In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific Foreign Ministers push stronger nuclear language after China missile test
2. COOKS — Polling booths open in Cook Islands
3. PNG — PNG Government floats idea for visa reciprocity: PM Marape
4. PALAU — Chinese research vessels spark alarm in Palau after repeated incursions
5. SOL — AFP supporting RSIPF to combat organised crime in Solomon Islands
6. TONGA — Tonga’s Radio 88.1FM challenges proposed licence action and calls for due process
7. FIJI — Japan-Fiji Partnership for Environmental Protection
8. AUST — All-women East Timorese delegation welcomed to Canberra
9. PNG — Worst yet to come, says PNG National Weather Services
10. PACNEWS BIZ — U.S report says Samoa needs faster publication of year-end financial report
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Tonga tourism brand reaches global Skift IDEA Awards final
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa Cabinet instructs Ministry of Public Enterprise to review its Governance Framework
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Ginger exports grow as farmers urged to diversify
14. PACNEWS BIZ — Australian Poultry industry warned of devastating bird flu losses
15. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Indo-Pacific partners accelerating missile defence cooperation
16. PACNEWS DIGEST — Tonga advances Biodiversity Finance through the Policy and Institutional Review Validation workshop
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Pacific Foreign Ministers push stronger nuclear language after China missile test
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers will push for stronger language on nuclear issues in the 2026 Forum Leaders’ communique, with the move coming in the wake of China’s ballistic missile test into the Pacific in July and growing global nuclear risks.
Ministers welcomed the intention of Forum Members to develop stronger language on nuclear issues in the 2026 Leaders’ Communique, as progress on international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation remains stalled.
The Ministers also addressed recent missile testing in the region and called for a collective regional response based on solidarity and consensus-based decision-making.
They asked Senior Officials to develop a Leaders Statement on the recent missile tests, with the statement to be agreed and submitted for consideration by Forum Leaders at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau.
China’s July missile test was its first known ballistic-missile test into the Pacific since September 2024.
The Ministers’ discussions form part of wider efforts to strengthen the Pacific’s collective position on peace, security and nuclear issues.
Foreign Ministers are also calling for stronger regional action on nuclear legacy issues, including nuclear contamination, disarmament and the unresolved impacts of past nuclear testing in the Pacific.
Ministers noted the 2025/26 Report of the Secretary General on the Treaty of Rarotonga and progress towards implementing Leaders’ direction to operationalise the treaty.
They agreed to forward the report to Forum Leaders for consideration.
Ministers also welcomed progress on the Preliminary Independent Review on Nuclear Contamination in the Pacific, including contamination at the former nuclear test site at Runit in the Marshall Islands.
The review has renewed attention on the Marshall Islands’ engagement with the United States over the impacts of the U.S nuclear testing programme.
Ministers recalled the 2024 Leaders’ decision to support bilateral, regional and multilateral action to assist the Republic of the Marshall Islands in its engagement with the United States towards a just resolution of the U.S nuclear testing programme.
They recommended that Forum Leaders consider sending a joint letter to the United States based on information presented in the Preliminary Review.
Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the region’s longstanding commitment to addressing nuclear legacy issues.
They also reaffirmed continued regional engagement on the discharge of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS)-treated water and efforts to develop a long-term regional approach to nuclear-related discharge and contamination issues.
Ministers congratulated Tonga on acceding to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on 7 July 2026.
They noted that Tonga’s ratification completes CTBT universalisation across the Pacific region.
Ministers also endorsed the candidature of New Zealand’s Dr Penelope Ridings for re-election to the International Law Commission for the 2028–2032 term.
They further endorsed the development of the 2050 International Engagement and Advocacy Strategy as a framework to consolidate and streamline regional engagement, advocacy and partnership initiatives.
Forum Leaders are expected to consider the strategy in 2027…. PACNEWS
COOKS – ELECTION: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Polling booths open in Cook Islands
RAROTONGA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — Polling is open in the Cook Islands where 11,000 registered voters will elect their leaders for the next four years.
Voting stations open at 9am on Wednesday morning, Cook Islands time (7am Thursday NZT) and will close at 6pm.
There are 24 constituencies, 10 on the main island of Rarotonga, and the other 14 spread across the Pa Enua, or outer islands.
Thirteen seats are needed for a majority to form a government.
A total of 63 candidates were confirmed for the 2026 general election, down from the 71 who contested the 2022 election. This year’s lineup includes 49 men and 14 women.
With independents making up 20 percent of candidates, should no party claim the 13 seats needed for majority, the independents could hold the power over who forms government.
