In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Australia defends Fiji pre-COP spending, says Climate talks critical for Pacific
2. SOL — China ally Solomon Islands invites U.S Coast Guard patrols
3. PALAU — Palau Senate advances bill to close fraud loophole, strengthen protection for victims
4. SOL — PM Wale secures pathway for U.S Peace Corps return
5.AUST — Museum partners with Pacific community on conservation
6. FIJI — Fix justice before Constitution, says Fiji Opposition MP Usamate
7. PACIFIC — ‘Culture is who we are’: Pacific artist fears losing vital support over Creative NZ restructure
8. FIJI — Fiji PM defends cost of Malimali Commission of Inquiry
9. SOL — Pacific media pioneer Ashley Wickham remembered for shaping generations of broadcasters
10. FIJI — Fiji finalising diaspora policy to ensure citizens abroad ‘keep coming back’
11. PACNEWS BIZ — ITLOS issues landmark ruling backing Nauru, Tonga Seabed Mining contractors
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji tourism tops one million annual visitors, ANZ Pacific Insight reports
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Compliance checks begin for gold dealer licence holders in Solomon Islands
14. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Testing the ocean of peace
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — UN report: Global hunger levels ease for third consecutive year as regional disparities persist
PACIFIC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 22Jul 2026
Australia defends Fiji pre-COP spending, says Climate talks critical for Pacific
CANBERRA, 22 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS) — Australia’s Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy has defended the cost of hosting the pre-COP climate meeting in Fiji, saying the event is essential to supporting Pacific countries and that most accommodation costs will be recovered from participating foreign delegations.
Speaking on Australia’s Today Show, Conroy rejected criticism over the reported AUD$4.2 million (US$2.93 million) allocated for accommodation at the October meeting.
“This story is a bit of a media beat-up by The Australian to be honest because most of the cost will be recovered from foreign leaders and their delegations coming to those hotels and paying for their rooms. We’ve just reserved them as you do when you organise these conferences,” he said.
Asked why Australia was hosting the meeting, Conroy said climate change remains the Pacific’s biggest concern.
“Climate change is the number one threat to the Pacific.
“If you’re serious about engaging in the Pacific you need to engage on climate change. We expect concrete outcomes from this pre-COP meeting that will shine a light on the Pacific’s experience on climate change,” he told Today Show.
Conroy said Australia’s engagement on climate change was also central to its relationship with Pacific Island countries.
“And those who are opposed to this are opposed to us supporting the Pacific in their struggle against climate change.
“We’re in a permanent state of contest in this region for influence. Other countries like China are trying to become good friends with the Pacific. If we’re not seen to be taking strong action on climate change, we cede ground to those other countries, we see the influence and that makes Australia less safe,” said Conroy.
He said the government had strengthened its Pacific partnerships through agreements with several island countries.
“Let’s not forget only four years ago the Liberal Government oversaw the biggest foreign policy disaster since the Vietnam War with the signing of the China-Solomon Islands security pact.
“We’ve reversed that damage through alliances with PNG and Fiji, treaties with Tuvalu, Nauru, PNG, Fiji, negotiating them with the Solomon Islands and Tonga right now.”
“If we’re not serious about taking action on climate change, if we’re not serious about amplifying the Pacific’s voice, we lose influence in the region and that’s why we’re doing this,” he said.
New South Wales Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane questioned the level of spending, saying Australians facing rising living costs deserved greater transparency.
“Yeah, absolutely. You can talk about climate change all you want, and that is important, especially to our neighbours.
“There is also a cost-of-living crisis, and to say, ‘Nothing to see here’ is pretty hard to cop for people at home who are struggling to pay the bills, struggling to put food on the table. And transparency is also important.
“He’s saying, ‘Oh, they’ll pay it back’. You know, we’ve all heard that before when we’ve organised a trip and you pay upfront and you try to get people’s moneyback. It doesn’t always happen and they’re not being clear about who’s paying and how much will be left to foot the bill,” said Sloanne.
Conroy said the government had been transparent by publishing details of the expenditure but said the final cost to Australia could not yet be confirmed.
“Well, ultimately it will depend on how many foreign leaders come and their delegations and will disclose those figures in the normal course of events when the conference is held,” he said…. PACNEWS
SOL – DIPLOMACY: AFP PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
China ally Solomon Islands invites U.S Coast Guard patrols
WASHINGTON, 22 JULY 2026 (AFP) — The Solomon Islands will sign a deal for the U.S Coast Guard to patrol its waters with local police aboard, Prime Minister Matthew Wale said on a visit to Washington.
The Solomons became China’s closest security partner in the South Pacific after signing a secret security pact in 2022, blocking a U.S Coast Guard vessel from making a port call the same year.
Wale, who pledged to bring change after he was elected in May, met with U.S Coast Guard vice commandant Admiral Thomas Allan in Washington on Monday.
He also met with U.S Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on deepening bilateral ties, said a State Department readout.
A “ship rider agreement” will be signed in the capital Honiara next week to strengthen joint maritime enforcement and surveillance, a Solomon Islands statement said.
