In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea advance maritime boundary treaty discussions
2. FIJI — Australia treaties to return to Parliament for ratification: Fiji PM Rabuka
3. COOKS — Cook Islands general election: final list of candidates confirmed
4. AUST — ‘Unflattering history’ embraced in return of 17 Rapa Nui people remains
5. NZ — ‘They don’t see themselves’: Pacific youth warn politicians ahead of election
6. UN — Indigenous rights activists face disproportionate dangers
7. PNG — PNG needs balance between growth, climate resilience: Official
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Finance Minister defends seven percent deficit as necessary to protect families
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Alaska expands Hawaii flights to Pacific Northwest, will end New Zealand route
10. PACNEWS DIGEST — Uneven progress, significant gaps: New immunisation estimates must accelerate urgent action in the Western Pacific
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Childhood vaccination rate increases slightly, but millions remain unprotected
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — PNG’s answer to the deepfake problem
PAC – MARITIME BOUNDARY: SPC PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea advance maritime boundary treaty discussions
HONIARA, 16 JULY 2026 (SPC) — Legal and technical representatives from the Governments of Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have successfully concluded a two-day bilateral technical and legal meeting on the maritime boundary in Honiara.
This marks a significant step forward in strengthening cooperation and progressing work towards bringing into force their shared maritime boundaries Treaty, in direct support of the priority reaffirmed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders to urgently conclude outstanding maritime boundaries and extended continental shelf work.
The meeting brought together technical and legal officials from both countries to review the 1989 maritime boundary Treaty Line established under the Treaty between the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands concerning sovereignty, maritime and seabed and cooperation on related matters.
During the meeting, delegates considered technical and legal analysis relating to the southern endpoint of the Treaty boundary in the Coral Sea area.
Discussions were supported by the Pacific Community (SPC), including presentations on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and approaches to maritime boundary delimitation in the Pacific region.
A key outcome of the meeting was that both delegations welcomed the recommendations presented by SPC and both Countries agreed to progress the technical and legal work necessary to finalise the Treaty boundary and support the process of bringing the Treaty into force.
Speaking on behalf of Solomon Islands, Brian Akwasia, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Ocean and Climate Change Desk within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, stated: “This meeting marks an important step towards bringing the maritime boundary Treaty between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea into force. We thank Papua New Guinea for its constructive engagement and acknowledge SPC and its consortium of partners for their invaluable technical and legal support in helping both countries advance this work as prioritised by our governments.”
The meeting also agreed to consider provisions to reinforce the permanence and stability of the maritime boundary, in line with regional commitments under the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ 2021 Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change-Related Sea-Level Rise.
Speaking on behalf of Papua New Guinea, Bonaventure Hasola, Acting Director, National Oceans Office-Department of Justice & Attorney General, stated: “Papua New Guinea is pleased with the progress achieved during this meeting and the agreement reached with the Solomon Islands to advance the processes required to bring our maritime boundary Treaty into force. We thank the Government of the Solomon Islands for its warm hospitality and acknowledge SPC and its consortium of partners for their continued support in advancing this critical work.”
Both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to working collaboratively to finalise the Treaty text and complete the necessary domestic and bilateral processes required to bring the maritime boundary Treaty into force at the upcoming 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau in September in 2026.
The delegations further expressed their appreciation to the Pacific Community (SPC) and its consortium of partners for their continued technical assistance and support throughout the process.
The bilateral meeting was supported through the Pacific Maritime Boundaries Programme, a multi-year initiative coordinated by SPC and funded by the Government of Australia, the United Kingdom and the European Union, in collaboration with a Consortium of Partners…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DIPLOMACY: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Australia treaties to return to Parliament for ratification: Fiji PM Rabuka
SUVA, 16 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed the Vuvale Union and Ocean of Peace Alliance (Veitacini Treaty), signed with Australia on 06 July, will return to Parliament for ratification before they take effect.
Speaking Wednesday, Rabuka said both agreements must first be ratified by the Fijian and Australian parliaments.
“It will go through the process and be brought back to Parliament in the next sitting,” Rabuka said.
With Parliament sitting this week, he said the treaties could be tabled as early as Thursday or Friday. However, the Government preferred to “take it through the normal process” rather than rush them through the current sitting.
