In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Tonga PM calls for Pacific to turn economic ambition into action
2. PACFIC — Ditching diesel could save Pacific nations almost $1b
3. AUST — Pacific worker reprieve in coalition migration target
4. VAN — Vanuatu media workshop focuses on gender and political reporting
5. FIJI — Key Fiji politicians yet to decide future as election race heats up
6. AUST — Hanson steps in to explain One Nation migration targets
7. PACNEWS BIZ — New commodities report shows Pacific Agricultural exports to Australia more than triple in five years
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Samoa Central Bank Amendment Bill 2026 passes second reading and moves for Committee review
9. PACNEWS BIZ — New K76.8mil Gurney Airport terminal opened in PNG
10. PACNEWS BIZ — From Crisis to Food Security: Building Resilience in Vanuatu
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — Pacific countries strengthen the data behind climate action
12. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Building the Pacific’s next generation of trade and investment talent
13. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — China’s Influence Operations Are Targeting the Indo-Pacific’s Smaller Languages
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Tonga PM calls for Pacific to turn economic ambition into action
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific Island countries have the ambition to build resilient and sustainable economies but need greater access to capital, expertise and technology to turn those goals into reality, says Tonga Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua.
Speaking ahead of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting and Related Meetings in Palau from 31 August to 04 September, Fakafanua said Pacific countries must build on their natural advantages while finding new ways to grow their economies.
His comments come as economic development and growth remain key priorities under the Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development (PRED), the regional framework for advancing economic resilience and integration across the Blue Pacific.
“We all want economic development. We want a blue economy that is to be sustainable. We want more resilient people, more resilient governments and more resilient islands in the face of global challenges that we’re facing,” said PM Fakafanua.
Fakafanua said Pacific countries already have the ambition to achieve their economic goals but need the resources and knowledge to deliver them.
“The way I see it, we have the ambition. We just need the know-how, the capital and the expertise to achieve some of those targets,” he said.
Fakafanua said Pacific countries should focus on niche export markets and develop circular and sustainable economies that make better use of the region’s resources.
“Some of the low-hanging fruits that I can see is through niche markets for exports and also building circular and sustainable economies that can support a blue Pacific.”
He said Pacific countries also need to diversify their markets and use new technologies to overcome geographic and economic constraints.
“So, we need to lean into our greenness or our blueness, diversify our markets and look at frontier technologies that can help us achieve and leap from some of those outcomes.”
Fakafanua said the region’s economic ambitions are already reflected in the Pacific’s long-term development vision.
“It’s all within the 2050 target. I think 2050 can’t come soon enough,” he said.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting next week will bring Pacific leaders and the wider Forum Family together in Palau to discuss regional priorities, including economic development, resilience, climate change, security and regional cooperation…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIESEL: AAP PACNEWS 2: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Ditching diesel could save Pacific nations almost $1b
SYDNEY, 25 AUGUST 2026 (AAP) — Australia’s Pacific neighbours could save almost $1 billion (US$700 million) a year by swapping fossil fuel imports for renewable energy – and cover the cost of the transition in just over a decade.
UNSW Sydney released the findings on Tuesday after analysing fossil fuel costs in 21 Pacific countries, from American Samoa to Vanuatu.
The study comes days before regional leaders gather for the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, where they will discuss climate change and renewable energy ahead of November’s COP31 event.
The report, Counting The Cost of Fossil Fuels in the Pacific, analysed fuel imports used to run power plants, generators, boats and vehicles in Pacific countries.
It found fossil fuels cost each nation between 10 and 25 percent of their economic output – significantly more than the regional average spent on education (eight percent) and health (six percent).
Replacing diesel generators in the region would require 2.2 gigawatts of renewable energy generation and 8800 megawatt hours of storage, the report found and would cost US$650 million per year.
However, the investment could deliver savings of US$700 million a year, which would cover the cost of renewable energy investment in little more than 10 years.
Attracting investment in Pacific nations could be challenging due to high transport costs and small project sizes, but UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response research associate and report author Wesley Morgan said the study showed it could deliver financial benefits.
“We’re used to talking about renewable energy in the Pacific as a moral issue, but today’s report shows that the economic case is overwhelming,” Dr Morgan said.
“Fossil fuel dependency is a risk not just to the climate but to Pacific economies and renewables are the clearest pathway to energy security and stability.”
Switching to renewable energy generation and storage would also address rising prices triggered by Middle East conflict, the report said, which could raise fuel costs by US$375 million in Fiji and US$68 million in Vanuatu if they persisted.