“Prime Minister Wale highlighted the urgent need to enhance security across the Pacific region, noting the increasing threats of drug trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” it added.
The U.S Coast Guard has expanded patrols of the South Pacific in recent years, assisting “ship riders” — local Pacific police — to cover millions of kilometres of ocean to inspect for illegal fishing fleets.
Ship riders on a U.S Coast Guard vessel boarded Chinese fishing boats in Vanuatu and Kiribati in 2024, prompting Chinese officials to protest when some vessels were found to be fishing illegally.
The Solomons has a vast 1.5 million square kilometre exclusive economic zone and like many South Pacific countries counts tuna fishing as a major industry.
James Batley, a former Australian diplomat in the Solomons, said the U.S Coast Guard deal was a significant shift and showed Wale was acting on his pledge to deliver change.
“There is a lot of anxiety around the Pacific about transnational criminal movement of drugs, with ‘narco subs’ turning up in Solomon Islands, so I think the U.S could mount a persuasive case they could help on that front,” he said.
Wales’ meeting with Landau included talks of potential investment, including Bina Harbour, where the Solomons wants to develop a factory to process tuna for export.
Reported Chinese interest in developing Bina Harbour has previously sparked concern from Australia about the potential it could be used as a dual-purpose military and civilian port.
Wale and Landau signed a letter of intent to return Peace Corps to Solomon Islands, the State Department readout said, adding that it would provide US$6 million in new funding to widen its unexploded ordnance removal program.
Wale will next travel to Tokyo to meet with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, his office said…. PACNEWS
PALAU – FRAUD: ISLAND TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Palau Senate advances bill to close fraud loophole, strengthen protection for victims
KOROR, 22 JULY 2026 (ISLAND TIMES) — The Palau Senate has approved legislation that would create, for the first time, a broad criminal offence for fraud, giving law enforcement and prosecutors a stronger legal tool to investigate and prosecute scams and deceptive schemes that may not be covered under current law.
Senate Bill No. 12-57, SD1, amends Title 17 of the Palau National Code by creating a new Chapter 51, “Fraud.” Lawmakers say the measure closes a long-standing gap in the criminal code by clearly defining fraud and establishing penalties based on the seriousness of the offence.
Under the bill, fraud would include any act, omission or scheme intended to trick another person, business or organisation into giving up money, property, services or other benefits, or to cause someone financial or other harm through deception.
The legislation also explains what it means to deceive or persuade someone through fraud. It covers knowingly making false or misleading statements, leaving out important information to mislead someone, reinforcing false beliefs, using fake documents, or convincing a person to take an action they otherwise would not have taken.
The bill further defines a “material fact” as information that a reasonable person would consider important when making a decision or completing a transaction. Lawmakers say that definition is intended to help police, prosecutors and courts apply the law consistently.
To match the seriousness of the crime, the measure establishes three levels of fraud based on the value involved.
Fraud involving US$50,000 or more would be charged as first-degree fraud, a Class B felony. Fraud involving between US$10,000 and US$49,999 would be second-degree fraud, a Class C felony. Fraud involving less than US$10,000 would be third-degree fraud, a misdemeanor.
The legislation also prevents offenders from avoiding harsher penalties by breaking a larger scam into smaller transactions. Prosecutors would be allowed to combine, or aggregate, the total value of money, property, services or benefits involved in a single fraudulent scheme, even if multiple victims were targeted.
Lawmakers said the bill is needed because Palau’s current criminal code only addresses specific types of fraud, including computer fraud, real estate fraud and fraud involving travel documents.
While those laws remain in place, they do not cover every type of deceptive scheme, making it difficult in some cases for prosecutors to bring criminal charges against individuals who intentionally mislead others for financial or personal gain.
Senate Bill No. 12-57, SD1, originally introduced by President Surangel Whipps in February, passed the 3rd reading in the Senate and will be sent to the House for their deliberation. If enacted, officials say the new law would significantly strengthen Palau’s ability to investigate, prosecute and deter fraud while closing a gap in the nation’s criminal code that has existed for years…. PACNEWS
SOL – DIPLOMACY: SOL GOVT PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
PM Wale secures pathway for U.S Peace Corps return
WASHINGTON, 22 JULY 2026 (SOL GOVT) — Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the United States Government to re-establish the Peace Corps Programme in Solomon Islands.
This marks a significant step in revitalising a long-standing partnership.
The LOI was signed in Washington, D.C by Prime Minister Wale and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
The agreement signals the mutual intention of both governments to work towards the return of Peace Corps Volunteers to Solomon Islands, supporting community-based development, capacity building and cross-cultural exchange.
Both parties also reaffirmed their commitment to undertake the necessary legal and programmatic processes required under their respective national frameworks to facilitate the program’s re-establishment.
Prime Minister Wale welcomed the renewed engagement, highlighting the historical impact of the Peace Corps in Solomon Islands.
“History itself has shown how Solomon Islands has benefited from the Peace Corps programme. Many Solomon Islanders can testify to the positive experiences and contributions made by Peace Corps volunteers over the years,” he said.
