In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific leaders call for urgent climate action in Taku Pakasoa Declaration
2. PACIFIC — Pacific Pre-COP puts 1.5°C, climate finance and ocean at centre of COP31
3. PACIFIC — 350.org urges COP31 to turn Pacific climate commitments into action
4. PACIFIC — Forum SG Waqa welcomes US$13.3m in new Pacific climate finance pledges ahead of COP31
5. FIJI — Three Fiji Police Officers in court over murder of fellow Constable Peniasi Racagi
6. COOKS — Cook Islands and United Nations sharpen focus on results and next priorities
7. FIJI — Fiji Military discusses proposed immunity provisions with Solicitor General
8. VAN — Howard Aru becomes new Ambae MP
9. FIJI — Fiji businessman Zhao denies U.S corruption allegations
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Deep sea mining could give investors a legal route to challenge climate action – experts
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Cook Islands joins Pacific push to protect traditional knowledge at WIPO talks in Geneva
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — ‘Age must never diminish rights,’ UN independent expert warns
13. PACNEWS DIGEST — Virgin Oil Coconut training strengthens livelihood opportunities for Vanuatu coastal communities
PAC – PRE COP31/TAKKU PAKASOA DECLARATION: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Pacific leaders call for urgent climate action in Taku Pakasoa Declaration
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Pacific leaders and partners have called for faster emissions cuts, greater access to climate finance and stronger protection of vulnerable island communities, warning that every fraction of a degree of warming increases the risks facing the Pacific.
The call is contained in the Taku Pakasoa Declaration, adopted ahead of COP31 following the Pacific Pre-COP31 meetings in Tuvalu and Fiji.
Taku Pakasoa, a Tuvaluan expression representing strength through unity and collective action*, brings together calls for stronger global action to keep the 1.5°C temperature goal within reach and address the impacts of climate change already affecting Pacific communities.
The declaration states that communities across the Pacific are facing the consequences of a changing ocean, with climate change threatening livelihoods, culture and ways of life.
“Today, the same ocean threatens this way of life,” the declaration states.
It warns that as global temperatures approach 1.5°C and strong El Niño conditions persist, every fraction of additional warming will accelerate climate impacts and increase the risk of irreversible loss and damage, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
The declaration calls on all parties to the Paris Agreement to accelerate collective action during the critical decade and ensure the 1.5°C target remains within reach.
“The science is unequivocal. Deep, rapid and sustained emissions reductions are required to minimise the magnitude and duration of overshoot,” it states.
It also urges countries that have not yet submitted their 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions to do so as soon as possible.
The declaration reaffirmed the importance of climate science in national and international decision-making, particularly the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
On energy, the countries reaffirmed commitments to accelerate the global transition to clean energy, including efforts to triple renewable energy capacity and double the annual rate of energy-efficiency improvements by 2030.
The declaration also calls for a transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems “in a just, orderly and equitable manner” and for action consistent with achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
Access to climate finance is identified as another priority, with the declaration calling for reforms to the international financial architecture to provide funding at the speed and scale required by vulnerable countries.
It calls for increased grant-based and concessional finance, particularly for SIDS and LDCs with limited capacity to respond to climate impacts.
The declaration welcomes work on the Statement and Action Plan on Access to Climate Finance for SIDS and LDCs, aimed at turning existing commitments into practical outcomes.
It also commends the establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility(PRF), which is designed to support regional resilience, disaster preparedness, adaptation and responses to loss and damage.
The declaration calls on countries with the capacity to contribute to the facility to strengthen support for community resilience and locally led climate action.
The declaration places the ocean at the centre of Pacific climate concerns, recognising its importance to Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Ocean nations and to Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
It highlights accelerating ocean warming, acidification, sea-level rise and marine biodiversity loss as interconnected crises requiring collective action.
The declaration describes the ocean as the planet’s primary climate regulator, largest active carbon sink and a key driver of global food security and weather stability.
It calls for stronger ocean science and action to limit warming to below 1.5°C to reduce risks to ocean currents and circulation systems.
The declaration also welcomes efforts under the UN climate process to strengthen the role of ocean solutions in climate action, including through the ocean and climate change dialogue and the second Global Stocktake.
The leaders further reaffirmed the importance of maintaining statehood and sovereignty and the associated rights and duties of countries facing sea-level rise.
They stressed the importance of States being able to maintain maritime zones established under international law despite physical changes caused by climate change.