Leaders at the Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers Meeting in May reiterated their target to become the first region powered entirely by renewable energy.
Additional investments would be needed to achieve the goal, Tuvalu climate change minister Dr Maina Talia said.
“Tuvalu has an ambitious renewable energy target but we need our international partners to help us get there,” he said.
“Every dollar not spent on polluting and expensive diesel is money we can put towards our people’s health and education.”
Pacific nations contribute 0.03 percent of global emissions but are among the most vulnerable to climate change impacts, the report found, including cyclones and rising sea levels…. PACNEWS
AUST – MIGRATION: AAP PACNEWS 2: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Pacific worker reprieve in coalition migration target
CANBERRA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (AAP) — Pacific workers in Australia will not be reduced under proposed opposition changes to migration numbers.
The coalition are yet to unveil their proposed numbers for annual net overseas migration, other than saying it will be tied to the number of new houses constructed.
But opposition home affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam said any changes to migration would not include cuts to workers in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme.
The scheme allows businesses to hire workers from nine Pacific countries to fill shortfalls in employment, often in regional areas.
Senator Duniam said the number of Pacific workers coming to Australia each year was low compared to the overall figure.
“The backpacker and PALM contribution to net overseas migration is minimal, … I don’t envisage we’ll be cutting those at all,” he told ABC Radio on Monday.
“It’s a very small number, and to try and put in place changes around the number without regard to who is coming in and where they might be going, what skills shortage or labour shortage they’re trying to fill.
“That’s not going to solve the problem for us.”
The current level of net overseas migration is 301,000 people.
As of June, there were a little more than 32,000 Pacific scheme workers in Australia.
Senator Duniam said the coalition would not unveil the party’s migration policy in 2026, instead choosing to release it closer to the next federal election, which is due by May 2028.
“We need to make sure that we are as relevant to that point in time as possible, taking into account all of the factors and circumstances that the world, the country, will face in 2028,” he said.
“It’s not going to be this year, I don’t think, but sometime in the near future.”
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor would not put an exact number on the coalition’s net overseas migration target.
“But … given what we’re seeing, we’d expect it to be substantially below 200,000 – substantially below,” he told reporters in Queensland.
Migration targets have been in the spotlight after One Nation MP David Farley said the minor party’s figure would include an extra 100,000 people annually, on top of the 130,000 people it already flagged.
The overall number would be slightly higher than the forecast 225,000 people under Labor’s policy.
Party leader Pauline Hanson was forced to clarify One Nation’s stance following Farley’s interview.
Taylor said the differing numbers showed a lack of unity within the party.
“We saw the newly-minted One Nation MP say it was going to be over 230,000 so frankly they’ve got to make up their minds where they sit on all of this – they’re all over the shop,” he said…. PACNEWS
VAN – MEDIA TRAINNING: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Vanuatu media workshop focuses on gender and political reporting
PORT VILA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Media Association of Vanuatu (MAV) and the International Federation of Journalists Asia-Pacific have completed a two-day workshop focused on strengthening media coverage of gender and politics.
The “Rewriting the Story: Media, Gender and Politics” workshop was held in Port Vila and concluded on 21 August.
The workshop brought together media practitioners to examine how gender and political issues are covered in the media and to strengthen reporting that gives greater space to diverse and underrepresented voices.
MAV congratulated all participants who successfully completed the two-day programme and acknowledged their contributions and experiences throughout the workshop.
The organisers also thanked the facilitators, guest speakers and other guests who contributed to the discussions.
The workshop was supported by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu.
MAV said the programme was aimed at equipping participants with new knowledge and practical tools to strengthen their reporting.
The organisers said they hoped participants would leave with greater confidence to produce more diverse, inclusive and representative media coverage.
The workshop is part of broader efforts to strengthen gender-responsive journalism and improve representation in the Pacific media…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS/ELECTION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Key Fiji politicians yet to decide future as election race heats up
SUVA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (FIJI SUN) — With Fiji political parties gathering pace in the race to the next General Election the People’s Alliance (PA) has received more than 130 expressions of interest.
However, several prominent politicians of leading parties remain undecided about their political futures.
Those sitting on the fence and yet to confirm whether they will contest are former SODELPA leader Viliame Gavoka, National Federation Party (NFP) members Lenora Qereqeretabua and Pio Tikoduadua and Opposition MP Premila Kumar.
Qereqeretabua, who is deputy speaker and assistant minister for foreign affairs, said she was still praying about her decision.