Deputy Secretary Landau also welcomed the signing acknowledging the Solomon Islands Government’s commitment to restoring the programme.
Despite past challenges, both governments have reaffirmed their shared commitment through this agreement, paving the way for the return of Peace Corps Volunteers.
During the visit, Prime Minister Wale and his delegation also met with the Peace Corps Chief of Staff and officials at headquarters to discuss timelines for concluding a formal agreement at the earliest opportunity…. PACNEWS
AUST – MUSEUM: AAP PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Museum partners with Pacific community on conservation
SYDNEY, 22 JULY 2026 (AAP) — Pasifika communities will help guide much-needed restorative works within a cultural gallery at an Australian museum.
The SA Museum houses the nation’s largest collection of Pacific materials, which have been on display for decades and require specialist work for long-term preservation.
Spears, shields, bows, arrows and masks are just some of the items in the historic collection.
The restoration will be delivered in partnership with the Pacific Islands Council of South Australia and other Pasifika community leaders, so cultural knowledge shapes care for precious ancestral objects.
“We are proud to see our Pasifika communities leading this vital project,” council chief executive Rosanna Maualaivao MacDonald said.
“True partnership means ensuring our communities hold direct agency and an unmediated seat at the table.”
SA Museum director Samantha Hamilton said the work would also help re-imagine and modernise the exhibition.
“It’s really important to work with those communities whose cultural material it is and make sure they’re at the table, their voice, their authority, their protocols are embedded in our work,” she told AAP.
“There’ll be opportunities to have video and story and voices and all the things the gallery really needs to bring it to life so people understand community is alive and thriving.”
Although it could take several years for the transformed gallery to re-open, the museum’s director said the work was standard practice.
“Our role is to protect and preserve collections for future generations and so this project is just business as usual,” Dr Hamilton said.
“It’s not just picking and placing the items, but writing information plaques and telling those stories, and that’ll be done in collaboration with Pacific communities and researchers.”
Maualaivao MacDonald said it was the beginning of long-term storytelling journey to be rooted in mutual respect.
“We are thrilled to be working in lock-step on this transition which includes immediate opportunities for our young leaders to co-design and co-curate upcoming temporary displays,” she said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Fix justice before Constitution, says Fiji Opposition MP Usamate
SUVA, 22 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji Opposition MP Jone Usamate says restoring confidence in Fiji’s justice system should take priority over any move to amend the Constitution.
Usamate questioned the Government’s push for constitutional reform, arguing that serious issues within the country’s justice system needed to be addressed first.
“For too long, the people of Fiji have been told to trust the process,” he said.
“We are told to trust the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, to trust the judiciary and to trust the watchdogs. But when the very institutions built to protect us decide that holding the powerful to account is ‘too embarrassing’, the process isn’t working.”
Usamate claimed recent developments pointed to what he described as a deeper problem within Fiji’s justice system, alleging there was a pattern of investigations being shelved because of fear of conflict rather than a lack of evidence.
He said this had created the perception that the law was not being applied equally.
“There is a lot of noise right now about changing our Constitution,” he said.
“I have one question for you to ask the people pushing this agenda: Who does this change actually serve?”
Usamate said constitutional reform should not take precedence over rebuilding public trust in the institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law.
“The foundation of our justice system is showing clear signs of collapse. You don’t fix a crumbling house by painting the roof. You start by identifying and remedying the rot in the foundation.”
He said Fiji needed a justice system that treated everyone equally, regardless of position or political connections.
“We have a legal system that, in practice, acts like a sword for some and a shield for others. If you’re connected, you’re safe. If you’re a target, you’re in trouble. That isn’t justice; that’s just power.”
Usamate also called for an independent judiciary, an Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that operated with integrity and oversight bodies free from political influence.
“We are not just debating papers here. We are fighting for the future of our country,’ he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CULTURE: PMN PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
‘Culture is who we are’: Pacific artist fears losing vital support over Creative NZ restructure
WELLINGTON, 22 JULY 2026 (PMN) — Pacific arts advocates are worried that a major restructure at Creative New Zealand could weaken the specialist support many Pacific artists rely on to bring their stories, languages and cultures to life.
The national arts funding agency has confirmed it will reduce staff numbers from 84 roles to 55 following consultation and reconsultation with staff.
Tigilau Ness, musician and cultural activist and a former member of Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Committee, says arts are more than creative expressions.
In an interview on Pacific Mornings, he says they are a living connection to identity, history and community.
“When it comes to art, us in the Pacific, it’s a living thing for us,” he says. “As a reflection of our society, it’s well worth its weight in gold.”
Ness says Creative New Zealand’s support for Pacific artists has grown significantly over the years, helping create opportunities for Pacific voices to be heard across Aotearoa and beyond.
“”When I first started, the budget for the Pacific Arts Committee was like $80,000(US$46,614). Today, well recently, it reached into the millions.”
He says Pacific arts play an important role in shaping Aotearoa’s identity and supporting communities.
“It’s a voice of Pacific people, Māori and Pacific,” Ness says. “So, what the cuts are doing will be cutting that voice, silencing it in effect.”
