In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Tuvalu to host Pacific Civil Society Dialogue ahead of pre-COP31
2. PACIFIC — Beyond 1.5°C: Pacific warns the bill will be paid in food, fisheries and record lost revenue
3. PACIFIC — ‘Disappointing’: Kiribati snubbed at Pacific Islands Forum closing
4. PACIFIC — Taiwan Minister blasts China’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy at PIF
5. HAWAII — Hawaii declares state of emergency as Hurricane Lowell approaches islands
6. FIJI — Treaty puts Fiji’s war role under scrutiny
7. PACIFIC — Tuvalu’s ‘darkest years’ brought to screen in powerful Pacific documentary
8. W|PAPUA — West Papua activist calls on Pacific leaders to pressure Indonesia over UN visit
9. FIJI — Fiji weighs overseas data backup
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Australia invests in web of subsea cables amid Chinese tracking fears
11. PACNEWS BIZ — Airline sets booking record
12. PACNEWS BIZ — Fijian appointed new Air Vanuatu Airports CEO
13. PACNEWS BIZ — Government promises no extra E-Passport cost
14. PACNEWS DIGEST — Tjibaou Culturel Centre: Where Culture, Nature and Biodiversity Meet
15. PACNEWS DIGEST — Kiribati Launches Virgin Coconut Oil Initiative to Strengthen Outer Island Livelihoods
PAC – PRECOP: PANG PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Tuvalu to host Pacific Civil Society Dialogue ahead of pre-COP31
FUNAFUTI, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PANG) — The Government of Tuvalu will host a Pacific Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Dialogue in Funafuti on 10–11 September 2026, bringing together around 100 participants from across the Pacific to strengthen Pacific civil society voices and priorities ahead of the Pre-COP and COP31.
At the invitation of the Government of Tuvalu and the United Nations, the Dialogue will bring together civil society leaders, faith-based organisations, women, youth and community representatives from across the region. It will provide an important Pacific platform to exchange perspectives, build common messages and ensure that the experiences and priorities of Pacific communities contribute directly to the discussions leading into the Pre-COP and COP31.
The Dialogue will be closely aligned with the four key visions and priorities guiding the pre-COP, providing an opportunity for Pacific civil society to contribute its perspectives on the major issues that will shape the region’s engagement in the global climate negotiations.
As one of the countries on the frontline of climate change, Tuvalu is bringing this important Pacific conversation to Funafuti, ensuring that discussions about the future of Pacific peoples are grounded in the realities, experiences and aspirations of communities across the region.
The Dialogue is being convened in partnership with Pacific civil society organisations, with support from the United Nations, through the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Pacific Community (SPC), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and other regional partners. Regional civil society participation is being supported by PIANGO/PRNGO and the Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) to help ensure broad and diverse representation from across the Pacific.
The outcomes of the Dialogue are expected to feed into the forthcoming pre-COP discussions and COP31, helping carry the voices and priorities of Pacific civil society from Funafuti to the global climate stage, while reinforcing Tuvalu’s leadership in advancing ambitious and urgent climate action…. PACNEWS
PAC – PIFLM55: PMN PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Beyond 1.5°C: Pacific warns the bill will be paid in food, fisheries and record lost revenue
KOROR, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN) — For Pacific nations, the warning that the world is heading beyond 1.5°C is no longer about a number on a graph.
It is about what ends up on the dinner table, what governments earn from tuna, and how often homes and communities are hit by flooding.
New modelling presented to Pacific leaders at Forum week in Palau shows the region could lose up to US$90 million (NZ$153.62 million) a year in tuna access fees as fish stocks move east, while coastal fisheries could lose as much as 65 percent of their catch.
Andrew Jones, Deputy Director-General of the Pacific Community (SPC), says that could mean 29kg less fish per person each year, roughly two meals per family each week.
“That’s about two meals per family per week that is not on the plate – of clean, free healthy protein that will need to be replaced,” he said at a joint press conference in Koror.
The Pacific’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs) account for about 30 per cent of the world’s tuna catch. It makes the shift a direct threat to government income as well as food security.
Jones says Tuvalu is also facing a sharp rise in flooding risk, with what is now a one-in-100-year event expected to become a one-in-10-year event by 2050.
“The key point about sea level rise is that it won’t come back,” he said. “We really need to mitigate, need to adapt to give us more time to put the sort of adaptation measures in place.”
Tuvalu Climate Change and Environment Minister, Dr Maina Talia, says the impacts are already being felt.
“It’s no longer a distant threat for the Pacific,” he said. “It’s real now. It’s here now.”
The figures have added urgency to calls from Pacific leaders for major fossil fuel-producing countries to cut emissions faster.
Vanuatu Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu singled out Australia at the roundtable, saying it must stop expanding fossil fuel production.
“Australia is not doing enough. Australia is a major producer of fossil fuels, we all know. Fossil fuels are the primary driver of the climate crisis,” he said.
“The very least a country like Australia should be doing is stopping future expansion, and it’s not doing that.”
But Fiji Foreign Minister Sakiasi Ditoka pushed back, saying Australia had done more for the region than Regenvanu’s comments suggested.