Tikoduadua, the Minister for Defence and Veterans Affairs, said he was weighing his options.
Gavoka, who has served three terms, said he was discussing his political future with his family.
“As you know, I will be finishing three terms by the end of this. So, we are not there yet. There’s still a couple of months to go, three more sittings of Parliament and then we’ll decide,” he said.
He did not indicate whether continuing in politics would mean standing again for SODELPA.
Kumar is understood to have been approached by some political parties.
“No comment,” she said when asked whether she would contest the election.
The uncertainty among established politicians comes as PA said it received more than 130 expressions of interest from potential candidates.
Those listed include Minister for Policing and Communications Ioane Naivalurua, Minister for Agriculture Tomasi Tunabuna and Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu.
Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica has confirmed he will contest the election under the PA banner.
Assistant Minister for Public Works and Transport Naisa Tuinaceva said: “I am working with the Government, with the Prime Minister.”
Inia Seruiratu’s People First Party includes Rinesh Sharma, Jone Usamate, Parveen Bala, Semi Koroilavesau, Vijay Nath, Virendra Lal, Hem Chand, Alvick Maharaj and Joseph Nand…. PACNEWS
AUST – MIGRATION: AAP PACNEWS 2: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Hanson steps in to explain One Nation migration targets
CANBERRA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (AAP) — One Nation would slash migration to less than half the current government’s levels, leader Pauline Hanson says.
It comes after a One Nation MP said the party’s policy would include an extra 100,000 people annually and was not “too different” to what would occur under Labor or the coalition.
Farrer MP David Farley, who clinched Sussan Ley’s old seat from the coalition at a by-election, said his party had decided to separate a “true NOM”, or net overseas migration figure, from certain other categories of migrants.
He said One Nation’s policy of getting net overseas migration down to 130,000, from the budget forecast of 225,000 in the following four years, excluded people brought in under a Pacific scheme, aged-care nurses and other in-demand skilled workers.
That group would amount to an additional 100,000 arrivals, and an increase of 5000 people from the budget forecast, leaving it closer to targets set by Labor and the coalition.
“What we’re doing is we’re focusing on the NOM in its true form, and then we’ve got these programs that have been available now for over a decade that drive our economy,” Farley told ABC’s Insiders on Sunday.
“The raw number is not too different, but the reality is, where do we need them?
“We don’t need them in the great urban metroplex – we need them out to be productive, working in agriculture, engineering, mining.”
Senator Hanson took to social media to correct the record, saying One Nation’s policy is to cut net overseas migration to 130,000.
Short-term seasonal agricultural workers who do not meet the residency test were not counted in net overseas migration, she said
“They come for limited periods, often live on farms or regional properties while they work, and return home,” Senator Hanson said.
Reductions in migration numbers under One Nation would come from allowing in fewer international students and dependants and introducing a more targeted skilled migration programme.
“One Nation’s target is less than half Labor’s current level,” Senator Hanson said.
“Labor opened the floodgates to mass migration and has repeatedly blown its own migration forecasts since coming to government.
“Australians are living with the consequences. Homes are less affordable, emergency departments are overwhelmed, roads are more congested and essential services are stretched beyond capacity.”
Cabinet minister Chris Bowen said net overseas migration could not just be redefined.
“My overwhelming conclusion was (David Farley is) pretty comfortable with what the government’s doing,” he told reporters.
“I’m not sure what campaign One Nation’s going to run on migration if they’re effectively backing in what the Albanese government is doing.”
Opposition immigration spokesman Jonno Duniam said voters were owed a clear explanation of what One Nation’s immigration policy actually was.
“These are not semantic distinctions. They have real consequences for housing, infrastructure, essential services, wages, jobs and the economy,” he said.
“For a party that has spent years telling Australians it has all the answers on immigration, One Nation is having extraordinary difficulty answering the most basic question of all: how many migrants would actually come to Australia under its policy.”
Opinion polls have shown voters trust One Nation to manage migration better than the two major parties…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – EXPORTS: PTI AUSTRALIA PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 25 Aug 2026
New commodities report shows Pacific Agricultural exports to Australia more than triple in five years
SYDNEY, 25 AUGUST 2026 (PTI AUSTRALIA) — Australia’s appetite for Pacific agricultural products is growing rapidly, and so too is the region’s interest in supplying them.
A new Pacific Trade Invest Australia report, Australia’s Imports from the Pacific 2026 Review, shows imports of selected agricultural commodities from Pacific Island countries have increased more than threefold over the past five years.