Creative New Zealand says the changes are part of a new operating model aimed at delivering its long-term strategy, including its Pacific Arts Strategy, while responding to the changing needs of artists and communities.
Earlier this month, the agency announced more than $104 million (US$60 million) in multi-year funding for 94 arts organisations, including $10.7 million (US$5.82 million) for 11 Pacific arts organisations.
But Ness says the value of Pacific arts support is not only measured in funding.
He says the relationship and cultural knowledge held by specialist staff are just as important.
“Get your head out of the sand. Culture is who we are. Culture moves the people forward.”
The Public Service Association (PSA) says specialist roles supporting Māori and Pacific arts, along with literature, music, theatre, dance and visual arts, are among those affected by the restructure.
Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary, says the changes risk losing important knowledge and connections within the arts sector.
“These are not back-office jobs,” she says in a statement. “These are people with deep expertise and genuine relationships in the sector, who work alongside artists and arts organisations every day.
“Cutting them is a serious hollowing out of mana, trust and capability.”
Gretchen La Roche, Creative New Zealand Chief Executive, says the restructure is designed to ensure the organisation remains able to support artists and communities into the future.
“The arts and funding environment we’re operating in is dynamic and continually evolving,” she says in a statement.
“This review and change have been about ensuring we’re organised and resourced to deliver on our strategic priorities, and effectively support artists, communities and the wider arts sector into the future.”
Creative New Zealand says the new model will bring decision-making and resources closer to artists and communities while maintaining support during the transition.
The agency has not yet confirmed whether any Pacific arts-specific roles have been reduced or disestablished as part of the restructure…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Fiji PM defends cost of Malimali Commission of Inquiry
SUVA, 22 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the multi-million-dollar Commission of Inquiry (COI) into Barbara Malimali’s FICAC appointment was worth every cent.
Rabuka’s comment comes after Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu confirmed this week that no criminal charges arose from its findings.
Asked how he justified the cost to taxpayers, Rabuka said the outcome cleared the officials investigated and named in the CoI.
“What has come out of it is that those people have been exonerated. Otherwise, we would have been left with suspicion about those people. Now it’s all clear,” he said.
Rabuka could not recall the exact cost but confirmed it ran into millions and said the exact figure would only be released once the Government’s report went to Parliament.
“The public has no right to examine it until it goes to Parliament,” he said.
Commissioner Justice David Ashton-Lewis and counsel Janet Mason led the six-month inquiry, which ran from October 2024 to May 2025…. PACNEWS
SOL – MEDIA/OBITUARY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Pacific media pioneer Ashley Wickham remembered for shaping generations of broadcasters
HONIARA, 22 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS) — Tributes have been paid to Pacific media pioneer Ashley Wickham following his passing, with colleagues remembering him as a broadcaster, educator and mentor whose work helped shape journalism and broadcasting across the Pacific.
In a message of condolence to the Wickham family, friends and colleagues described Wickham as “a true pioneer, educator, mentor, and servant of the people.”
“The Pacific has lost not only a respected media personality, but a true pioneer, educator, mentor, and servant of the people. Ashley Wickham was a household name across the Pacific region — a man whose voice, knowledge, and passion for communication helped shape generations of Pacific broadcasters and media professionals.”
Born in 1947 on Hobuhobu, a small island off Munda in New Georgia, Solomon Islands, Wickham completed his early education at St John’s Primary School in Honiara before continuing his studies at St John’s College Woodlawn in Lismore, Australia.
In 1972, he became the first Solomon Islander Information Officer, beginning a career in public information and media development that later saw him serve as an interpreter, journalist, editor, Head of Programmes and Manager of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) in 1977.
He also held public service roles, including Chairman of the Solomon Islands Ports Authority from 1978 to 1984 and a member of the Public Service Commission until 1984.
In 1986, Wickham joined the then South Pacific Commission, now the Pacific Community (SPC), as Educational Broadcasts Officer, where he trained and mentored broadcasters throughout the Pacific in news production, programming, broadcasting standards and media management.
“Through his work with SPC, Wickham travelled extensively across Pacific Island countries, strengthening the capacity of national broadcasters and encouraging a new generation of Pacific voices.”
The tribute also recognised the contribution of regional media trainers at the SPC Media Centre in Suva.
“Many of us who participated in media and broadcasting courses at the SPC Media Centre in Nabua, Suva, Fiji, during the early 1990s will fondly remember, with deep respect and appreciation, the names of Yaminiasi Gaunavou, Ashley Wickham, and Aren Baoa to name a few.”
“These three outstanding regional mentors played a significant role in strengthening Pacific media capability through their commitment, guidance, and dedication to empowering aspiring journalists and broadcasters from across the Pacific.”
Wickham retired from SPC in 1996 but continued his studies in education.
He was remembered as someone who championed Pacific storytelling and ensured Pacific voices were heard.
“Wickham was more than a broadcaster; he was a teacher, a storyteller, and a bridge-builder. He understood the importance of Pacific people telling their own stories, preserving their cultures, and ensuring that the voices of island communities were heard both locally and internationally.”
