PACNEWS ONE, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026

“Climate change is unraveling” Indigenous culture and rights: Aguon

By Pita Ligaiula

SUVA/HAGATNA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS) —- Climate change is destroying more than homes and livelihoods across the Pacific — it is eroding Indigenous cultures, disrupting ancient traditions and severing communities’ ties to their ancestral lands and oceans, says human rights lawyer Julian Aguon.

Aguon, an Indigenous Chamorro lawyer from Guam and founder of Blue Ocean Law, says the cultural and spiritual damage caused by climate change must be recognised as a human rights violation.

He was part of the legal team that represented Vanuatu in the campaign that led to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issuing its landmark advisory opinion last year on states’ obligations to address climate change.

“Climate change is unraveling the very terms by which people know themselves and keep covenant with the natural world.

“In the ICJ case, we brought that to the court’s attention because these are rights violations of the highest order — violations of the right to life, the right to culture, the right to self-determination,” Aguon said.

Aguon said testimony gathered from communities across Vanuatu, Fiji and other Pacific island countries showed that climate change cannot be understood only through environmental or economic measurements.

“There’s no way to translate the urgency and gravity of the climate crisis other than via firsthand accounts of loss and damage, so we wanted to foreground vulnerable communities’ experiences.

“The harms aren’t just environmental,” Aguon said in an interview with Yale Environment 360.

In Yakel village in Vanuatu, Aguon said climate impacts on the yam crop have disrupted ceremonies that have been central to the community for generations.

“Some of the ceremonies haven’t been performed in years because there hasn’t been a successful yam harvest,” he said.

One of those ceremonies involves an elaborate four-day dance used to choose the village’s high chief.

“And they’re unable to perform this dance because of the yam’s absence,” Aguon said.

He said the loss of traditional practices was causing significant stress and threatening the transmission of cultural knowledge to future generations.

“These are cultures that have grown out of a particular piece of soil, they’re tied to their place and the life in it.

“So we’re talking about a massive rupture to culture and to cosmologies,” Aguon said.

Aguon also highlighted communities already being forced to relocate because of rising seas.

“In Veraibari, in Papua New Guinea, people have already moved four times due to sea level rise,” he said.

The community, located between a river and the sea, is now facing another climate-induced relocation.

“It’s one thing to talk about rising seas in terms of the numbers, but it’s something else entirely to hear what it means when you have to move four times, and you’re in the midst of a fifth and final climate-induced relocation,” he said.

Aguon said the relocation is particularly devastating because the community does not view the area simply as a place where people settled.

“According to their cultural teachings, it is one of the birthplaces of humankind.

“To be forced to keep moving and retreating from your ancestral homeland … the stakes could not be higher,” Aguon said.

Aguon said the ICJ advisory opinion has changed the legal landscape for climate action despite being technically non-binding.

“While it’s technically nonbinding in and of itself, the opinion is an authoritative statement of what the law really is,” he said.

The court considered states’ obligations not only under climate agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, but also under international environmental law, human rights law and the Law of the Sea.

Aguon said the court’s finding that breaches of those obligations can constitute an “internationally wrongful act” gives communities and governments new legal tools.

“That dispels the ambiguity that has frustrated global progress,” he said.

“And most importantly, it said breaching those obligations is an ‘internationally wrongful act.’ That gives countries and communities new tools, and it has changed the legal terrain for this fight.”

He expects the opinion to influence a growing number of climate cases against governments and major corporations.

“Now we are seeing new waves of climate litigation that seek to really hold the powerful to account, be it a state or a corporation.

“And it’s going to be something that travels.,” Aguon said.

Aguon said Indigenous leadership must be central to climate justice because Indigenous communities have approaches to the environment that challenge the idea that nature can simply be treated as a commodity.

“Indigenous peoples have a different imagination, and they have a lot to say about restoring the right relationship between people and planet,” he said.

“Indigenous peoples the world over share an absolute insistence on anti-commodification, the idea that not everything can be bought and sold.”

He said Indigenous communities understand human wellbeing as inseparable from the health of the natural world.

“We understand that our health and the health of the planet are inseparable, that humans are inseparable from the more-than-human world, and the health of one is the health of all,” Aguon said.