At the same time, more than 200 exporters, government officials, biosecurity agencies and agribusiness professionals from across the Pacific recently joined a webinar hosted by Pacific Trade Invest Australia in partnership with the Australian Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), underlining the strong interest in expanding agricultural exports to Australia.
The latest report draws on Australian Bureau of Statistics trade data compiled by DAFF. It found the value of selected agricultural imports from Pacific Island countries rose 3.1 times between 2020 and 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of about 25 percent.
The report examines Australia’s imports of key Pacific commodities including green coffee, cocoa beans, coconut oil, cassava, vanilla, taro, ginger and seafood, providing exporters, governments and investors with a clearer picture of where commercial opportunities are emerging.
PTI Australia Trade Commissioner Tim Martin said the report was intended to help businesses make better-informed decisions as they explored export opportunities.
“Trade between the Pacific and Australia continues to evolve, creating new opportunities for Pacific exporters, Australian importers and the broader regional economy,” Martin said.
He said the findings highlighted both success stories and areas where considerable untapped potential remained, reinforcing the importance of reliable market intelligence for businesses and policymakers alike.
The report also complements PTI Australia’s wider work to prepare exporters for the Australian market. During the recent webinar, DAFF specialists outlined Australia’s biosecurity framework, international phytosanitary standards and the practical steps exporters need to take to meet market access requirements. The message was clear – while opportunities exist, exporters that understand Australia’s biosecurity and market access requirements are far better positioned to convert demand into sales.
Green coffee was the strongest contributor to growth. Papua New Guinea, the Pacific’s only supplier of green coffee beans to Australia, exported more than AUD$112.5 million (US$80.43 million) in 2025, making coffee the region’s largest agricultural export to Australia by value. While rising global coffee prices contributed significantly, the Pacific’s share of Australia’s green coffee imports increased from 6.5 percent in 2020 to 9.3 percent in 2025.
Coconut oil and cocoa also recorded strong gains. The Pacific’s share of Australia’s coconut oil imports rose from 3.7 percent to 13.4 percent between 2020 and 2025, while its share of cocoa bean imports increased from 15.3 percent to 25.3 percent. Fiji remained the largest coconut oil supplier, with Vanuatu emerging as a strong performer, while Papua New Guinea continued to lead cocoa exports, supported by growing exports from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.
The report also highlights Australia’s reliance on the Pacific for staple food products. In 2025, the region supplied 79 percent of Australia’s imported taro and more than 55 percent of imported cassava by value. Tonga and Fiji remained the leading cassava exporters, while Solomon Islands recorded the fastest growth.
Vanilla exports also recovered, with the Pacific accounting for 38.7 percent of Australia’s vanilla imports in 2025 and Papua New Guinea increasing export volumes by 66 percent over the past three years.
Not every commodity moved in the same direction, however. Ginger recorded the sharpest decline of all products reviewed. The Pacific’s share of Australia’s ginger imports fell from 15.8 percent in 2024 to just 1.3 percent in 2025, with Fiji, the only Pacific supplier during the year, experiencing a sharp drop in export volumes. Whole coconut exports also continued their long-term decline, leaving Samoa and Tonga as the region’s only active suppliers by 2025.
For PTI Australia, the report and the recent webinar tell different parts of the same story. One highlights where Australian demand is growing, while the other reflects the drive of Pacific exporters to understand what’s needed to compete successfully in Australia. As Australian consumers continue to embrace Pacific products, the challenge is becoming less about identifying opportunities than helping more businesses seize them…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – CENTRAL BANK BILL: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 25 Aug 2026
Samoa Central Bank Amendment Bill 2026 passes second reading and moves for Committee review
APIA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA) — The Central Bank of Samoa Amendment Bill 2026 passed its second reading last week despite strong opposition from the HRPP Opposition Party and independents. The Bill provides an Independent Chairperson who leads the Board in carrying out its governance and oversight responsibilities.
Under the existing Act, the Governor also chairs the Board.
The Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa-Ale Molioo clarified in parliament that the separation is an important good-governance safeguard. It prevents the same person from both managing the institution and leading the body responsible for supervising and assessing that management.
“The amendment corrects that weakness by separating the two roles,” said the Minister.
Mulipola also clarified that the Independent Chairperson cannot direct the Governor on the Bank’s daily operations and cannot independently make decisions for the Board.
“Decisions must be made collectively, in accordance with the Act, by a Board containing a clear majority of independent non-executive directors,” she said.
Under the Bill, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance is only an ex officio member. The Chief Executive Officer has no vote, does not count towards the quorum and cannot serve as Chairperson or Acting Chairperson.