“I’d say that Australia has actually done quite a lot for the region,” Ditoka said. “We believe that Australia has, I think, bent over backwards in many cases to help us improve the region, and we are very grateful for that.”
The disagreement comes as Pacific countries face another longstanding problem: getting the money needed to respond to the climate crisis.
Mafalda Duarte, the Green Climate Fund executive director, says reforms are now aimed at cutting project approval times to nine months – from more than two years – while accreditation that once took more than four years is also being reduced to a nine-month target.
“That was so we can really come to the countries and engage more holistically and in a more integrated way across all of the services and instruments we have to support the countries,” Duarte told Pacnews.
Marshall Islands climate envoy Tina Stege says faster finance is critical, particularly for communities already dealing with climate disasters.
“We need urgent and concrete progress on climate finance, from filling the loss and damage funds so we’re ready to respond to climate disasters,” she said. “And I think we should all be very frank, that fund is an empty bucket.”
For Pacific leaders, the message is that an overshoot of 1.5°C does not mean the fight is over but every fraction of a degree matters.
Stege said: “1.5 to stay alive is not a slogan, it’s a lifeline.”
And with Tuvalu preparing to host global leaders for a climate event in October, Pacific countries are pushing to make sure the next phase of the climate debate is not just about targets but what those targets mean for people living on the frontline.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting ended on Friday…. PACNEWS
PAC – PIFLM55: 1NEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
‘Disappointing’: Kiribati snubbed at Pacific Islands Forum closing
KOROR, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (1NEWS) — Kiribati has been snubbed at the Pacific Islands Forum closing in Palau, calling it “disappointing” – after also being absent during the Leaders Retreat.
The island nation sent a special envoy, public servant and head of the Foreign Service and its former High Commissioner to China, David Teeabo, to the annual 18-member leaders’ meeting instead of President Taneti Maamau or a political minister.
Kiribati has close links to China and had joined Naoero (Nauru) in refusing to agree to a regional leaders’ statement condemning a Chinese missile test in the Pacific.
It’s not clear why Kiribati didn’t attend the retreat, whether by choice or whether a car did not turn up to pick up its delegation head, but it means the island nation was not part of important face-to-face dialogue between leaders.
To compound the issue, at the summit’s closing, Kiribati was omitted from the list of member countries.
All 18 representatives, including New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, were seated in the front row and were acknowledged one by one, but Teeabo was unannounced and left seated. It was later corrected but speaking to BPA News in Kiribati after the ceremony, Teeabo said it was disappointing.
“What else to say but protocol-wise, it’s not good… I don’t know where the mistake comes from, the MC’s or somewhere else,” he said.
The final communiqué, released after the retreat, contained a watered-down version protesting China’s missile launch, with Nauru abstaining.
The text doesn’t even name China, instead saying the leaders “registered concern on the recent intercontinental ballistic missile test which overflew a number of Members, without adequate notice”. It called on “all States undertaking ICBM testing to ensure transparency and reassurance” giving at least 24 hours notice. Leaders have also “expressed deep concern” at rising global nuclear risks and increasing tensions among nuclear-armed states.
U.S Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau told 1News in an exclusive interview that the missile had flown over the Federated States of Micronesia with only two hours’ notice.
“It is a great concern to us that a country with whom we have a defence and security compact has a missile flying overhead that they did not receive proper notice of,” he said.
In the communique, because of the “increasingly complex regional and global environment “, leaders emphasised the need for a more coherent and strategic approach to advancing Pacific interests.
Reforming what is considered to be an overly bureaucratic and unwieldy organisation is also on the cards.
There are 21 dialogue partners, including the U.S, China and the UK, but leaders have repeatedly called for partnerships that are “genuine, durable and accountable” amid complaints that some partners do little for the region and only show up to PIF meetings to advance their own agendas. That was agreed to in the communique, and there are to be two partnership streams depending on what they bring to the table.
New Zealand will host next year’s Pacific Islands Forum, and Christopher Luxon told 1News that he wants to see the dialogue countries develop a four-year plan outlining how they intend to partner with PIF and its member countries. He said if they can’t deliver on what they promise, they can’t come to PIF leaders’ meetings.
Growing uncertainty facing pacific countries is noted “marked by intensifying geopolitical competition, economic volatility, climate threat and rapid technological change” which needs a united and strategic response.
“Leaders reaffirmed that regional priorities and aspirations must remain at the centre of the region’s engagement with institutional partners and institutions…. PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: TAIPEI TIMES/REUTERS PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Taiwan Minister blasts China’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy at PIF
TAIPEI, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (TAIPEI TIMES/REUTERS) — Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung Friday condemned China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy at this week’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Palau, saying it could undermine unity in the Pacific.
This year’s meeting was overshadowed by China’s objections to the presence of Taiwan at the summit, saying Taipei was not qualified to attend and that its presence would have “consequences,” said Lin, who had just returned from the meeting in Palau.
Summit host Palau is one of three Pacific island countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Speaking to reporters in Taipei Friday, Lin said that the forum comprises 18 Pacific member countries, which form its decisionmaking core.
China, dialogue partners, and Taiwan as a development partner, were all invited guests seeking to promote development in the Pacific, he said, adding that the “Pacific way” is about openness and inclusiveness.