The same approach, he said, is increasingly shaping legal challenges over deep-sea mining in Micronesia.

Aguon said his firm is challenging efforts to expedite deep-sea mining in waters off American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.

He said Indigenous communities have cultural and spiritual connections to ocean areas that could be affected by mining.

“Some of the sacred sites that way-finders have talked about forever in their chants include areas where the U.S government wants to allow deep-sea mining,” he said.

Aguon said those claims go beyond whether an agency has complied with environmental legislation.

“We’re saying something much deeper, that certain cultures depend on the health and integrity of the ocean, of the deep-sea environment, and to authorise deep-sea mining in these spaces violates several of their human rights, including the right to culture,” he said.

“What we were talking about earlier happening on land is also happening at sea.”

He said the challenge for modern legal systems is to recognise Indigenous knowledge and worldviews that predate the political structures imposed on the Pacific.

“How do you fit the worldviews and the traditional knowledge systems of ancient civilizations into categories that reflect only the last 200 years?.

“It’s almost an impossible task, but that’s what we need to do to get to where we need to go,” Aguon said…PACNEWS

PAC – LOSS& DAMAGE: PACNEWS                                                                           PACNEWS 1: Wed 16 Sep 2026

“Anyone can say 1.5 to stay alive, but it takes action to push for 1.5”: Marshall Islands youth practitioner

By Pita Ligaiula

MAJURO, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Pacific youth are calling for stronger climate action to protect not only lives and livelihoods but also culture, identity and communities facing growing climate impacts.

The call was made by Marshall Islands youth practitioner Christin Batol during the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM ExCom) in Majuro.

Batol, a Youth Field Practitioner with Jo-Jikum’s Strengthening Manit (Culture) through Non-Economic Loss and Damage project, told the Committee that her work focuses on documenting what young people say they are losing because of climate change.

“My name is Christin Batol, and I’m from the Republic of Marshall Islands. I work for Jo-Jikum as a non-economic loss and damage youth field practitioner.

“What I do is I reach out to youth and get their perspectives on what’s being lost to them personally, culturally,” she said.

Batol said the experiences of Pacific communities need to be heard internationally as countries confront worsening climate impacts.

“I would like people around the world to understand that although we come from the Pacific regions experiencing harsh climate conditions, we also would like people to understand that we place our voices out there so that they could be better prepared for whatever climate impacts face further along to the future as well,” she said.

She said Pacific youth were not simply describing the impacts they were experiencing but were also seeking to ensure their voices contributed to future climate action.

Batol stressed that the global commitment to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius must be matched by action.

“Anyone can say 1.5 to stay alive, but it takes action to actually really push for 1.5,” she said.

The WIM ExCom meeting is being held in Majuro from 14–18 September 2026, bringing discussions on loss and damage to the Pacific.

Batol’s presentation highlighted the non-economic impacts of climate change, including losses linked to culture, identity and community.

Her work with Jo-Jikum seeks to bring young people’s perspectives into discussions on these impacts and the measures needed to protect what cannot simply be replaced through financial compensation…. PACNEWS

U.S backs Taiwan’s continued PIF role, warns of China’s ‘malign activities’ in Pacific

WASHNGTON, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (THE STATESMAN)—The United States on Tuesday strongly backed Taiwan’s continued participation in the Pacific Islands Forum and accused China of pursuing what it called “malign activities” in the Pacific, including economic coercion, illegal fishing and corruption.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Murray said Washington would continue supporting Taiwan’s role in the regional grouping, where Taipei has been a development partner since 1992.

“The United States does strongly support Taiwan’s continued participation in the Pacific Islands Forum,” Murray told reporters in a virtual briefing.

He described Taiwan as a “reliable, likeminded, and democratic partner” that contributes to economic development and prosperity across the Pacific.

Murray said Washington wanted the PIF to follow its established precedent on Taiwan and allow member states to determine how the forum handles the issue.

The comments come amid tensions between Beijing and Taipei over Taiwan’s participation in regional organisations.

Murray said the United States opposed Chinese efforts to pressure Pacific Island countries to “sever or downgrade ties with Taiwan or Taiwan’s participation in the Pacific Islands Forum.”