The declaration also recognises the role of Pacific island countries in advancing the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion process, the UN General Assembly resolution on climate change obligations, and the Advisory Opinion of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
“In the spirit of Taku Pakasoa, this Declaration brings our voices together, in unity, resilience and power, as a call to action to address our shared challenges, protect our cultures and build our shared future,” it states.
Ahead of COP31 in Türkiye, the declaration calls on all parties to join the Pacific in advancing global climate action and implementation….PACNEWS
PAC – PRECOP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Pacific Pre-COP puts 1.5°C, climate finance and ocean at centre of COP31
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—The Pacific Pre-COP in Fiji has ended with Pacific priorities set to shape negotiations at next month’s COP31 climate summit in Türkiye, with leaders calling for urgent action to keep 1.5°C within reach, improve access to climate finance and put the ocean at the centre of global climate policy.
About 4,000 participants from more than 100 countries took part in four days of discussions, announcements and negotiations focused on energy security, electrification, climate resilience and the economic opportunities linked to the clean energy transition.
The meeting was designed to build momentum towards COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, and elevate the priorities of Pacific island countries in the global climate process.
Fiji’s Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, said the Pre-COP had delivered important outcomes but the focus must now shift to implementation.
“We’re very proud of what we have achieved this week. So many of these achievements are rooted in Indigenous knowledge, traditions of our custodianship working together with climate science.
“But our work is not done,” Tabuya said.
She said Pacific priorities going into COP31 were clear.
“We must achieve the following outcomes: keeping 1.5 degrees within reach, get climate finance into the hands of the people who really need it, and of course, putting the ocean in its rightful place in the climate agenda,” Tabuya said.
COP31 President-designate and Türkiye’s Minister for Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, said holding the Pre-COP in the Pacific was a deliberate decision because of the region’s exposure to climate impacts.
“It was intentional to choose the Pacific as the venue for the Pre-COP because this is the frontline of the climate crisis.
“We travelled to Tuvalu, heard firsthand what people are experiencing. We witnessed it ourselves,” Kurum said.
Kurum said Tuvalu had contributed little to climate change but was facing an existential threat.
“Science is clearly warning us the 1.5-degree target is in jeopardy. We do not have a single minute, a single day to lose.
“So, this 1.5-degree goal is a matter of survival — the survival of cultures, history, memories, your homeland, your homes — it’s that important,” he said.
Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who will serve as COP31 President of Negotiations, said the Pre-COP had given Pacific island countries a stronger platform ahead of the summit.
He said Australia and Türkiye had agreed from the outset to use the Pre-COP as a launching pad for COP31 and to give greater voice to countries that had struggled to be heard at previous climate conferences.
“Small island developing states best represented here by the Pacific.
“It’s something we have worked hard to deliver over the last few days, and it’s something that has seen the Pacific give COP31 the best chance of hearing their voice,” Bowen said.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said the Pacific had demonstrated how determination, cooperation and practical solutions could respond to the climate crisis.
“Throughout the week, this region has shown again how to meet danger with determination, innovation, cooperation, and practical solutions,” Stiell said.
He said COP31 must focus on turning existing commitments into action.
“This is what COP31 can and must do: Help convert promises into more real-world results,” Stiell said.
Stiell said improving access to affordable climate finance would be central to that effort.
“Every nation is now on the front lines of the climate crisis. Every economy is already getting hammered. Now, El Niño is upping the ante and supercharging these climate costs. But few nations have as much at stake as small islands,” he said.
Australia used the Pre-COP to launch the Global Rooftop Solar Pledge, becoming the first country to sign onto the initiative.
The pledge, developed by Australian community-based group Solar Citizens and sub-national governments, aims to see 300 million solar panels installed on rooftops globally by 2030.
Bowen said Australia already had one of the world’s highest rates of household rooftop solar, with one in three Australians having rooftop panels and more than 500,000 household batteries installed.
“Australians and people who are undertaking this journey around the world are prosumers — producers and consumers — of energy, and they are therefore so much more in charge
“The grid’s more secure. The household’s more secure, and everyone’s better off,” he said.
Australia also launched an Access to Finance Statement and Action Plan aimed at making climate finance faster, simpler and more accessible.
The initiative focuses on reducing barriers that delay climate funding reaching vulnerable communities, with other countries able to join the action agenda.
More than US$16 billion in climate finance has been committed to Pacific countries since the Paris Agreement, but more than US$5 billion remains undisbursed.
