In this bulletin:
1. FIJI — Climate Change Minister Tabuya calls for stronger Youth voice in Fiji’s COP31 preparations
2. PACIFIC — Pacific Youth climate statement ready for COP31
3. PACIFIC — House bill calls for radiation exposure study in Northern Marianas
4. COOKS — U.S Ambassador, Cook Islands PM discuss closer bilateral cooperation
5. PALAU — Palau enters drought as El Niño brings prolonged dry conditions
6. FIJI — Fiji Methodist Church president urges ministers to prepare for life after service
7. PALAU — Palau Media Council steps up preparations for PIFLM 2026
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Parliament passes Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Regional Pacific Islands unite in addressing Seasonal workers challenges
10. PACNEWS BIZ — U.S Navy begins removing derelict vessels from Koror waters
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa Foreign Investment Amendment Bill passes second reading
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa Government Minister of Finance meets World Bank Division Director
13. PACNEWS BIZ — FAO introduces innovative, safer fish drying drums to support women fish processors in PNG
14. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — The Features of the Coming U.S-China Conflict in the Western and Central Pacific
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — The role of Tourism and Business reform in unlocking the growth in the Private Sector
16. PACNEWS SPORT — Australia pushes sporting diplomacy to new levels in the Pacific
17. PACNEWS SPORT — PNG to play Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Ghana in Preliminary Phase of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament
FIJI – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Climate Change Minister Tabuya calls for stronger Youth voice in Fiji’s COP31 preparations
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific youth will have a direct role in Fiji’s preparations for COP31, with Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya calling on young climate leaders to strengthen their voice and help shape the region’s priorities.
Speaking at the closing of the Regional Conference of Youth on Climate Change (RCOY) Oceania 2026 in Suva, Tabuya said Fiji’s official COP31 delegation would include young Pacific people nominated through the Pacific Youth Council and the National Youth Council of Fiji.
“Not observer passes at the margin, but as party overflow delegates, with responsibilities in its work and in its preparation. From your side, this means commitment. You need to attend each and every taskforce meeting to understand our national positions, the justifications behind them and know how to hold the line,” she stated.
The three-day conference brought together young climate leaders from across the Pacific to develop youth priorities for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau, Pre-COP31 engagements and COP31.
The discussions produced the Pacific Youth Position Statement, which was handed over to Tabuya at the closing of the conference.
Tabuya said the youth statement would also be taken to the youth meeting in Nadi from 01 -03 October.
“I ask you for one thing: precision. Write in the language of delivery. For every priority, name the change required, name who must act, etc. Fiji’s lead negotiators across all track should be able to use the text provided and defend it.”
She reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to keeping the 1.5-degree goal within reach, improving access to climate finance and ensuring the ocean remains central to global climate action.
With Pacific leaders preparing to meet in Palau and Fiji preparing to host the Pacific Pre-COP31 in October, Tabuya urged young Pacific leaders to take their priorities into regional and global climate discussions.
Preparations are also intensifying for Fiji’s hosting of Pre-COP31, with organising teams meeting to finalise the programme and logistical arrangements for government delegates, observers and other stakeholders.
Fiji, Australia and Tuvalu are working together to deliver a Pacific-led Pre-COP that places the priorities and experiences of Pacific Island countries at the centre of global climate discussions.
Members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Fiji were also briefed on preparations for Pre-COP31, which Fiji will host in partnership with Tuvalu and Australia.
The briefing was attended by Heads of Mission, representatives of resident diplomatic missions, United Nations agencies and development partners.
Diplomatic missions were briefed on the structure of the meeting, including preparatory sessions in Nadi and the Leaders’ component in Tuvalu.
They were also updated on arrangements for delegations, including registration and accreditation, visa facilitation, protocol and liaison support, accommodation, transport and security.
Fiji’s Environment Ministry said Pre-COP31 would provide an opportunity to bridge gaps across the negotiation agenda ahead of COP31 while allowing Pacific Island countries to share their priorities and experiences.
“We thank all the diplomatic corps for their continued support and look forward to welcoming delegations to Pre-COP31 in October,” the Ministry said.
Fiji will host the main Pre-COP31 meeting in Nadi from 05 to 08 October, while the Leaders’ component will be held in Tuvalu on 05 and 06 October.
Coordination between Fiji, Tuvalu and Australia is continuing, with further meetings scheduled in the coming weeks.
Pre-COP31 will build momentum ahead of COP31, which will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 09 – 20 November 2026….PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Pacific Youth climate statement ready for COP31
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FBC NEWS) —The Regional Conference of Youth for Oceania (RCOY) has officially concluded at the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat.
The event accredited by the UNFCCCs official children and youth constituency known as YOUNGO bringing together youth from across the Oceania region, saw contributions from youths across all aspects relating to climate justice.
FBC News attended the three-day event and observed that the initial statement contributed by the youths in attendance stood at five priorities from the initiatives previous Talanoa Session and was re-evaluated to now nine priorities that will be tabled at the PreCop in Tuvalu, Nadi and Antalya Turkiye.
Closing the RCOY, UN Resident Coordinator Dirk Wagener stressed that meaningful youth participation must extend beyond simply being heard.
He said young people must have a genuine role in shaping decisions that affect their future, with their priorities connected directly to policy and action.
The United Nations is calling for Pacific youth voices to move beyond consultation and translate into concrete climate action.
Wagener said the experiences shared by Pacific youth during the Talanoa process demonstrate the importance of creating spaces where young people can exchange perspectives, share lived experiences and contributed to regional and global climate discussions.
He also acknowledged the realities already facing Pacific communities, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion, displacement and the loss of homes, livelihoods, culture and identity.
UN Resident Coordinator has urged young people to continue connecting across islands and generations, while challenging leaders and institutions to ensure youth participation is meaningful and leads to action……PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Fri 21 Aug 2026
House bill calls for radiation exposure study in Northern Marianas
WASHINGTON/SAIPAN, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) —In a new attempt at expanding the nuclear reparation programme, a coalition of House members are proposing a federal study to determine the Northern Mariana Islands’ possible exposure to radioactive fallout from U.S nuclear tests in the Pacific between 1946 and 1962.
“For decades, Pacific communities have lived with unanswered questions about the long-term consequences of America’s nuclear weapons programme. The Northern Mariana Islands deserves answers too,”CNMI Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds said.
