In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Dr Aqorau questions whether military expansion fits Pacific’s Ocean of Peace vision
2. PACIFIC — UN warns Pacific digital boom opening door to cybercrime
3. PACIFIC — UNODC consultant warns Pacific over crypto risk
4. FIJI — Social media has become a courtroom battleground, Fiji DPP says
5. SOL — Former Police sergeant sworn in as Solomon Islands Acting Police Commissioner
6. NZ — Pacific voters send a clear election message: Tackle living costs and earn our trust
7. FIJI — Lau Province chiefs seek closer Fiji Navy partnership to stop drugs
8. PACNEWS BIZ — USP research powers Tuvalu’s first waste plastic-to-fuel project
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Budget balances growth and fiscal discipline: Fiji PM
10. PACNEWS BIZ — PM Marape declares new era for PNG’s resource sector, promises stronger national returns
11. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — The ocean wealth that keeps leaving Micronesia
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Around the world for peace: Norwegian campaigner brings a nuclear-free message to Suva
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
Dr Aqorau questions whether military expansion fits Pacific’s Ocean of Peace vision
By Pita Ligaiula
HONIARA, 14 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS) — Solomon Islands National University (SINU) Vice Chancellor Dr Transform Aqorau has questioned whether the Pacific can maintain its vision of becoming an Ocean of Peace while the region is increasingly shaped by strategic competition and expanding security partnerships.
Dr Aqorau said the Pacific is at “an important crossroads” as major powers expand their diplomatic presence, development assistance, security agreements and military cooperation across the region.
He said Pacific leaders have consistently advanced a different vision through regional declarations that seek to define the Pacific “not as an arena for strategic competition, but as an Ocean of Peace – a region where cooperation, mutual respect, sustainable development, and human security form the foundation of regional stability.”
Dr Aqorau said the issue was not about criticising individual Pacific Island countries.
“This question is not intended to criticise any individual Pacific Island country. Every sovereign state possesses the unquestionable right to determine its own foreign policy and security arrangements.
“Sovereignty necessarily includes the freedom to choose one’s partners and to pursue national interests in ways that governments consider appropriate.
“Rather, the question is whether the collective regional vision remains coherent when the Pacific is increasingly viewed through the lens of strategic competition,” Dr Aqorau said in a social media post.
He said Pacific leaders had already defined security through the 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the proposed Ocean of Peace Declaration.
He noted that the declaration recognised climate change as “the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific.”
Dr Aqorau said there was an increasing disconnect between Pacific concepts of security and those advanced by external powers.
“For many strategic actors, the Pacific has become increasingly important because of maritime access, logistics, undersea cables, critical minerals, strategic geography, and broader Indo-Pacific competition.
“But they are not necessarily the concerns that dominate daily life across Pacific communities,” said Dr Aqorau.
He said the greatest security threats facing Pacific Islanders include climate change, sea level rise, prolonged drought, destructive tropical cyclones, coral bleaching, biodiversity loss and food insecurity.
“If security is ultimately about protecting people, then climate resilience must remain the central pillar of Pacific security,” he emphasised.
Dr Aqorau also argued that development should be recognised as a form of security.
He said investments in electricity, ports, education, healthcare, digital connectivity, food security, renewable energy, universities and governance all strengthen national and regional security.
“Development is itself a form of security,” he said.
He also stressed that Pacific Island countries should not be viewed as objects of geopolitical competition.
“Pacific Island countries must never be viewed merely as objects of geopolitical competition. Nor should they be reduced to locations on someone else’s strategic map.
“The Blue Pacific is not an empty geopolitical space waiting to be organised by external powers,” he stressed.
Dr Aqorau said Pacific diplomacy has consistently favoured engagement, dialogue and partnership while maintaining independent foreign policies.
“The Pacific has always preferred engagement over alignment.
“Dialogue over confrontation. Partnership over dependency. Consensus over division,” said Dr Aqorau.
He said security partnerships should strengthen rather than weaken Pacific agency and that military arrangements should not overshadow the region’s broader understanding of security.
“The aspiration of an Ocean of Peace is not naïve.”
“Nor does it require Pacific Island countries to reject legitimate security cooperation.
“The international community would do well to remember that the Pacific has already articulated its security priorities through the Boe Declaration, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and now the Ocean of Peace initiative,” said Dr Aqorau.
He said the future of the Blue Pacific should be determined by Pacific peoples.
“The future of the Blue Pacific should not be determined by the strategic anxieties of others.
“It should be shaped by the hopes, priorities, and agency of the Pacific peoples themselves.