The Bill also expressly prevents the Minister, the Ministry or its Chief Executive Officer from directing, controlling, approving, rejecting or delaying the Bank’s decisions, except where the law expressly provides otherwise.
In response to members concerns raised about removing the Governor, Mulipola emphasized that under the Bill, the operational independence of the Governor is also expressly protected.
“A disagreement concerning monetary policy, exchange-rate policy, supervisory policy or financial-stability policy is not misconduct, poor performance or a lawful ground for removing the Governor.
“This means that neither the independent Chairperson nor the Government can remove the Governor merely because they disagree with a policy decision properly made in the exercise of the Bank’s statutory responsibilities.”
The Minister emphasised that the independent non-executive Chairperson is not a doorway for Government interference. Rather it is a barrier against the concentration of power and a safeguard for proper oversight.
This amendment does not give the Government greater control over the Central Bank. It places clearer limits on Government involvement, strengthens independent oversight and protects the Governor’s operational responsibilities.
After a robust three-day debate, parliament was called to vote on the Bills second reading.
However, the Leader of the Opposition, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielagoi, told parliament that the Opposition remains opposed and wanted to record their opposition by voting enmasse against it.
The Speaker of Parliament, Auapaau Aloitafua Mulipola clarified that he had allowed all the members the chance to air their views as it was important for their constituents to listen and hear their views on the bill and said he had nothing against the Opposition Leaders proposition.
After parliament passed the Bill’s second reading, it now goes to the Finance Parliamentary Committee for review and consultations and to report back to parliament for the third and final reading in a future session of parliament.
Parliament is adjourned until the October session…. PACNEWS
PNG – AIRPORT: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 25 Aug 2026
New K76.8mil Gurney Airport terminal opened in PNG
PORT MORESBY, 25 AUGUST 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape opened the new K76.8 million (US$17.3 million Gurney Airport terminal last Friday and urged the people of Milne Bay to look after the facility.
“You can use this facility as a floodgate to attract tourism, agriculture and fisheries, activities to generate income,” he said.
Marape said the airport upgrade began on 15 April 2024.
“The contract value is K76,843,073.88 million (US$17.3 million), reflecting the scale and complexity of the upgraded works done,” he said.
Marape urged the people of Milne Bay to strengthen law and order and reclaim the province’s reputation as one of Papua New Guinea’s safest destinations as it prepares to expand its tourism industry.
“I ask all people here to take ownership of law and order,” he said.
“We are happy with this airport and we are also improving roads and we are investing despite limited resources so I ask you to protect these investments.
“I appealed to the young people of Milne Bay to become ambassadors for peace and tourism.”
National Airport Corporation (NAC) chairman Jacob Anga said the Gurney airport work was the first under the Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme (Cadip 2).
“The primary objective of the Gurney Airport project is to achieve full operational certification and compliance with the national and international aviation standards,” he said.
Civil Aviation Minister Douglas Tomuriesa said the widened apron would accommodate larger aircraft, including the Fokker 100, Boeing 737, and Air Niugini’s new A220 jets, thereby enhancing operational capacity.
“The modern terminal building, equipped with small and medium enterprises (SME) kiosks, will improve passenger processing efficiency, support local economic participation, and provide a safer, more secure environment,” he said…. PACNEWS
VAN – FOOD SECURITY: ADB PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 25 Aug 2026
From Crisis to Food Security: Building Resilience in Vanuatu
PORT VILA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (ADB) — When COVID-19 disrupted livelihoods and food supplies in Vanuatu, vulnerable communities faced an urgent challenge: how to maintain access to nutritious food and earn a living.
With support from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) and the Asian Development Fund (ADF), ADB partnered with the Government of Vanuatu to help affected communities strengthen food security and build new sources of income.
Families received training, tools, and support to grow food through backyard and vertical gardens, developing skills that continue to benefit them beyond the pandemic.
Today, these investments are helping communities across Vanuatu become more resilient and better prepared for future shocks.
Like many Pacific nations, Vanuatu felt the impact of COVID-19 deeply.
Its tourism sector came to a standstill.
Markets closed and family members suddenly lost their livelihoods.
Helen Sophie Brechtefeld, Beneficiary, Beverly Hills said: “I was very scared about what would happen to me and my family.”
For many households, the uncertainty extended beyond lost income.
The pandemic also affected basic food supplies.
“With markets and shops closed, I worried about how we would put food on the table. I didn’t know what would come next or how we would survive,” said Helen.