Asked about China’s growing influence in the Pacific, Murray said the United States shared concerns with its regional partners over Beijing’s activities.

“We certainly share concerns with our Pacific Island partners related to China’s malign activities in the Pacific,” he said.

He listed “IUU fishing, elite capture and corruption, economic coercion, environmental degradation” among Washington’s concerns, while also pointing to China’s recent submarine-launched ballistic missile launch as a provocation.

However, Murray rejected the suggestion that U.S engagement with the Pacific was primarily aimed at countering China.

“We’re not simply engaging the Pacific because of a desire just to deter or oppose China,” he said, adding that Washington wanted stronger relations with Pacific nations because of their importance to U.S security and prosperity.

Murray also pushed back against international media coverage that he said had focused heavily on China-Taiwan tensions during the recent PIF leaders meeting in Palau.

He said the main story at the Forum was Pacific Island countries working together on their own economic and security challenges.

“I think it’s important just to differentiate that whereas China bullies PIF members in an attempt to get its way, the United States approaches the PIF membership with respect and on an equal footing,” Murray said.

He said Washington’s priorities included energy security, digital connectivity, maritime security and economic cooperation, alongside its broader effort to strengthen regional partnerships.

On Solomon Islands, Murray welcomed Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s foreign-policy approach and said Washington wanted to remain an economic and security partner based on “transparency, collaboration, and … equal partnership.”

The United States has also been expanding maritime cooperation with Pacific nations to combat drug trafficking and illegal fishing and improve maritime-domain awareness.

Murray said Washington would continue to deepen its engagement with the Pacific while respecting the priorities of individual island nations…..PACNEWS

Climate finance must be justice , not charity: Solomon Islands PM Wale

SUVA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SOL GOVT)—Solomon Islands  Prime Minister  Matthew Wale has called for climate finance to be treated as climate justice, not charity.

Opening the Fifth Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference in Honiara, Prime Minister Wale said vulnerable countries cannot continue borrowing indefinitely to respond to a climate crisis they did not create.

“Climate finance must not be treated as charity. It is part of climate justice and international cooperation,” he said.

The Prime Minister called for climate finance to be adequate, predictable, accessible and, wherever possible, grant-based, stressing that international commitments must translate into resources reaching communities on the ground.

“A fund that exists internationally but cannot be reached by a Pacific community is not delivering justice,” he said.

Prime Minister Wale said Solomon Islands will also strengthen its domestic systems to access and manage climate finance.

This includes developing a coherent climate-finance architecture, a credible pipeline of investable projects and stronger national capacity to access international funds directly.

He said climate investments must reach beyond Honiara and benefit provinces and communities, including women, young people, persons with disabilities, farmers, fishers and people living furthest from the capital.

The Prime Minister linked climate finance to the wider Pacific struggle to keep the 1.5°C target within reach, noting that Pacific Leaders have reaffirmed climate change as the single greatest threat to the security, livelihoods and wellbeing of Pacific peoples.

“Through the B.E.L.A.U. Declaration, Pacific Leaders have reaffirmed commitments to stronger climate plans, a just energy transition, greater access to climate finance, and stronger focus on oceans, youth, gender equality and intergenerational justice,” he said.

For the Pacific, the Prime Minister said climate finance is not simply about funding projects.

Prime Minister Wale said it is about ensuring communities facing the greatest risks have the resources to protect their homes, livelihoods, infrastructure and future…PACNEWS

China gives Vanuatu US$100,000 for Ambae recovery and MV Matui response

PORT VILA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—- The Government of China has provided Vanuatu with US$100,000 to support recovery efforts on Ambae following the recent volcanic eruption and the government’s response to the MV Matui tragedy.

Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Li Minggang formally handed over the assistance in Port Vila, conveying China’s condolences to the people of Vanuatu, particularly families affected by the Ambae disaster and the loss of lives in the MV Matui incident last Friday.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat thanked China for what he described as timely support at a critical time.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Vanuatu, I thank the People’s Republic of China for this generous donation. Your support at such a critical time demonstrates true friendship,” Napat said.

The Prime Minister said the recent disasters highlighted the need for Vanuatu to strengthen its disaster response capacity.

“Recent disasters remind us that we must continue to strengthen our capacity to respond, to protect lives, and to support our communities when they need us most,” he said.