“Only then will the Ocean of Peace become more than a declaration. It will become the defining principle of Pacific regionalism in the twenty-first century,” said Dr Aqorau……PACNEWS
PAC – CYBER CRIME: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
UN warns Pacific digital boom opening door to cybercrime
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — The region’s rapid digital expansion is creating new openings for cybercriminals, urging governments, regulators, law enforcement and private companies to join forces to protect young people online.
The head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Pacific office, Marie Cauchois told Youth delegates at the Pacific Youth Digital Resilience Forum that digital technologies have transformed the way Pacific communities connect, learn, work and access financial services, bringing real gains in inclusion and entrepreneurship.
“The same tools are also being used to target users with scams, phishing, fake investment schemes and increasingly sophisticated social engineering,” she said.
“Digital technologies are transforming how people connect, learn, work and access financial services.
“But these same technologies also create new opportunities for cyber crime.”
She singled out young people as a growing target, warning they are being drawn in by fraudulent offers and manipulated through deepfakes and artificial intelligence-enabled deception.
“Young people are increasingly at the forefront of these risks,” she said, adding that cybercriminals are exploiting “trust and curiosity” through online scams that promise guaranteed returns or seek to steal personal information.
Cauchois said the UNODC works with countries around the world to prevent and combat cybercrime, while helping strengthen the legal, policy and institutional frameworks needed to respond to emerging digital threats.
“Cyber crime does not stop at border, neither should be our response,” she said, calling for national and cross-border cooperation.
Cauchois said the response must involve “government, regulators, law enforcement, also civil society, private sector, and communities” working together.
Her remarks came as Pacific governments and partners gather for two days of discussions focused on helping young people navigate the digital world more safely. The agenda includes blockchain, legal frameworks, online safety and victim support networks.
Cauchois said the purpose of the forum was practical as much as educational: to give young people “the knowledge, confidence, and practical skill” to use digital tools responsibly and to recognise manipulation before they become victims.
“When you leave this forum, it doesn’t stop there as well,” she said.
“We hope you will take these lessons back to your schools, your workplace, families and communities, and spread the word.”
Her advice reflects a broader concern across the Pacific, where faster internet access and growing use of digital finance are opening new opportunities, but also exposing users to a more complex online threat environment.
Cauchois added that the region’s digital resilience will depend on partnerships, awareness, and practical education, especially for younger users, who are most likely to encounter online fraud.
“We hope that the forum would “inspire new ideas, strengthen partnership, and empower all of us to contribute to a safer, more secure, and more digitally resilient Pacific,” she said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CRYPTO: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
UNODC consultant warns Pacific over crypto risk
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — The region is moving into a digital-asset era faster than its laws can keep up.
That’s the warning from a United Nations Drug and Crime (UNODC) consultant who says cryptocurrencies, stable coins and tokens create opportunities but also open the door to scams, fraud and irreversible losses.
Speaking at the Pacific Youth Digital Resilience Forum, Dr Jeffery Garae, framed virtual assets as a sharp break from ordinary digital banking.
“Virtual assets such as cryptocurrency allow us to trade faster, remove the central banking system from the equation,” he said.
But he added that the same technology posed a lot of challenges.
Garae said digital finance already touches everyday life through online banking and mobile payments but warned that crypto is different because transactions can move across borders without the protections people expect from banks.
“Once it’s done, that’s it,” he said, describing blockchain transfers as hard to reverse.
“It cannot be reversed. It’s quite secure in some sense, and it’s always on.”
The consultant spent much of his talk explaining to the youth participants that blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies, a public ledger that records transactions across thousands of computers.
He said that visibility and decentralisation were part of its appeal, but also part of its danger.
“What you see is just the wallet in funny characters,” he said.
“It’s all anonymous.”
Garae drew a blunt line between convenience and risk. Cross-border payments could be faster and cheaper, he said, and crypto could help reach people outside the formal banking system.
But the same features make it attractive to criminals, fraudsters and opportunists.
“It is used a lot in crimes and money laundering,” he said.
Garae added that “weak protection” meant users could lose funds if they revealed their seed phrase or private key.
He repeatedly urged caution in a region where several governments are still building rules for the sector.
He said Fiji has made cryptocurrency trading a criminal offence and pointed to other Pacific states, including Papua New Guinea, Tonga and the Marshall Islands, which are exploring digital-asset frameworks.
“If we do it properly, we’ll be utilising that for best advice,” he said.
The consultant also warned that artificial intelligence is making fraud harder to spot, with scams now using fake endorsements, social media profiling and personalised messages to win trust.
