In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific faces climate finance barriers as global action falls short
2. PNG — Use Melanesian framework as guide on the political future of Bougainville: Marat
3. FIJI — 2013 Constitution did not reflect people’s voice – Fiji Opposition leader Seruiratu
4. PACIFIC — Fiji reaffirms SPC partnership to strengthen Pacific resilience
5. PACIFIC — El Niño ‘hits’ a threat
6. PNG — 12 PNG robbers dead, Fatal shootout with West New Britain police
7. PACNEWS BIZ — Four in five domestic workers lack formal job protections, UN finds
8. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji trains investment officials to attract regional and global investors
9. PACNEWS BIZ — NBC PNG Western back on air after seven years
10. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — SPC warns Pacific faces rising costs, climate risks and funding pressures
11. PACNEWS DIGEST — OPINION: Fast-tracking Pacific survival
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Institute of Philanthropy and WHO launch partnership to advance healthy ageing in the Western Pacific
PAC – COP31: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 28 Oct 2026
Pacific faces climate finance barriers as global action falls short
By Pita Ligaiula
BONN, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific Island countries remain vulnerable to the gap between global climate commitments and action on the ground, with new United Nations reports highlighting persistent barriers to climate finance and delays in turning adaptation plans into projects.
The findings come as Pacific leaders continue to push for stronger emissions cuts, more accessible climate funding and urgent support to protect communities from rising seas, extreme weather and other climate impacts.
Three reports released by UN Climate Change ahead of the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November, show governments are increasingly integrating climate action into national policies, but global progress remains insufficient.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said many developing countries continued to face substantial barriers to delivering their climate commitments.
“Collective progress remains clearly insufficient, global transitions are very uneven, and many countries face substantial barriers to delivering their targets and pledges,” Stiell said.
The findings on climate finance are particularly relevant to Pacific Island countries, many of which need significant investment to strengthen infrastructure, protect coastal communities and prepare for climate-related disasters.
The 2026 National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Progress Report found that 146 countries had initiated or launched their adaptation planning processes as of 20 October.
Of these, 81 developing countries, including 29 least developed countries and 17 small island developing states (SIDS), had submitted national adaptation plans.
However, the report found that having an adaptation plan does not guarantee implementation.
Countries face difficulties preparing project proposals, securing approval, accessing funding and receiving money in time to carry out work on the ground.
The report also identified a shortage of accredited entities and delays in processing funding proposals as obstacles to delivering adaptation projects.
For Pacific countries with limited administrative and technical capacity, these barriers can slow efforts to strengthen climate resilience even when national priorities and plans have been established.
The reports also highlight the wider challenge of mobilising enough finance to meet developing countries’ climate needs.
Global climate finance increased by 32 percent to an annual average of US$1.9 trillion in 2023 and 2024, according to the Standing Committee on Finance.
Finance provided and mobilised by developed countries for developing countries also increased between 2020 and 2024.
However, the assessment found persistent problems with access, affordability and the distribution of funding, while adaptation finance remained insufficient.
These challenges remain central to Pacific demands for climate finance that is accessible, predictable and responsive to the urgent needs of small island developing states.
The reports also warn that global emissions reductions remain far below the levels needed to meet the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.
The 2026 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Synthesis Report found that 127 new climate pledges, representing 154 parties to the Paris Agreement, were recorded between January 2024 and August 2026. Together, they cover about 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite broader commitments and greater involvement of businesses, communities and local authorities, current pledges are expected to reduce global emissions by only about six percent by 2035 compared with 2019 levels.
Even if all current pledges are fully implemented, emissions would fall by about nine percent, stressing the need for deeper cuts.
For Pacific Island countries, whose climate security is closely linked to the pace of global emissions reductions, the findings reinforce concerns about the gap between international commitments and the action needed to limit warming.
The 2026 Biennial Transparency Report Synthesis Report found that 137 parties had submitted reports covering about 85 percent of global emissions. It also showed that 92percent of reporting parties included adaptation measures in their reports.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Stiell said COP31 must help countries move from pledges to implementation through stronger outcomes on emissions reduction, adaptation, climate finance and just transitions.
The conference will also promote practical action through the Global Climate Action Agenda, including expanding electrification, cutting methane emissions, improving access to finance and reducing waste.
For the Pacific, the key challenge remains ensuring international climate commitments translate into timely funding, stronger resilience and measurable emissions cuts.
The reports will inform discussions at COP31, where countries will face pressure to demonstrate how existing commitments can be turned into faster and more effective climate action…. PACNEWS
PNG – INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 2: Wed 28 Oct 2026
Use Melanesian framework as guide on the political future of Bougainville: Marat
PORT MORESBY, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat says Papua New Guinea MPs need to be reminded of the Melanesian Framework in order to make good decisions on the political future of Bougainville.