The tribute said his influence would continue through the many media professionals he trained.
“His legacy will live on through the many journalists, broadcasters, communicators, and students across the Pacific who were inspired and guided by his wisdom. The microphones may fall silent, but the stories, lessons, and values he shared will continue to echo throughout our islands.”
“May his soul rest peacefully and may his family find comfort in knowing that he leaves behind an enduring legacy as one of the true legends of Pacific Island media and communication.
“Farewell, Ashley Wickham — a proud son of Solomon Islands, a son of the Pacific, and a voice that helped unite our region…. PACNEWS
FIJI – DIASPORA POLICY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Fiji finalising diaspora policy to ensure citizens abroad ‘keep coming back’
AUCKLAND, 22 JULY 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — Fiji’s government is working on a ‘Diaspora Policy’ focused on ensuring Fijians around the globe play a key role in the country’s economic development.
The country’s minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Sakiasi Ditoka has just been to New Zealand, where he met with investors and the Fijian business diaspora.
Ditoka told RNZ Pacific the increasing interest from the diaspora across New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Europe are positive for the island nation.
He said every effort is being made to ensure that interests are safeguarded and served for the mutual benefit of Fiji and her diaspora investors.
He also confirmed a diaspora policy is being finalised and will be sent to Cabinet for approval soon.
“It’s (diaspora policy) vital. It’s very important for Fiji that we engage with our diaspora. In fact, as we speak, the diaspora policy is being finalised. It’s going through the the final processes of being passed through Cabinet,” he told RNZ Pacific in Auckland on Saturday.
The policy is going through the development sub-committee level, which means that senior officials are now having a look at it before it is escalated to Cabinet for sign-off.
He said the policy is wide-ranging, but the central theme is “the diaspora community is very, very important to Fiji”.
Ditoka said the levels of investment members of the Fijian diaspora are putting back into the country keep increasing and help propel its economy. It includes overseas remittances, with an ever-increasing number of Fijians moving overseas for work, including sports contracts, the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme in New Zealand and the PALM Scheme in Australia.
The Fijian diaspora serves as the second-largest foreign exchange earner for Fiji’s economy. Personal remittances sent by the diaspora officially surpassed the $1 billion (US$500 million) threshold between January to September 2025…. PACNEWS
PAC – DEEP SEA MINING: WFW PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 22 Jul 2026
ITLOS issues landmark ruling backing Nauru, Tonga Seabed Mining contractors
KINGSTON, 22 JULY 2026 (WFW) — Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) secured historic decisions for Nauru Ocean Resources Inc (NORI) and Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. (TOML) after the Seabed Disputes Chamber (SDC or the Chamber) of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) unanimously granted provisional measures in their favour.
WFW is representing NORI and TOML in Nauru Ocean Resources Inc. v. International Seabed Authority and Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. v. International Seabed Authority concerning inquiries conducted by the International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) Legal and Technical Commission.
The Orders are the first contentious decisions ever issued by the Seabed Disputes Chamber under Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), marking a milestone in the development of the law under Part XI of UNCLOS.
In unanimous decisions, the Chamber confirmed its jurisdiction over the disputes, held that NORI and TOML have plausible rights to due process and fair treatment and found a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to those rights absent judicial protection.
The Chamber recognised the importance of due process protections in ISA decision-making and ordered provisional measures requiring the ISA to comply with applicable due process requirements and provide greater procedural clarity pending determination of the merits.
Whilst the Chamber declined to suspend the ISA inquiries in their entirety, it accepted the central premise of NORI and TOML’s claims: that contractors are entitled to due process protections throughout ISA decision-making processes. The Orders impose binding obligations on the ISA and establish important procedural safeguards for contractors operating within Part XI of UNCLOS.
The WFW Dispute Resolution team that advised NORI and TOML was led by Sydney Partner Nathan Eastwood, Global Lead of Public International Law, supported by Counsel Haeran Chung, Senior Associate Iuliia Samsonova, London Partner Alexis Martinez and New York Partner Susan Maples.
“This is a landmark result for our clients and a momentous development for the law of the sea.
“These were the first contentious cases ever heard by the Seabed Disputes Chamber and the Chamber unanimously confirmed both its jurisdiction and the existence of enforceable due process rights for ISA contractors.
“Of particular significance is the Chamber’s confirmation that compliance with due process obligations remains subject to judicial scrutiny, even where the ISA is exercising discretionary powers.
The decisions will be studied closely by governments, contractors and international lawyers for years to come,” said Nathan…. PACNEWS
FIJI – TOURISM INDUSTRY: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Fiji tourism tops one million annual visitors, ANZ Pacific Insight reports
SUVA, 22 JULY 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji’s tourism industry has reached a major milestone, with annual visitor arrivals surpassing one million for the first time, according to the latest ANZ Pacific Insight report.
The report, based on Fiji Bureau of Statistics data, shows 98,522 visitors arrived in June, a 6.3 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
Total arrivals for the first six months of 2026 reached 460,628, up 3.8 percent year-on-year.
ANZ said visitor arrivals over the 12 months to June climbed to 1,003,233, marking the first time Fiji has exceeded the one-million visitor mark on a moving annual basis.