China’s remarks at the summit were not welcome, he said.
“This kind of Chinese ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy could easily undermine unity in the Pacific, and is offensive and detestable,” he said.
The expression “wolf warrior” diplomacy takes its name from a popular Chinese movie franchise and refers to strong remarks by Chinese officials in public, marking a departure from the restraint generally seen previously.
China did not respect the host’s wishes and tried to make itself the host, Lin said.
“This kind of threatening language and behavior — claiming there will be ‘serious consequences,’ even going so far as to declare Palau an ‘unsafe travel destination’ — is extremely absurd and ironic,” he said, referring to a travel warning China issued about Palau last month.
China’s threat goes beyond verbal intimidation, Lin added.
Beijing has already taken action, including an unannounced test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Pacific in July, which has raised concern among nations in the region, he said.
The PIF leaders’ summit subsequently adopted a resolution condemning the missile launch and its impact on peace and unity in the Pacific, Lin said.
The Chinese Communist Party’s zero-sum, “either you or me” approach is not suited to the Pacific region, he added.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Asked whether he met with U.S Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on the sidelines of the PIF summit, Lin said it was only natural for attendees to greet and interact with one another at the venue…. PACNEWS
HAWAII – STATE OF EMERGENCY: THE GUARDIAN PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Hawaii declares state of emergency as Hurricane Lowell approaches islands
HONOLULU, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE GUARDIAN) — Hawaii has declared a state of emergency as powerful Hurricane Lowell makes its way toward the islands, with the first impacts expected as soon as Monday.
The storm is the third system in just over three weeks to threaten Hawaii during an active hurricane season in the central Pacific. Lowell remained a category 3 hurricane early on Sunday morning, packing winds of 125 miles per hour while moving north-west at six miles per hour.
According to the forecast, Lowell will reach Hawaii as a category 2 hurricane. Its center could pass roughly 130 miles west of Ni’ihau or 170 miles west of Kauai between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
The threat comes amid unusually intense hurricane activity across the Pacific.
As of Saturday, Hurricanes Karina, Lowell and Marie were all churning in the Pacific at the same time, marking the region’s first triple-hurricane stretch in a decade. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) was also monitoring a fourth potential system off the coast of Mexico.
The Pacific averages only eight hurricanes per year, according to the NHC, making three simultaneous hurricanes highly unusual.
Lowell’s projected offshore path is expected to keep the storm’s most dangerous winds away from Hawaii’s islands. But heavy rain, high surf and dangerous coastal conditions are still expected.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Kauai and Ni’ihau, where wind gusts above 39 miles per hour are possible over the next 48 hours.
Lowell is the third storm in a matter of weeks to hit Hawaii as the climate crisis continues to increase the intensity and frequency of storms and other weather events.
Tropical Storm Moke struck the southern part of Hawaii’s islands two weeks ago, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds. That came just days after Hurricane Lala hit the region.
The Hawaii governor Josh Green said Lala alone had caused at least $43m in infrastructure damage on the Big Island, along with another $4.6m in damage to homes.
The escalating storm activity comes as the UN warns that this year’s El Niño is forecast to become the strongest on record in four decades.
A statement released on Thursday described El Niño as being “supersized before our eyes”, adding that the world is in “the danger zone of extreme weather”.
The latest data on the natural climate phenomenon shows a near 100 percent likelihood that the latest El Niño will continue through February 2027, the statement said. The stronger an El Niño becomes, the greater the chance it will significantly alter rainfall and temperature patterns around the world and help fuel extreme weather.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has previously warned there is a 69 percent chance that this El Niño will be the strongest in 70 years…. PACNEWS
FIJI – SECURITY/DEFENSE: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Treaty puts Fiji’s war role under scrutiny
SUVA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FBC NEWS) — Fiji will not be automatically required to send its military into an Australian conflict under the proposed Ocean of Peace Alliance, or Veitacini Treaty.
This, according to Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Dr Lesikimacuata Korovavala told Parliament.
The assurance came after Standing Committee Member Virendra Lal questioned whether Fiji could be obligated to participate if Australia became involved in an armed conflict with a major power in the Pacific.
Lal also questioned whether such an obligation could compromise Fiji’s historical non-aligned foreign policy.
Dr Korovavala said the treaty does not override Fiji’s domestic decision-making processes.
He said if a security issue arises, Fiji and Australia would communicate and discuss the most appropriate response.
He said the approach was guided by Fiji’s Ocean of Peace Declaration and its commitment to resolving regional disputes through dialogue rather than confrontation.
But Committee Member Rinesh Sharma questioned what would happen if diplomacy failed.
Sharma said the Pacific has been exploited by major powers for decades, with some relying on military force rather than dialogue.
He asked what defence mechanisms would be available to Fiji and who would come to its aid if dialogue was no longer an option.
Dr Korovavala said diplomacy remains one of Fiji’s first lines of defence.
He said Fiji’s foreign policy position is clear and the country takes a proactive approach to international issues.
He also pointed to Fiji’s peacekeeping record and its long-standing role in diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts.
He said the proposed alliance would continue to operate within international law and the UN Charter.