Marat said this was the transition period and if MPs were to vote in favour of the 97.7 percent referendum results, then it had to be based on Section 342, subsection two.
Marat based his debate in parliament last Friday on the Melanesian Framework’s clause six highlighting the future relationship arrangements post-independence:
6.1 – The governments of Bougainville and PNG affirm that the pathway provided for in its framework is intended not only to give effect to the referendum result, but also to secure an enduring peaceful relationship between PNG and Bougainville;
6.2 – The future relationship shall be guided by the principles of mutual respect, good faith, peaceful cooperation, non-interference, shared responsibility and recognition of historical, cultural, family, economic and geographic ties that bind the people of PNG and Bougainville;
6.3 – Future relationship arrangements may include, as appropriate, agreed mechanisms for cooperation in areas of common interest;
6.4 – The arrangements shall be developed progressively, alongside the phased transfer, delegation or assumption of powers and shall be designed to support stability, predictability and continuity during the transition;
6.5 – The governments may establish joint or reciprocal mechanisms, including agreements, protocols, liaison arrangements, technical committees or other instruments to manage areas of mutual responsibility;
6.6 – Nothing in these future relationship arrangements shall diminish the agreed pathway towards Bougainville’s assumptions of sovereign powers. Rather, such arrangements shall provide the basis for a cooperative and enduring Melanesian framework relationship between two closely connected peoples and governments; and,
6.7 – The detailed content, legal form and timing of these arrangements shall be developed through further consultations between the two governments and where required, submitted for appropriate constitutional, parliamentary or legislative consideration.
“So why are we arguing the 97.7 percent vote? We will all be here now and gone tomorrow and who are we to judge Bougainvillean’s abilities,” he said…. PACNEWS
FIJI – POLITICS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 28 Oct 2026
2013 Constitution did not reflect people’s voice – Fiji Opposition leader Seruiratu
SUVA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Opposition Leader and former Fiji First Minister Inia Seruiratu has acknowledged that the 2013 Constitution did not adequately reflect the voice and participation of the Fijian people.
In a statement on Fiji’s constitutional future, Seruiratu said there were legitimate concerns about the process through which the Constitution was introduced.
“At the same time, the 2013 Constitution has its own shortcomings. It did not adequately reflect the voice and participation of the Fijian people, and there are legitimate concerns about the process through which it was introduced,” he said.
“These concerns should be acknowledged openly and addressed through a proper constitutional review.”
Seruiratu said Fiji’s constitutional future must be shaped by an honest and balanced assessment of both the 1997 and 2013 Constitutions.
He said while the 1997 Constitution contained sound principles and was developed through an inclusive process, it failed to withstand the political crisis that led to the events of 2000.
“The 1997 Constitution contained sound principles and was developed through an inclusive process, yet it failed to withstand the political crisis that led to the events of 2000,” he said.
“We must carefully examine what went wrong and ensure those lessons are not ignored.”
Seruiratu said the focus should not be on defending one Constitution or simply replacing another.
“Our goal should not be to defend one document or simply replace another,” he said.
“It should be to learn from both experiences and develop a constitutional framework that strengthens democracy, protects stability, reflects the people’s voice, and serves the long-term interests of all Fijians,” he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CRGA/DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 2: Wed 28 Oct 2026
Fiji reaffirms SPC partnership to strengthen Pacific resilience
NOUMEA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Fiji has reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Pacific Community (SPC) to strengthen regional cooperation and advance development priorities in climate resilience, fisheries, agriculture, food security and public health.
The commitment was highlighted at the 56th Meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA 56), held from 27 to 28 October at SPC headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia.
Fiji is represented by Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Ambassador Solo Mara, in his first regional engagement since taking up the position.
Mara acknowledged SPC’s contribution to Fiji’s development and its role in providing scientific and technical expertise to address challenges facing Pacific Island countries.
The meeting was officially opened by SPC Director-General Dr Paula Vivili, who reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with members to advance national priorities and improve the delivery of sustainable development outcomes across the region.
Discussions at CRGA 56 include progress on implementing SPC’s 2022–2031 Strategic Plan, the organisation’s OneSPC Transformation Programme and its contribution to strengthening regional cooperation.
The meeting provides an opportunity for member governments and administrations to review SPC’s work and consider how the organisation can improve its effectiveness in responding to the region’s development needs.
Established in 1947, SPC is the Pacific’s oldest regional organisation and a key provider of scientific and technical services. It is governed by 27 member countries and territories and supports regional priorities across sectors including fisheries science, public health surveillance, geoscience and the conservation of plant genetic resources.