One seat has already been won this election, with Mangaia’s Ivirua candidate Agnes Helen Armstrong running uncontested as an independent.
There has been a delay in the Northern Cooks, as bad weather meant electoral officers were unable to get ashore in Nassau.
Officials have announced the island’s polling will be postponed to Thursday afternoon local time.
The local newspaper, Cook Islands News, ran a poll which found a majority – 50.5 percent – of respondents across the Pa Enua and Rarotonga identified the cost of living and inflation – including fuel prices, water and power bills, housing, transportation and consumer goods – as their primary concern.
Editor Rashneel Kumar told Pacific Waves last week that global conflicts, contributing to resource restraints and costs, have a flow-on effect on local customers.
“With the Middle East conflict, obviously, we have seen an impact on small island nations, and Cook Islands is not spared as well,” he said.
“We end up the supply chain, so we do absorb a lot of additional cost – and by the time the goods land here, the prices do have an impact as well as price of energy through the increase of petrol has affected the people.
“So cost of living obviously is number one issue.”
Water tariffs, seabed minerals and foreign relationships have also been heavily debated topics of interest…. PACNEWS
PNG – DIPLOMACY/VISA BOND: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
PNG Government floats idea for visa reciprocity: PM Marape
PORT MORESBY, 13 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — The Papua New Guinea Government plans to establish a policy of reciprocity in its visa arrangements with other countries, says Prime Minister James Marape.
Marape said that it was not directed specifically at the United States (U.S) which recently imposed a refundable visa bond of K88,000 (US$20,000) on PNG citizens travelling there.
But it will be part of a review of PNG’s immigration and visa policies in its dealings with other countries.
“If countries give Papua New Guineans Visa on Arrival, we will likewise consider giving their citizens Visa on Arrival,” he said.
“If they charge our citizens for visas, we will likewise apply appropriate visa charges.
“If they require Papua New Guineans to apply for a visa before travelling, then we will likewise apply similar requirements.
“This is not about closing Papua New Guinea to the world. We want more tourists, more investors, more business travelers and stronger people-to-people connections.
“But as our country grows and our international profile increases, our immigration and visa arrangements must also reflect mutual respect and reciprocity.”
A U.S State Department spokesperson said the USD$20,000 visa bond programme only applied to travelers visiting the U.S for business or tourism.
Marape described the U.S as an “important and longstanding friend and partner of PNG”.
“We respect its sovereign right to determine its immigration and visa policies,” he said.
“We will approach this matter respectfully and diplomatically.”
Marape added that for many ordinary Papua New Guineans, a bond running into tens of thousands of Kinas “is a considerable amount of money”.
Marape said the Government’s objective would be to understand the data and compliance issues relevant to US visas issued to Papua New Guineans and strengthen public awareness in PNG.
“A visa is not permission to remain indefinitely,” he said.
“The actions of a relatively small number of people who overstay can unfortunately have consequences for thousands of genuine Papua New Guineans,” he said…. PACNEWS
PALAU – DIPLOMACY: ABC PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Chinese research vessels spark alarm in Palau after repeated incursions
KOROR, 13 AUGUST 2026 (ABC PACIFIC) — In the final days of May, a Chinese research vessel ventured 74 kilometres into Palau’s waters and reportedly spent 14 hours moving slowly through the island nation’s maritime zone.
With a bow built to push through a metre of Arctic sea ice, the 89-metre icebreaker, Ji Di, might have looked out of place in the warm waters of the North Pacific.
Exactly what it was doing remains unclear to Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr.
“Their research vessels come into our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) uninvited and do whatever they want,” he said.
“What are they looking for, and what is the ultimate intention?”
Launched in 2024, the Ji Di was designed to carry out environmental monitoring and surveying to respond to climate change, according to Chinese state media.
Its fleet of unmanned drones and underwater vehicles can map the sea floor and collect data on everything from undersea minerals, ocean currents and marine ecosystems.
But security experts fear the vessel, and dozens of others like it, might also be gathering intelligence for a military purpose — one that could aid Beijing in the event of a future conflict over Taiwan.
The Ji Di’s incursion was not an isolated incident for Palau.
Similar incidents were reported in 2018, 2024 and 2025, while in 2023, a Chinese vessel allegedly operated near Palau’s fibre optic cable.
The most recent incursion, according to Whipps, came in July, a day after China launched a ballistic missile from a submarine that flew over multiple Pacific islands.
The ABC was unable to independently confirm the incursion.