Rabuka also welcomed New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s confirmation that Wellington would hold formal talks with Fiji and Australia before deciding whether to join the agreement.
“Yes, it’s a very, very welcome development and we look forward to finalising, ratifying it and then opening it up for other Pacific nations,” he said.
Asked whether he hoped other Pacific Island countries would join, Rabuka replied: “Yes, we are because it’s in harmony with all our aspirations.”
Under Article 12 of the treaty, other Pacific countries may join with the unanimous consent of existing members.
The treaty is designed to give practical effect to the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, a concept Rabuka first proposed at the 2023 Pacific Islands Forum.
The declaration calls for Pacific nations to address climate change, geopolitics and regional security through talanoa and consensus, rather than coercion or militarism, under a “friends to all, enemies to none” approach.
Pacific leaders formally endorsed the declaration in 2025…. PACNEWS
COOKS – ELECTION/POLITICS: COOK ISLANDS NEWS PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Cook Islands general election: final list of candidates confirmed
RAROTONGA, 16 JULY 2026 (COOK ISLANDS NEWS) — Agnes Helen Armstrong has secured the Ivirua seat uncontested, leaving 62 candidates to compete for the remaining Cook Islands parliamentary seats in the August 12 general election.
With the 2026 general election just a month away, one of the 24 parliamentary seats has already been decided.
The close of nominations revealed that a seat in Mangaia went unopposed. Incumbent Member of Parliament Agnes Helen Armstrong is set to be elected uncontested after emerging as the sole candidate for the Ivirua constituency.
Armstrong, who has served as a Democratic Party MP since 2019, chose to run as an independent in the upcoming general election to be held on Wednesday, 12 August.
The final list of candidates released after nominations closed confirmed that Ivirua had only one contender.
Chief electoral officer Taggy Tangimetua told Cook Islands News that Armstrong will be officially declared elected, meaning residents in Ivirua will not need to cast a ballot.
Tangimetua noted that while rare, uncontested seats have occurred in past elections, most recently in Ivirua in 2014, Penrhyn in 2006 and Ivirua in 2004.
Speaking to Cook Islands newspaper, Armstrong, who entered politics after the unfortunate passing of her husband and former Ivirua MP in 2018, paid tribute to the people from her constituency for their decision.
“It is what the people of Ivirua have wanted, to be united, come together as one people, and to (maintain) peace in the village, instead of dividing, you know, politics divides people … that’s what our village wanted, to come together as one” Armstrong said.
“And I think if you’re always in contact with your people, you’re talking with them all the time and keeping them up to speed with what’s going on, what their values and what they want, and I think that’s where this (decision) comes from.
“We give thanks to our Lord that He’s paved the way for us to all come together as one people.”
Armstrong said the decision of which party to join post-election would ultimately rest with her people.
“Well, we’ll come together as a village, as a community. We’ll talk about it, see what our options are, and we’ll go from there,’ she said.
“I will be led by my people. I won’t make decisions on my own. I will be talking to my people, and we’ll collectively move forward.
“I’ve been talking to people from all parties and independents. But like I said, it’ll basically come down to what my people want because they will have the final say.”
Armstrong urged other candidates to put their people first in this election.
“I’d just like to encourage everybody else out there to do the right thing, to do it for their people. It’s our people that we need to look after first. And keep the Lord in front of you. He will guide you.”
A total of 63 candidates has been 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.
The governing Cook Islands Party is fielding the highest number of candidates with 20, followed by the Cook Islands United Party with 14 and the Democratic Party with 12. Additionally, there are 12 independents, two candidates from the Progressive Party, two representing Independent-Enuamanu, and one candidate from the newly formed Independence Party.
Compared to the 2022 election, the Democratic Party has experienced the greatest loss of candidates, with several former members now running under different political banners or as independents.
Among the most notable defections are Ngamau Mere “Macan” Munokoa, who has moved from the Democratic Party to the Cook Islands United Party to contest Nikao-Panama, and Dr Teina Rongo, who will stand for the Cook Islands United Party in Avatiu-Ruatonga-Palmerston.
Former Democratic Party candidate Nooroa Baker will contest Murienua for the Cook Islands Party, while Tetangi Matapo, the incumbent Tamarua MP for Democrats since 2014, will contest this year’s election as an independent.