The proposed study, which is incorporated into the newly introduced Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorisation Act of 2026, would require designated federal agencies to initiate the process not later than 18 months after the bill is signed into law.
“This issue was recently raised with me by members of our community who asked whether radioactive fallout from nuclear testing in the Pacific may have reached the Northern Mariana Islands and what that exposure could have meant for the health of our people,” said King-Hinds, co-sponsor of RECRA 2026.
The proposed study would include a review of historical records, meteorological and environmental monitoring data, fallout modeling, declassified documents and other relevant information relating to covered testing.
The new bill seeks to fill the gaps in RECA program by adding Guam and other U.S jurisdictions impacted by U.S nuclear weapons production and testing.
“Together, our voices are stronger, and together, we will keep fighting until every American harmed by radiation exposure receives the justice they have been denied,” said Guam Delegate James Moylan, the bill’s main author.
Guam’s inclusion in RECA has been repeatedly proposed and defeated countless times since the 2005 release of the National Research Council’s report declaring the territory’s eligibility for compensation under RECA.
According to the long-forgotten report, Guam received measurable fallout from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific between 1946 and 1958.
“I’m not backing down until we get this across the finish line for the people of Guam who were impacted and all those still left behind,” Moylan said.
The bipartisan bill proposes to extend the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which is set to expire on 31 December 2027. This law provides compensation to individuals who developed serious illnesses due to exposure to radiation from U.S nuclear testing and uranium mining
The new legislation would extend the filing deadline by 15 years, increase compensation, authorise reimbursement of medical expenses, expand the list of eligible diseases, streamline the claims process through the use of affidavits where records are unavailable and establish a process for adding future classes of eligible individuals without requiring additional acts of Congress.
The measure is backed by a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers including co-lead Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO), Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), while additional members have signed on as cosponsors in support of their communities affected by radiation exposure
“While no legislation can truly rectify that harm, this expansion of compensable diseases and increase in RECA benefits from US$50,000 to US$150,000, in addition to covering medical expenses, is a huge step in the right direction,” Bell said.
“Nothing can fully right this wrong, but this effort tips the scales toward justice— for everyone from St. Louis to Guam,” he added.
For the CNMI radtion exposure study, the bill enlists the foowwling officials and agecies to conduct the CNMI radiation study: Secretary of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
The study would assess the extent to which radioactive fallout resulting from covered testing reached Saipan, Tinian and Rota….PACNEWS
COOKS – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Fri 21 Aug 2026
U.S Ambassador, Cook Islands PM discuss closer bilateral cooperation
RAROTONGA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— United States Ambassador Jared Novelly has congratulated caretaker Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown on his re-election and met with him to discuss strengthening the growing U.S-Cook Islands relationship.
The discussions covered ocean science, maritime security, economic opportunities and practical ways for the two countries to deepen cooperation.
Ambassador Novelly said the geographical distance between the United States and Cook Islands should not limit closer Pacific cooperation.
“The Pacific has a funny way of making distance on a map seem pretty irrelevant.
We’re neighbors out here, and good neighbors show up for each other. Congratulations to Prime Minister Brown on his re-election. I look forward to what we can accomplish together,” he said.
The meeting highlighted the United States’ interest in expanding practical cooperation with the Cook Islands across areas of mutual interest, including maritime security, ocean science and economic development….PACNEWS
PALAU – WEATHER WATCH: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Palau enters drought as El Niño brings prolonged dry conditions
KOROR, 21 AUGUST 2026 (ISLAND TIMES)— Palau has officially entered a drought and remains under Stage One of the National Drought Action Plan as a strengthening El Niño is expected to bring prolonged dry conditions through early next year, officials said this week.
Maria Ngemaes, meteorologist in charge at the Palau National Weather Service Office, said the country has entered an El Niño period that is expected to significantly reduce rainfall in the coming months.
“We are in a drought!” Ngemaes said. She added that “in earlier talk shows, we discussed the warning signs and the predictions of a future drought.”
Ngemaes said Palau had recently experienced little to no rainfall. “Starting now until Feberuary next year, the occurrence of an El-Nino is at 99 percent. We can say that we have entered an El-Nino period and there will be no rainfall until after January next year.”
She explained that not so severe droughts generally occur in Palau every two to seven years as water levels decline, while El Niño is a seasonal ocean-atmosphere climate pattern that can produce severe drought conditions such as what we are seeing.
The National Emergency Committee met this week to review the latest forecasts from the weather service and maintained the Stage One “Water Shortage WATCH” declaration for the entire Republic.
Under Stage One, water conservation is voluntary, but residents, businesses and government agencies are urged to reduce water use, fix leaks, maintain water catchment systems and avoid non-essential activities such as car washing and pressure washing.
Although water reservoirs remain at healthy levels, officials warned that a prolonged water shortage is possible in the coming months. Climate projections from the NOAA Climate Prediction Centre and other climate models indicate that El Niño conditions are likely to worsen, causing water sources across Palau to decline.
June, July and August are normally among Palau’s driest months. However, officials said the current dry season could last longer than usual, and rainfall may not be sufficient to maintain water levels in reservoirs and other water sources throughout the states.
Paul Tellei of the Palau Public Utilities Corporation said the country’s water reservoirs are currently in good condition but urged the public to conserve water immediately.
“While we are still in Stage 1 – the voluntarily stage, so far, all our water dams from Ngarchelong to Peleliu including Angaur are still at normal water levels,” Tellei said.
“Looking at the datas of April which we shared that we were experiencing drops of water levels so we are encouraging the public to practice water conservation measures,” he added.
Tellei encouraged residents to repair household leaks and reduce the amount of time they spend showering or running water.
National Emergency Committee Chairman Waymine Towai said the current stage is intended to give residents and businesses time to prepare for more serious conditions.
“This is a time prepare because while we are guaranteed to experience the drought, we are not sure how long will the drought last,” Towai said.
He noted that PPUC pumps and distributes approximately 3 million to 4 million gallons of water each day for Koror and Airai.
“Palau Public Utilities Corporation (PPUC) pumps and distributes around 3 to 4 million gallons of water everyday just for Koror and Airai, we must find ways to minimise that,” Towai said.
Towai said Stage One would remain voluntary unless water levels fall to specified thresholds.