The report notes that tourism accounts for an estimated 40 percent of Fiji’s gross domestic product, making visitor arrivals one of the country’s most important indicators of economic activity.
Australia remained Fiji’s largest tourism market in June, contributing 45,090 visitors or 45.8 percent of total arrivals. New Zealand followed with 22,689 visitors, while the United States recorded 15,728 visitors and the strongest growth among the three largest markets, increasing 24.9 percent compared with June last year.
Holidaymakers continued to dominate visitor arrivals, accounting for 79,810 visitors or 81 per cent of all arrivals during the month. Those visiting friends and relatives made up 7.1 per cent, while business travel represented 2.3 per cent of total arrivals.
The report says monthly visitor arrival data provides one of the most timely measures of economic performance and will continue to offer insight into the strength of Fiji’s visitor economy…. PACNEWS
SOL – GOLD LICENCES: INDEPTH SOLOMONS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 22 Jul 2026
Compliance checks begin for gold dealer licence holders in Solomon Islands
HONIARA, 22 JULY 2026 (INDEPTH SOLOMONS) — The Solomon Islands Government has started compliance checks on all Gold Dealer Licence holders in the country, following the Prime Minister’s recent policy directive on gold dealing operations.
The checks are being carried out by the Mines Division of the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE).
A statement from the Government Communication Unit stated inspections have been completed on six of the ten current licence holders that were actively operating in Guadalcanal.
Three licence holders were found to be inactive, while one provincial operator is yet to be inspected.
The inspections look at monthly records and reports submitted by each licence holder, as required under the Mines and Minerals Act (MMA). Where reports are missing or incomplete, mines inspectors conduct physical checks to verify operations and compliance.
The government says any regulatory action affecting all ten licence holders will only be taken after the remaining operator is inspected and a full assessment is completed.
The inspections were a joint exercise with other law enforcement agencies, including the Labour Division and the Guadalcanal Province Enforcement Division.
The Labour Division had previously flagged labour-related non-compliance issues with some licence holders.
Over the next two months, all active licence holders found with compliance problems will be formally notified and given time to respond, ensuring due process and procedural fairness…. 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
By Raihaamana Tevahitua, Romitesh Kant
SUVA/CANBERRA, 22 JULY 2026 (DEVPOLICY.ORG) — On 06 July 2026, China launched a second intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test in the Pacific Ocean, following a previous test in 2024 that ended a four-decade hiatus. This latest sign of military modernisation forms part of a competition for primacy with the US.
Beijing described the test as part of a routine annual training exercise, using nuclear-capable but unarmed weapons, and not directed at any specific country or target. This official explanation has not reassured Pacific governments. For a region still shaped by the memory of nuclear testing and external strategic control, long-range missile testing cannot be treated as routine.
On the same day, Fiji and Australia signed two major treaties in Suva: The Vuvale Union and the Ocean of Peace Alliance, known as the Veitacini Treaty, which creates a mutual defence obligation between the two countries and is open to other Pacific states.
The missile test and the treaty signing together put pressure on the Pacific’s own Ocean of Peace vision, a regional commitment intended to keep the Blue Pacific free from coercion, rivalry and conflict.
These developments give rise to several broad reflections.
First, the political messaging of the Chinese missile test is almost certainly directed at the U.S and its allies.
While the 2024 test measured distance, its flight path roughly matching the range between the Chinese mainland and the continental United States, the 2026 test landed in the approaches of U.S military assets in the Pacific. Both missiles landed in very narrow high-sea pockets, a mark of precision for a country with less offshore practice than some others. This accuracy allows targeting of strategic sites.
The timing reinforces the political message. The ICBM landed in the middle of the five-week Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) biennial exercise. RIMPAC is a U.S-led drill designed to bolster interoperable aero-naval capabilities and represents a tangible concern for China. China and Russia opened their own Joint Sea–2026 drills the same day. The missile test had been planned months ahead: if RIMPAC set the broad timeframe, the Australia-Fiji pact signing may have determined the exact day.
Australia is, after all, limiting China’s strategic access to islands through exclusive Pacific agreements.
Second, the test could push Pacific Island countries (PICs) toward a regional security architecture that ultimately generates insecurity.
China is trying to present what could become recurrent as routine. China has cultivated closer ties with several Pacific Island countries than Western powers have, yet it is still prepared to test missiles in the region and may well do so again. If missile testing in the Pacific is normalised, the threshold for militarisation has already shifted.
The aim of ICBM testing is to validate capability and perhaps counter corruption scandals in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force. But missile testing is never a politically neutral activity. China’s leadership cannot prevent rival countries from perceiving the missile test as a deterrent.
The test provides further ammunition for some powers to portray the Chinese state as destabilising and to argue for deeper defence integration with Pacific countries.
Fiji’s Rabuka first proposed a “Zone of Peace” in 2023, aimed at shielding the Pacific from major-power rivalry. However, when Pacific leaders endorsed the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace declaration in Honiara in 2025, they chose to omit demilitarisation provisions, even as militarisation intensified.