To help strengthen food security, the ADB partnered with the Government of Vanuatu with support from the Asian Development Fund and the Government of Japan, through the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific.
Communities were given training and tools to establish and expand backyard gardens.
Anna Louis, Beneficiary, Fresh Water said: “When the project started it, it helped my family and me while we were confined to our home. The project gave us a water tank and taught us how to grow our own food through a backyard garden. It gave us the tools to startand training to maintain our garden on our own.”
While the project was designed to help in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19, its benefits extend far beyond the pandemic so that communities are better prepared for future shocks.
Antoine Ravo, Director, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: “This project also looked into assisting the Department to accelerate and empower our communities, especially women and people with special needs, to be more resilient when there is a likely event of emergency.”
Nancy Wells, Principal Country Officer, Asian Development Bank said: “This is how working together translate into reel benefits for vulnerable communities. With support of the Government of Japan and ADB’s Asian Development Fund, families are becoming more self-sufficient and resilient in the face of disasters.”
And for families like Helen’s, this project is already delivering lasting benefits.
“As mothers, we are happy to have our own garden, where we can grow fresh vegetables and provide healthy food for our families. With this garden, we hope to live longer and healthier together,” said Helen…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific countries strengthen the data behind climate action
SUVA, 25 AUGUST 2026 (SPC) — Every emissions target, climate policy and climate investment proposal depends on the quality of the data behind it. Across the Pacific, that information may be incomplete, recorded in different formats or held across several government agencies.
Around 50 participants met in Port Vila, Vanuatu, from 17 to 21 August 2026 to strengthen how climate information is collected, checked and reported. They include government officials working on climate data and reporting from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia and Cook Islands.
The workshop focuses on applying the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework. Participants are working on greenhouse gas inventories using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change software (IPCC Software), climate-target tracking, and Biennial Transparency Reports, known as BTRs.
Submitted every two years, BTRs cover national greenhouse gas emissions, progress towards climate targets, adaptation and support needs. Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have submitted their first BTR reports and are sharing lessons from the process.
Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, said transparency must support national priorities as well as international reporting.
“For Vanuatu, transparency is not simply about meeting an international reporting requirement. It is about strengthening our ability to understand our climate actions, measure progress, improve decision-making and ensure that our national priorities are properly reflected in international climate processes.”
National greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories combine activity data such as fuel use, livestock numbers, crop production, fertiliser use, forest records and satellite observations with scientifically established emission factors. Together, these are used to estimate the greenhouse gases released or removed.
Gaps in the underlying data increase uncertainty, making emissions trends, policy results and proposed investments harder to assess.
During practical sessions, participants are using the relevant methods, IPCC software and common reporting tables (CRTs) to prepare inventories and track nationally determined contributions (NDC) the targets and actions countries commit to under the Paris Agreement.
Visits to solar photovoltaic and waste-oil recycling facilities in Port Vila connect this technical work with projects on the ground. Participants examined how measurements such as electricity generated from renewable energy sources, waste oil processed and fossil-fuel use replaced feed into national emissions estimates.
Agriculture, forestry and other land uses present particular data challenges. Production is dispersed across islands and farming systems, while records may be held by government agencies, farmers, producers and landowners.
Mirella Salvatore, Senior Climate Change Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), said stronger agricultural and land-use data systems were also important for attracting investment.
“Improving agricultural and land use data systems is critical to unlocking climate finance. This is why FAO is supporting countries in transparency.”
Countries are also sharing practical challenges encountered while preparing their first reports. These include resolving conflicting figures, coordinating information across ministries, maintaining datasets and retaining specialised staff.
Esline Garaebiti, Deputy Director for Climate Change and Sustainability (CCS) at the Pacific Community (SPC), said countries could draw on approaches already being applied across the region.
“Peer-to-peer exchange is one of the Pacific’s greatest strengths. Countries can learn from practical solutions already being applied across the region, while also speaking honestly about the difficulties that remain.”
The programme also examined how the Enhanced Transparency Framework accounts for the special circumstances and capacity constraints of developing countries.
Global reporting is advancing. By July 2026, 134 Parties had submitted their first BTRs, 86 had completed technical reviews and 49 had discussed their progress with other countries. Following global trends, four PICs have submitted their first BTR by July 2026.
Participants in Port Vila use lessons from these reviews to identify practical improvements for future reporting cycles.
Vanuatu’s Department of Climate Change is hosting the workshop. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), FAO and the Regional Pacific NDC Hub are organising the programme.