“We are now in Stage 1 which is voluntarily measure where we practice water conservation measures,” he said. “when water levels continue to drop reaching a specific threshold, then we will enter Stage 2 were water conservation measures will be mandatory and then if conditions remain, we will enter the stage of water rationing,” Towai said…..PACNEWS
FIJI – CHURCH: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Thu 20 Aug 2026
Fiji Methodist Church president urges ministers to prepare for life after service
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Some Fiji Methodist Church ministers are reaching retirement after decades of service without a house or land of their own, prompting a warning from Church president Reverend Dr Semisi Turagavou for clergy to start securing their financial future early.
Addressing the Church’s Ministerial Session at its Annual Conference in Suva, Rev Turagavou said ministers needed to take greater responsibility for retirement planning and avoid waiting until the end of their careers.
“Many of our ministers do not retire well,” he said, pointing to situations where ministers have no house or piece of land of their own when their active ministry ends.
Rev Turagavou identified financial pressure and inadequate retirement preparation as forms of “bondage” that ministers must confront during the Church’s proposed period of liberation and reformation.
He urged ministers to use the resources available to them during their working years to acquire land and build a home where possible.
He also encouraged ministers to exercise discipline in their spending, distinguish between genuine needs and unnecessary purchases, and reduce financial burdens before retirement.
Reverend Turagavou encouraged ministers who were not members of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) to consider voluntary membership.
He said contributions made during a minister’s working life, even if modest, could grow into a meaningful source of financial support for the minister and family in retirement.
The Church president also raised concerns about ministers carrying unnecessary debt.
Reverend Turagavou said excessive credit purchases and unnecessary borrowing could become “chains” around ministers, affecting their peace of mind, families and emotional wellbeing while distracting them from their ministry.
He called on ministers to examine what was financially burdening them and begin the disciplined work of freeing themselves from unnecessary financial obligations.
The message forms part of the Church’s broader push for reform, with Rev Turagavou arguing that liberation must begin with the personal lives and discipline of its leaders.
For ministers approaching retirement, his message was clear: preparation for life after active ministry should begin well before their final years of service….PACNEWS
PALAU – MEDIA: PACNEWS/PMC PACNEWS 2: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Palau Media Council cteps up preparations for PIFLM 2026
KOROR, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS/PMC) —The Palau Media Council (PMC) is strengthening its preparations for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ and Related Meetings, with local media professionals completing a three-day hands-on training with ABC International Development (ABCID).
The training was aimed at strengthening the skills and readiness of Palau’s media ahead of the regional leaders’ meeting, which Palau will host from 30 August to 04 September 2026.
The practical sessions provided local journalists and media professionals with an opportunity to build their capacity and prepare for the demands of covering one of the Pacific’s major diplomatic and political gatherings.
Palau is expected to welcome Pacific leaders, government delegations, media professionals and other guests from across the region for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting.
The Palau Media Council said it remains focused on ensuring professional, comprehensive and timely coverage of the Forum and its related meetings.
The training with ABCID is part of efforts to ensure local media is prepared to provide strong coverage as Palau takes on the role of host for PIFLM 2026….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – MARINE AREAS BILL: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Fiji Parliament passes Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS)— Fiji’s Parliament has passed the Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill 2025, setting a new framework for the use and management of marine areas designated for commercial tourism.
Bill No. 42 of 2025 was passed on 19 August following nationwide public consultations conducted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights.
The Bill provides for the reversion of proprietary ownership of marine areas used for commercial purposes to the relevant iTaukei customary owners.
It also modernises the management of marine spaces used for tourism and provides new arrangements for commercial operators using these areas.
The legislation will repeal the Regulation of Surfing Areas Act 2010 and establish a new framework governing the commercial use of marine areas.
The Bill was gazetted on 01 December 2025 under Gazette Notice No. 91 and referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights for consideration.
The Committee conducted public consultations across Fiji, with support from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
The consultations included urban centres and rural coastal communities, with resource owners, tourism operators, surfers and other stakeholders providing submissions and appearing before the Committee.
Their views and recommendations were considered as part of the Committee’s review of the Bill.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka said the reform would modernise the management of Fiji’s marine spaces while strengthening the participation of Indigenous communities in the tourism sector.
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation also committed to playing an active role in conservation and development throughout the consultation process.
The Bill will now be presented to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu for assent.
Once assented to and published in the Gazette, the Bill will become an Act of Parliament. Its provisions will take effect once a Commencement Notice is published.
Until then, existing laws remain in force, and the Ministry has encouraged stakeholders to continue engaging through established channels….PACNEWS
PAC – SEASONAL WORKERS: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Regional Pacific Islands unite in addressing Seasonal workers challenges
PORT VILA/APIA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (TALAMUA ONLINE) —Representatives from Trade and Workers Unions around the Pacific are conducting a week-long workshop in Vanuatu to share and discuss challenges faced by workers under the New Zealand seasonal workers and Australia’s Pacific-Australia Labor Mobility (PALM) schemes.
Spearheading the workshop is the Pacific Islands Council of Trade Union (PICTU) and central to the workshop is finding ways to:
*Strengthen the organisational skills of organizers of selected Pacific Islands Trade Unions responsible for migrant workers in the PALM Scheme;
*Develop partnership on common issues to improve labour migration structures in the region and
*Plan necessary measures to improve the reintegration process with support services provided by the Union.
Representing Samoa at the workshop is Samoa First Union Director, Seveaoga Saina Tomi Fetalaiga who is one of the three Vice Chairpersons of PICTU.
Present for the first time at such workshops are several workers who have served under both schemes, and they shared their experiences, the challenges, the frustration and difficulties faced under the schemes.
Some of them are returning to work in Australia and took advantage of the workshop to ask PICTU and the Australia Workers Union (AWU) representative Latileta Gaga to assist them with some of the issues that still exist at some workplaces.
Some of the issues are common with all Pacific Island workers under the schemes and some have been addressed but there are some issues that Union representatives have never heard of before.
Several women have confirmed at the workshop that they are only given 6 minutes to use the shower.
Before it was 3 minutes, but after complaining to the employer, they received only 6 minutes to take a shower.
Gaga was appalled and had promised to look into it.
Another persisting issue is the sexual harassment of women at the workplace.
One of the cases was reported and the company was closed, however, the same employer created a new company under a different name and is recruiting workers from the Pacific again.
According to Gaga, the workers’ complaints should have been dealt with as a criminal matter.
The Australian Workers Union (AWU) representative Latileta Gaga commended Samoa for the inclusion of her cultural aspect into the labor mobility scheme in Australia.