Ensuring existing commitments reach communities on the ground was a major focus of the Pre-COP.
The ocean was another major focus, with Pacific countries calling for it to be given greater weight in the COP process.
UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson, said Türkiye had committed to working towards an Antalya Ocean Declaration.
“Türkiye has assured us that it will work towards an Antalya Ocean Declaration that recognises the centrality of the ocean-climate nexus in the regulation of the planet’s climate and will support ocean-based climate action going forward,” Thomson said.
He said the message from the Pacific Pre-COP should be clear.
“Never again should Mother Ocean, the planet’s primary climate regulator, be consigned to the back rows of deliberations,” Thomson said.
Fiji’s Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo said the ocean could not be separated from climate policy.
“If you were designing the climate architecture from scratch today, would you leave out the planet’s largest sink of excess heat? And its largest active reservoir of carbon?.
“The ocean has absorbed around a quarter of the carbon dioxide that we emit as humans and more than 90 percent of the excess heat that we have trapped” Vosarogo said.
He said the ocean was paying the price for regulating the global climate.
“It is the planet’s climate regulator and the largest carbon sink active, and the reason the world is not already far warmer than it is. And it’s paying for this service with its health,” said Vosarogo.
The Pre-COP now moves the focus to COP31 in Türkiye, where Pacific countries want the commitments made in Fiji and Tuvalu translated into stronger global action and practical results for communities on the frontline of climate change….PACNEWS
PAC – PRE COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
350.org urges COP31 to turn Pacific climate commitments into action
By Pita Ligaiula
NADI, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)–Pacific climate advocates have called on Australia and Türkiye to deliver concrete action at COP31, warning that keeping the 1.5°C target within reach will require a rapid shift away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.
The call comes from 350.org Pacific following the conclusion of the Pacific Pre-COP31 in Fiji, where governments and climate stakeholders focused on implementation, electrification, climate finance and elevating the ocean-climate nexus ahead of next month’s COP31 in Türkiye.
350.org Pacific and Caribbean ProgramME Manager Fenton Lutunatabua said countries attending the Pre-COP had now witnessed the impacts of climate change facing Pacific communities.
“Leaders have come to the Pacific and witnessed the extent of the fossil-fueled climate crisis. They now carry that mantle of witness-bearing and accountability into COP31,” Lutunatabua said.
“But they also carry the standard that we’ve set as a region on a path away from fossil fuels.”
Lutunatabua welcomed commitments by the COP31 co-presidency on global electrification but said electrification alone would not protect the 1.5°C target unless it was powered by renewable energy.
“We commend the commitments of the co-presidency to the global electrification goal but maintain that any hope of keeping 1.5 degrees alive requires this goal be built by renewables, not the broken, expensive systems of the past,” he said.
He said Pacific communities had repeatedly called for stronger climate action and that governments must now act on the available science.
“There is unequivocal science, echoed for decades by Pacific people, that proves this is what is required of us. COP31 must be where you act on all of the evidence provided,” Lutunatabua said.
“We hope Australia and Türkiye live up to their ‘implementation’ promises, not only for the sake of the Pacific, but for the sake of our collective futures.”
350.org Türkiye Lead Efe Baysal said COP31 could not afford further delays in addressing fossil fuel dependence.
“As we look towards COP31 in Türkiye, there is no more room for complacency or empty promises,” Baysal said.
“The world cannot afford another climate summit that falls short on action.”
Baysal called on Türkiye, Australia and other governments to set out clear pathways away from coal, oil and gas and accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
“That means putting an end to our dependence on coal, oil and gas and accelerating a just transition to renewable energy,” he said.
“The science is clear, the solutions are available, and communities are already paying the price of delay.”
Baysal said COP31 should demonstrate that implementation means concrete action rather than further commitments.
“COP31 must be the moment when implementation means more than words, when governments turn their commitments into concrete plans to phase out fossil fuels and secure a safer, fairer future for all,” he said.
The Pacific Pre-COP concluded with a declaration calling for stronger action to keep 1.5°C within reach, improve access to climate finance and elevate the ocean-climate nexus in global climate negotiations.
The outcomes will now feed into preparations for COP31 in Türkiye next month….PACNEWS
PAC – PRE COP31/PRF: PACNEWS/PIFS PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Forum SG Waqa welcomes US$13.3m in new Pacific climate finance pledges ahead of COP31
NADI, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS/PIFS)—Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Divavesi Waqa has welcomed new climate finance commitments to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), as Pacific leaders push for greater access to funding for climate and disaster resilience ahead of COP31.