The Cook Islands Party has also lost two former candidates to the independent ranks. Incumbent Tupapa Maraerenga MP George “Maggie” Angene, who recorded the highest individual vote in the 2022 election, will contest Manihiki as an independent, while former Amuri-Ureia candidate Nicholas Royle Henry is also standing as an independent. The incumbent One Cook Islands MP for Amuri-Ureia, Toanui Isamaela, will contest under the Cook Islands Party banner.
Meanwhile, two incumbent independent MPs, who were part of the CIP government, have formalised their political alliance under the new Independent-Enuamanu banner. Te-Hani Rose Alexandra Brown will again contest Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua, while Vainetutai Rose Brown-Toki will seek re-election in Teenui-Mapumai.
The Democratic Party has also gained one candidate from the Cook Islands United Party, with Paul Raui Pokoati Allsworth switching parties to contest Mitiaro…. PACNEWS
AUST – REPATRIATIONS: AAP PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
‘Unflattering history’ embraced in return of 17 Rapa Nui people remains
SYDNEY, 16 JULY 2026 (AAP) — It’s not often a museum is proud to lose items from their collection.
But for the Australian Museum, the opportunity to return remains of 17 Rapa Nui people to their rightful home of Easter Island is something they have worked tirelessly to achieve.
The ancestors were removed from sacred burial sites in 1882 by a German naval expedition, and sold to the Sydney-based museum, where they have remained for more than 140 years.
On Wednesday, a ceremony was held to formally return custodianship of the 17 ancestors and one sample of human hair to the Rapa Nui people.
It was the result of two years of cultural consultation and logistical planning between the museum, Rapa Nui people, and Australian and Chilean officials.
Human remains were often taken in the name of eugenics science, which has since been debunked and would today be considered pseudo-scientific racism.
The Rapa Nui people broke down a language barrier to accept an apology from the museum and demonstrate their gratitude through cultural gifts and performances.
“(The museum) and all of Australia with them, are looking squarely into the face of that unflattering history and asking the practical question – how do we do what is right?” Father Francisco Nahoe, a coordinator of global repatriations to the Rapa Nui community said.
“For your efforts, you have gained the respect of the Rapa Nui people.”
Australian Museum director Kim McKay used Wednesday’s ceremony to recognise the harm taking human remains had caused across generations.
“Our institution took part in the purchase of human remains, remains taken without consent from resting places that were never meant to be disturbed – this was wrong,” McKay said at the ceremony.
“It reflected a colonial mindset that saw Indigenous ancestors as objects of study rather than as people.”
The repatriation effort was one of many the museum has done and will continue to do, returning other remains and artefacts to their traditional owners both in Australia and around the Pacific.
“You’ve got to do the right thing,” McKay told AAP.
“Times have changed significantly, there is no reason to hold on to First Nations ancestral remains in a museum in this day and age.”
It comes amid growing backlash against former colonial powers who retain and display remains or items from historical conquests in museums.
“This moment transcends Rapa Nui and transcends Australia,” Vaitiare Pakarati, Rapa Nui delegation member said via translation.
“It speaks to the capacity we humans have to listen to one another, to understand one another and to build a different future together,” said Pakarati…. PACNEWS
NZ – ELECTION/POLITICS: PMN PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
‘They don’t see themselves’: Pacific youth warn politicians ahead of election
WELLINGTON/AUCKLAND, 16 JULY 2026 (PMN) — Many young Pacific voters are on the electoral roll but they are questioning whether politics is listening to them.
As the 2026 general election approaches, youth commentators say political parties face a major challenge: rebuilding trust with a generation that feels left out of the conversation.
Young Pacific voters are sending a warning to political parties ahead of this year’s general election: earn their trust, or risk losing their support.
The PMN Horizon Research Pacific Issues Election Survey shows only one in three Pacific young people aged 18 to 24 are certain they will vote in the 2026 election.
This is despite nearly 60 percent being registered on the electoral roll.
Speaking on Pacific Mornings, Andre Fa’aoso, says politicians need to do more to understand the concerns of young Pacific voters.
“It’s pretty indicative of the sentiments of young people across the country, particularly our Pasifika young people.