Gaga said Samoan workers under the PALM scheme are well organised and she believes bringing their culture into the workplace they serve has created a disciplinary and well organised environment.
One of the instances she used to justify her comment is the way the Samoan workers organised themselves when invited to attend meetings with AWU.
There are about 40 to 80 Samoan workers and unlike other Pacific Island workers who all attended a meeting, Samoa selects only 15 team leaders from 80 workers to represent them and then relay the meetings outcome to their groups.
According to Samoa First Workers Union (SFWU) Director, Seveoaoga Saina Tomi Fetalagiga, before the workers leave Samoa, they go through pre-departure sessions which is fronted by the Government officials, financial institutions and SFWU.
Each entity performs different roles at the pre-departure session, and SFWUs role is not only to ensure the workers understand what to expect but ensuring they are aware of the importance of joining a worker’s union in Australia.
The pre-departure session also highlights the importance and uniqueness of the Samoan culture and that they are ambassadors of that culture wherever they go.
The workers are also reminded before departure, to “remember your family and the reason why you left them behind” – Manatua lou faleo’o pe a to manuia.”…PACNEWS
PALAU – DERELICT VESSELS: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
U.S Navy begins removing derelict vessels from Koror waters
KOROR, 21 AUGUST 2026 (ISLAND TIMES) — The U.S Navy has begun removing long-abandoned and derelict vessels from Koror State waters, helping clear pollution hazards and maritime obstacles from Malakal Harbor and surrounding waterways.
The joint effort involves the Koror State Government and its Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement, the Republic of Palau’s Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Industries, the U.S Navy and the Environmental Quality Protection Board.
Koror State authorities said the project reflects a shared commitment to protecting Palau’s marine environment, improving public safety and preserving the natural beauty of its waterways for future generations.
Many of the abandoned vessels are remnants of the period when Palau had an active commercial fishing industry. Over the years, some were left in and around Malakal Harbor and other areas of Koror State, including waters near the Rock Islands, creating pollution concerns and detracting from the surrounding pristine lagoon environment.
Authorities have sought for years to remove the vessels, which can pose environmental, navigational and public safety risks.
The current operation is being carried out with assistance from the U.S Navy’s USNS Grasp (T-ARS-51), a rescue and salvage ship.
President Surangel Whipps Jr toured the USNS Grasp at Malakal Seaport on 04 August. The vessel is stationed in Palau to support the safe removal of three sunken vessels in Malakal Harbour.
According to information from the Office of the President, the vessel-removal operation is an important first step before the U.S military begins dredging work in the harbor.
During his tour, Whipps thanked Captain Joel Bruce and the Grasp crew for their work and continued partnership with Palau.
Whipps said clearing the waterways and creating a deeper harbor would be a major step forward for Palau and provide long-term benefits.
Koror State authorities said removal of the second vessel is currently underway.
The effort is also expected to improve the appearance and accessibility of Koror’s waterways while addressing the legacy of vessels that have remained abandoned for years.
Koror State expressed its appreciation to MPII, the U.S Navy and EQPB for their assistance and collaboration, saying the partnership is helping keep Koror’s waters clean and safe.
The removal effort comes as Palau continues to balance the protection of its internationally recognised marine environment with the need to maintain safe and functional harbors and waterways….PACNEWS
SAMOA – FOREIGN INVESTMENT BILL: SAMOA OBSERVER PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Samoa Foreign Investment Amendment Bill passes second reading
APIA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (SAMOA OBSERVER)—Samoa’s Foreign Investment Amendment Bill 2026 passed its second reading in Parliament on Thursday, presented by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) Fata Ryan Schuster, the new law proposes changes to Samoa’s foreign investment priorities.
According to the Bill, it would introduce revised definitions of “foreign investor” and “foreign investment” and set disclosure requirements for the beneficial owners of companies, trusts and other legal arrangements investing in Samoa.
Foreign investors would be required to obtain a registration certificate before making an investment. Applications would need to include financial statements, investment proposals, proof of citizenship and other information required by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour.
Investments made or held through trusts would be subject to additional disclosure requirements.
These include information about trustees, beneficiaries, settlors and people who exercise control over the trust.
Trustees would be required to notify the Ministry of material changes within 14 working days.
The bill provides for regulations to specify business activities reserved for Samoan citizens and activities in which foreign investors may participate under certain conditions.
Reserved activities may include public transport, rental-car services, the retailing of certain products, sawmilling, and traditional elei design and printing.
Before issuing a certificate, the Ministry’s chief executive officer would conduct due-diligence checks.
The assessment would consider whether an investment posed a national security risk, could bring Samoa into disrepute or was contrary to the national interest.
Decisions on completed applications would generally be required within four weeks. Certificates would be valid for 24 months and could be renewed.
The bill also provides an independent review process for people affected by decisions made under the legislation. Applications for a review would have to be filed with the Office of the Attorney-General within 10 working days of notification of the decision.
It would also give authorised officers powers to inspect business premises and obtain records for compliance purposes. Certain searches and requests for records would generally require a warrant issued by a judge.
Offences under the proposed law could result in fines of up to 500 penalty units. A court could also cancel a certificate or order the divestment of an investment.
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Auapaau Aloitafua Mulipola referred the bill to the Economic Committee for review, saying it would report back at Parliament’s next session….PACNEWS
SAMOA – DIPLOMACY/BANK: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Samoa Government Minister of Finance meets World Bank Division Director
APIA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA)—Samoa Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo hosted the World Bank Division Director, Proskuryakova and her delegation during a courtesy visit to Samoa from 11 to 14 August.
The mission provided an opportunity for the Government of Samoa and the World Bank to discuss Samoa’s development priorities, economic growth prospects and future areas of cooperation.
The delegation also met with senior government officials from implementing agencies to review progress on current World Bank projects.
Discussions focused on implementation challenges and ways to speed up progress.
Consultations were also held on the draft Samoa Country Growth and Jobs Report prepared by the World Bank.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the report outlines pathways to support economic growth, improve productivity and create more and better jobs for Samoans.
Senior government officials, private sector representatives and civil society organisations took part in discussions on the report.
Participants included the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Samoa Umbrella for NGOs (SUNGO), Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters (SAME), Samoa Business Hub (SBH) and Women in Business Development Inc. (WIBDI).
The Government of Samoa reaffirmed the importance of its partnership with the World Bank and welcomed its continued support for economic resilience, sustainable growth and greater opportunities for Samoans.