With the Veitacini Treaty, Fiji and Australia’s concept of peace is the flip-side of “armed attack”. This kind of regional military architecture is predicated on a state-to-state threat. From which state other than a rival of Western allies could this threat come? In any case, Oceania could not resist aggression from the People’s Liberation Army unless the US were willing to intervene.
Bilateral security agreements with Australia may pull PICs into the orbit of the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty (ANZUS), and U.S-led containment could in turn incentivise China to add strategic infrastructure hosted in the Pacific islands to its target list.
This is the logic of exposure through alignment: a defence pact reassures one partner while implicating another more directly in great-power competition. This is the spiral Pacific leaders have been trying to avoid: accepting one form of insecurity as protection against another.
In effect, the military threat facing PICs has moved from negligible to something they can’t ignore.
Third, the test may have the effect of accelerating diplomatic polarisation in a region that has worked to preserve room for manoeuvre.
Pacific Island states have built agency through diplomacy, regional solidarity and norm-setting. This “friends to all, enemies to none” posture has not always been easy or consistent, but it has given PICs the space to avoid being locked wholly into one camp.
Given China’s missile test, the balancing act is more complicated. Pacific leaders will find it harder to stay silent, with the next Forum meeting hosted in Palau, which has a pro-Taiwan government. Chinese tests draw more attention because they are rare and happen in open water. The U.S, by contrast, tests frequently, with missiles landing in the waters of their Compact partner, the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
China’s expanding nuclear arsenal sits awkwardly next to its own 1987 signing of the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone protocols, but only Western countries have detonated nuclear weapons in the region.
Condemning Chinese testing while staying quiet about U.S militarisation, nuclear legacies and an expanding alliance architecture would confirm Pacific leaders’ alignment with the Anglosphere.
Picking a side would close off the “China alternative” that has given Pacific countries greater leverage with their “traditional” partners since 2006.
A conversation that starts and ends with China also misses the security concerns to which Pacific peoples themselves give priority: climate, debt, extractive development, transnational crime, gendered violence, colonial legacies and nuclear trauma.
The Pacific is not empty space. For Beijing and Washington, it is the theatre in which their respective armed forces would operate in a crisis. For Pacific countries themselves, each act like this recent missile test increasingly makes the region, not an ocean of peace, but a stage for someone else’s deterrence…. PACNEWS
Raihaamana Tevahitua is a PhD candidate in the Department of Pacific Affairs at The Australian National University.
Romitesh Kant
Dr Romitesh Kant is a political scientist whose research focuses on gender, politics and democracy in Fiji and the wider Pacific.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
UN report: Global hunger levels ease for third consecutive year as regional disparities persist
The 2026 edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) also examines the cost of healthy diets
ROME, 22 JULY 202(FAO) — Global hunger declined for a third consecutive year in 2025, demonstrating that progress is possible. However, the improvements remain fragile, unevenly distributed and insufficient to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, according to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 (SOFI 2026) report, released on Tuesday by five United Nations specialized agencies.
The report estimates that 7.8 percent of the global population faced hunger in 2025, down from 8.1 percent in 2024 and 8.6 percent in 2022, confirming a sustained, albeit slow, improvement. This means that around 645 million people were affected by hunger in 2025, representing a reduction of nearly 14 million compared to 2024 and 43 million compared to 2022.
Despite global progress, recovery remains uneven across regions. Asia, together with Latin America and the Caribbean, has recorded steady improvements in recent years. In contrast, Africa is now home to approximately 309 million hungry people, compared with 292 million in Asia. Although Africa’s previously rising trend is beginning to stabilise, with the share of its population facing hunger decreasing from 20.3 percent in 2024 to 20.0 percent in 2025, the continent now has the highest number of hungry people in absolute terms amid a rapidly growing population.
Broader measures of food access tell a similar story. In 2025, an estimated 25.8 percent of the global population (around 2.1 billion people) experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, meaning they were at times forced to compromise on the quality or quantity of the food they ate. This is down from 27.1 percent in 2024 and 28.7 percent in 2020 – equivalent to nearly 86 million fewer people than in 2024 and 135 million fewer than in 2020, though still above pre-pandemic levels.
Regional disparities remain stark. More than half of Africa’s population (56.6 percent) faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025, compared to 20.3 percent in Asia, 22.9 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 8.7 percent in Northern America and Europe. Food insecurity also continues to be more prevalent in rural areas than in peri-urban and urban areas, while women remain disproportionately affected, although the gender gap narrowed slightly in 2025.
Hunger projections in the context of the Middle East conflict
The annual report also offers updated hunger projections for the next five years in light of the conflict in the Middle East. Depending on the length of the impact of the crisis on food inflation – which is driven by higher energy and fertilizer prices – approximately 510 to 520 million people may still be facing hunger in 2030 (compared to the lower projection of 503 million in the pre-conflict scenario), with the global number of undernourished people expected to decrease by 20 percent. However, other potential disruptors, including the effects of weather extremes such as El Niño in 2026 and 2027, are not considered in these projections and could further compound these effects.