The committee also questioned the legal status of foreign military personnel operating in Fiji.
Committee Chair Lenora Qereqeretabua asked whether visiting Australian or other foreign forces would remain subject to Fiji’s courts or receive immunity under visiting forces arrangements.
Dr Korovavala said the law of the land applies.
He explained that any immunity would have to be provided through a specific legal framework and agreed arrangements, rather than allowing foreign forces to operate outside Fiji’s laws.
The PS appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence to discuss the proposed Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union and Ocean of Peace Alliance, known as the Veitacini Treaty…. PACNEWS
PAC – DOCUMENTARY: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Tuvalu’s ‘darkest years’ brought to screen in powerful Pacific documentary
SUVA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — A dark chapter in Tuvalu’s history — when about 80 per cent of Nukulaelae’s population was taken by slave vessels — is being brought to a Fijian audience through a documentary produced by the University of Fiji.
The Stolen Laevans of Tuvalu: The Peruvian Slavery Nightmare, co-produced by the University of Fiji and the Kaupule of Nukulaelae, had its world premiere in Tuvalu last week as part of the Fakaapo – Tuvalu Arts Festival.
The documentary will have its Fiji premiere in September before being taken to international film festivals.
It revisits the blackbirding of Nukulaelae in 1863, when about 80 per cent of the island’s population was taken by slave vessels and forced to work in the guano mines and plantations of Peru.
For the University of Fiji, the documentary is an effort to preserve a significant chapter of Pacific history and ensure the experiences of those who suffered during the blackbirding era are not forgotten.
University of Fiji Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem said the project demonstrated the university’s commitment to preserving Pacific history and bringing important regional stories to wider audiences.
“The film was made as part of our Journalism and Media Studies Documentary course. The two lecturers teaching the course decided to take a story they had been told about the slave trade in Tuvalu, undertake further research with the help of their students, and develop it into a film for a wider audience internationally,” Professor Shameem said.
She said the world premiere in Tuvalu was only the beginning, with the Fiji premiere scheduled for September before the documentary heads to international film festivals.
Beyond recounting the tragedy suffered by the people of Nukulaelae, the documentary explores the resilience of the generations that followed.
It also draws a connection between the historical displacement of Tuvaluans and the challenges facing the country today, including climate change, rising sea levels and the potential displacement of an entire small-island culture.
Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti P. Teo described the documentary as a powerful reminder of the injustices suffered by the people of Nukulaelae.
“The film is a powerful reminder of the injustices and inequities that our people were subjected to in those darkest and unforgettable years,” he said.
Prime Minister Teo congratulated Nukulaelae and the University of Fiji for producing the documentary and suggested that some form of reparation or compensation could be considered.
“My government stands ready and willing to support the efforts to promote the key messages delivered by the film,” he said.
The significance of the story was evident during its Tuvalu premiere, where the documentary drew a large audience and left some viewers visibly shaken and in tears as they confronted what had happened to their ancestors.
University of Fiji Head of Corporate Services Seve Paeniu said the documentary had resonated deeply with Tuvaluans.
“This powerful film resonates really well with Tuvaluans, and our Laevan ancestors will never be forgotten,” Paeniu said.
The project is also part of a Memorandum of Understanding partnership between the University of Fiji and the Government of Tuvalu, promoting cultural exchanges and cooperation through educational, cultural and community events.
Through its collaboration with the Kaupule of Nukulaelae, the University of Fiji hopes to preserve an important chapter of Tuvaluan and Pacific history while raising awareness of the blackbirding trade, the resilience of the Nukulaelae people and ongoing discussions around restorative justice.
The Fiji premiere in September will bring the story to a Fijian audience before the documentary moves onto the international stage…. PACNEWS
W|PAPUA – DIPLOMACY: RNZ PACIFIC PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
West Papua activist calls on Pacific leaders to pressure Indonesia over UN visit
MANOKWARI, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (RNZ PACIFIC) — For 20 years, West Papuan activist Paula Makabory has not set foot in her ancestral homeland. Her family still lives in West Papua, but she has not seen them since she left in 2006.
Speaking to Pacific Waves from Melbourne, Makabory said she does not know what would happen if she attempted to return.
As Pacific leaders push Jakarta to allow a long-awaited United Nations human right commissioner visit to West Papua, Makabory, who is an executive member of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), said the leaders needed to apply more pressure on Indonesia.
In 2019, Pacific leaders requested that Indonesia allow a team from the UN human rights office to visit West Papua to conduct an independent investigation into the alleged human rights abuses in the region.
Seven years later, the request for the visit has been unfruitful.
But this year during the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Palau, the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) stated that if Indonesia does not allow the visit to happen, they would review its associate membership status in their 2027 summit.
In a statement sent to RNZ Pacific, a spokesperson for the Indonesian embassy in New Zealand said there had been no discussion of a review on its membership within the MSG. They also stated that the UN visit was on track.
Makabory said she would believe the visit was happening when Indonesia made good on its commitment.
“I think it’s going to be great news if it comes to action for real, because it has been a couple of years that Indonesia is still not talking or even inviting the United Nations human rights commissioner, or her office to visit West Papua to conduct an independent investigation,” she said.