The Minister of Finance said she looks forward to continued cooperation with the World Bank as Samoa advances its development agenda….PACNEWS
PNG – FISHERIES: EU- STREIT PNG PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 21 Aug 2026
FAO introduces innovative, safer fish drying drums to support women fish processors in PNG
WEWAK, 21 AUGUST 2026 (EU- STREIT PNG)— Small-scale fishers and processors in Papua New Guinea’s Sepik region are benefiting from a new portable fish smoking dryer developed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) through the EU-funded STREIT PNG Programme.
The modified, fuel-efficient drum fish dryer is designed to improve fish preservation while reducing the health, environmental and safety risks associated with traditional open-fire smoking methods.
FAO National Fisheries Value Chain Officer Lester Baule said fish preservation in the region remains largely traditional, with processors relying on open-fire smoking that is energy-intensive, labour-intensive and harmful to human health.
Under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, FAO introduced the eco-friendly FAO-Thiaroye Processing Technique (FTT) to improve the safety, quality and market value of smoked fish while protecting processors and the environment.
Following feedback from post-distribution monitoring, FAO developed a smaller version of the FTT dryer suited to the needs and catch volumes of small-scale fishers. The unit became known as the “Portable Drum Fish Dryer” because of its appearance.
Baule said the modified dryer retains the core components and operating principles of the original FTT design, while its shape, structure and scale have been adapted.
“The result is a unit that produces quality smoked fish with a longer shelf life, while achieving faster smoking time, suited to the catch volumes of small-scale fishers,” he said.
He said the design was also developed with women fish processors in mind.
“This design specifically aims to support women fish processors to own and operate small, viable and profitable fish businesses.”
The portable dryer contains and circulates heat more efficiently inside the drum, allowing fish to dry faster and more evenly while using less firewood than open-fire smoking.
The enclosed system also reduces the risk of uneven drying, scorching and spoilage, while producing more consistent moisture levels and extending the shelf life of the fish.
Smoke is also controlled and directed through a designated pathway instead of being released directly into the surrounding area, reducing exposure to smoke.
The dryer can be built and repaired locally, helping to keep costs down and making it more accessible to fishing communities without requiring major capital investment.
Its lightweight and portable design also allows it to be moved as needed, making it practical for women fish processors to operate and manage.
Because the fish is smoked inside an enclosed drum rather than directly over an open fire, the system also reduces black carbon deposits on the fish that can affect its appearance and taste and lead to rejection by buyers.
In consultation with local authorities, 30 fisher groups across the region were selected to receive the drum fish dryers.
“During distribution, we demonstrate to the fishers how to use the dryers,” Baule said.
Each fisher group also receives a two-page Standard Operating Procedure outlining how to operate the dryer.
The EU-STREIT PNG Programme is the European Union’s largest grant-funded initiative under the EU Global Gateway Strategy in Papua New Guinea.
It is implemented as a United Nations Joint Programme led by FAO in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The programme supports sustainable and inclusive rural development by improving returns and opportunities in the cocoa, vanilla and fisheries value chains.
It also supports digital inclusion, digital financial services, sustainable and climate-resilient transport infrastructure and renewable energy solutions.
The programme directly benefits communities in East Sepik and West Sepik provinces….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 Features of the Coming U.S-China Conflict in the Western and Central Pacific
By Dr Ahmed Kandil
SUVA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FUTURE FOR ADVANCED RESEARCH & STUDIES)—On 07 August 2026, the foreign ministers of the Pacific Islands Forum countries gathered around a single table in Suva, the capital of Fiji — one of the most important island nations in the Pacific Ocean. On the surface, they faced a simple matter: agreeing on a statement expressing a collective position on a Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile test across the Pacific Ocean. But the ministers entered the meeting, and it ended without the statement seeing the light of day.
In truth, what the ministers failed to achieve in Suva was not merely agreeing on the wording of a few diplomatic lines, but something far greater. What appeared around the table was a crisis of an entire regional system, one that suddenly found itself at the heart of escalating competition between two great powers: the United States and China.
On 06 July 2026, China conducted a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads, which traveled a long distance over the Pacific Ocean before falling in a maritime area between the Solomon Islands, Nauru, and Tuvalu. The Chinese said this test — the third of its kind in the Pacific after the tests of 1980 and 2024 — was routine, compliant with international law, and not directed at anyone.
But others did not view the recent Chinese missile test so simply. Australia considered it a destabilizing factor, Tuvalu demanded a regional response, and Japan and the Philippines voiced their objections, while New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters warned against allowing such tests to become normalized.
The Chinese missile carried two messages, not one. The first message was military, signaling that Beijing wants to demonstrate its capacity for deterrence and its reach into the depths of the Pacific Ocean. The second was political, its results visible in Suva, where the United States and its allies were unable to translate concern over Chinese power into a unified regional stance against Beijing. Kiribati and Nauru, which shifted their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019 and 2024 respectively, found themselves at the heart of the dispute over the absence of consensus among the Forum’s member states.
Regardless of the details of responsibility for scuttling the statement, the undeniable fact is that China has become embedded in the political calculations of the Pacific Islands region’s countries to a degree that makes isolating it collectively more difficult. The shift, in itself, represents a notable and important strategic development.
The War of Networks Between Deterrence and Encirclement
There is an old rule in international relations that says technology changes, and alliances change, but geography remains. The geography of the Pacific Ocean is immense. Across this vast expanse, small islands sit scattered, appearing on maps as dots strewn across an endless blue. But these dots, when placed on maps of military strategy, turn into airports, ports, radar stations, fuel and ammunition depots, communications nodes, and surveillance sites. From here begins the story of the “island war” between Washington and Beijing.
The United States views the western and central Pacific as an indispensable strategic depth should a major crisis erupt with China, particularly over Taiwan. Here a network stands out, extending from Japan and the Philippines to Guam, then Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands.
China sees the same map, but from the other side: what Washington calls a deterrence network, Beijing may see as an encirclement network; and what the United States considers a defence of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, China may see as an attempt to build geographic belts that limit its ability to move within the ocean. And thus geography returns to impose its logic.
But it would be a mistake to imagine that the coming U.S-China competition in the Pacific will be a traditional race to build military bases. The large military base has itself become a large target.