With its headquarters in Noumea and a major regional office in Suva, SPC supports evidence-based decision-making and regional cooperation across the Pacific.
Fiji’s reaffirmed commitment to the partnership underscores the importance of regional institutions in helping Pacific countries address shared challenges and pursue sustainable development…. PACNEWS
PAC – WEATHER WATCH/ELNINO: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 2: Wed 28 Oct 2026
El Niño ‘hits’ a threat
SUVA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — The Pacific and Asian countries are especially vulnerable to the long-standing impacts of the current Super El Nino.
An assessment by Asian Development Bank (ADB) economist Roshen Fernando explains why 2027 maybe a year when global economies will feel the full brunt of this global phenomenon.
“El Niño is already at record strength for this time of year and still building,” he said.
“It is expected to peak around November, with a high chance of becoming the strongest on record. Most attention will focus on the coming months: failed rains, heatwaves, and rising rice and cooking oil prices but the bigger economic story comes later.
“El Niño hits hardest in the year after it forms, putting 2027 in the firing line. The usual view is that it delivers a sharp but brief blow to growth, after which economies bounce back. In most Southeast Asian economies, farming accounts for 13percent to 30percent of output and 40 percent to 68percent of jobs.
“When harvests fail, poor rural households and women are hit hardest and take the longest to recover.
“A typical El Niño adds as much as one percentage point to inflation, and more where food makes up a third to almost half of the prices tracked to measure inflation.”
“Recovery will be harder this time.” He said many global economies carried heavy debt after the pandemic, and countries vulnerable to natural hazards and changing weather patterns already pay more to borrow.
“Meanwhile, the Middle East conflict, the war in Ukraine, and Red Sea shipping disruptions are straining the food, energy, and freight markets that El Niño will hit.”
The economists, however, added the silver lining was that government have had months to prepare for the wide-reaching impacts…. PACNEWS
PNG – SHOOT-OUT: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS 2: Wed 28 Oct 2026
12 PNG robbers dead, Fatal shootout with West New Britain police
KIMBE, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Twelve men are dead and one is in Papua New Guinea police custody following an attempted armed robbery and an exchange of gunfire with police in Kimbe, West New Britain.
Police commissioner David Manning said the men had robbed a trade store then tried to flee in a stolen vehicle.
“While attempting to escape police, the suspects’ getaway vehicle rolled over, resulting in the death of a number of its occupants,” he said.
“Those not seriously injured in the crash subsequently chose to open fire on police officers.”
Manning said police standing orders and the law were clear on what to do when a criminal raised a weapon; they must be stopped.
“Twelve gunmen died in the incident, while one man, believed to be the ringleader of the group, survived and is in police custody,” he said.
“Police officers recovered stolen currency, as well as a sizeable quantity of weapons and ammunition from the vehicle.
“Investigations into this matter are continuing.”
Manning said the protection of the people was a priority for police.
“(Police) will not shy away from enforcing the law and protecting communities from criminals,” Manning said.
“Our stance against criminal gangs is firm, but there is still a way forward for young people who have been drawn into gang life.”
He called on criminals to turn away from violence, reconnect with their families and communities, and choose a lawful and productive future.
Police Minister Sir John Pundari also commended police officers who confronted criminals involved in two armed robberies in the past four days.
On Friday, a group of gunmen robbed a public transport near Kimbe and were confronted by a lone police officer.
“Following an exchange of gunfire, one gunman was killed while the rest ran away into the bush,” Sir John said.
“These incidents demonstrate that police will respond forcefully to those who elect to use illegal firearms.”
He said the firearms amnesty provided an opportunity for people to surrender illegal guns without fear of prosecution, and they should take advantage of it.
Attempts to get a comment from local leaders and Governor Sasindran Muthuvel were unsuccessful…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
UN – EMPLOYMENT: UN NEWS CENTRE PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 28 Oct 2026
Four in five domestic workers lack formal job protections, UN finds
GENEVA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — An estimated 66.5 million domestic workers – representing more than four out of five domestic workers worldwide – were informally employed in 2025, a new report by the UN’s labour organisation has found.
This makes them more than twice as likely as other employees to lack effective labour and social protection, making them more vulnerable to working anti-social hours on meagre pay.
Many of those being exploited are domestic workers who “make millions of lives possible,” ILO director Sahra Razavi, briefing journalists in Geneva on Tuesday.
“[They] clean our homes, prepare our meals, look after our children, care for older persons and support those with disabilities. […] And yet these workers often remain invisible. Their contribution is taken for granted, their work is undervalued,” she stressed.