The latest pledges bring total commitments to the PRF to US$190 million, following Fiji’s US$10 million contribution announced by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during the Pacific Pre-COP31 in Nadi.
Denmark has pledged US$2.3 million and the Netherlands a further US$1 million, taking the latest new commitments to US$13.3 million.
Waqa said the new funding demonstrated Pacific leadership in developing regional solutions to the climate crisis.
“The Pacific has long been at the forefront of the global climate agenda, not simply calling for action, but advancing Pacific-led solutions
“The Pacific Resilience Facility is a clear expression of that leadership, putting Pacific priorities, Pacific ownership, and Pacific solutions at the heart of building a more resilient region,” Waqa said.
Waqa also acknowledged the continued support of Pacific leaders and development partners for the facility.
“I warmly welcome the continued leadership of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and members, as well as the vital support of our partners for the Pacific Resilience Facility,” he said.
The PRF has an initial capitalisation target of US$500 million and a longer-term goal of US$1.5 billion to support climate and disaster resilience across the region.
Pacific Islands Forum Leaders reaffirmed the PRF as the region’s pre-eminent climate investment priority at their annual meeting in Palau in September.
Established by Pacific Islands Forum members, the facility is designed to provide accessible, predictable and sustainable financing for climate and disaster resilience, with Pacific priorities and decision-making at its centre.
The latest commitments come as Pacific countries continue to push for reforms to the global climate finance system, including faster and more accessible funding for communities facing climate impacts.
The PRF is intended to provide a Pacific-led mechanism for channelling finance directly towards locally identified resilience and adaptation priorities.
With COP31 approaching, Pacific leaders are positioning the facility as a key mechanism for turning climate commitments into practical action in communities across the region…PACNEWS
FIJI – COURTS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Three Fiji Police officers in court over murder of fellow Constable Peniasi Racagi
SUVA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Three Fiji police officers charged with the murder of Lami Police Constable Peniasi Racagi have been remanded in custody with the case transferred to the High Court.
Simione Rokosemudu, Iowane Sukanaisoro and Ilisoni Waqa appeared before Magistrate Sufia Hamza, where they were jointly charged with one count of murder.
All three accused opted to be represented by the Legal Aid Commission.
The State applied for the matter to be transferred to the High Court in Suva.
Magistrate Hamza remanded all three men in custody, with the case adjourned to October 23, when they are expected to appear before the High Court.
The State alleges that the three officers, together with another person, murdered Constable Racagi following an altercation in February this year.
The charges were sanctioned following a legal analysis by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), in accordance with its standard procedures….PACNEWS
COOKS – DIPLOMACY: COOK ISLANDS GOVT PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Cook Islands and United Nations sharpen focus on results and next priorities
RAROTONGA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (COOK ISLANDS GOVT) —The Cook Islands Government and United Nations have reviewed progress under the Cook Islands Country Implementation Plan 2025–2027, with a focus on what is working, where challenges remain and what needs greater attention through to 2027.
United Nations Resident Coordinator for Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau, Karla Hershey, led the follow-up mission to Rarotonga.
At the centre of the visit was the second Cook Islands–United Nations Joint Steering Committee meeting for 2026, co-chaired by Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Elizabeth Wright-Koteka.
Eight UN agencies took part in person and online, alongside Government agencies, to assess whether support being delivered is making a practical difference.
UN support under the Plan is valued at around USD15.4 million across 78 activities. That covers 29 activities worth USD$4.4 million in 2025 and 38 activities worth USD$7.3 million in 2026, with 11 activities worth USD3.7 million currently budgeted for 2027.
The Committee agreed that this support be organised around five themes. People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. Under the people the focus will be on health, gender equality, labour market assessment and culture. Under Planet support will focus on climate change, agriculture and biodiversity. Under Prosperity, Peace and Partnership, the focus will be on policy engagement, linking tourism with agrifood markets, parliamentary effectiveness and national planning.
The Committee also identified emerging areas for consideration in 2027 and beyond, education, aged care, workforce development and tourism and destination stewardship.
Secretary Wright-Koteka said the partnership works best when both sides are open about what can realistically be delivered.
“If resources for an activity are uncertain, we would rather know early and plan together than find out at the end of the cycle. That conversation also runs both ways.