“We have a political establishment which needs to work a lot harder to cater to the concerns and the perspectives of young Pasifika.
“They feel like their views are not being delivered by the front political parties at the moment.”
The survey, which gathered responses from 292 Pacific people, found cost of living remains the biggest issue influencing how people will vote with 90 percent saying it will be a major factor.
The survey also found 52 percent of respondents believe New Zealand is heading in the wrong direction, while only 13 percent believe the country is moving in the right direction.
Trust in some political parties is also low with 72 percent saying the National Party does not understand Pacific communities well, while 74 percent said the same about ACT New Zealand.
Fania Kapao told PMN young people are looking for more than election promises. They want meaningful connection.
“They don’t see themselves in the policies that parties bring forward, and they don’t see members connecting with them in ways which make sense to them,” Kapao says.
“There’s so much that can be said about the use of, say, written media and newspapers and the effort that goes into that.
“But there’s not much that goes into connecting face-to-face with our young people and where they are in our communities.”
The online Horizon Research survey of 293 Pacific respondents was conducted between 23 June and 07 July. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.7 percentage points.
Kapao says Pacific families are under pressure as the cost of living continues to rise with young people trying to balance their own futures while supporting their families.
She says voters want politicians to understand their everyday realities and not only appear during election campaigns.
“But to also ensure…that they take into consideration their actual needs and what they’re actually asking for, not just soundbites.”
The survey also highlights the changing way Pacific communities consume political information.
Sixty percent of all respondents say social media is their main source of political news.
Fa’aoso says political parties need to improve how they engage with young people online and invest in how the political system works.
He says stronger civics education in schools could help young people feel more confident taking part in democracy.
The 2026 general election will be held on Saturday, 7 November, with advance voting opening on Monday, 26 October…. PACNEWS
UN – INDIGENEOUS RIGHTS: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Indigenous rights activists face disproportionate dangers
NEW YORK, 16 JULY 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — The world’s transition to clean energy must not come at the cost of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Wednesday at the 19th session of the UN-appointed Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Indigenous rights defenders often face intimidation, harassment, violence, criminalisation and prosecution, especially as they defend their land from development projects such as mining and large-scale agriculture.
Between 2023 and 2025, at least 15 percent of the human rights defenders killed or forcibly disappeared around the world were Indigenous Persons, according to the human rights chief.
Türk highlighted the case of Brooklyn Rivera, an Indigenous leader in Nicaragua who died in state custody in May and called for all Member States to respect Indigenous rights.
He also highlighted recent successes such as an Indigenous group in Australia that in May secured record compensation for mining conducted without their consent.
“Indigenous Peoples’ rights are not theoretical aspirations for the future; they are obligations for the present, now,” Türk said.
“And wherever those rights are respected, all of society becomes more just, more peaceful and more resilient.”
Indigenous Peoples around the world lead efforts on biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, resource management, peacebuilding and human rights.
“Durable peace requires inclusion, justice, meaningful participation at every stage and recognition of rights,” he said.
“And this must involve recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination and to control over their lands.”
Majority populations have historically dispossessed Indigenous communities of land and resources, denied them self-determination, degraded their environments, and threatened their governance systems and cultures, human rights chief noted.
Türk urged Member States to support the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples and the Global Alliance for Human Rights, both of which strengthen Indigenous participation in international fora.
“Together we can work to place all human rights at the centre of decision-making everywhere,” he said…. PACNEWS
PNG – ECONOMY/CLIMATE CHANGE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 2: Thu 16 Jul 2026
PNG needs balance between growth, climate resilience: Official
PORT MORESBY, 16 JULY 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Papua New Guinea must find a balance between economic growth and climate change resilience aspiration through strong governance frameworks and polices, a Climate Change Development Authority (CCDA) official says.
CCDA acting managing director Debra Sungi said that climate change was intertwined with economic, investment, and development discussions.
“Papua New Guinea is a forest-rich country with over 75 percent of its land covered by forests, with 65 percent of that forest cover still intact (virgin forest land),” she said.
“The country is resource- rich in mining, petroleum, agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, and energy.
“However, the main challenge is balancing sustainability and development while working together as a nation.
“We aim to be a carbon-neutral society by 2050 and 50 percent by 2030. This will require legislative obligations tied to regulatory frameworks.