An estimated 80 million domestic workers were employed worldwide in 2025, up from 75.6 million in 2019.
However, domestic work remained stable as a share of total employment at around 2.2percent, indicating that the increase largely reflects growth of overall employment rather than an expansion of the sector itself.
About half of domestic workers globally are located in Asia and the Pacific, and Africa saw the biggest surge in domestic workers since 2019 with an additional 4.2 million joining the sector.
Informal jobs lacking any benefits or protection remain particularly widespread in Africa, where 93.3percent of domestic workers are informally employed, and is “nearly universal” in the Arab States, according to the ILO.
Europe and Central Asia have the lowest regional informality rate, yet more than one in three domestic workers continue to be paid informally – which means they also contribute nothing in terms of tax on wages.
The ILO also stressed the gender dimension of the issue: women accounted for 77.2 percent of domestic workers globally and were heavily concentrated in cleaning and care occupations.
Wages are a major concern. Domestic workers earned on average just over half (53.3 percent) of the monthly wages of other employees, falling to 48.7 percent for those in informal employment, and the gap has been widening since 2019.
Domestic workers are also particularly vulnerable to extreme hours.
On one hand, many endured very long days. More than one-third of domestic workers worked at least 49 hours per week, while nearly 15 percent worked 60 hours or more, the report found.
On the other hand, domestic workers were also more likely than other employees to work short hours for little pay, which can reflect underemployment and having to move between multiple households to make a living.
Despite these grim figures, some progress has been noted. Among countries with comparable data, more than half have reduced informality among domestic workers since 2019.
40 countries have also ratified ILO Convention No. 189, which sets standards to ensure decent work for domestic workers.
Still, Razavi stressed the need to increase the level of ratification – a formal commitment under international law to apply those standards – particularly in Asia and the Arab States where it is particularly low.
“Domestic work is work, and domestic workers deserve the same rights and the same protections as other workers,” said Razavi, referencing the principles of the convention…. PACNEWS
FIJI – INVESTMENT/TRADE SKILLS: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 28 Oct 2026
Fiji trains investment officials to attract regional and global investors
SUVA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Investment Fiji has partnered with regional and international organisations to strengthen investment promotion skills and improve the Pacific’s ability to attract investors.
The three-day training programme, which began in Suva this week, is being delivered in collaboration with the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA), with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) as partners.
The programme brings together regional experiences and practical approaches to improving investor services and attracting investment that supports national development priorities.
PTI Network General Manager Caleb Jarvis presented at the training, which covered investment promotion strategies, identifying suitable investors and developing effective investment pitches.
The programme will culminate in a practical pitch competition, allowing participants to apply the skills developed during the sessions.
The training aims to strengthen the capacity of investment promotion agencies to identify opportunities, communicate investment propositions and connect countries with potential investors.
As the trade and investment promotion network of PIFS, PTI is mandated by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders to facilitate trade, investment and tourism opportunities between Pacific Island countries and territories and international markets.
PTI supports businesses across the region to become export-ready and investment-ready through capacity building, access to resources and connections with international investors and buyers.
The network operates offices in Australia, China, Europe and New Zealand, with similar services available in Japan.
Its work focuses on facilitating commercial opportunities for Pacific businesses, supporting economic growth and expanding access to international markets.
The Suva training comes as Pacific countries seek to attract investment to support economic development, strengthen businesses and create employment opportunities across the region…. PACNEWS
PNG – RADIO COVERRAGE: NBC PNG NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 28 Oct 2026
NBC PNG Western back on air after seven years
PORT MORESBY, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (NBC PNG) — Radio coverage in Papua New Guinea’s Western Province is set to reach more communities, with NBC Western’s restored broadcast service extending to Morehead, Kondobol, Balimo and Wipim.
NBC Western’s local radio service had been off air since June 2019 after its transmitter was mounted on a Telikom tower that was later decommissioned.
The service has now been restored with the transmitter relocated to a PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP)-owned tower.
The expanded coverage follows a K1.8 million (US$401,000) investment by PNGSDP to upgrade FM transmission infrastructure in Daru and install relay equipment in the four remote communities.
PNGSDP Chief Executive Officer Lesieli Taviri said the project took a year of planning and coordination to complete.
“Through an investment of K1.8 million (US$401,000), SDP partnered with NBC to upgrade the FM transmission infrastructure in Daru and install relay equipment on four SDP-owned towers at Morehead, Kondobol, Balimo and Wipim. Delivering this work required careful planning and coordination over one full year,” Taviri said.
She said the partnership combines NBC’s broadcasting mandate and technical expertise with PNGSDP’s investment and delivery support.