“Anyone asking for a seed phrase or codes, don’t do that. That’s unknown,” he said.
His message to all youth delegates present was practical and sharp: know the law, verify the source, and do not confuse hype with safety.
“Always question, verify before you trust or act,” he said, urging attendees to report scams to police, cyber units and consumer protection agencies.
“Opportunities are real but also back all the time,” he said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – SOCIAL MEDIA: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
Social media has become a courtroom battleground, Fiji DPP says
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Fiji’s Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Nancy Tikoisuva, has warned that the country’s laws are racing to catch up with a digital world where phones, smart devices, metadata, and artificial intelligence can become evidence or instruments of crime.
Tikoisuva said prosecutors and judges are now being forced to navigate a legal system built for a different era.
“The law is not stagnant. It is evolving, and it will evolve as society changes, as community changes, as social interactions change,” she said during the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) event.
Her central message was blunt: the online world is no longer separate from the courtroom.
“Your home includes also your phones, your laptops, electronic communication,” she said, adding that smart devices now hold “valuable information and potentially evidence.”
She pointed to smart TVs, watches, rings, cameras and even household appliances as sources of data that may be seized in criminal investigations.
Tikoisuva said Fiji’s Criminal Procedure Act covers search and seizure, while the Cybercrime Act targets computer-related offences including unauthorised access, interception of data, forgery, extortion, fraud and identity theft.
“If you go and hack into the system,” she said, or use a password “without the permission of the owner,” the law is designed to respond.
She also underlined the growing role of metadata and digital forensics, describing how altered photos, deleted files and stored records can become decisive in court.
Recalling the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation litigation, she said the case showed how “metadata in that photo” could help expose manipulation.
“When a photo is created, there is an electronic footprint,” she said.
One of her warnings concerned Fiji’s Online Safety Act, which she said now criminalises conduct that had previously been treated as a civil matter.
“Before it was just a civil remedy,” she said of defamation.
“This law (current law) now criminalises that behaviour, meaning you can get charged and you can go to prison for it.”
She said the law also covers causing harm through electronic communication and the posting of intimate visual recordings.
Tikoisuva said the test for harm is the impact on the recipient, not the sender’s intent. The law, she said, looks for whether a post or message causes “serious emotional distress.” In practice, which has meant taking account of victims who describe counselling, school fallout, isolation and suicidal thoughts after harmful online posts.
Her warning was aimed squarely at younger users. “Be careful,” she said.
“Something that you would not say to the person to their face, don’t do it on social media because there are laws in place that will touch you.”
She added: “Don’t trust another person with your screenshots.”
Tikoisuva said the next frontier is organised crime, which increasingly uses encrypted apps, cryptocurrency and virtual assets.
“If we can’t touch the criminals, we can touch the assets,” she said. But she warned that when digital assets are held offshore, recovery becomes much harder.
“Fiji’s courts, the internet is no longer a separate space. It is evidence, conduct, and, increasingly, the crime scene,” she said…. PACNEWS
SOL – POLICE CHIEF: SIBC/INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
Former Police sergeant sworn in as Solomon Islands Acting Police Commissioner
HONIARA, 14 JULY 2026 (SIBC/INDEPTH SOLOMONS) — James Aitorea was sworn in as Acting Commissioner of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) by Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu at Government House on 6 July 2026.
Aitorea, a former police sergeant who resigned some years ago, has been appointed as acting police commissioner whilst the substantive postholder Ian Vaevaso is currently on suspension.
He took his oaths before the Governor-General Sir David Tiva Kapu to formalise his acting appointment as advised by the Prime Minister, Hon Matthew Cooper Wale, under Sections 43(1) and (2) of the SI Constitution.
In his new role, Aitorea expressed his commitment to enhancing community safety and strengthening the relationship between the police and the public.
He outlined plans to address pressing issues such as crime prevention and police accountability during his tenure.
Aitorea emphasised the importance of collaborating with local communities and stakeholders to foster trust and transparency within the police force.
He also highlighted his intention to implement training programmes aimed at improving the skills and professionalism of police officers across the country.
Acting Commissioner Aitorea said, “This proactive approach is expected to not only reduce crime rates but also create an environment where citizens feel empowered to engage with law enforcement.”
“By prioritising open dialogue and community involvement, Aitorea aims to build a safer and more inclusive society for all,” the new acting commissioner said.
Meanwhile, leader Opposition leader Manasseh Sogavare has demanded an update on the tribunal established to inquire into allegations against suspended Police Commissioner Ian Vaevaso.