Napat asked Ambassador Li to convey Vanuatu’s appreciation to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the people of China.

“My office is already working closely with all relevant agencies on the ground, and we look forward to further collaboration with our partners to ensure Vanuatu does not have to live through such unfortunate circumstances again in the future,” he said.

The US$100,000 donation will be divided between Ambae recovery and the immediate response to the MV Matui tragedy.

US$41,000, approximately Vt4.6 million, will fund the purchase of a drilling machine to dig wells on Ambae and improve access to clean water for affected communities.

A further US$39,000, approximately Vt4.4 million, will be used to purchase essential goods and relief supplies for communities affected by the volcanic eruption.

The remaining US$20,000, approximately Vt2.25 million, will be placed at the disposal of the Vanuatu Government for immediate response and assistance measures related to the MV Matui tragedy.

The Government said the assistance reflects China’s continuing partnership with Vanuatu and its support for the country’s disaster preparedness, resilience and recovery efforts.

Ambae MP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Jay Ngwele was also present at the handover and expressed his thanks to Ambassador Li and the Chinese Government for the assistance.

The donation comes as Vanuatu continues to respond to the impact of the Ambae volcanic eruption while dealing with the aftermath of the MV Matui tragedy…..PACNEWS

More than 13,000 Fijians selected for election training

SUVA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—More than 13,000 Fijians will undergo training for key roles in Fiji’s next General Election, with nationwide training beginning yesterday.

The first session was held in Suva, with the programme scheduled to progressively roll out across Fiji’s four divisions through November 2026.

Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa said 13,861 Fijians had successfully passed the Computer-Based Test for Election Officials.

Their documentation was being verified before they were confirmed for training.

Mataiciwa said 70 field trainers would conduct about 720 training sessions nationwide during the rollout.

She told participants their selection came with an important responsibility, as they would be among thousands of officials entrusted with delivering the election at polling venues and stations.

She said election officials would be the face of the Fijian Elections Office and, for many voters, their direct experience of the electoral process.

“The laws, manuals and Standard Operating Procedures provide the framework, but it is the participants who put them into practice accurately, consistently, professionally and impartially,” she said.

The Fijian Elections Office acknowledged its Learning and Development Department and field trainers for preparing the nationwide training programme.

The office also thanked successful applicants for choosing to serve as election officials in the upcoming General Election….PACNEWS

PM Wale to join World Leaders at UN General Assembly

HONIARA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SOL GOVT)—Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale will depart today, Wednesday 16 September, to attend the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The Prime Minister will join world leaders at the United Nations to address the General Assembly and present Solomon Islands’ priorities and perspectives on key issues affecting the country, the Pacific and the wider international community.

His participation at the UNGA will provide an important opportunity for Solomon Islands to engage directly with world leaders and international partners.

While in New York, Prime Minister Wale will also hold a number of bilateral meetings on the margins of the General Assembly with leaders and senior representatives from partner countries and international organisations.

These meetings will provide an opportunity to strengthen Solomon Islands’ bilateral relationships, advance areas of cooperation and discuss matters of mutual interest….PACNEWS

Major twist in meth trial as ex-Fiji Customs Chief discharged

LAUTOKA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—A former Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) chief customs officer has been discharged from a major illicit drug case after the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi in the High Court in Lautoka Tuesday.

The development came on the second day of the trial before Justice Aruna Aluthge, with the trial against four other accused continuing today.

Osea Raikama Dakai had been charged in relation to the alleged importation of more than 5.36 kilograms of methamphetamine, engaging in the importation of illicit drugs and allegedly breaching secrecy provisions.

It was alleged that between 30 March  and 16 May 2025, in Nadi, Dakai unlawfully imported 4.8685kg of methamphetamine without lawful authority.

He was also charged with allegedly engaging in the importation of illicit drugs.

A further charge alleged that between 03 May  and 16 May 2025, in Suva and Nadi, Dakai unlawfully disclosed confidential information obtained during his employment with FRCS.

Dakai was jointly charged with Nigerian national Chukwuemeka Ikenna Phabian, Apenisa Laisave Matadigo, Uraia Tuidama Bolalailai and Neumi Donumainasava.

