together and strengthening oversight of football development across the territory. Inaugurated by President Gianni Infantino during his visit to New Caledonia in August 2023, the building also reflects FIFA’s desire to put firm structures in place at every level.
Laigle captured that long-term vision. “Thanks to FIFA’s strategic and financial support, we are building the future of the New Caledonian Football Federation step by step, from our tribal grounds and neighbourhood pitches through to our national teams and international competitions.”
For the FCF, the focus now is on turning these milestones into lasting momentum. “The New Caledonian Football Federation has an extraordinary pool of talent. With FIFA’s continued support and the commitment of our educators, volunteers and officials, we are continuing to build a growing, inclusive and ambitious football association,” concluded the FCF President…. PACNEWS