The lesson Washington has drawn from the development of the Chinese missile arsenal is that relying on a limited number of major installations — foremost among them Guam — carries growing risks. American strategy in recent years has accordingly tended toward distributing force among airports that can be used when needed, ports that receive American naval vessels, fuel and ammunition depots, radars, communications facilities, and military access rights. What is required of military and political decision-making circles in Washington, in other words, is not to directly control the Pacific islands, but to ensure their usability when the hour of crisis arrives.
For its part, China is moving with a different logic, but toward a similar outcome: it builds ports, funds infrastructure, and expands trade and communications. Of course, not every Chinese port is a military base; but the American strategist and planner always looks at the following question: what could this port become in ten years? And from here, the “island war” turns into a war of networks.
The Security Dilemma, Once Again
Returning to the Chinese missile itself: when Beijing launches an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads across the Pacific Ocean, the matter cannot be separated from the ongoing transformations in the deterrence equations between China and the United States. China is expanding and modernising its nuclear and missile capabilities. The United States, in turn, is modernizing its own nuclear arsenal and expanding its deployment in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is entering a new phase of its naval capabilities through the “AUKUS” partnership, while American alliances with Japan and the Philippines are being strengthened.
And so the old, dangerous logic begins: each side says it is arming because it fears the other. Washington increases its presence because it fears China. Beijing develops its missiles because it fears being encircled. Washington then points to the Chinese missiles to justify further deployment — and this is the security dilemma in its clearest form. Everyone prepares for war in order to prevent it; but the preparation itself makes war more likely.
Nevertheless, whoever looks only at ships and missiles will not see the full picture: beneath the waters of the Pacific Ocean run the undersea cables that carry communications and data. On the islands, next-generation communications networks are being established. In the surrounding seas lie enormous fish stocks and vast exclusive economic zones, in addition to growing interest in ocean-floor resources and critical minerals.
For this reason, the countries of the region do not wish others to describe them merely as “small island states,” but want to present themselves as “large ocean states.” The difference between the two expressions is not linguistic, but political: a declaration that a state which may possess only a few kilometers of land can be responsible for hundreds of thousands of square kilometers of sea. Here the value of the state changes, and with it the price of its position in the game of great powers.
Other Actors: The Erosion of the Traditional Sphere
There is another actor present in the Pacific Ocean even when it does not appear on the stage: Taiwan. Kiribati shifted its diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019, and Nauru did the same in 2024. In contrast, other Pacific Ocean countries still maintain their relations with Taiwan. Every island in the Pacific that shifts diplomatically from Taipei to Beijing therefore represents not merely another vote at the United Nations, but another piece moving on a larger board. The struggle over the islands thus becomes part of the Chinese battle to isolate Taiwan, just as preserving Taipei’s presence becomes part of resisting the expansion of Chinese influence.
On the other hand, both Australia and New Zealand recognise that the matter in the Pacific Ocean goes beyond China: the issue also concerns their own position in the region. For decades, the South Pacific was an almost natural sphere of their influence: aid came from them, security guarantees were linked to them, and political relations moved within their orbit. Then China came with trade, loans, ports, roads, and development assistance; then diplomacy followed; and after that, security agreements appeared.
Canberra has responded in recent years by expanding its network of security and strategic agreements with the region’s countries, from Papua New Guinea and Tuvalu to Nauru, Vanuatu, and Fiji. New Zealand’s relationship with the Cook Islands, meanwhile, has witnessed tensions linked to the latter’s growing relations with Beijing. The concern in Canberra and Wellington, hence, is not only that China has become stronger, but that others now have an alternative. Herein lies the problem: excessive pressure on the island nations to choose may push them to reject the choice itself.
Toward “Oceanic Non-Alignment”
Perhaps the result of everything that happened in Suva is that the Pacific Ocean’s island nations do not necessarily wish to become American or Chinese. The islands may want trade with China, security assistance from Australia, American military guarantees, Japanese investments, European climate support, and relations with India and France, all at the same time. They may, in other words, be in the process of inventing a kind of “oceanic non-alignment” — a policy that is not based on standing at an equal distance from everyone, but on refusing to let cooperation with one side become a commitment to hostility toward the other. If these countries succeed in coordinating their position, the paradox could turn into a new strategic reality: that small states in population, but large in geography, are using the rivalry of giants to expand the space of their independence.
For all this, the 07 August meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers was important. The Chinese missile will be recorded in the logs of military tests, but the diplomatic statement that was never issued may remain more significant in the records of politics and diplomacy, because it revealed that the conflict in the Pacific is no longer a conflict between China and the United States alone. A third party has begun to raise its voice: the islanders themselves.
On the other hand, the coming “island war” between Washington and Beijing may not be a war in which cannons are fired: it will most likely be a war of ports, airports, cables, agreements, aid, diplomatic votes, and military access rights. In this war, the American goal will most likely be to prevent China from using these islands as military bases. Similarly, the Chinese goal will most likely be to prevent Washington from turning these islands into a wall. And between the two, the Pacific Ocean countries will try to do something more difficult: to ensure that the geography their people live on does not become merely an arena for others’ battles.
From here, the question after Suva is no longer whether the U.S-China competition will reach the Pacific islands, because it has already arrived. Rather, the pressing question now is: who will write the ocean’s new rules? Washington, which wants to preserve the geography of deterrence? Or Beijing, which wants to break the geography of containment? Or can the island nations impose a third answer, saying that the Pacific Ocean is not a chessboard, and that the islanders are not pieces upon it? Perhaps the statement that was never issued in Suva is the first sign that the third answer is no longer impossible…PACNEWS
Dr Ahmed Kandil Asian relations expert at Al Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
The role of Tourism and Business reform in unlocking the growth in the Private Sector
Strengthening the enabling environment for investment and innovation can help build a more resilient and competitive tourism sector in Niue.
By Isoa Wainiqolo, Pamela Lapitan
MANILA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (DEVELOPMENT ASIA)—Niue’s private sector plays a central role to the country’s economic development by providing employment, supporting livelihoods, and driving opportunities for growth.
Tourism remains one of the Niue’s most important industries, but its impact extends beyond visitor spending alone. A significant share of tourist arrivals, particularly from New Zealand, consists of Niueans and their families returning to visit relatives and maintain social and cultural ties. These visitors contribute to the economy in an unconventional way since they support households through remittances and spending within local communities. Further, the tourism sector generates demand for accommodation, transport, food services, and other services. However, businesses face persistent challenges that raise operating costs and weaken confidence. Structural constraints limit the island’s ability to diversify its visitor offerings and grow sustainably.