“But our economic development must be climate-resilient, ensuring every development contributes to mitigation actions.”
Sungi added that the Government’s reforms and regulations aligned with industry aspirations, fostering a collaborative approach to achieving climate targets would create a more enabling environment for climate resilient investments.
She said that private sector support for the initiatives was crucial for economic progress within the rules of future climate resilience, which included financial institutions.
Meanwhile, according to Sungi, the CCDA has focused on policy, strategy, and governance framework development over the last decade.
The Climate Change Management Act, amended in 2023, and its supporting regulations, have strengthened governance within the authority.
Sungi said that strong governance frameworks would build trust, credibility, and investment in the sector, essential for implementation.
She said CCDA implementation over the years was on landowners, coastal communities, and highland regions, with a focus on adaptation and mitigation efforts…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – DEFICIT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Fiji Finance Minister defends seven percent deficit as necessary to protect families
SUVA, 16 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel has defended the Government’s projected seven percent budget deficit, saying reducing it further would require cutting essential services, reducing social assistance or increasing taxes.
Speaking during the 2026-2027 National Budget debate in Parliament Wednesday, Immanuel said the Government had chosen to protect households while navigating difficult global economic conditions.
He noted that the FijiFirst Government’s 2023 National Budget projected an even higher deficit of 7.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
“The 2023 National Budget projected expenditure of about $3.82 billion (US$1.91 billion) against revenue of about $2.9 billion (US$1.45 million), resulting in a deficit of $872 million (US$436 million), or about 7.4 percent of GDP,” Immanuel said.
“So, it was higher than the deficit we are targeting.”
Immanuel said the budget was prepared against a backdrop of rising global fuel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, which had increased transport, electricity and import costs.
He said Government had also revised its revenue projections downward by about $200 million (US$100 million) because of slower economic growth.
Despite the lower revenue, Immanuel said the Government still had to fund critical national priorities.
“We have to fund the general election, provide funding for the constitutional referendum, prepare for the national census and continue major infrastructure projects,” he said.
“We have to support vulnerable households and ensure essential public services continued without interruption. These were not optional expenditures but national priorities.”
Immanuel challenged the Opposition to explain how it would reduce the deficit without cutting civil service salaries, welfare payments, farmer assistance, back-to-school support, scholarships, healthcare or infrastructure spending.
He also questioned whether it would instead increase VAT, income tax or corporate tax, or remove the zero-rating on 22 basic food items.
“These are real policy choices confronting every finance minister.”
Immanuel said the Government had already reduced its own expenditure by cutting operational costs, official travel, workshops and recruitment, while reviewing funding for vacant positions and grants.
He said ministers and Members of Parliament continued to contribute through salary reductions introduced previously.
“Before asking anyone else to tighten their belts, Government must first tighten its own belt,” he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – AIRLINE: BIZ JOURNALS PACNEWS BIZ: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Alaska expands Hawaii flights to Pacific Northwest, will end New Zealand route
HONOLULU, 16 JULY 2026 (BIZ JOURNALS) — Alaska and Hawaiian on Tuesday announced new routes and flights for the winter travel season.
Most notably, Alaska will launch new nonstop service between Honolulu and Boise, Idaho, and Spokane, Washington.
Flights between Honolulu and Boise will operate daily between 17 December and 21 March 2027, while flights between Honolulu and Spokane will run weekly, on Saturdays, from 19 December to 17 April 2027.
Both connections will use Alaska-branded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Demand from Boise and Spokane has been particularly strong during the winter and early spring seasons, Alaska officials said, with a significant number of travelers continuing to the Hawaiian Islands beyond Oʻahu.
The carrier will be the only airline in the world linking Honolulu with the two Pacific Northwest cities when flights begin in December.
Hawaiian, meanwhile, will expand capacity on certain existing routes, including Honolulu-to-Las Vegas, which will see additional flights during peak travel periods in the winter and spring. Exact dates were not provided.
As part of the schedule adjustment, Hawaiian will drop its seasonal service to Auckland, New Zealand, officials said.
The service, which operated three times weekly during the Northern Hemisphere winter months, was set to resume in November.