Matadigo, Bolalailai, Donumainasava and Dakai were jointly charged with engaging in the importation of methamphetamine between 30 March and 16 May 2025, in Suva and Nadi.

Dakai was represented by lawyer Simione Valenitabua, while the State was represented by Acting Director of Public Prosecutions John Rabuku.

Following the prosecution’s decision to enter a nolle prosequi, Dakai was formally discharged from the proceedings.

In a statement following the decision,Valenitabua said the outcome followed the prosecution’s review of documentary evidence which he described as ‘exculpatory’.

He said Dakai, in his former role as chief customs officer of the Integrated Targeting Centre, had acted lawfully and was instrumental in intercepting an illicit consignment as part of his official duties.

Valenitabua said Dakai had endured significant hardship throughout the proceedings and was relieved to have the case against him discontinued.

He also thanked  Rabuku and the prosecution team for what he described as their integrity in reviewing the evidence and prioritising justice.

Valenitabua said Dakai would now return to his family and community and resume his personal and professional life.

He said the defence team would continue to defend the truth and promote accessible justice.

The trial of the remaining four accused continues in the High Court in Lautoka….PACNEWS

PACNEWS BIZ

Experts welcome Fiji Kava Bill but warn it could hit rural families

SUVA/AUCKLAND, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (PMN)—Fiji’s proposed Kava Bill is being welcomed as a chance to strengthen the industry.

But academics are warning that tough new rules could leave small farmers struggling to comply.

The Bill, now before Parliament, would introduce licensing, traceability and quality controls across the kava industry, including a proposed National Kava Council to oversee the sector.

But researchers, speaking on PMN Fiji, say the success of the legislation will depend on whether it works for the rural communities that grow most of Fiji’s kava.

Dr Suli Vunibola, a senior lecturer in Environmental Management at Lincoln University and former kava farmer, said growers needed clear, practical information about what the new rules would mean for them.

“The regulatory, the form-filling, and registration process should be made clear to them,” he said. “Even though they are told that, ‘Okay, if you sell kava and you don’t have a licence, it’ll be a $10,000(US$5,000) fine or whatever year of imprisonment,’ that doesn’t really help.

“We need to transform the information in a way that they are able to abide by it because it can protect them.”

Fiji’s kava industry supports thousands of households, with farmers using income from their crops for school fees, church commitments and obligations to their communities.

Patrick Sakiusa Fong, a PhD scholar researching indigenous farming systems, said the proposed fines could have a significant impact on rural families.

“Farmers are highlighting that we are doing farming for paying school fees or vanua obligations, church obligations, but then with this kind of fine, it’s going to be really hard,” he said.

The proposed National Kava Council will have a major role in setting standards and overseeing the industry.

Viliame Kasanawaqa, a doctoral researcher at the University of Canterbury, said farmer representation should be a fundamental test of the proposed governance structure.

“The test for me is very simple: Are farmers at the table? Are communities involved in decision-making? If the answer is yes, then it can be a platform for growth,” he said.

“If not, then concerns about control become very understandable, because good governance isn’t about controlling people; it’s about bringing people into decision-making and ensuring that the benefits are shared fairly.”

Kasanawaqa warned Fiji could repeat problems seen in other commodity industries if export growth becomes the main goal.

“If we only focus on increasing exports… but forget about the farmers, eventually the system becomes very fragile, and that’s a clear case from the sugar industry,” he said.

The academics say the long-term future of kava depends on how it is grown.

They are concerned that intensive monocropping and clearing forests for new gardens could damage soil and put pressure on food production.

Fong said farmers could use traditional practices, including crop rotation and planting kava alongside nitrogen-fixing trees to protect the land.

“The question should not only be how much kava that we can produce, but how much we can sustainably produce over the years to avoid degradation of the soil system,” he said.

Vunibola said soil depletion was already pushing some farmers further into forest areas to find land for new gardens.

“Only reeds can grow there because there’s no more nutrients, no more life,” he said. “We’ll be preparing a huge patch of reeds to become native trees for our children, the way we are farming at the moment.”

The academics are also backing a ‘solesolevaki’ approach where farmers work together through cooperatives to process their own harvest, access finance and potentially sell directly to overseas markets.