Sogavare also wants to know who is leading the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF).
Government established the tribunal on 17 June 2026 under Section 129(5) of the Constitution to inquire into allegations of misconduct against the suspended Police Commissioner.
The tribunal was expected to complete its inquiry and provide its report and recommendations within 30 days, unless an extension was required.
“With that timeframe now about to end, the Opposition believes Solomon Islanders deserve an update on the status of the process, including whether the inquiry has been completed, whether additional time has been granted, and when the outcome is expected,” Sogavare said in a statement.
“We fully espect the independence of the tribunal and does not seek to interfere with its work,” he added.
“However, when an important constitutional process has a publicly announced timeframe, Solomon Islanders deserve to be informed about its progress.”
The Opposition is also seeking clarification on the current leadership arrangements of the RSIPF while the Police Commissioner remains suspended.
“The Government should clarify who is currently acting as Police Commissioner while the substantive Commissioner remains suspended,” Sogavare said.
“The RSIPF is one of our country’s most important institutions.
“At a time when communities are increasingly concerned about criminal activity, law and order and public safety, the Police Force needs strong, stable and clear leadership.”
Sogavare said the Opposition acknowledges the important work carried out by the men and women of the RSIPF in protecting communities and maintaining public order.
“They deserve the support, direction and confidence that comes with effective leadership.
“The Opposition emphasises that the tribunal process must be allowed to proceed independently and fairly.
“At the same time, transparency regarding the status of the process and the leadership of the RSIPF is necessary to maintain public confidence.
“The people of Solomon Islands deserve clarity on the status of this important process and the current leadership arrangements of the Police Force during this period.”.
Sir Frank Kabui is heading the tribunal – former Attorney General, former High Court judge and former Governor General…. PACNEWS
NZ – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
Pacific voters send a clear election message: Tackle living costs and earn our trust
AUCKLAND, 14 JULY 2026 (PMN) — Cost of living pressures and doubts about the coalition’s understanding of Pacific communities are emerging as key issues shaping the Pasifika vote in the 2026 general election.
A new PMN News-Horizon Research Pacific Issues Election Survey shows household budgets, jobs and wages will have a major influence on how respondents vote in the 07 November election.
The survey also points to a specific challenge for the coalition, with many respondents saying they do not believe National, ACT or New Zealand First have a good understanding of Pacific communities.
Among those surveyed, 72 percent said National does not understand Pacific communities well, while 74 percent said the same about ACT and 59 percent about New Zealand First.
Labour was viewed most favourably, with 70 percent saying the party understands Pacific communities well, followed by Te Pāti Māori and the Greens.
The findings come as the national election race remains tight. While the NZ Herald-Motu Research Poll of Polls shows Labour and National almost level nationwide (30.9 per cent and 29.8 per cent), Pacific respondents in the PMN survey paint a different picture.
Labour attracted 50 per cent of the Pacific party vote among respondents compared with 11 percent for National.
Seven percent said they intended to vote for NZ First and 2 percent for The Opportunity Party.
The survey suggests everyday pressures are central to how Pacific voters are weighing up their choices.
Nine in 10 respondents said the cost of living would influence how they vote. Jobs and wages followed at 75 percent with health (66 percent) and housing (65 percent) also ranking as major concerns.
When asked what political parties should prioritise, respondents highlighted the cost of living for Pacific families, housing and home ownership, and better Pacific health services.
While Pacific candidates did not feature strongly in the preferred Prime Minister rankings, representation still matters.
Eighty per cent of respondents said it was very important for political parties to have Pacific candidates or Pacific MPs but support for representation did not translate into strong backing for Pacific politicians in the preferred Prime Minister rankings.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins was the preferred Prime Minister among respondents on 36 per cent, followed by Christopher Luxon at 11 per cent, Winston Peters on 10 per cent and Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick on nine percent.
Labour MPs Barbara Edmonds and Carmel Sepuloni were the highest-ranked Pacific politicians at two percent each, with Green MP Teanau Tuiono at one per cent.
The survey also highlights the challenge of engaging younger Pacific voters.
While 58 percent of respondents aged 18 to 24 said they were enrolled to vote, only one in three said they were certain to cast a ballot.
Younger respondents said they wanted clearer information about parties and policies, easier access to voting places, more Pacific candidates and stronger discussion of Pacific issues.
Interest in this year’s election appears to be growing overall with 58 per cent saying they are more interested in voting than they were in 2023.