While visitor arrivals continue to support economic activities, the performance of the private sector depends on how businesses operate. Evidence from the 2024 Business Establishment Census (BEC) highlights key operational challenges, which include delays in government services, unreliable electricity supply, intermittent internet connectivity, and slow payment processing. These bottlenecks reduce productivity, discourage investment, and constraint job creation. While these challenges are evident in tourism-related businesses, these also reflect a broader constraint across the private sector. Recent BEC data provide clear signals on where reforms—such as improving infrastructure, streamlining regulations, and enhancing digital systems—can deliver the greatest impact for tourism and the wider economy.
Tourism Business Landscape
Niue’s economy is dominated by small, service-oriented firms that are closely linked to tourism and domestic commerce. Accommodation and food services account for 21 percent of establishments, while wholesale and retail trade make up 17 percent. More than 70 percent of businesses operate as sole proprietorships and fewer than one in 10 are registered as limited liability companies.
Niue may be in the remote part of the Pacific Islands, but tourism continues to anchor the country’s private sector and offers the most immediate pathway for growth. Visitor arrivals increased by 28 percent in 2024, driven largely by travelers from New Zealand. International visitors spent an average of NZ$1,566 (almost US$920) locally per trip, generating significant spillovers across accommodation, transport, retail, and other services. It should be noted that substantial proportion of visitor arrivals from New Zealand are Niueans who are visiting relatives rather than traditional holiday visitors. This distinction is important as some tourists will be staying with relatives and contributing through community spending.
Visitor satisfaction is high, with 98 percent willing to recommend Niue as a destination. Growing interest in ecotourism and cultural experiences suggests further scope to increase visitor spending and length of stay. Unlocking this potential will require targeted investment in infrastructure, digital connectivity, and hospitality services.
Pacific hospitality is one of Niue’s strongest attractions, rooted in the warmth of its community. Niue is also recognised as one of the safest destinations in the Pacific. Its quiet atmosphere, low crime rate, and relaxed pace of life make it especially appealing to travelers seeking peace of mind and tranquility.
Beyond its people, Niue offers untouched natural wonders—coral reefs, limestone caves, whale‑watching, and world‑class diving. The island’s strong commitment to conservation ensures these experiences remain authentic, sustainable, and true to Niue’s low‑volume, high‑value tourism mode.
Challenges
Niue has significant tourist attractions, but irregular flight services limit the country’s ability to fully showcase and capitalise on its tourism potential.
Also, accommodation constraints have dampened the tourism industry’s post-pandemic recovery as arrivals in 2024 were still 32 percent below 2019 figures. Low levels of formalization restrict small firms’ access to finance and limit their ability to manage risk or expand.
Foreign investment remains limited. Only 2.4 percent of establishments report foreign ownership, reflecting the challenges posed by geographic isolation, high transport costs, and a small labor pool. Weak business practices further reduce resilience, with 67 percent of firms reporting no regular stocktaking.
Implications
Despite strong tourism performance, Niue’s private sector remains vulnerable. Heavy reliance on a narrow set of activities heightens exposure to external shocks, while small firm size and informality constrain innovation and adaptation. Operational inefficiencies and infrastructure gaps further weaken competitiveness.
Without reforms to strengthen the business environment, these constraints risk reinforcing low productivity and limiting the economy’s capacity to diversify. Addressing them is therefore critical to improving resilience, supporting inclusive growth, and sustaining public finances over the medium term.
Way Forward
Priority policy reforms
Expanding Niue’s tourism market will require coordinated institutional and regulatory reforms that create a stronger enabling environment for local enterprises.
Institutionalising the BEC and establishing a comprehensive business register would provide reliable and timely data to support evidence-based policymaking, economic planning, and private sector development. Beyond tourism, these data systems would generate valuable information on employment, business demographics, industry structure, and other key economic and social indicators, which will enable the government to design interventions more effectively to target stakeholders.
Integrating tourism business with relevant business registration and and licensing system can streamline compliance, improve service delivery, and reduce administrative burdens for operators. Digitising government services and payment systems would directly address key bottlenecks identified by tourism firms, making it easier for small operators to participate in the sector.
Infrastructure improvements
Investment in reliable electricity, transport, and digital infrastructure is essential to support e-commerce platforms, online bookings, and digital marketing—critical tools for attracting international visitors. Targeted ease-of-doing-business reforms and incentives can help attract foreign investment into niche tourism sectors, such as ecotourism, diving, whale-watching, and specialty cultural products.
Better business practices
At the firm level, strengthening financial management, inventory control, and digital literacy will be critical to building resilience among tourism operators. These capabilities will support sustainable, inclusive growth by ensuring that Niuean businesses can adapt to changing visitor requirements….PACNEWS
Isoa Wainiqolo, is Senior Economics Officer, Pacific Department, Asian Development Bank
Pamela Lapitan is Statistics Officer, Data Division, Economic Research and Development Impact Department, Asian Development Bank
PACNEWS SPORT
PAC – RUGBY: POLITICO PACNEWS SPORT: Fri 21 Aug 2026
Australia pushes sporting diplomacy to new levels in the Pacific
CANBERRA, 21 AUGUST 2026 (POLITICO)— The Albanese government has been unabashed in using rugby league as a key tool in Australia’s diplomatic arsenal, integrating the business of sport to an unusual degree into treaty-based relationships with South Pacific neighbours that cover defence, economic and climate policies.
Two years into this strategy, Australian officials say it’s paying off, with Australia — not China — locked in as the region’s preferred partner. But the Canberra’s policy establishment is not easing off.
“We need to remember that for Australia’s national interest to succeed we have to succeed in blocking the PRC [People’s Republic of China] from establishing military or policing arrangements every time they try. For the PRC’s national interest to succeed, they only have to succeed once,” shadow defence minister James Paterson told POLITICO.
Rugby league, developed as a breakaway from rugby union at the turn of the 20th century, has deep roots across Australia and the Pacific region.
Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy believes that rugby connections provide Australia with a unique influence tool, which makes them “fundamental” to Australia’s middle power diplomacy.
“It’s an essential factor in building people-to-people connections. It interlinks our countries at fundamental levels. It’s about economic development,” Conroy told POLITICO.
At the heart of this diplomacy is an extraordinary $600 million(US$426 million) deal struck by the Australian government with its closest northern neighbor Papua New Guinea, to bring a Port Moresby-based team — the PNG Chiefs — into Australia’s National Rugby League competition.