Makabory said the prime ministers of Fiji and Papua New Guinea need to negotiate a firm timeline with Indonesia for the visit, otherwise Indonesia will “never open the door”.
Makabory said the situation in West Papua is worsening, with humanitarian and environmental concerns at a crisis point.
According to Makabory, there are over 125,000 Indigenous Papuans who are internally displaced across multiple regencies, including Nduga, Intan Jaya, Puncak, Yahukimo, Pegunungan Bintang, Jayawijaya, Maybrat, Teluk Bintuni, Yapen Islands and Tambrauw. The displacements, she said, was the result of military operations, aerial bombings and armed conflicts.
There are over 80,000 Indonesian security forces operating in West Papua who Makabory alleges are responsible for extrajudicial executions, civilian shootings and disrupting peaceful protests.
Makabory also raised concerns about the expansion of the Merauke food estate and mining operations, saying they are destroying Indigenous land and contributing to deforestation and environmental damage.
In addition to the UN human rights office, Indonesia needs to allow other international groups, such as humanitarians and foreign journalists, to enter, Makabory said.
She added that this can only happen if the MSG uses its influence with Indonesia rather than signing deals.
“I think the MSG countries or leaders as guardians of our region, they need to stand up strong. They need to see that West Papua belongs to Melanesia, and they need to protect their own kind.”
A review of Indonesia’s associate membership in 2027 on the condition that no visit will happen isn’t strong enough, according to Makabory. She said the MSG should take it a step further and suspend Indonesia.
Despite being barred from returning to West Papua, Makabory told Pacific Waves it is her homeland and nothing compares to it. She said she believes that the spirit of the Melanesian brotherhood and Pacific islanders will lead to a path that will “save West Papua”…. PACNEWS
FIJI – CYBER SECURITY: FBC NEWS PACNEWS 2: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Fiji weighs overseas data backup
SUVA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FBC NEWS) — Questions are being raised over whether sensitive government data under the proposed Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union and Ocean of Peace Alliance treaties could eventually be stored in Australia.
The concern was raised before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, with questions asked about where data from a proposed cyber unit would be stored and how its security would be guaranteed.
Permanent Secretary for Policing Berenado Daveta says, for now, government information and data are stored at Fiji’s local data centre.
Discussions are underway on whether recovery infrastructure could be placed in Australia to protect government data from cyclones and other natural disasters.
“There is no decision on that as yet. We are still considering options and what would be the best thing to do. If it is going to be housed in Australia, how do we still manage, own and have control over that data centre? That is what we are looking at at the moment. But as of now, everything goes to the data centre here.”
Standing Committee member Penioni Ravunawa questioned how the Ministry of Communication would be able to confirm the security and location of the data storage.
“In your presentation, you mentioned the recovery infrastructure location. You are still looking into that?”
Acting Director for Information Technology and Computing Services Ponijese Bainimoli says a Cabinet directive requires all government data to be stored at the government data centre.
“We are currently working on it in terms of security, working with other government ministries and departments. And also, in terms of disaster recovery, as the PS mentioned, we are currently looking for a permanent one. But for now, we have a disaster recovery site located off-site from the government data centre.”
He says Fiji already has backup systems in place, but work is continuing to find a permanent location for disaster recovery…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – SUBSEA CABLE: AFR PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Australia invests in web of subsea cables amid Chinese tracking fears
CANBERRA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (AFR) — Australia is investing in a vast web of undersea telecommunications cables to boost relationships within the Pacific and protect its own critical infrastructure amid fears China is mapping the ocean floor to gain a strategic edge in the region.
The push included a $65 million (US$46.84 million) commitment announced this week by the Albanese government to the $135 million (US$97.29 million) East Micronesia Cable System, which will stretch 2250 kilometres to connect Nauru, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia.
The funding injection followed Labor’s announcement in August of a “major milestone” helping Japan, New Zealand, the U.S and Taiwan connect all 18 member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum through 10,300km of undersea cables for the first time.
“Improved connectivity enhances the Pacific region’s resilience and capacity to respond to economic and security challenges,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong.
While Labor spruiked the economic and trade benefits of Australia’s $500 million (US$360.35 million) cable investment since 2018, defence experts said the underlying strategy was to make the Pacific cable network less vulnerable to sabotage.
Defence and the government are acutely aware that sabotage or accidental damage to cables could deal a severe blow to the Australian economy.
Last month, Subco, which owns two cable systems connecting Sydney with Singapore, reported suspicious damage off the coast of Perth to the police.
Subsea links to the world were also crucial to the government’s pitch to U.S technology companies such as Anthropic, Amazon, OpenAI and Google that data centres in Australia can power their artificial intelligence services.
Some 500 subsea cables globally carry most of the world’s intercontinental data traffic and are increasingly owned by big technology companies including Meta and Microsoft, said Deutsche Bank.
Governments and corporate owners had to co-ordinate to ensure subsea cables stayed resilient, the bank said in a report that warned the infrastructure had become “a critical arena of geopolitical competition” at risk of strategic leverage.