That could reduce farmers’ reliance on middlemen and give growers more control over the value of their crop.

The Kava Bill was tabled in Parliament on 21 August and has not yet become law.

The Ministry of Agriculture has said public participation is essential while Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has said people will have another opportunity to comment when a parliamentary committee considers the Bill.

“The Bill is first and foremost the result of what the people who were consulted have proposed,” Rabuka said.

“The people will have another opportunity to comment on the Bill when the Committee of Parliament comes around to hear your views again on the Bill in its draft form.”

For the academics, the bigger question is whether the new rules can strengthen Fiji’s kava industry without pushing out the farmers and communities that built it……PACNEWS

Fiji PM Rabuka shifts focus from farm output to farmer profits

LABASA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) —Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has challenged Fiji’s agricultural sector to move beyond simply producing more food, saying the future of farming must be driven by higher productivity, innovation and better returns for farmers.

Launching the 2026 National Agriculture Show at Subrail Park in Labasa Tuesday, Rabuka said agriculture had a critical role to play in Fiji’s economic transformation and ambitions of becoming a high-income economy by 2050.

“The future of agriculture cannot be based only on increasing the volume of what we produce.

“Instead, it should be based on higher productivity, stronger businesses, better technology, greater value addition and improved returns for farmers,” he said.

The national agriculture show has returned to the Northern Division after a six-year absence.

Rabuka said agriculture was not operating on the margins of the economy but remained central to food security, employment, exports, import substitution and national resilience.

He pointed to figures showing the sector’s contribution to Fiji’s real gross domestic product increased from 6.5 percent in 2014 to 12.8 percent in 2024.

“This demonstrates the growing importance of the sector to Fiji’s economy,” he said.

The Prime Minister urged farmers to focus on increasing productivity, saying improved yields would raise farm incomes, strengthen rural businesses and make the sector more competitive.

He linked those efforts to Government’s broader goal of lifting Fiji’s economic growth to support a high-income economy by 2050.

The launch also coincided with World Coconut Day celebrations, where Rabuka highlighted the economic potential of reviving Fiji’s ageing coconut industry.

He said more than 30,000 hectares of coconut plantations, representing about half of Fiji’s total coconut acreage, required rehabilitation or replanting.

“This is a challenge, but it’s also an economic opportunity,” he said.

Rabuka said restoring plantations would boost productivity, improve household incomes and ensure a steady supply of raw materials for local processing and export markets.

To support the effort, Government is establishing coconut nurseries in all four agricultural divisions and strengthening the capacity of technical officers, with seedling distribution expected to begin in early 2027.

Rabuka called on farmers, businesses, researchers and students to work together to grow the sector and contribute towards Fiji’s economic goals.

“Every farmer who improves productivity contributes, every business that invests in processing contributes, every student researcher who develops a better farming method contributes,” he said.

He encouraged participants at the agriculture show to use the event as a platform to connect ideas with investment, research with production and farmers with markets….PACNEWS

Taiwan UAV academy to train Pacific allies’ pilots

TAIPEI, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (TAIWAN NEWS)—The first group of trainees at Taiwan’s Global UAV Academy will come from Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu, foreign ministry Department of NGO International Affairs Director-General Chiang Chen-wei  said Tuesday.

Chiang told a press conference that Taiwan signed memorandums of understanding with the three Pacific island allies during the Pacific Islands Forum, which concluded earlier this month. Up to 30 trainees will receive training late this year or early next year, he said.

The academy will be formally established next week as a nonprofit foundation, Chiang said. It will be funded entirely by private sources, and the private sector will select its director, he added. Offices will be established in Taipei and Chiayi by the end of the year.

The academy’s core mission is to promote international cooperation on unmanned systems by training professionals and connecting resources, including industry alliances and research and development capabilities. It is intended to become a hub for drone personnel training, certification, maintenance, and exports…..PACNEWS

PACNEWS DIGEST

The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS

NUKU’ALOFA, 16 SEPTMEBER 2026 (SPREP)—Pacific Meteorological and Hydrological Directors are walking away from the eighth meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council with a newly endorsed roadmap that will help guide the work on weather and climate services in the Pacific for the next ten years. 