“They’re surveying over the top of our fibre optic cable and they have gear in the water, so for us it’s a security concern,” Whipps said.
Sixteen Chinese research vessels have been deployed into the north Pacific this year, according to the Pacific Centre of Island Security — a think tank that tracks vessels and geopolitical activity in the region.
Jennifer Parker, an adjunct professor of defence and security at the University of Western Australia, said while some vessels would be used for “pure science”, the scale and location of China’s activities also suggested they could be gathering intelligence to conduct submarine and anti-submarine warfare against the United States.
“If you look at where Hawaii and Guam are, where US subs are based, and how they would operate across the Western Pacific, you can see why waters around Palau are important,” she said.
In 2024, an investigation by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies into 64 Chinese research vessels found 80 percent demonstrated suspicious behaviour or had organisational links suggesting involvement in advancing Beijing’s geopolitical agenda.
The study said China had developed the largest fleet of civilian research vessels in the world, heavily concentrating its surveys in the South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean.
The dual-use nature of research vessels can make their true purpose difficult to discern, because mapping the sea floor can serve both scientific and military objectives.
A 2025 study published in the journal Frontiers in Political Science noted that “unlike other countries, China doesn’t distinguish between ships operating for naval survey, scientific research, or commercial purposes”.
But director of the Pacific Centre for Island Security, Leland Bettis, said there were clues in the vessels’ patterns.
Bettis said the Ji Di was tracked in May following a pattern that suggested it was mapping the ocean floor near Guam along a corridor likely to be used by US submarines.
“It’s doing a lawnmower pattern, which is typical of oceanographic survey work,” he said.
“The fact it’s doing the lawn-mowing positioning directly off of Guam where US submarines are based underscores the potential for some of the dual use capabilities.”
A recent Lowy Institute report into China’s military said two of the main priorities of the People’s Liberation Army was developing the forces needed to invade Taiwan and deterring or defeating a U.S intervention.
As a hub for military operations in the Pacific, Guam is home to multiple U.S nuclear submarines and would likely be used as a staging area if the US intervened in a Taiwan conflict.
Bettis said Chinese research vessels could be trying to track the “signatures” of U.S submarines or even planting listening devices.
“Increasingly we’ve seen the use of drones and other submersibles that float around or [are] managed by an operator to collect information,” he said.
Parker, who is also a former Australian anti-submarine warfare officer, said understanding the sea floor was critical for operating and hunting submarines.
She said detailed mapping helped submarines navigate terrain like underwater mountains and trenches.
The shape and depth of the seabed, along with ocean temperature, also affects how sound travels through the water column.
“The primary way you detect subs is through sound — passive by listening or active by putting sound in the water and getting it to bounce back,” she said.
Marine scientific research in another country’s EEZ without permission is a breach of international law, said Parker.
But Palau’s options to stop China entering its territorial waters are limited.
In a diplomatic complaint to China, Palau said the incursion showed a disregard for its sovereignty and the “rules-based order” nations are supposed to follow.
Parker said China had been operating under its own rules in its efforts to map vast expanses of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
“It is uncommon to see countries conducting survey operations in another country’s EEZ without permission, and the only country I can think of that does this at scale is China,” she said.
China meanwhile has defended the activities of its vessels in the Pacific, saying in July an alleged incursion near the Japanese island Okinawa was “legitimate, lawful and beyond reproach”.
The ABC reached out to the Chinese embassy for comment.
Parker said as China continued to project power across the Indo-Pacific, research vessels would likely become a more common sight.
“China has been doing this more across the Pacific and Indian Ocean, including in places just north of Papua New Guinea, so I think we’ll see more of this,” she said…. PACNEWS
SOL – POLICE: AFP PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
AFP supporting RSIPF to combat organised crime in Solomon Islands
HONIARA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (AFP) — Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett is in Solomon Islands to reaffirm the enduring partnership with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and help protect the Pacific from dangerous illicit commodities.
Commissioner Barrett will meet with policing and government counterparts, including Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, and acting RSIPF Commissioner James Aitorea.
Commissioner Barrett’s four-day visit to the Solomon Islands will include officially handing over a Tactical Training Centre to the RSIPF and providing two maritime vessels to target and disrupt criminal groups attempting to traffic illicit substances through, and to, the Pacific.
The Tactical Training Centre provides operational capability, training and professional development for the RSIPF. The facility will strengthen the RSIPF’s ability to respond transnational crime.
It is a central hub for operational safety and specialist training and demonstrates the Australian Government’s long-term commitment to supporting the Solomon Islands’ policing priorities through practical capability development and infrastructure investment.