Taviri said the agreement also provides for PNGSDP to recover its investment through airtime provided by NBC over several years. The airtime will be used to share information about PNGSDP programs in agriculture, education, health and other areas that support communities.
She said the restored service would also give the Western Provincial Government and other partners another channel to share information with the people.
“The restored service also provides a channel for the Provincial Government and other partners to communicate with our people. SDP is pleased to work with NBC to bring back the Voice of the Sunset to the people of Western Province,” she said…. 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
SPC warns Pacific faces rising costs, climate risks and funding pressures
By Pita Ligaiula
NOUMEA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — The Pacific Community (SPC) has warned that rising fuel costs, climate change, natural disasters and constrained development financing are increasing pressure on Pacific Island countries, reinforcing the need for greater regional resilience, self-reliance and stronger Pacific-led responses.
In its 2026 Director-General’s Report, presented as members gather for the 56th meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA56), SPC says global economic and geopolitical uncertainty is compounding the vulnerabilities of small island economies already struggling with the effects of climate change and rising costs.
The report highlights the region’s exposure to external shocks, particularly through its heavy dependence on imported fuel, which affects transport, electricity generation, food prices and the delivery of essential services.
“The fuel crisis is a stark reminder of our region’s vulnerability to external shocks,” SPC Director-General Dr Paula Vivili says in his first report since taking up the leadership of the regional scientific and technical organisation.
He says climate change remains the defining challenge for the Pacific, with rising sea levels, warming oceans, extreme weather events and increasing pressure on food, water and natural resources threatening communities and national economies.
“With global warming now expected to exceed 1.5°C, urgent and sustained action is needed to limit the scale and duration of this overshoot and return temperatures below 1.5°C as quickly as possible.
“Every fraction of a degree and every year above this threshold matters,” Dr Vivili said.
The report warns that the consequences extend beyond the environment, threatening food and water security, livelihoods, economic stability and the long-term habitability of Pacific islands.
It says these pressures make it increasingly important for governments and regional organisations to strengthen their capacity to anticipate, withstand and respond to overlapping crises.
The report also highlighted a more complex international environment, with ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and rising global defence spending contributing to geopolitical uncertainty and placing additional pressure on multilateral institutions and international development financing.
Although the Pacific is geographically distant from many of these conflicts, it remains exposed to their economic consequences.
SPC cites the fuel crisis as an example of how quickly international developments can affect island economies, increasing the cost of transport, energy, food and essential services.
In March, the Marshall Islands declared a state of economic emergency in response to rising fuel prices and anticipated economic impacts on a country heavily dependent on imported goods and energy.
Tuvalu declared a state of public emergency a month later because of fuel supply risks and instability in power generation.
The report says governments across the region have been monitoring fuel supplies and preparing for possible disruptions and further price increases, while higher costs have increased pressure on household budgets.
Some governments have also faced the prospect of providing additional subsidies to maintain essential services, placing further strain on already limited public finances.
For small island economies spread across vast distances, these pressures are compounded by the high cost of delivering services and maintaining infrastructure across remote communities.
SPC says accelerating the transition to more resilient, affordable and sustainable energy systems is critical to reducing the region’s exposure to future fuel shocks.
SPC targets stronger regional delivery as it approaches 80 years
The report outlines a broader effort to strengthen SPC’s ability to support its 27 member countries and territories while managing rising costs and a constrained funding environment.
SPC, established in 1947, is the Pacific’s principal scientific and technical organisation. It has more than 950 staff working across the region and provides technical expertise and development support to governments and communities.
Dr Vivili says the organisation must ensure that its growth is matched by its capacity to deliver services effectively and sustainably.
“This means consolidating where needed, strengthening integration across SPC, ensuring continuity of services to members and investing in the systems and capabilities that enable our people to do their best work,” he says.
The report identifies the organisation’s flagship programmes and the One SPC Transformation Programme as important parts of that effort.
The flagship programmes bring together expertise from different areas of SPC to address complex regional challenges through integrated solutions rather than relying solely on separate projects and sectors.
The One SPC Transformation Programme is intended to strengthen the organisation’s internal systems, improve integration and ensure it remains efficient and capable of responding to members’ changing needs.
The report says constrained funding, rising operating costs and shifting global priorities require SPC to become more strategic and disciplined in how it deploys its resources.
Dr Vivili says SPC must continue to serve as an extension of national capability, bringing together science, technical expertise and partnerships to deliver practical solutions for the region.
The organisation will mark its 80th anniversary in 2027, providing an opportunity to assess its contribution to Pacific development and the support members will require in the coming decades.
Climate and disasters intensify regional risks
Climate change remains central to SPC’s assessment of the challenges facing the Pacific.