In a speech to the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore in May, Defence Minister Richard Marles warned Australia was “among the most exposed nations in the world” to threats against subsea critical infrastructure, referencing a “historically unprecedented” targeting of cables in the Baltic Sea and Taiwan Strait.
“Around 99 per cent of Australia’s internet traffic flows through just 15 subsea cables. Consider that number for a moment. Fifteen cables – 15 physical assets on the ocean floor – carry essentially the entirety of our international digital connectivity,” he said.
The financial, healthcare and communications systems underpinning the economy were “critically dependent on infrastructure that is exposed, that cannot move and – as we have now seen demonstrated in the Baltic – can be cut with an anchor in the middle of the night,” he warned.
In the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan reported five separate cases of seabed cable damage in 2025 compared with three in 2024 and three in 2023.
The East Micronesia Cable system was unveiled on Tuesday during the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, a tiny nation of 18,000 that has found itself on the front line of Beijing’s pressure tactics both for its formal support of Taiwan and as China projected its power across the Pacific in regional competition with the United States.
Palau, a strategic outpost of U.S-China rivalry with a longstanding defence agreement with Washington, has seen a spate of incursions of Chinese surveillance ships carrying out suspicious activities in its waters over the past decade.
In late May, a Chinese research vessel, the icebreaker Ji Di, trawled through the island’s maritime zone for 14 hours, prompting President Surangel Whipps Jr to protest China was coming into Palau’s exclusive economic zone “uninvited” without making its intentions clear.
The president said the most recent incursion occurred in July, following China’s test-fire of a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile that flew over several island nations before landing in the Pacific.
“They’re surveying over the top of our fibre-optic cable, and they have gear in the water, so for us it’s a security concern,” Whipps said.
The Ji Di’s fleet of unmanned underwater drones can map the sea floor and collect data for legitimate scientific purposes, but the dual-use nature of such vessels operating across the Indo-Pacific has rung alarm bells not only in Palau but Washington and Canberra.
The opaque purpose of the ships’ operations raised concerns they could be gathering military intelligence that could assist Beijing in the event of future conflict.
Mike Hughes, director of defence strategy at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the overlap of genuine hydrographic surveys with the Pacific’s strategic geography and China’s regional ambitions made it difficult to pinpoint intent.
“We know how China has used these types of vessels to map either cable infrastructure, submarine cable infrastructure, and essentially the ocean floor,” he said.
There was a “key strategic reason” to do so, said Hughes, pointing to Russian and Chinese investment in capabilities that could sabotage subsea communications infrastructure.
“There are two general reasons. One, you’re trying to confirm where they are for future operations. Two, you are conducting operations against that cable to extract data that is traversing that cable,” he said.
Marles said the risks to Australia prompted a decision this year to direct more than 40 per cent of the defence budget to maritime capabilities, including technology to “meet the threat of grey zone sabotage to critical maritime infrastructure.”
Within this, the government is investing up to $7.2 billion (US$5.18 billion) in the development and acquisition of subsea warfare capabilities, and autonomous and uncrewed maritime vehicles.
In March, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy announced a $176 million (US$126.83 million) investment to deliver 40 new Australian-designed and built Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels to increase surveillance and “respond to increasing maritime threats”.
Bluebottles can remain at sea for up to six months, gathering surface and under-the-surface intelligence to detect possible risks.
“The Bluebottles can be used for monitoring for any illegal activity inside the exclusive economic zone, including activity to disrupt cables,” said Rob Brezniak, chief growth officer at Ocius, the technology’s developer.
Meanwhile, senior Liberal MP Andrew Hastie sounded the alarm that being physically bound to U.S and Chinese frontier laboratories also rendered Australia vulnerable.
“We are physically tethered to U.S and Chinese frontier labs by submarine cables with no control over data, algorithms or strategic direction,” he said in a speech this week.
“Even the machine admits that a Claude request here in Melbourne hits Anthropic’s core infrastructure in the U.S via submarine cables in the Pacific Ocean,” he said.
“That reality has implications for government, defence, businesses, healthcare, education and our financial services.”
A government spokesperson said: “Australia is capable of monitoring and undertaking surveillance of its network of undersea communications cables. We do not provide details as to how this is carried out due to operational security reasons…. PACNEWS
FIJI – AIRLINE: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Airline sets booking record
SUVA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Fiji Airways recorded more than 14,000 bookings on 2 September, its highest single-day total in the airline’s 75-year history.
The figure surpassed the previous record set in 2023 and was recorded during the airline’s global 75th Anniversary Sale.
Fiji Airways managing director and chief executive officer Paul Scurrah said the result reflected continued demand for travel to Fiji.
“This is our best booking day ever,” Scurrah said.
The booking record comes as Fiji’s tourism sector continues to grow.
Fiji Bureau of Statistics data shows 105,791 visitors arrived in Fiji in July, the first month in which arrivals exceeded 100,000.
Visitor arrivals for the year to July were 4.3 per cent higher than during the same period in 2025.
Business-class bookings were 17 per cent higher on 2 September than on the same day last year, while group bookings nearly doubled.
Fiji Airways has also expanded its network, recently adding the Gold Coast to its Australian schedule. New services to Nouméa, New Caledonia, are scheduled to begin later this month.