The airline also cited high fuel costs, soft demand recovery in international Pacific markets, unfavourable exchange rates, and “evolving global travel trends” in its decision to exit Auckland…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Uneven progress, significant gaps: New immunisation estimates must accelerate urgent action in the Western Pacific
MANILA, 16 JULY 2026 (WHO PACIFIC) — New WHO and UNICEF estimates reveal that while overall immunisation coverage in the Western Pacific region has stabilised following the COVID-19 pandemic, progress remains uneven and far too many children continue to miss life-saving vaccines.
Governments must significantly accelerate action as the Region is currently not on track to meet global immunisation targets for 2030.
The 2025 WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage (WUENIC) show that many countries across the Western Pacific continue to maintain high vaccination coverage and introduce new vaccines in their national programmes.
However, others face growing challenges, including recent measles and poliovirus outbreaks, declining public confidence in immunisation, and financing pressures. Last year, nearly 1.7 million babies, around 1 in every 11 born across the region, were zero-dose children, meaning they did not receive even a first routine vaccine dose.
Further, coverage with the third dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis containing vaccine (DTP3), which is an indicator of programme performance as it shows completion of a child’s primary immunisation series, remains below pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
Yet, the Region has also shown what sustained commitment and collaboration can achieve.
For 25 years, the Western Pacific has retained its official polio-free status. Twenty-nine countries and areas have achieved measles and rubella elimination, including all 21 Pacific island countries and areas in 2025. Further, 35 countries and areas have introduced HPV vaccination programmes, expanding protection against cervical cancer and strengthening girls’ and women’s health.
“Immunisation has safeguarded the health of millions of people, including children, across our Region,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.
“But the latest estimates remind us that progress cannot be taken for granted. Every child who misses vaccination leaves a gap in our collective protection. We know what works. Now we must invest sustainably, speed up implementation, and ensure every child is reached.”
The findings reinforce three regional priorities that WHO, Member States and partners are advancing through the global Immunisation Agenda 2030:
*Reduce zero-dose and under-immunised populations by 50 percent;
*Achieve and sustain measles and rubella elimination; and
*Expand immunisation across the life course, including HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer.
The challenges look different across the region.
In some countries, the priority is reaching children in densely populated urban areas; in others, it is sustaining services across remote islands, mountainous areas or communities affected by persistent emergencies.
Indonesia and the Philippines remain among the countries with the largest numbers of zero-dose children globally. Papua New Guinea continues to face significant routine immunisation challenges and is among the countries with lowest levels of DTP1 coverage.
At the same time, many countries across the Region have sustained high vaccination coverage and expanded access to new vaccines, demonstrating that continued investment delivers results.
“For governments across the Region, the message is clear,” said Dr Huong Tran, Director of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.
“Immunisation must remain a national priority, backed by sustained investment and resilient health systems. Reaching every community requires listening to people’s concerns, building trust through local health workers, responding to misinformation, and ensuring vaccination services are available where families need them. Countries have also called for stronger regional collaboration, better data and surveillance, and more opportunities to share experience and practical solutions.”
Immunisation remains one of the smartest investments in public health. Every US$1 invested in immunisation can generate up to US$54 in health, social and economic benefits by preventing disease, reducing health-care costs, avoiding outbreaks and supporting healthier, more productive societies.
Globally, vaccination has prevented an estimated 154 million deaths since 1974. In the Western Pacific Region, measles vaccination alone is estimated to have saved around 12 million lives over the same period.
The WUENIC data, together with recommendations from governments and technical experts, will inform discussions at the seventy-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in October 2026, where Member States will, among other health priorities, define the Region’s immunisation agenda through 2030.
“The Western Pacific has shown that ambitious public health goals are achievable when countries work together,” said Richard Duncan, Coordinator, Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunisation, WHO Western Pacific.
“We have the evidence we need, and we need to turn this evidence into action. By investing in resilient immunisation systems as a key pillar of universal health coverage, and reaching every community through strengthened primary health care, we can protect more lives today while better preparing for the health challenges of tomorrow,” he said.
Western Pacific region (2025)
*Nearly 1.7 million babies (1 684 007) did not receive a first routine diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine dose (DTP1), equivalent to about one in every eleven births.
*Regional DTP1 coverage was 91.1 percent, broadly stable when compared with 2024.
*Regional DTP3 coverage remains below pre-pandemic levels in 2019 (94 percent) but has stabilised at 89 percent since 2023.