“As we look at the UN’s responsiveness, we also need to be honest about our own absorptive capacity and where Government may be the constraint, whether through approvals, counterparts, data or our ability to receive and sustain the support being offered,” said Wright-Koteka.
The meeting also considered who is benefiting from UN support, with Government emphasising the importance of support reaching people across the Cook Islands, including the Pa Enua, and communities that may have less access to services and opportunities.
The mission also looked ahead to the next Pacific United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2028–2032.
The Office of the Prime Minister will lead the Cook Islands contribution to that process, giving the Cook Islands an opportunity to shape the regional framework around national priorities and the lessons through the current Plan.
The focus now is on follow-through, with Government and the UN expected to confirm the key priorities, responsibilities and timeframes for the remainder of the current Plan. MFAI will continue to work closely with the UN, the Resident Coordinator’s Office and our own agencies to progress this work….PACNEWS
PAC – DEFENCE/IMMUNITY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Fiji Military discusses proposed immunity provisions with Solicitor General
SUVA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) discussed the proposed immunity provisions and their implications for institutional accountability and Fiji’s future stability during discussions on the Constitution Review Commission Report.
RFMF Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai Logavatu met Solicitor-General Ropate Green at RFMF Headquarters on Wednesday to discuss recommendations in the report affecting the military.
In a statement, the RFMF said it “raised observations regarding broader aspects of the Constitution Review Commission Report, including the proposed immunity provisions and their implications for institutional accountability and the future stability of Fiji”.
The statement did not elaborate on the RFMF’s position on the proposed immunity provisions.
Discussions also covered the proposed constitutional role of the military and possible amendments to the RFMF Act.
A significant proposal discussed was the establishment of a Military Court to replace the existing ad hoc General Court Martial system, alongside an independent Director of Military Prosecutions.
According to the RFMF, the reforms are intended to strengthen accountability and judicial independence while protecting the rights of military personnel.
They would also seek to preserve the discipline, command structure and professionalism required within the military.
The meeting provided an opportunity for legal clarification on the proposed constitutional and legislative changes and their potential implications for the RFMF.
“The engagement reflects the RFMF’s commitment to the rule of law and constitutional supremacy, while supporting a professional and informed contribution to the constitutional review process in the interests of the people of Fiji,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, former military officer and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sakiasi Ditoka says Chapter 10 of the 2013 Constitution, which deals with immunity, sits outside the constitutional amendment process following the Supreme Court’s advisory opinion.
In a social media statement, Ditoka said while 11 of the Constitution’s 12 chapters were now open to reform, immunity remained an exception.
“On Chapter 10, immunity, the Court’s opinion is that it sits outside the amendment process,” Ditoka said.
He said the Constitution Review Commission had heard from Fijians around the country and had also made its position on immunity known.
“The Constitution Review Commission has listened to Fijians across the country and made its views on immunity known,” he said.
Ditoka said the Cabinet Special Committee on the Constitution was now considering the Commission’s recommendations.
“The Cabinet Special Committee on the Constitution is now carefully weighing every recommendation, guided by the mandate the people have given us.”
The Supreme Court’s 2025 advisory opinion found that Chapter 10, including the immunity provisions, was not subject to the amendment procedure the Court reformulated for other constitutional provisions.
Ditoka said the wider amendment pathway now required at least two-thirds support from all MPs, followed by approval from a majority of those voting in a national referendum.
He stressed that the process did not give Government unrestricted power to alter the Constitution.
“This is not a blank cheque for any government. The bar is still high, and so it should be,” he said.
“Real change will need consensus across parties and the trust of the people.”
Ditoka said Fijians would be consulted again before any referendum.
“Parliament first. Then the people. Our Constitution, our choice, our future,” he said….PACNEWS
VAN – ELECTION/POLITICS: VANUATU DAILY POST PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Howard Aru becomes new Ambae MP
PORT VILA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (VANUATU DAILY POST)—The Vanuatu Electoral Commission (VEC) has declared Vanua’aku Pati’s (VP) candidate in last year’s General Election (GE), Howard Aru, as the new Member of Parliament (MP) for Ambae.
He filled the vacant seat following the passing of MP and former Minister of Health, John Still Tari Qetu of the Iauko Group, two weeks ago.
VEC declared Aru as the winning candidate based on subsection 8 (3) of the Electoral Act No. 16 of the Electoral Commission, which states that an MP who loses their seat can be replaced by the runner-up from the most recent election if the runner-up meets a 70 per cent threshold.