The two new vessels will help strengthen the RSIPF’s coastal and inter-island maritime capability and help strengthen regional security.
Commissioner Barrett said the AFP worked with the RSIPF to develop a maritime solution tailored to Solomon Islands’ unique operating environment.
“We know why this capability is required and needed, and part of the reason is because of the maritime illicit drug superhighway that runs through the Pacific,” Commissioner Barrett said.
“Illicit commodities being trafficked to, and through the Pacific, is Australia’s great national shame.
“And our trusted friends and partners have become the collateral damage.
“With that in mind, a great partner knows when to step up and take its share of responsibility.
“The Pacific Chiefs all have great resolve, skill and capability to target those who target us.
“This new capability will allow the RSIPF to seize illicit drugs and prove to the cartels that it is too expensive and too much of a risk to test our resolve.
“This is about how we design our own Pacific-led security and safety architecture.
“This is consistent with Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ vision of an Ocean of Peace where the Pacific family provides for its own security, as a shared responsibility.
“This vision is your legacy for future generations and proves how we can work together on tangible outcomes for a peaceful and secure region,” she said…. PACNEWS
TONGA – BROADCASTER: TALANOAOTONGA PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Tonga’s Radio 88.1FM challenges proposed licence action and calls for due process
NUKU’ALOFA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (TALANOATONGA)— Tonga’s 88.1FM Letio ‘a e Kakai says it will defend its broadcasting licences through the legal process after being notified that the Communications Commission is considering suspending or revoking them.
In a statement dated 10 August, Takiama Companies Ltd, the operator of 88.1FM, said it had received a notification from the Commission concerning its Network Operator Licence and FM Radio Transmitter Licence.
The station said it would respond fully and in writing within the period allowed, rather than debating the matter over the airwaves.
It also said it had asked the Commission to identify the specific words considered defamatory and the people allegedly affected.
88.1FM said it had preserved the complete recording of a broadcast made on 5 August and was prepared to correct any factual error if one could be demonstrated.
It also invited Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua, Deputy Prime Minister and any Cabinet minister who believed they had been affected to appear on the station or have a statement broadcast in full and without editing.
The response followed a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office rejecting what it described as false and misleading allegations broadcast by 88.1FM and circulated online.
The Government also expressed concern about the use of the name and authority of His Majesty King Tupou VI and members of the Royal Family in political statements.
The station questioned the timing of the regulatory notification, noting that both the Commission’s notice and the Prime Minister’s Office statement were dated 10 August.
It has written to the Commission asking it to confirm that its process is independent, citing Section 22 of the Communications Act 2015.
88.1FM also referred to Clause 7 of Tonga’s Constitution, which protects freedom of speech and the press, and said it would continue serving its listeners while responding through the formal process…. PACNEWS
FIJI – ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Japan-Fiji Partnership for Environmental Protection
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Japan has handed Fiji a vessel, trucks, and oil-response equipment valued at JPY100 million (FJD$1.6 million), in a move aimed at strengthening the Pacific nation’s ability to respond to major maritime pollution incidents.
The handover reflects a wider effort by Pacific countries and development partners to improve disaster preparedness as island states face growing environmental and economic risks from climate change, extreme weather and increased activity across the region’s waters.
The equipment is designed to help Fiji respond quickly to oil spills by absorbing and containing oil before it spreads through coastal waters, damages marine ecosystems, or disrupts fishing, tourism, and other economic activities.
“The handover will, I hope, really enhance the preparedness and capability of Fiji in case of a disastrous oil spill,” said Japan Ambassador to Fiji Tajima Hiroshi.
The official said a major spill could have consequences extending well beyond the immediate environmental damage, creating “a long-lasting effect on the prosperity and economy of the people.”
The assistance follows Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s visit to Japan last November, when the two governments signed a memorandum or declaration establishing the Lomavata Kizuna Partnership. The partnership includes cooperation on climate change, disaster prevention and preparedness.
Planning for the equipment began three years ago. The response vessel was built in Japan before being transported to Fiji, a process that delayed the formal handover but enabled the two governments to develop the project jointly.
The Japanese representative described the support as part of a continuing partnership rather than a one-off transfer. Japan will provide training to help Fijian personnel use the equipment, while responsibility for maintenance, spare parts and operating costs will remain with the Fijian government.
“Since it’s assistance from Japan, we are always ready to assist in any way that is required by the Fijian side,” TAJIMA said. “It’s a two-way collaboration in order to fully utilise this important material.”