The report identifies sea-level rise, warming oceans, extreme weather events and growing pressure on food and water resources as threats already affecting communities and economies.
It also documents several emergencies and natural hazards during the reporting period.
In April, Solomon Islands declared a state of emergency for provinces affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila. The Northern Mariana Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia also declared states of emergency following the impacts of Typhoon Sinlaku.
Underwater volcanic activity in the Bismarck Sea generated large pumice rafts affecting coastal communities in Papua New Guinea in May, while Vanuatu continued to experience ashfall associated with activity from Manaro Voui volcano on Ambae Island.
The report says El Niño has added to water security concerns, affecting livelihoods, essential services and economic activity, with consequences expected to continue beyond the immediate period.
SPC warns that these hazards cannot be addressed in isolation because climate, geophysical, economic and geopolitical pressures increasingly overlap.
The report argues that strengthening resilience and self-reliance must go hand in hand with continued Pacific advocacy for global action to limit warming.
It also identifies food and water security, livelihoods and the habitability of islands as key concerns as global temperatures exceed the 1.5°C threshold.
For SPC, this reinforces the need to combine scientific knowledge, technical support and regional cooperation to help countries prepare for and respond to the effects of climate change.
Pacific leadership in climate and ocean governance
Despite the challenges, SPC says Pacific countries have demonstrated their ability to influence international decisions on climate change, ocean governance and sustainable development.
The report points to the entry into force of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and preparations for the 31st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31) as examples of progress achieved through collective action.
It says these developments demonstrate the value of Pacific countries organising around shared priorities and presenting a united position internationally.
The report also stresses the importance of strategic partnerships and regional cooperation in protecting the peace, security and well-being of Pacific peoples.
For SPC, that role includes helping members access scientific and technical knowledge that can inform national planning, strengthen institutions and support sustainable development.
The organisation’s work is guided by a vision of a resilient Pacific where communities can live safe, healthy, sustainable and productive lives, with development shaped by the region’s cultures, environments and resources.
Its mission is to advance the rights and well-being of Pacific peoples through science and knowledge, informed by an understanding of Pacific contexts and cultures.
Seven priorities underpin SPC’s development work
The Director-General’s Report 2026 sets out seven key focus areas under SPC’s Strategic Plan, covering the region’s major development challenges and the organisation’s own institutional effectiveness.
These are:
*Resilience and climate action: supporting members to respond to climate change and strengthen resilience.
*Natural resources and biodiversity: addressing the sustainable management of the region’s natural resources and ecosystems.
*Food systems: supporting food security and more sustainable food systems.
*Equity, education and social development: advancing equitable opportunities and social well-being.
*Sustainable economies and livelihoods: supporting economic development and livelihoods across the
region.
*Planetary health: addressing issues affecting the health of people and the environments in which they live.
*Transforming institutional effectiveness: improving SPC’s ability to deliver integrated and effective services to its members.
The report also outlines SPC’s regional and satellite offices, partnerships, resource mobilisation, financial outlook and follow-up to decisions made at the 55th CRGA meeting in 2025, along with decisions adopted out of session.
These areas form part of SPC’s wider effort to align its technical programmes with member priorities while maintaining the systems and partnerships needed to deliver regional support.
Members central to SPC’s achievements
Dr Vivili says the organisation’s progress depends on the leadership of its members and the work of communities, governments, the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) family and development partners.
“These achievements are not SPC’s alone. They are the result of our members’ leadership and the collective efforts of our communities, governments, CROP family and development partners,” he says.
He also acknowledges SPC staff across the region, recognising their contribution to the organisation’s scientific, technical and development work.
As CRGA56 brings representatives together to review progress, share priorities and consider the region’s future direction, the report places renewed emphasis on collective action at a time of mounting pressures.
SPC says its immediate challenge is to maintain effective support for members while responding to climate threats, economic shocks and uncertainty in development financing.
The report’s central message is that regional cooperation, stronger national capabilities and integrated technical support will be essential as Pacific countries confront increasingly interconnected challenges.
For SPC, the approach builds on nearly eight decades of service to the region, with the organisation preparing to mark its 80th anniversary in 2027 while considering what Pacific governments and communities will need from it in the years ahead…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
OPINION: Fast-tracking Pacific survival
By Ruth Cross Kwansing
TARAWA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — The ancestral oral tradition of Kiribati, survival at sea has never been passive. Gilbertese tradition honours Nei Nimanoa, the voyager goddess and guardian ancestress of te tia borau (navigators).
The voyaging tradition she guards calls for decisive action on unpredictable waters: reading the deep swells, adjusting the outrigger and bailing water from the canoe before the hull is swallowed.