The Australian Government’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and SPC are collaborating on its delivery. The NDC Partnership, Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency Global Support Programme (CBIT-GSP) and are providing technical expertise.
Success will depend not only on submitting reports, but on maintaining national systems that produce credible information for policy, investment and climate action…. 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
Building the Pacific’s next generation of trade and investment talent
Opinion by Tim Martin, PTI Australia Trade Commissioner
SYDNEY, 25 AUGUST 2026 (PTI AUSTRALIA) — Over the years, PTI Australia has brought Pacific professionals into its Sydney office with a straightforward idea: some of the most useful professional development happens not in a classroom, but in the market.
The Talent Development Program strengthens the capacity of Pacific organisations involved in trade, investment and tourism by giving participants practical exposure to the Australian market. They work alongside the PTI Australia team, meet businesses and industry specialists, and gain an understanding of the systems and relationships underpinning successful trade and investment promotion.
Talent development forms part of PTI Australia’s broader strategy, with its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan identifying human capital capacity as part of its mandate of supporting Pacific trade and investment.
But the real measure of the program’s success is what happens afterwards. Where do participants go? Which skills and relationships endure?
We revisited five past participants: Buriata Eti-Tofinga, Kiniviliame Raicebe, Bernadette Tunidau-Lee, Ken Pep and Alick Robsen Joe. Their careers span academia, tourism, marketing and investment promotion, but a common thread runs through them: exposure to markets, people and ideas at PTI Australia continued to have value long after their placements ended.
PTI Australia Trade Commissioner Tim Martin believes developing Pacific talent is an important part of PTI’s mandate: “We see our support of human capacity building across the Pacific as integral to wider trade and investment growth in the region. Today’s participants, supported by practical market exposure and formal professional development across all our departments, could be tomorrow’s leading exporters and decision makers.”
Lessons that last
For Buriata Eti-Tofinga, the connection stretches back 15 years. She undertook her internship in 2011 while studying for a Master’s degree at the University of Sydney Business School. Having already worked as an acting Senior Foreign Investment Officer in Kiribati, she chose PTI Australia, then PTI Sydney, because of her interest in trade, investment and private-sector development.
One memorable experience was showcasing Pacific businesses at Fine Food Australia. It taught her that supporting a Pacific business in an international market is not simply about getting it through the door. Businesses also need people who understand their needs and help them navigate an unfamiliar commercial environment.
Today, Buriata is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Management at the University of the South Pacific.
“The PTI Australia internship gives Pacific professionals an opportunity to step outside their usual environment, gain practical experience and see how Pacific businesses connect with regional and international markets,” she says. “Most importantly, it gives you access to people, networks and perspectives that can continue to shape your professional journey long after the internship has ended.”
That emphasis on networks also runs through Kiniviliame Raicebe’s experience. Kini sought first-hand exposure to international trade, investment promotion and market development, particularly in tourism.
At PTI Australia he saw governments, private-sector stakeholders, development partners and businesses working towards common objectives.
“Meaningful and sustainable development outcomes are often achieved through strong partnerships, clear communication and a shared vision,” he says.
Today, as Marketing Manager at the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), he continues to draw on the networks, international market knowledge and appreciation of collaboration developed at PTI Australia.
Learning the market from the inside
Bernadette Tunidau-Lee, Content Writer at SPTO, joined the program seeking a better understanding of Australian travel trade. “I expected to learn about trade and destination marketing, but I gained much more practical experience than I expected,” she says.
Working alongside PTI Australia Tourism Manager Onorina Fugawai and participating in the Treasures of the South Pacific Roadshow allowed her to see how Australian travel agents respond to Pacific destinations and what information they need. She also learned about export readiness from PTI Australia colleagues Maeva O’Donnell and Jeremy Grennell. Back at SPTO, Bernadette says the experience has changed how she thinks about audiences and presents destinations to travel agents and their clients.
For Papua New Guinea’s Ken Pep, the attraction was practical. Having undertaken a similar placement with PTI New Zealand in 2014, he wanted exposure to the Australian market and came prepared with PNG companies and products to introduce to buyers and distributors. He also sharpened skills such as cross-checking buyers and sellers and tracking leads. His assessment is succinct: “PTI Australia team is hands on and they can produce results.”
Turning relationships into investment opportunities
For Alick Robsen Joe, now a Manager with the Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, the program built on an existing relationship with PTI Australia. Alick had worked with the team on investment leads before commencing his one-month placement in 2023. His experience included attending Fine Food Melbourne, where he saw engagement with Australian buyers in practice. He also gained experience in communications, CRM systems and stakeholder management. These lessons remain relevant to his work promoting Vanuatu as an investment destination.