In the last GE, former MP Qetu secured 719 votes. His closest competitor, Jean Jacques Ngwele, received 607 votes. Under the Electoral Act, Aru secured 70 per cent of the votes obtained by Ngwele, who held the last seat in the Ambae Constituency, qualifying him as the replacement.
The new MP is a long-serving public servant. He has held senior roles in various Government ministries, institutions, and the private sector. He served as the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (VFIPA) and General Manager of the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
He is currently the First Political Advisor (PA) to the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) under Minister Simil Johnson, also of VP.
Apart from MP Aru, the VEC also declared Dickson Kui Mala from the Rural Development Party (RDP) as the winning candidate to fill the vacant seat for Ambae in the PENAMA Provincial Government Council (PPGC).
He replaced VP’s councillor George Vuti, who was among the victims of the MV Matui tragedy.
Before declaring the new Ambae MP and provincial councillor, Electoral Commission Board member Linnes Tarianga expressed sympathy to the families and loved ones of the two leaders.
She said the VEC had to carry out its work after a period of mourning by the families and formally announce their replacements….PACNEWS
FIJI – ANTI CORRUPTION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Fiji businessman Zhao denies U.S corruption allegations
SUVA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Fiji businessman Zhao Fugang has categorically denied allegations of significant corruption made against him by the United States Department of State, saying he was given no opportunity to respond before the allegations were made public.
Zhao, director of the Overseas Chinese Service Centre in Fiji, said he had written to the United States Embassy in Suva seeking full particulars of the allegations.
The U.S Department of State announced on Tuesday that it was publicly designating Zhao for his alleged involvement in “significant corruption” on behalf of China-based actors.
The U.S said Zhao had abused his public position by allegedly paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance China-based government, business and criminal interests.
Zhao rejected the allegations. “I categorically deny the allegations. They are unsubstantiated,” he said.
“Before the statement was published, no one from the United States Embassy or the Department of State contacted me. I was not told of any allegation and was given no opportunity to respond.”
Zhao also said he had not been questioned by any Fijian authority over the allegations and that no charge had been laid against him in Fiji.
The U.S designation means Mr Zhao and his immediate family members are generally ineligible for entry into the United States, according to the Department of State.
Zhao said he respected Fiji’s laws and would cooperate with any lawful inquiry by Fijian authorities.
“I ask the media and the public to respect the presumption of innocence and my family’s privacy.”
The U.S Department of State said the action was part of its efforts to hold accountable people who abuse power for personal gain and to combat corruption that it says fuels drug trafficking, enables transnational criminal organisations and threatens US interests.
The U.S Department of State is the executive department of the U.S federal government responsible for managing foreign policy, international relations and diplomatic missions….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: PMN PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Deep sea mining could give investors a legal route to challenge climate action – experts
NADI, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (PMN)—Pacific governments could face legal claims if they change environmental rules around deep sea mining, experts warn.
They say investor protections could make it harder for countries to respond to climate and environmental risks.
The warning was raised at this week’s Pacific Pre-COP31 stakeholder event in Nadi, which focused on Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), a system that allows some foreign investors to bring claims against governments through private arbitration.
Adam Wolfenden, Deputy Coordinator of the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG), says deep sea mining is a particular concern because the industry remains untested and governments may need to change their rules as more is learned about its impacts.
“Deep sea mining is not a climate solution,” he told the Investor Rights as a Barrier to Climate Action event.
“It will disrupt the climate-regulating systems of the ocean, including carbon sinks.
“For an industry that is untested and under-regulated, we do not know what the regulatory changes will be, but there will be changes. That sets Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) up as the perfect vehicle, or the perfect home, for deep-sea mining,” Wolfenden said.
PANG says investor protections can enter through investment treaties, private contracts, International Seabed Authority sponsorship agreements and national deep sea mining laws.
That could leave Pacific governments exposed if they later introduce stronger environmental protections, cancel permits or place limits on extraction.
Dr Sindra Sharma, International Policy Lead at the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN), says the issue goes beyond seabed mining and could affect governments trying to meet their climate commitments.
“We see two systems that are pulling in opposite directions,” she told delegates. “We have international climate litigation, and all the Pacific states have taken climate obligations to the highest courts in the world.
“On the other side, we have investment arbitration… where investors use bilateral treaties, free trade agreements and different charters, including the Energy Charter Treaty, to challenge the very measures that governments are taking.”