The new Pacific Islands Meteorological Strategy (PIMS) 2026 – 2037, the new guiding framework that will help steer the Pacific’s meteorological community’s vaka, was formally endorsed by the Council on the second day of deliberations. This afternoon, the curtain fell on the PMC-8 as Pacific Met Directors, technical partners, donors, and the private sector prepare to begin their next ten-year journey towards achieving a more weather-ready Pacific for a secure and sustainable future. 

NUKU’ALOFA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (SPREP)— Outstanding individuals, national meteorological services, organisations and development partners from across the Pacific have been recognised at the 2026 Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC) Awards, held tonight at the New Zealand High Commission in Nuku’alofa.

The awards were held during the closing of the Eighth Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting (PMC-8) and Fourth Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology (PMMM-4), hosted by the Government of Tonga with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) serving as the Secretariat to the PMC.

First presented at PMC-5 in Samoa in 2019, the PMC Awards recognise people and organisations that have made significant contributions to weather, climate, hydrology and related services across the Pacific.

Director of SPREP’s Climate Science and Information programme, Salesa Nihmei, stated that as the Pacific Islands Meteorological Strategy 2017 – 2026 concludes, the awards recognise some of the people and organisations whose contributions have been instrumental to its implementation and success. 

“Tonight, we pause from the important work of our meetings to recognise the people and organisations whose commitment, leadership, expertise and partnership have helped strengthen weather, climate, hydrology and related environmental services across our Blue Pacific,” said Director Salesa Nihmei of the Climate Science and Information Programme at SPREP.

The Innovation and Research Contribution Award was presented to Dr Moleni Tuuholoaki, Ocean Science Officer, for his contribution to research and innovation in ocean and environmental science.

The Lifetime Award recognisedAndrew Harper,Graham Elley, Solomon Sammy, David Hiba Hiriasia, Permanent Secretary of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology for the Government of the Solomon Islands, and Graham Elley, Principal Scientist – Environmental Monitoring at Earth Science New Zealand, for their long-standing contributions to Pacific weather and meteorological services.

“It is a great honour to be recognised alongside so many people who have dedicated their careers to meteorology, climate and Hydrology services in the Pacific. The work has always been about more than science and technology: it is about people, relationships and making sure good information reaches those who need it. I am very proud to have been part of that journey,” said Graham Elley.

The Long Service Award recognised Henry Taiki, World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Representative for the South Pacific.  Taiki has served the Pacific for decades through the WMO and has worked closely with Pacific countries and regional organisations to strengthen capacity in weather, climate and water services and to support the development of meteorological services for sustainable development. 

Also recognised with the Long Service Award were Lloyd Tahan of the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service; Rennie Vaiomounga, Director, Tonga Geological Services; and Seluvaia Finaulahi of the Tonga Meteorological Service for their years of service to weather, climate, hydrology and related environmental services.

The Outstanding Individual/Group Contribution Award recognised Dr Andrew Johnson, former Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology whose support was instrumental in the establishment of the Weather Ready Pacific Programme (WRP) 

Also recognised in this category were Dr Laura Kong, International Tsunami Information Centre; and Litea Biukoto, Deputy Director, Disaster and Water Resilience Programme of the Pacific Community (SPC), and  Rosslyn Mitiepo, Director, Niue Meteorological Service. 

“Tonight is about recognising the people behind the services that our communities rely on,” said Rossylyn Mitiepo, Director of Niue Meteorological Services. 

“Across the Pacific, these individuals and organisations have given their time, expertise and leadership to build stronger meteorological, hydrological and national disaster management services. Their contribution reminds us that the strength of our regional systems comes from the people and partnerships behind them,” she added. 

Siaosi Sovaleni, former Prime Minister of Tonga, who championed the Weather Ready Pacific Programme at the Forum Leaders Meeting in 2021, was also honoured for his outstanding contribution as an individual. 

The endorsement by Pacific Leaders resulted in the establishment of the Weather Ready Pacific Programme as the Pacific’s decadal programme of investment in meteorological services, and the vehicle to drive Early Warnings For All in the Pacific. 

The PMC Awards also honoured SPREP Director General,Sefanaia Nawadra, for establishing the Climate Science and Information programme, a dedicated programme at SPREP to better support Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services;  and the Hon. Lord Fakafanua, current Prime Minister of Tonga and also the current Weather Ready Pacific Champion. 