For Fiji, the equipment provides additional capacity to deal with a risk that can quickly overwhelm small island states. Oil spills can spread across large areas of ocean and reach coastlines, reefs and mangroves before local authorities have time to mobilise sufficient resources.
The handover also carries a broader regional message. Pacific island governments have welcomed development assistance from major powers but have increasingly emphasised that cooperation must respond to priorities identified by Pacific countries themselves, rather than being driven solely by geopolitical competition.
Japan has sought to position its engagement through the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, known as PALM, which it has hosted for more than 30 years. The 11th PALM meeting is scheduled to take place in Yokohama during the northern summer next year.
According to Tajima, successive PALM meetings have identified climate change, environmental protection, disaster prevention and preparedness as common priorities for Japan and Pacific Island countries, including Fiji.
“The partnership was intended to help build “a safer and peaceful environment and region” through cooperation agreed with Pacific governments.”
The issue of responsibility for oil spills involving Japanese-linked vessels was also raised at the ceremony.
When asked how Japan would respond if a Japanese-owned or Japanese-operated vessel caused a major spill in Pacific waters, the ambassador declined to comment on a specific future scenario but said Japanese companies would generally be expected to take responsibility for resolving the incident.
“If that kind of a major incident or accident occurs, then the Japanese companies would take full responsibility for solving the situation,” he said. If necessary, the Japanese government would also become involved, TAJIMA added.
Japan and Fiji share the Pacific Ocean, the official said, meaning that a maritime accident in the region could affect both countries’ environmental and economic interests. The new equipment will not remove the risk of oil spills, but it gives Fiji a faster first response, a critical capability in a region where distance, limited infrastructure and the scale of the ocean can make outside assistance slow to arrive…. PACNEWS
AUST – DIPLOMACY: AAP PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
All-women East Timorese delegation welcomed to Canberra
CANBERRA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (AAP) — An all-female delegation from East Timor has visited Canberra and made history by sitting on the floor of Parliament House.
House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick extended a warm welcome to the delegation on Wednesday.
“[It’s] the first time a president of the assembly has ever sat on the floor of our parliament,” Dick said during Question Time.
Maria Fernanda Lay in 2023 became the first woman to hold the role of speaker in in the national parliament of East Timor.
Lay led the delegation and met with Senate President Sue Lines after sitting in on Question Time in the upper house.
Senator Lines said it was an honour to welcome the representatives to Canberra.
“Australia and Timor-Leste share a long history, with deep respect and friendship between our peoples.
“This is the first time an all-women parliamentary delegation has been invited as a guest of the Australian parliament, following an all-women Australian parliamentary delegation to Timor-Leste earlier this year,” Senator Lines said in a statement.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the capital of Dili in January to sign the Parseria joint declaration and address the East Timorese parliament…. PACNEWS
PNG – WEATHER WATCH: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 2: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Worst yet to come, says PNG National Weather Services
PORT MORESBY, 13 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — While parts of the country are already experiencing dry conditions, the National Weather Services (NWS) says the peak period between October and November is yet to come.
NWS assistant director Benjamin Malai told The National that rain over the weekend in some parts of the country is not enough for crops and water sources.
“When we say El Nino, it doesn’t mean that there will not be any rainfall at all.
“What we are referring to is the El Nino event will impact the rainfall,” Malai explained.
“Meaning some areas in the country will experience less rainfall than what it normally receives.”
Malai said May to October is the usual dry season, but parts of the country will still receive rain.
“In a normal year, we receive about 500mm of rain and during El Nino, it will be about or less than half of 500mm,” he said.
He also said that during the dry conditions, provinces will experience shortage of water, food, prices will increase, and there will be cracks in the ground.
“These cracks are normal and this is because the ground does not have moisture and it depends on where these cracks are,” he said.
“If these cracks are on flat land, then it’s nothing of serious concern unless it’s a slope or mountain that may be a dangerous area when rain falls.”
Malai said the rain is not a one-off thing rain will still come but less or in other provinces.
He said according to analysis, Western will receive very less or no rain at all in the next few months, same for National Capital District.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Centre is urging people to use water wisely, grow smart, improve irrigation, and protect the environment…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
SAMOA – FINANCIAL REPORT: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
U.S report says Samoa needs faster publication of year-end financial report
WASHINGTON/APIA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS) — Samoa has met key fiscal transparency requirements but needs to improve the timely publication of its end-of-year financial report, according to the 2026 Fiscal Transparency Report by the United States Department of State.