The PMN News-HorizonResearch Pacific Issues Election Survey was conducted online between 23 June and 07 July 2026. It surveyed 293 respondents and the sample was weighted on age and gender for Pacific peoples 18 years of age or over, based on the 2023 Census. The survey has a maximum margin of error of ±5.7 percent overall.
This survey complies with the political polling code of the Research Association of New Zealand, of which Horizon Research is a member…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DRUGS FIGHT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Tue 14 Jul 2026
Lau Province chiefs seek closer Fiji Navy partnership to stop drugs
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Traditional leaders from Lau Province have called for closer co-operation with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division following allegations of illicit drug discoveries in the province.
The leaders said stronger community partnerships were needed to protect Fiji’s maritime borders.
The issue dominated discussions Monday at the Bose Vanua ni Yasana o Lau at the Yatu Lau Conference Centre in Suva, where chiefs met ahead of the annual Bose ni Yasana o Lau, which starts today.
Fiji Navy Commander, Commodore Timoci Natuva said the meeting provided an opportunity for Fiji Navy and government agencies to hear directly from community leaders about their concerns.
“The concerns are with the recent drug crimes in Lau and how we are managing vessels that come through our waters,” Commodore Natuva said.
He said representatives from Fiji Customs and Biosecurity Authority of Fiji also attended the meeting to explain border control processes and listen to feedback from traditional leaders.
“It is a good opportunity for us to listen directly to the concerns of the people in Lau and how we will manage that.”
While no specific incidents were discussed, Commodore Natuva said leaders wanted stronger strategies to address the growing threat posed by drugs entering Fiji through its maritime borders.
“It’s about how we can strategise better and work with communities to manage it,” he said.
The traditional leaders also proposed expanding community-based surveillance programmes to improve monitoring across the scattered islands of Lau.
“The main proposal is working more closely with communities through programmes similar to the solesolevaki concept because the islands are so dispersed. We’ll take those suggestions onboard and implement them. More awareness in the islands is also part of our discussions.”
He said Fiji’s vast maritime borders and growing tourism industry made close co-operation between security agencies and communities increasingly important.
The meeting comes amid heightened concern over illicit drugs washing ashore in parts of Lau in recent months, prompting renewed calls for stronger vigilance and coordination between island communities and law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, Lau’s traditional leaders are calling for tighter monitoring of foreign yachts entering the province, warning that the current cruising permit system is leaving island communities exposed to drug trafficking and other illegal activities.
Roko Tui Lau Jioji Tupou Kalounivalu said chiefs were increasingly alarmed by the movement of yachts through Lau waters, particularly following recent incidents involving illicit drugs washing ashore across the islands.
He said the existing cruising permit system allowed yachts to remain in Fiji for up to six months with limited oversight of their movements.
“We’ve had some experiences with not only yachts but submersible vessels that were spotted and found in Lau,” Kalounivalu said.
“The biggest concern for us is that when cruising permits are issued, it’s for six months and there’s no regulated programme on when they will be in Lau or when they will be visiting these islands.”
Kalounivalu said communities were often caught off guard when yachts arrived without prior notice.
“Normally we’ll just be there and a yacht will show up in the morning and they’ll start doing activities around the islands. We don’t even know who are on the vessels.”
He said chiefs wanted the permit system reviewed so vessel movements could be better coordinated with island communities.
“The permits should come with certain information and scheduled times for when they will visit the islands.”
Kalounivalu said discussions with the Fiji Navy, Customs and the iTaukei Affairs Board were constructive, with government agencies assuring chiefs that the concerns raised would be considered.
The meeting also discussed strengthening community policing in Lau, tackling crime and drug-related issues, and establishing a Lau Economic Advisory Team to guide the province’s long-term strategic development…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
TUVALU – PLASTIC TO FUEL PROJECT: ISLANDS BUSINESS PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 14 Jul 2026
USP research powers Tuvalu’s first waste plastic-to-fuel project
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) — Tuvalu has launched its first plastic waste and used engine oil pyrolysis machine, converting environmental pollution into alternative fuel through research led by the University of the South Pacific.
The technology, installed recently in Tuvalu, uses a heating process in the absence of oxygen to transform waste plastic and used oil into usable fuel. Each batch processes 10 kilogrammes of plastic waste to produce approximately 10 litres of liquid fuel and four cubic metres of hydrocarbon gas. Testing also showed that 15 litres of waste engine oil can yield around 12 litres of diesel-like fuel.
The resulting fuels have been successfully tested in generators, machinery, and household gas stoves, offering practical energy solutions for households and communities while strengthening local energy security.