The deal delivered Prime Minister James Marape a win PNG had been seeking for 18 years. The country’s first leader, Sir Michael Somare, a Marape ally, had long attempted to use rugby league as a way to unite his fractured nation of 800 languages and 1000 tribes, but the NRL prize eluded him.
“To unite our country, we must have a team in (the) NRL,” Marape said of Somare’s vision when the team was announced in December 2024, standing alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who he described as his “brother.”
This form of sporting diplomacy, while unprecedented, is an easy fit for Albanese who is a diehard rugby league supporter.
And it builds on the sport’s new reality: Today “fifty percent of National Rugby League players are of Pasifika heritage,” Conroy said, referring to the cohort of players with Pacific Island heritage. “That bond is so powerful.”
When the landmark Pukpuk treaty was signed with PNG in 2025, it cemented Canberra as Port Moresby’s “preferred partner” on security, and there were unwritten parts of the deal.
A senior Australian diplomatic source, granted anonymity to speak freely about the deal, told POLITICO that Australia reserves the right to withdraw the PNG Chiefs’ funding and terminate the Chiefs franchise if PNG takes action that undermines Canberra’s role as its major security partner in the region.
Marape also explicitly framed the team as means of improving stability inside Papua New Guinea and around the region: “We want to preserve our Pacific: safe, peaceful and good for all of us to live in, especially our children.”
PNG’s embassy did not respond to POLITICO’s request for comment.
And while Marape is careful to keep Australia onside, it’s not all plain sailing for Canberra.
In July, PNG ousted Taiwan’s trade mission in a move Beijing claimed was an “example that the One China principle has the overwhelming support of the international community.”
Memory lane
The importance of rugby league in Albanese’s statecraft was on full display in July. The prime minister hosted a trio of Pacific Island leaders — Marape, Tonga’s Lord Fatafehi Fakafānua, and Samoa’s La’auli Leuatea Schmidt — at the State of Origin decider, the Australian equivalent to the Super Bowl, in Brisbane.
It wasn’t the first time his government had used the State of Origin to deepen Pacific links.
While many Australians believe the State of Origin — an annual grudge match between New South Wales and Queensland, began in 1980 — it started 35 years earlier in Bougainville, PNG.
That match was played between Australian soldiers waiting to be shipped home from jungle postings in World War II.
When Conroy learned that “The captain from New South Wales was from Newcastle — my home,” his interest was piqued, and he set about locating the trophy, to use as a prop for an important diplomatic message. “The trophy was collecting dust in an army museum in Brisbane,” Conroy said.
The start of the next move was PNG Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili — whose great uncle was the “ball boy” during the 1945 match — parading the original trophy, which was carved out of a Japanese artillery shell, alongside two Australian soldiers to 90,084 adoring fans at Australia’s largest stadium, the MCG, during the half-time show of a 2024 State of Origin game.
“We’re using every lever of statecraft to be the partner of choice. That means picking things that are high-value to our Pacific partners that only we can offer,” Conroy said. “This is the first time in the history of the world a country’s used sporting diplomacy to this level.”
But it takes more than a love of rugby league to draft a treaty.
In 2025, Albanese joined Marape on a trek along PNG’s Kokoda Track — a place of comparable significance to Iwo Jima for Americans — where Australian troops halted advancing Japanese troops in 1942.
They were the first prime ministerial pair to do so. “They slept in tents next to each other for three bloody days,” Conroy said. “That level of personal commitment symbolizes and demonstrates this government’s commitment to this region.”
Power vacuum
Australian diplomats say they are putting into action the world view presented by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the 2026 World Economic Forum: That the old rules-based multilateral order is over and middle powers need to rise to fill the power vacuum.
The strongest proof of that claim came in October 2025, when Canberra formalized its first treaty in decades: the Pukpuk treaty, with Port Moresby. The treaty’s clauses include the right and expectation for PNG citizens to serve in Australia’s armed forces.
“Recruitment is well and truly underway,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on an 16 August visit to Port Moresby. He expects “thousands of Papua New Guineans” to enlist.
Another pivot point in Australia’s Pacific strategy came a month earlier, in July, when Albanese signed the Vuvale Union treaty with Fiji, and the Ocean of Peace mutual defence alliance. The government opened the way to supporting a multilateral security treaty across the region.
A two-pronged visa strategy allows Pacific Islanders to work in Australia for up to four years, creating a remittance economy between Australia and Pacific Island nations. A special visa class will also be established to allow PNG fans to visit to watch the Chiefs play in Australia.
“The more trusted we are as a partner, the more it is the case that we deny China the space to move in,” former Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo told POLITICO.
China has advantages, but not rugby
Looming over the region is an increasingly assertive Beijing, creating a strategic dilemma for Canberra, which relies heavily on China for trade.
In his 40-minute phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on 12 August, Albanese outlined the new alliances and raised China’s testing of a long-range ballistic missile in the Pacific — fired within hours of Canberra confirming its deal with Fiji last month. “This caused a great deal of concern right across the Pacific,” Albanese said.
A Chinese military base in the region, which Australia believes could be used to coerce it and force it to reorient its defence posture, remains the major fear among defence strategists in Canberra.
A month before the 2022 Australian election, a security pact between Solomon Islands and Beijing, allowing for Chinese police to be deployed to the country, sparked alarm in Canberra.
In response, Conroy has made 37 trips to Pacific Island nations as a minister, and is determined to reframe how Australians see their region. “It’s not our backyard, it’s not our neighborhood. We’re a proud member of the Pacific family,” Conroy said….PACNEWS
PAC – FOOTBALL: FIFA PACNEWS SPORT: Fri 21 Aug 2026
PNG to play Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei and Ghana in Preliminary Phase of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament
ZURICH, 21 AUGUST 2026 (FIFA)—The draw for the preliminary phase of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 Play-Off Tournament took place Thursday at the Home of FIFA in Zurich as the six participating teams learned their fate.
On the first matchday, Uzbekistan will face Papua New Guinea, Chinese Taipei are set to take on South Africa and Ghana will square off against Ecuador.
During the preliminary phase, each participating team will contest three matches, with the sides that finish first and second advancing to the final phase.
The nine-game preliminary phase is scheduled to take place during the international window that runs from 24 November to 05 December 2026, with the final phase to be contested within the window that starts on 23 February and ends on 06 March 2027.
The venues, dates and kick-off times of the matches will be confirmed in due course……PACNEWS