The national airline carries a significant share of visitors travelling to Fiji and is a major employer in the country.
Scurrah said the increase in bookings would support activity across the tourism sector…. PACNEWS
PAC – AIRLINE: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Fijian appointed new Air Vanuatu Airports CEO
SUVA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) — Former Fiji Airways executive Shalendra Maharaj has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL).
Maharaj, who previously served as Executive Manager Operations at Fiji Airways, will take up the five-year appointment on 1 October 2026.
His appointment follows a competitive recruitment process that attracted candidates from Vanuatu, the Pacific and internationally.
Maharaj is currently Manager Aviation Services at Newman, Marble Bar and Nullagine airports in Australia, overseeing airport operations, safety, security, regulatory compliance and performance.
His aviation career includes senior roles with Fiji Airways, Emirates, Qantas Airways, dnata and Pionair Australia.
At Fiji Airways, Maharaj provided strategic leadership across flight scheduling, ground operations, maintenance and logistics.
The AVL Board said his extensive airline and airport experience, together with expertise in infrastructure redevelopment, risk management and regulatory compliance, makes him well suited to lead the organisation.
He succeeds Jason Rakau, who has served as AVL chief executive since 2016.
AVL Board chairman Jesse Benjamin said Maharaj’s leadership comes at an important time for Vanuatu’s aviation sector, with the country’s airports playing a critical role in tourism, trade, investment and national connectivity…. PACNEWS
FIJI – EPASSPORT COST: FBC NEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Mon 07 Sep 2026
Government promises no extra E-Passport cost
SUVA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FBC NEWS) — Concerns are being raised over Fiji’s growing reliance on Australia to modernise its border management systems.
The new system will be fully funded by Australia as Fiji moves to align its immigration systems with Australian standards under the proposed Ocean of Peace or Veitacini Treaty.
Permanent Secretary for Immigration Aliki Salusalu told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence that Australia has committed to funding the new MERIT Border Management System, which will replace Fiji’s current IBMS.
He explained that the support also includes training for immigration officers as Fiji transitions to the new system. The MERIT team is expected in Suva next week to work with SITA and train local staff.
Salusalu said Australia was also helping strengthen Fiji’s border screening capacity.
“Passenger information is received up to 72 hours before boarding, allowing authorities to identify people of interest and request airlines to offload passengers where necessary.”
Salusalu states this effectively moves Fiji’s border controls outward and helps keep the country safe.
Australia has also provided Fiji with two document forensic assessment machines. The equipment, the PS says has already helped officers at Nadi detect fraudulent travel documents.
He says the new technology allows officers to examine documents under a microscope and identify alterations to passport covers and bio-data pages. Salusalu also points out that Fiji’s immigration services are also being digitised, including plans for immigration gates at Nadi International Airport.
The aim, he says, is to provide passengers with a more seamless travel experience. Committee Member Penioni Ravunawa questioned where the new software would be based.
Salusalu said the MERIT system would be fully owned by the Ministry of Immigration. He also said the treaty would not prevent Fiji from using other international technology providers.
Salusalu pointed to the e-passport system, which is being produced by German company Muhlbauer. He states Fiji will continue to follow its own procurement processes, while ensuring new systems can integrate with existing border technology.
There will also be no additional cost for Fijians who apply for the new e-passport, according to the PS. He is encouraging citizens to obtain the e-passport to make travel through electronic systems in Australia, New Zealand and other countries easier…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Tjibaou Culturel Centre: Where Culture, Nature and Biodiversity Meet
NOUMEA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP) — As delegates from across the Pacific arrive in Nouméa for 11th Pacific Islands Conference for Nature Conservation (PCNC11), they will be welcomed into one of the Pacific’s most iconic and inspiring landmarks, the Tjibaou Culturel Centre.
Nestled on the Tina Peninsula and surrounded by the spectacular natural beauty of New Caledonia’s lagoons, forests and coastal landscapes, the Centre provides far more than a venue for discussion and collaboration. It offers a powerful reminder of the deep and enduring relationship between people, culture and nature that lies at the heart of Pacific identity.
Named after the late Jean-Marie Tjibaou, a visionary Kanak leader and advocate for cultural recognition, the Centre stands as a symbol of resilience, reconciliation and cultural pride. In 1989, the vision of a dedicated cultural institution celebrating Kanak heritage became a reality, culminating in the opening of the Centre in 1998.
Today, it serves as a vibrant hub for cultural preservation, education, artistic expression and dialogue, ensuring that Kanak traditions continue to thrive and evolve in the modern world.
“We are honoured to be hosting the 11th Conference on Nature Conservation at the Tjibaou Culturel Centre which holds significance value aligned to the purpose of the conference,” said Easter Chu-Shing, Deputy Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
“With its interconnected pathways, communal gathering spaces and surrounding vegetation that mirror the form and social organisation of traditional Kanak village for this week ahead we will be immersed in an environment where the natural world is an essential part of cultural identity and community life.”
The Tjibaou Culturel Centre is internationally renowned for its striking architecture, designed by celebrated Italian architect Renzo Piano. Drawing inspiration from the traditional Kanak “Grande Case” or chief’s hut, the Centre consists of ten elegant structures rising between 20 and 28 metres high.