When the ocean crests over the gunwales, the crew balances the craft and acts immediately to save everyone aboard.
Today, across the low-lying atolls of Kiribati, the ocean is cresting over the land.
A very strong El Niño, declared across the Pacific in June, is compounding sea-level rise, lifting sea levels in the central Pacific and driving extreme king tides, coastal erosion and storm surges that sweep into homes and maneaba, destroying food crops and wells, while heavy rains bring flooding and contamination risks.
With most land no more than two metres above sea level, Kiribati’s narrow strips of coral sand leave no high ground to which families can retreat. Saltwater breaches shallow wells and poisons the underground freshwater lenses that sustain life.
Families are already moving houses back from the shore and rebuilding wells, while international climate finance still moves through lengthy procedures. Kiribati’s own engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) readiness process has stretched over nearly a decade.
This gap between climate urgency and institutional pace would be an inconvenience elsewhere. For atoll nations, it places homes, water and livelihoods at risk.
Kiribati welcomes the GCF’s new nine-month target. For frontline coral atolls, climate finance delayed is protection denied.
The challenge is shared across Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Under conventional multilateral climate finance rules, funding operates almost entirely on an ex-ante, or upfront, approval model.
Before a single dollar is disbursed to fortify an eroding coastal bund, elevate a causeway or install emergency water desalination, governments must work through multi-year feasibility studies, baseline analyses and accreditation processes. Climate risk is moving faster than those timelines.
Women, young children, older persons and persons with disabilities in remote outer islands carry the heaviest load when approvals are slow, and they also hold much of the knowledge needed to respond. When king tides breach village barriers, it is women who must trek farther across flooded terrain to find drinking water.
Caregivers must carry elderly relatives and children over submerged causeways, and persons with disabilities find their mobility severed when paths wash into the sea.
For presentation at Pre-COP31 in Fiji, the Leaders’ event in Tuvalu (October 5 to 8) and at COP31, Kiribati proposes a dedicated Ex-Post Reimbursement Window linked to a vulnerability-informed access gateway within existing multilateral funds, such as the GCF and the Adaptation Fund.
The mechanism operates within the existing accredited entity system, avoiding a politically fraught overhaul. Accredited entities currently work mainly at the front of the project cycle, where projects can spend long periods in feasibility redesign.
The Kiribati proposal shifts their role to post-completion technical and financial verification.
A qualifying SIDS government facing acute hazards funds urgent resilience works upfront using national contingency reserves or a short-term concessional bridge facility.
Eligible works would be drawn from an agreed list: coastal defences, saltwater intrusion barriers, water security infrastructure and the climate-proofing of community shelters and evacuation centres.
After construction, a regional direct access entity, such as SPREP or the Pacific Community (SPC), conducts an on-site audit. Upon certification, the fund secretariat reimburses the bridge facility, with a proposed turnaround of 90 days from submission of a verified claim. Women’s organisations and organisations of persons with disabilities could help set the list of eligible works and take part in on-site verification.
The 90-day period and the initial list reflect Kiribati’s current thinking and are offered as a starting point for discussion with partners, not as settled rules.
Ex-post reimbursement on its own favour’s economies with stronger balance sheets, leaving smaller, debt-constrained island states behind. The design answers this with two safeguards. The bridge facility and the guaranteed reimbursement timeline exist so that capital-constrained states are not asked to carry prolonged financial exposure while awaiting replenishment.
Access is then limited by a vulnerability index covering physical and geographic exposure, such as low elevation, shoreline retreat and outer-island isolation; structural economic exposure, such as narrow revenue bases and debt-servicing capacity; and sub-national social exposure, including gender-disaggregated water vulnerability, disability access and the needs of older people and children.
Because the index can be applied below the national level, it could identify which states, or which parts of a state, qualify, which is important for remote outer islands whose exposure is hidden in national averages.
The methodology draws on the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index adopted by the UN General Assembly in August 2024 and remains a working draft to be co-developed with SIDS. Existing windows stay open to all.
The proposal gives practical effect to the specific needs of SIDS and least developed countries recognised under Articles 4.8 and 4.9 of the UNFCCC, and to Article 9.9 of the Paris Agreement, which calls for simplified approval procedures for both groups. Kiribati’s design translates these provisions into differentiated fiduciary arrangements, simplified baseline requirements and expedited review timelines.
Kiribati will work with Pacific partners, the Pacific Political Climate Champions and platforms such as the UN Commission on the Status of Women to advance the mechanism’s social equity protections. We are asking three things of partners.
First, in-principle support for including a vulnerability-informed, ex-post reimbursement window in the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ communiqué from the Tuvalu meeting.