The project was spearheaded by USP Master’s research student Miriama Uluiviti, an employee of the Tuvalu Waste Department, under the supervision of Associate Professor David Rohindra. Funding came from The Pacific Community (SPC) under the Pacific Adaptation of Waste to Energy Solutions (PAWES) Programme, with the machine supplied by Nufuels New Zealand.
“It is inspiring to see how our collective efforts can lead to such impactful change for our community,” Uluiviti said. “I am proud to be part of this pioneering initiative that not only addresses waste issues but also provides practical energy solutions for our families.”
Associate Professor Rohindra said the project, which began in 2024, demonstrated how dedicated students can turn innovative ideas into practical solutions.
Director of Waste and Recycling Epu Falega called the system a significant step forward for Tuvalu’s waste management and renewable energy strategies.
Speaking at the launch, Acting Secretary Walter Pulogo emphasised the importance of innovation and regional cooperation in addressing climate change, noting that Tuvalu’s leadership sets an example for other Pacific nations.
The project delivers environmental benefits by reducing plastic and waste oil pollution while supporting climate resilience through sustainable waste utilisation…. PACNEWS
FIJI – BUDGET: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 14 Jul 2026
Budget balances growth and fiscal discipline: Fiji PM
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says Fiji’s 2026-2027 National Budget is designed to deliver long-term economic growth rather than relying solely on temporary cost-of-living relief, with the private sector expected to drive investment and job creation.
Speaking in Parliament, Rabuka said the budget struck a balance between fiscal discipline and economic growth while creating an environment that encouraged private sector investment.
He said lasting prosperity must be driven by productivity and enabled by the private sector.
This, he said, would be supported through sound policies, effective institutions and a stable investment environment backed by Government.
Rabuka said the 2026-2027 National Budget was built on transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline, with Government remaining committed to maintaining responsible debt levels.
“Responsibility is about maintaining fiscal discipline while actively encouraging growth, investing where it matters most, protecting those most exposed and ensuring every dollar invested delivers maximum value for our people,” he said.
“The IMF (International Monetary Fund) has said that Fiji faced no immediate risk of debt distress provided economic growth and fiscal discipline were maintained.”
Rabuka said the budget also contained measures to help ease the cost of living.
These include extending the fuel duty concession on diesel and heavy fuel oil until October 31. Diesel will receive a 20 cents-per-litre concession, while heavy fuel oil will receive a 12 cents-per-litre concession.
The budget also provides electricity subsidies, transport assistance, zero-rated VAT on essential items, free water concessions for eligible households and targeted utility assistance.
However, Rabuka said temporary relief alone would not improve living standards.
“Relief alone is not a development strategy. Fiji must grow. Fiji must invest. Fiji must produce and create jobs,” he said.
He said Investment Fiji was currently facilitating 254 active projects worth $8.6 billion (US$4.3 billion), which would help drive investment, employment and long-term economic growth.
PNG – RESOURCE SECTOR: THE PNG BULLETIN PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 14 Jul 2026
PM Marape declares new era for PNG’s resource Sector, promises stronger national returns
PORT MORESBY, 14 JULY 2026 (THE PNG BULLETIN) — Prime Minister James Marape has declared that Papua New Guinea is entering a new era of resource development, saying his government has laid the foundation for greater national benefits while maintaining the country’s reputation as a competitive destination for international investment.
Speaking at the opening of PNG Resources Week 2026 in Port Moresby, Marape said Papua New Guinea’s resource industry has been built on more than a century of mining experience and over four decades of petroleum production, positioning the country for its next phase of economic growth.
He acknowledged the contribution of resource companies, investors and industry leaders who have continued to invest in PNG over many decades, describing the sector as the nation’s largest foreign exchange earner and a major contributor to employment, government revenue, royalties, infrastructure and economic development.
Despite global economic uncertainty, Marape said Papua New Guinea remains a reliable investment destination, highlighting the uninterrupted production records of major projects including Kutubu, Ok Tedi, Porgera and PNG LNG.
The Prime Minister said the Government’s resource policy is focused on securing a minimum of 55 per cent total national benefits, stressing that the figure extends beyond government equity and includes taxes, royalties, dividends, landowner benefits, local business participation, downstream processing, employment and other economic returns flowing into Papua New Guinea.
He emphasised that while investors must receive fair returns on their investments, the Government also has a responsibility to ensure Papua New Guinea secures a fair share of the wealth generated from its natural resources.
Marape outlined progress on several priority resource projects, commonly referred to as the “Four Ps and One W”, Porgera, Pasca, Papua LNG, P’nyang and Wafi-Golpu.