These iconic forms constructed using wood, steel and modern engineering techniques, blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape and reflect the creativity and ingenuity of Kanak building traditions. Rather than replicating traditional structures, the design reinterprets them in a contemporary way, creating a dialogue between heritage and innovation.
What makes the Centre truly remarkable, however, is the philosophy that underpins its design. Every aspect of the complex was shaped by a desire to reflect the Kanak worldview, one in which culture and nature are inseparable.
“Hosting the 11th Pacific Island Conference on Nature Conservation here comes full circle. We had planned to host it here in 2020 however those plans had to change due to COVID-19, being here in this venue next week with its strong connection to the environment is special for us all,” said Chu-Shing.
“The Centre demonstrates that cultural heritage and biodiversity conservation are not separate pursuits. Rather, they are mutually reinforcing, each contributing to the health, resilience and wellbeing of communities and ecosystems alike.”
Long before sustainability became a global architectural priority, Piano incorporated innovative environmental features that harness the region’s natural climate.
The buildings utilise passive cooling systems that capture prevailing ocean breezes through adjustable wooden louvres and double-skin façades, reducing the need for energy-intensive air conditioning. This environmentally conscious approach reflects both modern engineering excellence and a respect for traditional knowledge about living in harmony with local conditions.
For centuries, Kanak communities have lived in close relationship with these environments, developing a deep understanding of ecological processes, seasonal cycles and species interactions. This traditional ecological knowledge continues to inform conservation efforts and highlights the important role that Indigenous communities play in protecting biodiversity across the Pacific.
In many respects, the Tjibaou Culturel Centre tells the story of the Pacific itself. It is a story of people deeply connected to place, drawing strength from cultural traditions while embracing innovation and change.
It is a story of stewardship, resilience and hope…. PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Kiribati Launches Virgin Coconut Oil Initiative to Strengthen Outer Island Livelihoods
TARAWA, 07 SEPTEMBER 2026 (UNDP) — The Government of Kiribati has launched a new initiative to boost production of virgin coconut oil from one of the country’s most important natural resources, with a focus on creating livelihoods and income opportunities for outer island communities.
The launch was attended by Taneti Maamau, President of the Republic of Kiribati, alongside government representatives, community leaders and development partners.
Funded by the people and Government of India through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, administered by the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, the US$900,000 Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) for Outer Islands Income and Livelihoods in Kiribati Project will establish two climate-resilient processing facilities on Nonouti and Teraina and strengthen local skills to produce and market higher-value coconut products.
Coconuts have long been part of the economy, culture and everyday life of Kiribati. For many outer-island families, copra remains an important source of income. Yet high transport costs, limited processing equipment, technical capacity and access to reliable markets have constrained opportunities to process coconuts locally and grow local enterprises.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Tangariki Reete, said the project supports Kiribati’s efforts to diversify its economy and strengthen the coconut sector.
“This project is part of translating key government policy documents into actions on the ground that are articulated in the Kiribati 20-Year Vision and the National Development Plan (2024–2027). The project’s contribution seeks to build a wealthy, healthy, and peaceful nation. Not only that but it also facilitates value addition and product diversification.”
She said capacity building and viable investment in the coconut industry remained a priority as Kiribati looks to diversify beyond copra and create greater value from the sector.
The new facilities will build on existing VCO processing centres in Abemama, Tabiteuea South and Butaritari, bringing the total in Kiribati to five.
Over 18 months, the project will strengthen skills in safe and high-quality VCO processing, train local trainers, build capacity to operate and maintain equipment, and support value addition, branding, packaging and market development.
Women and young people will be supported as producers, entrepreneurs, workers and leaders across the coconut value chain. The project will also promote community ownership, locally maintainable technology and climate-conscious practices to help sustain benefits beyond its lifespan.
High Commissioner of India, Suneet Mehta, said the project provides an opportunity for more of the economic value generated from coconuts to remain within Kiribati.
“By processing coconuts locally, a greater share of the value generated from this resource will remain within Kiribati. It will create opportunities for farmers and suppliers, small businesses, women and young people, and communities in the outer islands.”
“We believe that solutions work best when they are locally owned, locally managed and designed around local requirements.”
The project will also support knowledge exchange between India and Kiribati in areas including appropriate technology, value addition, quality standards and enterprise development.
UNDP Pacific Team Leader for Inclusive Growth, Patrick Tuimalealiifano, said ensuring the initiative responds to the priorities and realities of the two islands would be central to its success.
“Success will depend on sustained cooperation, from government, island councils, communities, producers, development partners and the private sector. It will also depend on listening carefully to the people of Nonouti and Teraina and ensuring that the facilities, training and business models respond to their needs and can be sustained locally.”
Implementation will be nationally led, with the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives as the Implementing Partner and Kiribati Copra Development Limited providing technical support. UNDP will provide technical assistance, project assurance, fiduciary oversight and reporting support.
The initiative contributes to the Kiribati 20-Year Vision and National Development Plan 2024–2027, as well as national priorities to strengthen the coconut sector and expand opportunities for value addition…. PACNEWS