Sharma says the risks are growing as countries face pressure to move away from fossil fuels.
“Existing coal, oil and gas infrastructure has to immediately cease, and those regulatory acts, coal phase-out deadlines, extraction moratoriums, permit revocations, and others, are now subject to investor claims. That is where the danger comes in,” she said.
Dr Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, says the legal process can also make it harder for governments to know what claims they may be facing.
“Agreements and contracts can sometimes be used in offshore, private arbitration. These proceedings are not conducted like a normal court judgment. They are often conducted in secret, and sometimes the existence of a dispute is not even known,” Kelsey said at the session.
“That, not surprisingly, has what we call a chilling effect on government climate action.”
The warning comes as PANG highlights several ways Pacific governments could be exposed to investor-state claims linked to deep sea mining including through investment treaties, private contracts, International Seabed Authority sponsorship agreements and domestic legislation.
PANG’s latest report, “Beyond Treaties: How Investment Disputes Trap Pacific Nations”, was published on 01 October. It says Pacific countries face different forms of exposure as interest in deep sea mining grows.
Dr Patricia Ranald, of the Australian Fair Trade & Investment Network (AFTINET), says Australia shows that public pressure can influence how governments approach ISDS.
But Ranald warned the mechanism is still being used by fossil fuel companies and investors seeking compensation.
“It is a real threat to democracy because they are bypassing community resistance and court decisions,” she said.
The panel called for Pacific governments to reduce their exposure to ISDS through investment agreements, private contracts and deep sea mining arrangements while pushing for stronger international action on climate change.
The Pre-COP31 discussions in Tuvalu and Fiji ended on Thursday. COP31 kicks off in Türkiye in November…..PACNEWS
PAC – WIPO TAKS: COOK ISLANDS GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 09 Oct 2026
Cook Islands joins Pacific push to protect traditional knowledge at WIPO talks in Geneva
GENEVA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (COOK ISLANDS GOVT)—The Cook Islands has joined other Pacific nations in calling for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to be recognised as custodians and rights holders of their traditional knowledge and cultural expressions, at international negotiations in Geneva.
Foreign Service Officer Teremoana Fukofuka represented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration at the 53rd session of the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore, held from 16 to 25 September 2026.
The Committee was negotiating on proposed international rules covering traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.
These are knowledge practices, design, songs, dances and stories passed down through generations. For the Cook Islands, that includes our weaving, traditional medicine, carving and ura. When they are used without permission or benefit to the communities they come from, the loss goes beyond economic.
Working with Pacific delegations, the Cook Islands also called for customary practices, traditional governance and the realities of small island developing states to be properly considered in any future international protections.
“Sitting at the negotiating table, I kept thinking of our mamas who make tivaevae, our carvers, and the knowledge our elders carry. These negotiations can feel technical, but at their heart they are about making sure that what belongs to our communities stays with our communities.
As a law graduate, seeing international law being shaped in real time, and helping make sure Pacific perspectives were part of it, was an experience I’ll carry with me and I hope to keep contributing to this work for the Cook Islands,’’ said Fukofuka.
At IGC 53, countries continued detailed negotiations on draft texts covering traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. The texts developed during the session will form the basis for further negotiations in 2027.
The work also supports the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which places Pacific peoples, cultures and knowledge at the centre of the region’s future.
MFAI acknowledges WIPO’s support for Cook Islands participation and the Pacific Islands Forum Geneva Office for coordinating Pacific engagement.
MFAI will continue to work with the Ministry of Cultural Development and communities to shape the Cook Islands position ahead of the next round of negotiations…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
‘Age must never diminish rights,’ UN independent expert warns
GENEVA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —Older women around the world face violence, exploitation and neglect, yet remain largely invisible in the laws, policies, data and services designed to protect women overall, a UN independent human rights expert said on Thursday.
‘Invisible’ violence
Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls, called for urgent action by States to ensure that a woman’s right to live free from violence does not diminish with age.
“Women should not lose their right to live free from violence because they grow older,” Ms. Alsalem said in her latest report to the General Assembly.
“Too often, ageism and sexism combine to make violence against older women invisible, tolerated or treated as an inevitable part of ageing.”
She said older women are rights holders, knowledge bearers and active members of society, adding that their age “must never be used to diminish their dignity, autonomy or protection”.
Latest findings
The report identifies physical, psychological, sexual and economic violence as well as coercive control, neglect, abandonment and technology-facilitated violence.