*The Western Pacific Region has retained its polio-free status for more than 25 years, but recent events in a number of places are a warning that countries cannot be complacent.
Global context
* Vaccination has prevented an estimated 154 million deaths since 1974.
*Smallpox vaccination, through a concerted global campaign underpinned by collaboration between WHO Member States, succeeded in eradicating the disease globally almost half a century ago.
*Measles vaccination alone has prevented approximately 94 million deaths globally, including an estimated 12 million lives saved in the Western Pacific region.
*Every US$1 invested in immunisation can generate up to US$54 in health, social and economic benefits
WUENIC (WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage) provides the world’s most comprehensive dataset on global vaccination trends, tracking coverage for 16 different vaccines across 195 countries. Updated annually, it combines officially reported state data, literature, and surveys to identify vaccination gaps and monitor disease eradication efforts…. PACNEWS
For more information, and to arrange media interviews, please contact: WHO Western Pacific Communications, wprocom@who.int
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Childhood vaccination rate increases slightly, but millions remain unprotected
GENEVA, 16 JULY 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — Global childhood immunisation programmes continued to recover in 2025, but conflict, poverty and growing vaccine hesitancy are still leaving millions vulnerable to preventable diseases, according to new UN data released on Wednesday.
The annual WHO-UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage reveal 90 percent of infants worldwide received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine last year, while 85 percent completed the recommended three-dose series.
Although both figures increased by one percentage point from 2024, global vaccination coverage remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Missing lifesaving vaccines
An estimated 13.5 million children received no vaccines at all during their first year of life in 2025. While that marks a decline of nearly 750,000 “zero-dose” children compared with the previous year, millions remain beyond the reach of health services.
At the same time, more children are beginning vaccination schedules but failing to complete them, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
“Governments and health workers have helped global vaccination rates bounce back after dropping significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
“But millions of vulnerable children are still being left unprotected due to conflict, displacement and poverty. We must reach every child, and we must rebuild trust where it is fraying.”
Measles outbreaks continue
The report highlights growing concern over measles, one of the world’s most contagious diseases.
Globally, 84 percent of children received their first measles vaccine dose in 2025 and 77 percent received the second, well below the 95 percent coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
As a result, 57 countries reported major or disruptive measles outbreaks last year.
Conflict and hesitancy widen gaps
More than half of all zero-dose children live in fragile or conflict-affected countries, where immunisation programmes are often disrupted by insecurity, political instability and underfunding.
Syria saw sharp declines in vaccination coverage during 2025, while Sudan recorded one of the world’s largest improvements, demonstrating that immunisation rates can recover even in conflict settings when access to health services expands.
WHO also warned that vaccination rates are slipping in some middle- and high-income countries despite vaccines being readily available, citing vaccine hesitancy, weakening political commitment and other structural challenges.
Funding concerns
WHO Director-General Tedros called vaccines one of the most effective and equitable public health interventions.
“Every child, whether born into wealth or poverty, peace or conflict, deserves the life-giving protection that vaccines provide,” he said.
The agencies also warned that recent cuts to international health financing could undermine future progress.
Fewer countries carried out national immunisation surveys in 2025, limiting the ability to identify children who are missing vaccines and respond quickly to emerging outbreaks.
WHO and UNICEF called on governments and international partners to strengthen vaccination programmes in fragile settings, combat misinformation, increase funding and invest in stronger disease surveillance systems to prevent further setbacks…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
PNG’s answer to the deepfake problem
The 2027 elections will test PNG’s media on mis- and disinformation – policymakers should assess the verification tool on offer.
By Geoff Heriot, Neville Choi
PORT MORESBY, 16 JULY 2026 (THE INTERPRETER) — The New York Times recently reported the world’s leading deepfake expert Hany Farid no longer trusted his own eyes. Farid, a University of California professor in Berkeley, felt he was “going blind”. Evolving at breakneck speed, AI had obscured the truth, distorted reality and fractured democracies. The Times noted Farid’s earlier research findings that many people “could no longer distinguish a real photograph from a digital creation, a real voice from an AI clone, a real video clip from a wholesale fabrication”.