The report found that Samoa made its executive budget proposal and enacted budget available to the public within a reasonable period during the review period.
However, it said Samoa did not publish its end-of-year report in a timely manner.
The report found that documents published by the government were generally reliable and that information on public debt obligations, including major debt held by state-owned enterprises, was publicly available.
Samoa also disclosed allocations to and earnings from state-owned enterprises, while all off-budget accounts were disclosed.
The report said the country’s supreme audit institution met international standards for independence and had access to the entire executed budget.
However, publication of recent audits was still pending parliamentary approval.
The government was also found to have published accessible information on public procurement contracts.
The State Department identified one key step Samoa could take to strengthen fiscal transparency:
“Making its end-of-year report publicly available within a reasonable period.”
The report assesses the transparency of governments’ public finances and focuses on whether citizens and institutions have access to reliable and timely information on government revenues, spending, debt and public fiscal management…. PACNEWS
TONGA – TOURISM INDUSTRY: TALANOAOTONGA PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Tonga tourism brand reaches global Skift IDEA Awards final
NUKU’ALOFA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (TALANOAOTONGA) — Tonga’s refreshed national tourism brand has been named a finalist in the 2026 Skift IDEA Awards, placing the Pacific kingdom among contenders being recognised for innovation in travel and tourism.
The “Kingdom of Tonga: The Friendly Islands” brand was developed by the Tonga Tourism Authority (TTA) with New Zealand agency Tomahawk and launched in October 2025.
Tonga Tourism says the project was built through extensive research and consultation designed to ensure the brand reflected Tongan voices and values.
The process included a survey of 2,000 international respondents, 5,497 qualitative responses, 15 workshops across four islands involving more than 400 people, and 19 interviews with government and church leaders, community elders, families and Royal Family representatives.
The research identified four principles, known as the Fa Kavei Koula, as foundations for the brand: faka’apa’apa (respect), anga fakatokilalo or lototo (humility), tauhi vaha’a or va (maintaining relationships), and mamahi’i me’a (loyalty and passion).
Tonga Tourism General Manager Teisa Fifita-Tupou said the finalist recognition was a significant milestone and reflected a brand shaped by local people and validated by international visitors.
Tomahawk reports measurable gains following the rebrand, including a 178 percent increase in website users, 46 percent growth in organic traffic and a 53 percent rise in user engagement. It also reported agent bookings increasing by 63.8 percent and booking value by 103.5 percent.
The Skift IDEA Awards recognise innovation across the global travel industry for innovation and impact. The 2026 winner is due to be announced on 26 August…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – PUBLIC ENTERPRISE: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Samoa Cabinet instructs Ministry of Public Enterprise to review its Governance Framework
APIA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA) — Samoa Cabinet has instructed the Ministry of Public Enterprises (MPE) to review its governance framework and law, to lift the services of Government Corporations to the people of Samoa.
This was revealed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo who is also the Minister of MPE at the official launch of the first ever Samoa Public Enterprise Forum in Apia.
Mulipola said MPE had tabled its 2025 budget report and the quarterly report from March 2026 in Cabinet last week. However, it was noted that there is not much information for Cabinet to understand the status of all Government Ministries and Corporations hence the instruction for a review.
She said Cabinet should have the complete budget report of all Ministries and Corporations.
The Minister said the two-day workshop will assist all Government ministries and corporations understand their responsibilities and services, but mostly to connect and establish communication between all Government corporations.
Secretary of the Public Service Commission, Aotumua Tikeri and CEO of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Agafili Shem Leo attending the two-day Forum.
MPEs role is to its policies and guidelines and also monitor the outcome of corporations’ service and budget especially when Government relies on the corporations to deliver various development projects.
The two-day workshop will identify all aspects needed for the improvement of corporations’ responsibilities, performance and service delivery.
Mulipola also said Cabinet has noted that there are no connection and communication between the corporations’ Boards and the Chief Executive Officer, management and even with the Minister responsible.
MPE’s Chief Executive Officer, Tooala Elita Tooala said all the 26 Government Corporations will present and clarify their roles and policies that guide their service delivery and performance to Government and the public.
The Prime Minister, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt will address the Ministries and Corporations tomorrow where he will speak on the Governments manifesto so all will be clear and understand the Government’s development plan as incorporated in the 2026/2031 Pathway for Development…. PACNEWS
FIJI – AGRICULTURE: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Ginger exports grow as Fiji farmers urged to diversify
SUVA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji’s green and mature ginger exports are performing strongly this year, prompting the Government to encourage more farmers to take advantage of growing export demand.
Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna said both green and mature ginger had performed well in export markets, contributing to Fiji’s export earnings.
Tunabuna said the strong performance reflected growing demand and presented an opportunity for more farmers to enter ginger production.
He encouraged farmers to diversify into high-demand crops rather than relying on a single commodity.
Tunabuna said agricultural commodities continued to perform well and believed intercropping offered farmers greater income opportunities.
He said monocropping was not financially sustainable and that diversifying into high-demand crops and vegetables could improve farm incomes.
“We encourage farmers to diversify into crops and vegetables that have a strong market for sale and marketing,” he said.
Tunabuna said kava exports also continued to perform strongly, remaining one of Fiji’s highest-earning agricultural commodities.
He said increasing international demand had enabled exporters to maintain strong export earnings.
New Zealand, Australia and the United States remain Fiji’s key export markets for kava.
However, Tunabuna said green yaqona plant theft continued to affect farmers supplying exporters, with years of hard work often lost in a single night.
He noted that Taveuni had been particularly affected by yaqona theft in recent years, although Police had managed to contain and reduce such offences…. PACNEWS
AUST – BIRD FLU STRAIN: AAP PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 13 Aug 2026
Australian Poultry industry warned of devastating bird flu losses
MELBOURNE, 13 AUGUST 2026 (AAP) — Genetic similarities had been found between the U.S virus and the H5 mutation ravaging the southern hemisphere’s wildlife, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness scientist Frank Wong said.
The deadly strain has hit Australian shores with a total of almost 300 infections confirmed on Wednesday, a day after the federal government rolled out vaccines for captive populations of threatened birds.
Losses have exceeded 200 million across the U.S and Puerto Rico since the outbreak hit in 2022, accounting for about three-quarters of total domestic poultry loss, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
It would be almost impossible to stop the virus from causing a similar scale of devastation for Australia’s poultry industry once the deadly strain was established, Dr Wong said.
“Chickens in general are very susceptible to highly pathogenic bird flu viruses,” he told a CSIRO briefing on Wednesday.
“We want the industry to be aware and do the best it can, in terms of biosecurity and other strategies that are in place to minimise the interaction between wild birds and poultry flocks.”
Debbie Eagles, also from the Centre for Disease Preparedness, said a range of vaccines had been used for poultry including some manufactured in Australia for previous outbreaks.
No poultry vaccine was currently being manufactured in Australia, Dr Eagles said.
There have been no confirmed H5 cases in the Australian poultry industry.
The national bird flu tally blew out to 285 with another 49 cases confirmed on Wednesday.
All of them were wild seabirds in South Australia including 39 greater crested terns, six silver gulls and four pacific gulls, the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed.
Organisers of the Melbourne Royal Show said the decision to cancel this year’s poultry competition followed consultation with Agriculture Victoria and the chief veterinary officer.
“Melbourne Royal is grateful for the time and efforts our poultry exhibitors have put into their preparations for this year’s Show and greatly appreciate their understanding and continued support,” executive general manager Hannah von Bibra said.
More than 5000 penguins on Phillip Island and in St Kilda will be vaccinated from early next week, the Victorian government said.
Phillip Island’s “penguin parade”, when the birds waddle from the sea to return to their burrows after dark, is a major tourist attraction in Victoria.
“We can’t stop H5 bird flu circulating in wild birds, but we can take practical steps to protect vulnerable species like our little penguins from its impacts,” Environment Minister Jaclyn Symes said on Wednesday.
A leading ecologist has queried why vulnerable mammals including Tasmanian devils and sea lions had not been prioritised in the vaccine trials.
Deakin University wildlife ecology expert Euan Ritchie told AAP it was regrettable there was no vaccine available for Australian mammals.
“We have species like the Tasmanian devil, many quoll species, and of course the Australian sea lion and other marine mammals, which we think potentially are highly vulnerable,” said Professor Ritchie, who is also the Australian Mammal Society president.
“Many of those could be trapped and vaccinated in the wild, and it’s regrettable that that’s not been made a priority.”
Australia has the highest rate of mammalian extinction in the world, having lost about 10 percent since European colonisation.
Dr Wong said while H5 remained an avian-adapted virus, there had been spillover infections to 55 different mammalian species around the world.
He said most of the infections involved scavengers or predatory species.
The endangered Tasmanian devil is an apex mammalian predator and a noted scavenger.
“These animals feed on sick and infected birds and then become infected themselves,” Dr Wong said.