According to the Prime Minister, Porgera has resumed operations under renegotiated arrangements delivering around 55 percent total national benefits over the life of the project.
Papua LNG has been successfully renegotiated, securing approximately 55 per cent total national benefits while maintaining investor confidence.
P’nyang negotiations are nearing completion and are expected to deliver more than 63 per cent total national benefits.
Pasca A is expected to provide approximately 70 percent total benefits to the State under the agreed project structure.
Wafi-Golpu negotiations are also nearing completion, with the Government pursuing more than 55 percent total economic benefits, subject to final outstanding matters.
Prime Minister Marape rejected claims that the Government had delayed major resource projects, saying negotiations had focused on delivering stronger long-term national value while preserving commercial viability.
“In the past seven years we have been building strong foundations rather than chasing short-term headlines,” he said, comparing the Government’s approach to the growth of the Chinese Moso bamboo, where much of the development occurs beneath the surface before becoming visible.
He said Papua New Guinea’s resource future extends beyond the current pipeline of major projects, citing ongoing petroleum exploration, emerging gas commercialisation opportunities involving domestic investors, and new mining prospects across the country as signs of continued long-term growth.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed that his government remains committed to balancing investor confidence with stronger national returns to ensure Papua New Guinea’s natural resources deliver lasting economic benefits for future generations…. 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
The ocean wealth that keeps leaving Micronesia
By Joyce McClure
PONPHEI, 14 JULY 2026 (PACIFIC ISLANDS TIMES) — More than 50 percent of the world’s tuna supply comes from the western and central Pacific Ocean, making it the most important tuna fishery on the planet.
The waters surrounding the Federated States of Micronesia help feed the world.
Every day, industrial fishing fleets harvest tuna from the FSM’s vast ocean territory, generating billions of dollars in global seafood markets. Yet only a small fraction of that wealth ever reaches Micronesian shores.
The FSM provides what Fijian fisheries consultant Lagi Toribau describes in the investigative documentary “Fatal Watch” as “the oil of the Pacific. It drives the lifeline for most Pacific island countries.”
The fish are shipped overseas—to Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, China and beyond—where they are cleaned, frozen, canned, packaged, branded and sold at far higher value than the FSM receives through permit fees or raw sales alone. Those downstream steps create factories, jobs, export earnings and corporate profits.
The real money is made after the fish leave the water.
Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson has noted that industrial fishing powers extract vast quantities of fish from developing nations largely because those nations sell access to their fishing rights to foreign fleets. The arrangement provides important revenue for small island governments, but much of the industry’s value is captured elsewhere.
The numbers show how small FSM’s slice really is.
Economic analyses supported by the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and the World Bank indicate that Pacific Island governments typically capture only 3 to 5 percent of the delivered value of tuna caught in their waters through access fees.
Tuna caught in the waters of the 17 Forum Fisheries Agency member countries is estimated to be worth roughly US$2 to $3 billion annually. Access fees paid by foreign fleets generate about US$460 million each year for Pacific governments, revenue that in some countries accounts for half or more of national budgets.
At the far end of the supply chain, the numbers climb much higher. The Pew Charitable Trusts estimates that processed tuna products generate tens of billions of dollars annually at the point of final sale.
This isn’t a new problem.
In earlier reporting, I documented how commercial interest in grouper and sea cucumber sparked conflict in Yap, where a traditional chief was removed after making fishing deals with foreign crews without community consent. The backlash reflected concern about outsiders extracting valuable marine resources while leaving little benefit behind.
Those disputes were about more than conservation. They were about control, sovereignty and who ultimately profits from FSM’s Ocean wealth.
For decades, American Samoa hosted one of the Pacific’s most important tuna processing hubs. In Pago Pago, the StarKist cannery formed the backbone of the territory’s private-sector economy.
Today, only one major cannery remains.
Even that operation faces mounting pressure. A PBS report in 2020 described fishermen supplying the plant as caught in a “perfect storm” of rising fuel costs and intense international competition.
If a mature processing hub like American Samoa struggles to compete in a global seafood market dominated by low-cost producers in Asia, launching new plants from scratch in Micronesia becomes even harder.
The absence of large-scale tuna processing in the FSM reflects the unforgiving economics of the industry.
Modern fish processing is energy-intensive and logistics-heavy. Freezing and cold storage must run nonstop. Ports must accommodate freezer vessels and container shipping. Food-safety standards require specialized equipment and trained workers. Supply volumes must remain large and consistent.