It is a long stretch from the advanced technology economy of Berkeley to PNG where resources are comparatively meagre and high-end cyber expertise scarce. Financially constrained media in PNG generally operate on a small scale with limited editorial and production capacity – they cannot afford to dedicate ample staff time for forensic analysis or deep dives into social media burrows. Yet the communities they serve are highly vulnerable to manipulation and falsehoods amplified through digital media.
Almost 40 percent of the PNG population of an estimated 11 million lives in poverty, lacks access to basic services or employment in the formal economy, is poorly educated and possesses very low media literacy. Millions of these same people have access to social media applications such as Facebook via mobile telephones. Many are beyond the reach of mainstream journalism and its espoused principles of accuracy and accountability.
PNG’s vulnerability to the scourge of mis- and disinformation is mirrored elsewhere in the Pacific as noted by the most recent State of the Media report. This regional challenge of the digital “coconut wireless” was covered in The Interpreter by Michaela Long and Connor Graham. PNG is a test case. Of specific concern, it prepares for national elections in 2027 fearing a recurrence of the violence last time, which resulted in more than 400 deaths and the displacement of some 20,000 residents.
In March 2026, a parliamentary committee report in PNG responded emphatically to the concerns of the political class and mainstream media. The Inquiry into the Standard and Integrity of Journalism in PNG made 40 recommendations, 20 of which involved – and served to endorse – the self-regulating role of the Media Council of PNG. Among those recommendations was that public funding be provided to the volunteer-run Media Council in support of its independent processes of industry self-regulation and development.
The report proposed a national disinformation taskforce involving the Media Council and other cross-sectoral bodies and called on the Council to create industry-wide fact-checking protocols and verification standards. It argued government should lead development of a national digital and media literacy strategy, introduce a Freedom of Press Act, and amend the PNG Criminal Code to help protect at-risk media workers. If implemented, the recommendations would help create a substantial scaffolding for civic and social stability.
But they would still be insufficient to help media uphold “human-in-the-loop” editorial standards, or to serve as a model for other national jurisdictions struggling similarly. It is not just that AI creations and deepfakes are becoming so difficult for human editors to detect or that many activities of fact-checking and verification occur when suspicious content has already taken hold in the community. So long as organisations lack adequate capacity to perform systematic and time-consuming verification work, training and the setting of verification protocols will offer only part-remedies. Nor will mainstream media narrow the information gap with the millions of social media users who do not consume their services.
The Media Council of PNG has proposed a co-designed technology response that, regrettably, has received scant attention from policymakers.
With an eye to the 2027 PNG elections, the Council together with computer science researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) proposed an editorial aid using advanced technology applications already developed and tested successfully. This automated fake news detector, trained specifically for the PNG civic and media context, would provide near-real-time alerts of suspicious multimodal content, including text, images, video and synthetic audio. It would provide bilingual (English, Tok Pisin) summaries and explanations and also assign different risk levels to distinguish normal political exaggeration from factually incorrect and high-risk deepfakes or harmful manipulation. An optional plug-in would allow authorised fact-checkers to issue advisory alerts to social media users.
The tool would combine a lightweight machine-learning detector for rapid screening with a complementary Large Language Model (LLM) for contextual reasoning and explanation. Designed for a specialised rather than universal purpose, it would minimise the factual errors and inconsistencies that still affect general-purpose LLMs.
This is no substitute for the human tasks of investigative and attributable reporting. At a minimum, the automated fake news detector would offer early alerts and advice as the basis for editorial decisions to publish or not, to identify trending mis- or disinformation, and provide rapid response opportunities for relevant authorities to attempt corrective actions. Whether for deployment in PNG or elsewhere, it is an inventive model deserving of serious evaluation in the interests of fact-based public discourse and democratic order……PACNEWS
Dr Geoff Heriot is an independent consultant on media and governance, and author of, International Broadcasting and its Contested Role in Australian Statecraft: Middle Power, Smart Power (Anthem Press). Disclosure: he acts as an adviser to the Media Council of PNG under the auspices of a program funded by the Australian Government and delivered by ABC International Development. The views expressed are his own.
Neville Choi is president of the Media Council of PNG, a board member of the Pacific Islands News Association and managing partner of Choi Media Solutions. He has extensive high-level experience in journalism, editorial management and corporate communications.