Domestic animals, livestock and pets including dogs, cats, rats and cattle can also be infected, as well as humans.
The threat to human health remained low, Dr Wong 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
Indo-Pacific partners accelerating missile defence cooperation
HAMILTON, 13 AUGUST 2026 (INDO PACIFIC DEFENCE FORUM) — Allies and Partners increasingly are cooperating on missile defence capabilities, an initiative underscored by China’s destabilising test-launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) into South Pacific waters.
“The Indo-Pacific region is so large, no single partner can possibly hope to maintain the whole range of systems necessary to defend it alone,” Mike Bosack, founder of the Parley Policy Institute, an Australia-based think tank, told FORUM.
He highlighted three complementary approaches that partners are pursuing: maximising information-sharing, fielding interoperable systems, and coordinating operational designs so potential coverage gaps can be closed and response times shortened collectively. “It is easier for partners to create an effective shield if they work together,” he said.
Beijing’s SLBM launch toward waters between the Pacific Island Countries of Naoero, formerly known as Nauru, and Tonga in early July 2026 drew international condemnation, including from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States. Officials said the South Pacific should not be used as a missile testing ground.
China notified Japan and the U.S of the test just a few hours before the launch and Australia less than a day before, according to the U.S-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies. That falls short of the standard 24-hour notification under the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, a widely recognised protocol that Beijing has not signed.
The test, which was China’s first SLBM fired into international waters, came as Australia and Fiji signed a mutual defence pact and during the U.S Pacific Fleet’s multinational RIMPAC exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The timing indicates strategic signaling rather than routine training, analysts say, an interpretation reinforced by the test coinciding with a China-Russia naval exercise.
In late May 2026, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S Secretary of War Pete Hegseth agreed to accelerate alliance initiatives, including proposed missile codevelopment and coproduction. The leaders also endorsed a trilateral networked air and missile defence architecture with Australia to respond to regional threats.
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Growing interoperability was demonstrated during the Balikatan 2026 exercise in the Philippines, with the debut of a U.S-developed mission network that linked forces from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines and the U.S Leaders said the drills marked the network’s first operational use as a primary command and control system, strengthening the trust and interoperability needed to respond to regional crises.
Bosack emphasised the importance of such initiatives. “When an enemy missile is inbound, it is not the time to test an integrated missile defence network,” he said.
The emergence of hypersonic weapons, which can travel more than 6,000 kilometers per hour and maneuver throughout flight, making them harder to detect and intercept, is further fueling collaboration among Allies and Partners. That includes greater investment in missile defence systems, such as the U.S-developed Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, alongside shared early-warning networks now taking shape across the region…. PACNEWS
Peter Parson is a FORUM contributor based in Hamilton, New Zealand.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Tonga advances Biodiversity Finance through the Policy and Institutional Review Validation workshop
NUKU’ALOFA, 13 AUGUST 2026 (UNDP) — The Government of Tonga, through the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, with support from UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), convened key stakeholders in Nuku’alofa for the Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) Validation Workshop.
The workshop was officially opened by the Acting Director of the Department of Environment, Siosinua Latu, who underscored the importance of strengthening biodiversity financing to advance Tonga’s environmental priorities and sustainable development objectives.
Participants were also welcomed by the Deputy Resident Representative of the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, Mr Abduvakkos Abdurahmanov, who reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting Tonga in identifying and mobilising innovative financing solutions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Bringing together representatives from government, NGOs, financial institutions, civil society organisations, academia, development partners, the private sector and local communities, the workshop reviewed and validated findings on Tonga’s biodiversity policy, institutional and financing landscape.
Participants examined 33 biodiversity financing mechanisms across seven thematic areas and explored practical financing solutions to increase investment in biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development.
Key financing solutions identified included:
*Environmental levies and conservation trust funds
*Blue economy financing
*Sustainable tourism revenue mechanisms, including whale watching, snorkelling, canoeing and kayaking activities
*Conservation-linked cultural tourism contributions
*Private sector partnerships and co-financing arrangements for conservation
*Community-based conservation financing
*Financing for marine protected areas and ecosystem restoration
*Integrated biodiversity and climate financing solutions
The workshop marked an important milestone in Tonga’s BIOFIN process and will inform the next stages of the initiative, including the Biodiversity Expenditure Review, Finance Needs Assessment and Biodiversity Finance Plan. These assessments will help identify opportunities to mobilise resources, strengthen biodiversity financing systems and support the conservation and sustainable management of Tonga’s rich biodiversity…. PACNEWS