Above all, processors compete in a global commodity market where margins are razor thin.
Thailand and the Philippines dominate not because they sit atop rich fishing waters, but because they have industrial infrastructure, lower labor costs, reliable power, dense shipping networks and decades of scale advantage.
FSM’s dispersed geography, high energy costs, limited workforce and distance from consumer markets make large factories far more expensive to operate.
Recognising these limits does not mean FSM must remain a resource supplier.
The realistic question is not whether the FSM can outcompete Asia in mass canning. It cannot.
The smarter opportunity lies in capturing strategic parts of the value chain:
• Modern cold-storage and transshipment hubs
• Premium frozen tuna for higher-value markets
• Sustainability-certified seafood branding
• Regional logistics services for fishing fleets
Even limited local handling can increase the value of the catch by improving quality, creating competitive buyers and allowing vessels to return to the fishing grounds more quickly.
Fishing permits could also become stronger economic tools, bundling access with local offloading requirements, workforce training and infrastructure investment. Many resource-rich nations have used similar strategies to turn raw extraction into broader economic development.
At its core, the FSM confronts a dilemma familiar across the developing world. One path continues to sell access to natural resources and to rely on fees and aid to fund government services. The other—far harder but potentially transformative—uses those resources to build industries that create jobs, skills and private-sector growth.
American Samoa’s struggling cannery is not an argument against value-added industry. It is a reminder that industrial development is globally competitive and unforgiving of weak infrastructure. But it also demonstrates what happens when processing exists at scale: jobs, export earnings and deeper integration into global markets.
The FSM’s challenge is not whether marine wealth exists. The question is whether Micronesia will remain primarily a supplier of raw resources while the real profits are captured elsewhere.
Geography has already given the FSM one of the richest fishing grounds on earth. The question now is whether policy, infrastructure and politics will turn that natural wealth into lasting economic opportunity.
The future of FSM’s fisheries will not depend on catching more fish. It will depend on keeping more of what those fish are worth…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Around the world for peace: Norwegian campaigner brings a nuclear-free message to Suva
SUVA, 14 JULY 2026 (BIKE FOR PEACE) — A peace campaigner from Bryne – the small Norwegian town that also produced footballer Erling Braut Haaland – arrives in Suva on 24 September as part of a two-month journey around the world. Bike for Peace, marking its 50th anniversary, is passing through twelve cities on four continents, and Fiji is its Pacific stop: five nights in Suva, from 24 to 29 September, hosted in partnership with the Pacific Conference of Churches.
The delegation is led by Tore Nærland, who began Bike for Peace’s international peace tours almost fifty years ago. The message he carries is the same at every stop: peace in Ukraine, Russia, Europe, the Middle East and Sudan, and a vision of a world free of nuclear weapons by 2045. That message has a particular resonance in the Pacific, where communities carry the long legacy of nuclear testing – and where the goal of a nuclear-weapons-free future is not an abstraction but lived history.
While in Suva, the delegation will give a lecture at the University of the South Pacific (USP) on Monday 28 September, from 09:00 to 10:00, sharing fifty years of peace-cycling experience with students and staff. Bike for Peace is also in dialogue with the Pacific Conference of Churches and other Pacific partners about further conversations during the stay.
This is a friendship-and-information journey, not a race against the clock. Each city is a stop of several days, built around meetings and conversations – with universities, high schools, peace organisations and organisations for people with disabilities. Bike for Peace represents no government and takes no side in any conflict. Its work rests on a simple belief: that contact between ordinary people across borders is peace work in itself.
The timing of this announcement is deliberate. With the football World Cup drawing the world’s attention, Bike for Peace wants to carry a message of peace on the same wave – and it is fitting that the journey’s story began in Bryne, Tore Nærland’s hometown.
Delegation leader Tore Nærland says: “We have cycled and walked for peace for fifty years, and the world needs that message now more than ever. The Pacific knows better than most what nuclear weapons mean, and we are honoured to bring our hope for a nuclear-free world here to Suva – and we hope people will walk part of the road with us.”
Bike for Peace is a non-governmental humanitarian peace organisation. It represents no government and takes no political side in conflicts. Tore Nærland set out on this work in 1976, with the first international tour in Northern Ireland two years later; since then, Bike for Peace has organised more than 250 tours in over 125 countries. In 2026 it marks fifty years since that start…. PACNEWS
Contact: Josy Kang – Spokesperson and Press Contact, Bike for Peace Email: josy@bikeforpeace.no
Mobile/WhatsApp: +47 948 21 416