“For me, the PTI Australia Talent Development Program was more than an internship,” he says. “It was an opportunity to learn, build lasting professional relationships and become part of a wider Pacific trade and investment network.”
An investment that travels home
These five stories illustrate an aspect of talent development that can be difficult to measure immediately. Participants gain real-world insights and are then able to take that experience elsewhere – one is now mentoring Pacific business students; others are marketing Pacific destinations.
Martin points to this multiplier effect: “The Talent Development Program not only supports individual upskilling for Pacific professionals, but as past participants share these lessons more widely – it contributes to broader capacity building from within.”
Past participant advice is remarkably consistent: be curious, ask questions and build relationships. Alick highlights that “some of the people you meet may become mentors or professional peers later in your career.” Buriata echoes this: “Build relationships rather than simply building a resume.”
That is ultimately the larger story of PTI Australia’s Talent Development Program. A placement may be just weeks or months, but the outcomes it creates can last considerably longer, contributing to the next generation of Pacific trade and investment professionals and strengthening connections between Australia and the Pacific….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
China’s Influence Operations Are Targeting the Indo-Pacific’s Smaller Languages
Generative AI is dismantling the language barriers that once kept smaller democracies safe.
By OSAWA Jun
BEIJING, 25 AUGUST 2026 (THE DIPLOMAT) — China’s influence operations are expanding across the Indo-Pacific. In Japan, disinformation circulated on social media during the House of Representatives election in February 2026 in what appeared to be a coordinated Chinese influence operation. Posts on X systematically spread memes promoting narratives such as “Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae is a militarist” and “Japan cannot win in a Taiwan contingency.” The Japanese text bore traces of simplified Chinese, some meme images resembled those used in Chinese government affiliated media, and the narratives aligned with Chinese government talking points — all pointing to a coordinated Chinese operation.
Russian influence operations targeting elections have been documented in Western countries since around 2015; in the Indo-Pacific region, Chinese operations targeting elections have also been observed since the 2020s.
Chinese influence operations in the Indo-Pacific have long attracted attention in Taiwan and in English-speaking countries including the United States and Australia. In Taiwan, disinformation attributed to China was disseminated during the 2018 and 2022 local elections, and in the 2024 presidential election, disinformation targeting Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) members who were distancing themselves from China. In the United States, President Donald Trump cited Chinese influence operations targeting the 2020 presidential election at a press conference on July 16, 2026; U.S intelligence documents released the same day concluded that China had conducted influence operations ahead of the 2020 election to damage public opinion of the Trump administration and undermine Washington’s international reputation. In Australia, China has been conducting influence operations on politics since the mid-2010s, and in the 2025 general election these extended into disinformation in digital spaces.
More recently, Chinese influence operations have spread to new targets. In the Philippines, which is at odds with China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, security authorities reported that China-supported groups conducted influence operations during the 2025 midterm and local elections, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to order a detailed investigation. There is growing concern that China may intensify these efforts ahead of the 2028 presidential election to secure a victory for a pro-China candidate. Chinese influence operations have also become increasingly prominent across South Pacific Island countries. During the Solomon Islands’ 2024 general election, disinformation circulated claiming the United States was interfering in the vote; since around 2023, allegations that Washington wants to assassinate the pro-China prime minister have been spread repeatedly, suggesting a sustained campaign to foment anti-American sentiment.
Until recently, the digital spaces of smaller languages were protected by language barriers that made it difficult for non-native speakers to post convincingly on social media. Recent advances in generative AI have dismantled that protection, enabling natural-sounding manipulation without proficiency in the local language. Social media posting and sharing, which previously required manual effort, can now be conducted at scale using AI-driven bot accounts. As a result, the threat of foreign influence operations is rising not only in the Indo-Pacific but across all digital spaces that operate in languages beyond the major ones like English and French.
Countering foreign influence operations in digital spaces has become a critical task for any government seeking to protect its democracy. Basic measures — monitoring the state of one’s own digital linguistic environment, building fact-checking systems, and improving media literacy — are necessary but not sufficient. Freezing accounts used by attackers generally requires cooperation from American social media platforms, but American Big Tech, whose revenues can exceed the GDP of smaller countries, tends to ignore requests from those countries. Governments targeted by influence operations must therefore coordinate, amplify one another’s voices, and build the international public opinion needed to press Big Tech into action. In the age of generative AI, that cooperation is no longer optional…. PACNEWS