The National Development Award recognised the Tonga Meteorological Service and Kiribati Meteorological Service for strengthening national weather, climate and early warning services.

Despite its small size, the Tonga Meteorological Service has expanded its professional workforce, automated and maintained 25 monitoring stations, established new facilities across Tongatapu, Vavaʻu and Haʻapai, and strengthened national services through radar, cell broadcasting, maritime communications and other systems. It also leads Tonga’s National Multi-Hazard Early Warning System Working Group.

The Kiribati Meteorological Service was recognised for strengthening weather, climate and ocean services across a nation of 33 islands. Its work includes improved climate and ocean information, stronger coastal hazard monitoring and early warning, and the development of national meteorological planning and legislation. The KMS is also working actively with Fiji to bring forecasting capability to Kiribati, which is currently being done by the Fiji Meteorological Service. 

The Outstanding Individual/Group Contribution Award was also presented to Varysian Founder, Thomas Copping for its contribution to the Pacific meteorological community.

The Regional Contribution Award recognised key development partners supporting meteorological services across the Pacific. Recipients included the Fiji Meteorological Service and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their longstanding partnership to establish a Regional Training Centre and Regional Instrument Centre in Fiji. The centres will provide regional training and technical support, including instrument calibration and quality assurance.

The award also recognised JICA, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the United Kingdom Met Office, and the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative for their ongoing support to Pacific meteorological services.

The 2026 recipients represent the people, organisations and partnerships that have helped strengthen weather, climate and environmental services across the Pacific.

The PMC congratulates all award recipients and thanks them for their contribution to a stronger, safer and more resilient Blue Pacific…..PACNEWS

PACNEWS DIGEST

The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS

SUVA, 16 SEPTEMBER 2026 (ISLANDS BUSINESS) —Across the Pacific, the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) stands as a powerful catalyst for sustainable development, bringing together government, businesses, stakeholders, and communities to shape a future that is resilient, inclusive, and economically sustainable.

Since its establishment in 2013, the PIDF has been grounded on its function to secure the support of development partners through formal agreements for technical assistance and financial resources to achieve sustainable development and poverty eradication outcomes.

That is precisely what the PIDF has achieved through its Food and Nutrition Security and Blue Economy initiatives, mobilizing resources and funding to empower communities, strengthen livelihoods, and foster long-term self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Pacific Fresh AirLink

One of the successful projects under the Food and Nutrition initiative is the Pacific Fresh AirLink (PFAL) Initiative, which the PIDF has been coordinating to export agricultural produce from Nadi, Fiji, to countries in the Northern Pacific such as the Republic of Naoero, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

The Pacific Fresh AirLink is a transformative regional initiative that addresses multiple interconnected Pacific priorities through one integrated approach. By strengthening the availability, movement, and consumption of fresh, locally produced foods across the region, the initiative:

*Diversifies agriculture and strengthens local food systems

*Improves health and wellbeing

* Expands market opportunities for Pacific farmers

* Helps tackle the growing burden of NCDs

* Strengthens food and nutrition security

*Builds economic resilience and sustainable livelihoods

 *Advances sustainable development across the Pacific

In essence, the Pacific Fresh AirLink is more than a food initiative—it is a regional development solution. It connects what the Pacific grows with what Pacific people eat and what Pacific economies can export, turning stronger local food systems into better health, stronger livelihoods, greater food security, and a more resilient Pacific.

Blue Economy Development

At the heart of PIDF’s key existence is advocating the very real and pressing challenges of climate change, environment protection, and globalization. Through the Blue Economy development, a simple belief is that a healthy ocean is a healthy community.

By promoting the sustainable use of marine resources, the PIDF positions the Blue Economy as a pathway for sustainable and resilient Pacific development by promoting sustainable and inclusive development through a Green-Blue Pacific approach.

The PIDF, together with its partners, established the Pacific Countries Marine Spatial Planning and Blue Economy Cooperation Centre (PMEC).

The Centre proposed to support efforts by the PIDF member countries in developing the blue economy agenda through the establishment of a comprehensive and appropriate regional and national architecture to foster ocean economic growth and development…. PACNEWS