The report’s joint authors – the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) – warn that the 2026 Middle East conflict, along with weather extremes and the reductions in official development assistance and humanitarian funding, are threatening to undermine the progress made to end global hunger.
Slow progress on global nutrition targets
The report highlights that global progress on maternal and child nutrition also remains insufficient to meet international commitments, including the 2030 nutrition targets.
Indicators such as child stunting, wasting, overweight, low birthweight and exclusive breastfeeding show only marginal improvements and progress is too slow to meet the targets. At the same time, anaemia among women aged 15 to 49 years is worsening, while the prevalence of adult obesity shows a steady increase – from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 16.2 percent in 2024 – contrary to the target of halting its rise by 2025. Only 30.8 percent of children aged 6 to 23 months worldwide consume a minimally diverse diet and 150 million children under five years of age are still stunted.
Progress again varies significantly across regions. The prevalence of child stunting is declining in Africa and is on track to meet the 2030 target in Asia, while exclusive breastfeeding rates are improving across all regions where data is available. However, nearly all regions are experiencing widening gaps in addressing anaemia among women, and child overweight is increasing rapidly in Oceania.
The cost of a healthy diet
This year’s SOFI report takes a closer look at the cost of a healthy diet – the average minimum expenditure required to obtain locally available foods that meet energy and most nutrient requirements. According to FAO and WHO, a healthy diet is one that is adequate, balanced, diverse, and moderate.
The report underscores that costs remain a major constraint to achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), although lowering such costs alone will not be sufficient to improve dietary quality and nutrition outcomes.
In 2025, the average global cost of a healthy diet rose to 4.28 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars per person per day, up from 3.44 PPP dollars in 2021 and 2.94 PPP dollars in 2017, with the highest levels recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean (4.91 PPP dollars). At the same time, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet has declined – from 2.97 billion (37.4 percent of the global population) in 2021 to 2.69 billion (32.7 percent) in 2025.
However, this trend masks significant regional disparities. In Africa, affordability worsened markedly, with 66.6 percent of the population unable to afford a healthy diet in 2025 – more than double the levels observed in Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Healthy diet costs vary widely across regions due to structural differences in agrifood systems. Animal source foods, fruits and vegetables account for the largest share of costs, while starchy staples contribute relatively little. Animal source foods are the largest contributor to the cost of a healthy diet in Africa, whereas vegetables represent the largest share in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Food value chains are a major determinant of prices. Post-farmgate activities account for 70 to 75 percent of what consumers pay, with up to 40 percent of total costs arising in processing, logistics and wholesale. Improving efficiency in these segments is therefore critical, particularly for lowering the cost of perishable, nutrient-rich foods.
Reducing the cost of a healthy diet requires context-specific policy responses that expand the supply of nutritious foods while lowering structural costs across agrifood value chains. This includes investments in infrastructure, research and development, irrigation and cold chains, alongside reforms in subsidies, trade facilitation and regulatory frameworks.
Targeted interventions that boost productivity, reduce losses and promote sustainable practices can simultaneously improve nutrition outcomes, strengthen resilience and support climate goals.
“The work that lies ahead over the years to 2030 is immense. However, a world in which a healthy diet is no longer out of reach for nearly one in three people is a world worth building,” the report argues.
What they said
FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu: “The report shows that progress is possible, but we must move faster. Ending hunger and making healthy diets affordable requires political commitment, sustained investment and enabling policies. Recent crises – from natural disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic to man-made disaster like hotspots of conflicts, the war in Ukraine, the Gaza crisis, and the recent Strait of Hormuz disruption – have demonstrated both the resilience of agrifood systems and the need to strengthen them further to better serve the world’s most vulnerable people, farmers and consumers.”
IFAD President, Alvaro Lario: “SOFI tells us that the cost of a healthy diet continues to rise and that nearly 2.7 billion people may still be unable to afford a healthy diet. Resilient value chains must be a central part of the answer. Our task now is to turn the evidence SOFI provides into investment – and to do so through partnership. Together, we can build the value chains, market systems and rural economies that make healthy food affordable for all.”
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell: “Every child deserves the chance to grow and develop to their full potential, and this starts with access to nutritious, affordable food. This report is a stark reminder that food systems fail millions of children and families. Food, health, education and social protection must go hand in hand to protect the most vulnerable children and women from global shocks.”
WFP Acting Executive Director, Carl Skau: “Behind every number in this report is a family counting the cost of food. Conflict and climate shocks push them further beyond their means. We must continue working with partner agencies, governments and communities to build food systems that hold up under shock, so families can afford nutritious diets, even in times of crisis. We now need sustained investment to match the scale of the challenge.”
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “While we welcome the clear progress, we have made in reducing hunger, a healthy diet still remains unaffordable for one in three people globally. Obesity is rising and progress on maternal and child nutrition is stalling. But we know what works: policies that make healthy food the easy choice, promoting breastfeeding, front-of-pack labelling, taxing unhealthy products, and protecting children from harmful marketing. Healthy diets are not a luxury – they are the foundation of health and must be within everyone’s reach…. PACNEWS