It also outlines that older women may face exploitation when it comes to their pensions and property, digital exclusion, denial of healthcare or assistive devices and barriers to reporting and justice.
She said violence can occur in homes, communities, care institutions, prisons and crisis and conflict settings.
In addition, the report emphasises that older women may be excluded from services and data, while sexual violence against them remains under-recognised.
Respect your elders
Alsalem found that widows, migrant and stateless women, rural women, women with disabilities, women in institutional care and women affected by conflict and humanitarian crises are particularly at risk.
“Where an older woman is living with poverty, disability, isolation or dependence on others for care, we must be attentive to the pressures that can shape the choices available to her,” she said.
“No woman should be made to feel that her continued life is a burden simply because she has reached an advanced age or requires support.”
Alsalem urged States to:
*Explicitly recognise and address violence against older women in laws, national strategies and violence prevention and response programmes
*Collect age and sex-disaggregated data
*Strengthen accessible reporting, protection, justice and redress
*Ensure training for law enforcement, judicial, health and social service professionals ……PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Virgin Oil Coconut training strengthens livelihood opportunities for Vanuatu coastal communities
PORT VILA, 09 OCTOBER 2026 (SPREP)—Coastal communities in Vanuatu are gaining practical skills to turn locally available coconuts into a potential source of household income, following a four-day Virgin Coconut Oil production training held in Port Resolution and Lenakel.
The training, held from 20–24 July 2026, brought together 52 participants, including 33 women, eight men and 11 young women, from Lamkail in West Tanna, Iakupen, Ianawefa, Vatarata, Samua and Ienkahi. The activity was supported through the Pacific Ecosystem-based Adaptation to Climate Change (PEBACC+) project, in partnership with the Vanuatu Department of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Industries.
The training is part of planned activities for Port Resolution and Lenakel, where coastal communities have committed their coastlines to marine conservation. Virgin Coconut Oil production is being promoted as an alternative livelihood option while communities reduce or close access to coastal fisheries for conservation purposes.
The virgin coconut oil extraction training on Tanna is well placed because the island has abundant coconut resources, with smallholder coconut farmers forming the backbone of local supply. By combining their coconuts, labour, and knowledge, farmers can achieve the volume and consistency needed to develop virgin coconut oil production into a viable, community-led business rather than a scattered subsistence activity.
For participants, the training provided an opportunity to move beyond traditional, manual production methods and learn how to use specialised equipment to improve the processing of coconut into oil.
At Port Resolution, participant Jocelyn Namaka said the training had provided the practical knowledge and equipment needed to take their previous efforts further.
“We have attempted virgin coconut oil production before but without proper training from the Department of Industries and the process was slow as it was all manual. We believe that with proper training that we have now received together with the machines given to us, we can go one step further with this initiative.”
Participants were trained in operating the coconut grinding and oil extraction machines, with women actively involved in processing coconut, extracting coconut milk, and producing the finished virgin coconut oil. The final product produced by participants at Lamkail was bottled for potential sale.
The immediate market response was also encouraging. Samples of the virgin coconut oil produced during the training were sold out on the day, providing an early indication of local demand for the product.
For William Bani, PEBACC+ Project Country Coordinator with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the initiative is directly connected to the communities’ conservation commitments.
“The PEBACC+ project supports this initiative because the communities have committed themselves to conserving their fisheries resources; hence, we believe this will contribute to assisting their households with income, which would have otherwise been gained from the sale of marine resources.”
The training also generated strong interest among participating women, who expressed appreciation for the production equipment and the opportunity to develop their skills. Participants have committed to pursuing virgin coconut oil production in the coming months.
By linking marine conservation with alternative livelihood opportunities, the initiative demonstrates how communities can continue to generate income while supporting the protection and sustainable management of their coastal resources.
For communities in Port Resolution and Lenakel, the training has provided technical knowledge and equipped local producers with machinery, practical skills, and an initial indication of market demand, creating a foundation for virgin coconut oil production as an additional source of household income alongside their conservation efforts.
PEBACC+ is a regional project implemented by SPREP and funded by the Kiwa Initiative through its donors, the European Union, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), Global Affairs Canada, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), with co-financing from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM)….PACNEWS
For more information, please contact: Setaita Tavanabola, Communications Officer, PEBACC+ Project, SPREP; email: setaitat@sprep.org or visit www.sprep.org/pebacc-plus