Second, that SIDS and Pacific representatives on the GCF Board table a pilot of the window for low-lying atoll states and others facing acute vulnerability.
Third, that support be broadened beyond the Pacific through the Alliance of Small Island States and, where appropriate, the Least Developed Countries Group, so the proposal enters the UNFCCC process with a wide base of sponsorship.
The objective is COP31 guidance to the operating boards of multilateral funds to establish the window, anchored in the New Collective Quantified Goal (the global climate finance target agreed at COP29) and in the guidance issued to the financial mechanism, and building on COP30’s call to at least triple adaptation finance by 2035.
Our islands are changing shape, and our people are changing with them. Our ancestors read the swell and acted. We are asking the world’s climate funds to do the same: approve the ex-post rules, release upfront liquidity and back frontline nations as they protect the islands their families have cared for over generations.
As President Maamau told the UN General Assembly in September, “national action must be matched by international action.” Everything this proposal asks for is already agreed in principle. What remains is implementation…. PACNEWS
Ruth Cross Kwansing is Kiribati’s Minister for Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs. She serves as the Pacific Islands Forum Political Champion for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion and represents the Pacific on the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Institute of Philanthropy and WHO launch partnership to advance healthy ageing in the Western Pacific
MANILA, 28 OCTOBER 2026 (WHO PACIFIC) — The Institute of Philanthropy and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific are deepening their partnership on healthy ageing.
At its centre is a new four-year healthy ageing initiative involving WHO and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to advance approaches that enable older people to maintain functional ability and live well in their communities.
Supported by the Institute and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust through a contribution of approximately US$7 million, the initiative forms part of a wider programme of work tied to the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030).
The initiative comprises two complementary components.
In Hong Kong SAR (China), CUHK, working with WHO and supported by the Charities Trust, will develop and test a Multi-component Healthy Ageing Package. Building on this experience, a regional component supported by the Institute will develop adaptable guidance and tools, work with interested Member States on country adaptation and demonstration and strengthen regional learning and evidence generation.
Starting in 2027, the collaboration will generate evidence, develop regional guidance on healthy ageing, support countries to adapt it to their own contexts, and strengthen regional learning.
The wide-ranging collaboration was introduced at a high-level technical meeting on healthy ageing, co-convened by the Institute and WHO in Manila alongside the seventy-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific.
The event brought together delegations from Australia, China, Cook Islands, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, alongside representatives from the Institute, the Charities Trust, CUHK, the World Organisation of Family Doctors and the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations.
Participants shared experience and practical lessons on prevention, primary health care, community-based and integrated care, the health and care workforce, and stronger links between health and social support.
Across diverse country contexts, discussions highlighted the importance of maintaining functional ability and enabling older people to live well in their communities.
“The second half of the Decade of Healthy Ageing must be about turning commitments into results,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“This collaboration offers an opportunity to turn evidence into action, adapt solutions to country needs, and learn from what works.”
Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, contrasted two 75-year-olds: one whose world has shrunk to “the journey between the couch and the clinic”, the other still out walking with friends.
“The gap between them isn’t luck,” he said. “It’s built over decades, by the choices we make as individuals and the choices we make as societies.”
Population ageing is accelerating across the Region. More than 245 million people in the Western Pacific are aged 65 or older, and that number is projected to double by 2050. But healthy life expectancy has not kept pace: the gap between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy widened from 9.1 years in 2000 to 10.0 years in 2023.
WHO’s Regional Action Plan on Healthy Ageing in the Western Pacific provides a framework for helping older people maintain functional ability and live well in their communities. It emphasises prevention and health promotion, primary health care, integrated health and social care, community-based support and enabling environments.
Since the endorsement of the Regional Action Plan in 2020, WHO has worked with Member States across the Region to translate these priorities into national policies, integrated care approaches and age-friendly communities, while generating and sharing practical lessons across different country contexts.
The Age-Friendly Cities and Communities initiative now has more than 170 members across nine countries and areas, including all 18 districts in Hong Kong SAR (China).
For more than three decades, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has supported age-friendly initiatives across Hong Kong SAR, including support for age-friendly communities. Its long-standing collaboration with CUHK has included community-based programmes that promote older people’s intrinsic capacity and functional ability and strengthen integrated health and social care.
Reflecting on the discussion, Dr Gabriel Leung, Director of the Institute of Philanthropy, highlighted many commonalities across countries despite their diverse contexts.
“Partnerships and sharing are really what all of this is about,” he said. “There is so much to learn from each other.”
The new initiative will build on the experiences and lessons shared through this week’s meeting, strengthening regional learning, technical exchange and evidence generation to inform the adaptation of effective approaches across different country contexts…. PACNEWS
