In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific churches reject U.S call to end UN decolonisation mandate
2. PACIFIC — Chair Skea warns against excluding vulnerable nations from IPCC decisions
3. PACIFIC — Pacific leaders discuss development priorities with Israel
4. PACIFIC — Radical climate action urged to save Pacific nation
5. VAN — Vanuatu says it expects fall in China’s police presence after signing Nakamal Agreement with Australia
PAC – CHURCH/DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Pacific churches reject U.S call to end UN decolonisation mandate
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) has rejected a United States call to end the mandate of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation, warning that the move would undermine the right of Pacific peoples to determine their political future.
PCC General Secretary, Reverend James Shri Bhagwan said the committee remained essential while six Pacific territories continued to be listed by the United Nations as Non-Self-Governing Territories.
“Our people are not props, and our homes are not junkets,” Reverend Bhagwan said in a statement.
He rejected the U.S description of the committee’s Pacific engagement as “yearly junkets”, saying its regional seminars and visiting missions provided important opportunities for communities, churches, customary leaders, women and young people to present their views directly to the United Nations.
The six Pacific territories on the UN list are American Samoa, French Polynesia, known as Mā’ohi Nui, Guam, New Caledonia, known as Kanaky, Pitcairn and Tokelau.
Reverend Bhagwan said the continued presence of more than 80 former colonies as UN member states demonstrated the effectiveness of the decolonisation process rather than a reason to end it.
“Decolonisation is complete when the peoples still on the list have freely determined their future,” he said.
The statement follows a 15 October meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, which approved more than 20 decolonisation resolutions, many recommended by the Special Committee on Decolonisation, also known as the C-24.
At the request of the United States, the draft resolutions were put to recorded votes, including those concerning the six Pacific territories, which are normally adopted by consensus.
The United States and Israel were the only countries to vote against every resolution.
A resolution calling on administering powers to fulfil their reporting obligations under Article 73(e) of the UN Charter passed by 160 votes to two, with the United Kingdom, France and Paraguay abstaining.
Another resolution on disseminating information about decolonisation passed by 164 votes to three.
In its explanation of vote, the United States called for the C-24’s mandate to be ended and described the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, known as Resolution 1514, as non-binding.
Bhagwan said the right to self-determination was not optional and hghlighted the International Court of Justice’s 2019 advisory opinion on the Chagos Archipelago, which addressed the legal significance of the right to self-determination in the decolonisation process.
He said the United Nations framework already recognised that territories could choose independence, free association, integration or another political status through a genuine expression of their wishes.
“The problem in our region is not that the C-24 refuses other options. It is that some administering powers refuse to let a genuine choice take place,” he said.
Reverend Bhagwan also challenged the U.S position that the committee should not intervene in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
He said Article 73 of the UN Charter established administering powers’ responsibility to promote the well-being of the peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories and report to the United Nations.
“International oversight is an obligation they accepted, not interference,” he said.
The PCC also raised concerns about Guam, where a planned plebiscite on political status was blocked by a U.S federal court ruling. Bhagwan said the United States could not claim to support self-determination while the CHamoru people remained unable to exercise that right.
He said the region’s colonial history, including nuclear testing in Mā’ohi Nui and the Marshall Islands, also underscored the importance of ensuring Pacific peoples had a say in decisions affecting their lands and communities.
The PCC has long advocated for self-determination through its member churches and engagement with the United Nations.
In 2013, it supported the Mā’ohi Protestant Church’s campaign that led to French Polynesia’s inclusion on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
In June 2026, Bhagwan and Reverend Billy Wetewea, General Secretary of the Église Protestante de Kanaky Nouvelle-Calédonie, addressed the C-24 in New York, presenting findings from the Pacific Peoples’ Mission to Kanaky and calling for a joint mission involving the C-24 and the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
The PCC also continues to advocate for the self-determination and human rights of the people of West Papua, which is not on the UN list.
Reverend Bhagwan said the church’s position was grounded in its commitment to liberation, human dignity and the relationship between Pacific peoples, their land and ocean.
The PCC is calling on UN member states to reject efforts to weaken or end the C-24 mandate, adequately fund visiting missions and regional seminars, and support genuine self-determination processes.
It has also urged the United States to cooperate with the committee and support a self-determination process for the CHamoru people, while calling on all administering powers to agree on clear timetables for completing decolonisation before the end of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism in 2030.
The PCC further called on Pacific Islands Forum leaders to reaffirm regional support for the right to self-determination of all six Pacific territories and urged the Melanesian Spearhead Group to pursue a joint mission to Kanaky.
“The peoples of our region are not asking for favours. They are asking for a promise made in 1960 to be kept,” Reverend Bhagwan said…. PACNEWS
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Chair Skea warns against excluding vulnerable nations from IPCC decisions
By Pita Ligaiula
GENEVA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)—Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Chair Jim Skea has stressed the need for vulnerable countries and small delegations to participate fully in climate science decisions, as the panel prepares to resume talks on its next major assessment reports and budget.
Following the suspension of the 65th plenary session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Skea said the meeting had completed most of its agenda but failed to reach agreement on the timelines for the three Working Group contributions to the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) and the budget to support the work.
“This means that the work of this Plenary has not finished,” Skea said in a statement.
He said the talks had continued beyond their scheduled closing time, forcing many delegates, including representatives from vulnerable countries and small delegations, to leave for home.
“Inclusive participation by these and all other governments in IPCC plenary sessions and its work is essential to ensure that global climate assessments are robust, representative, and responsive to the needs of all countries,” he said.
Skea said governments needed to contribute their scientific knowledge, national and regional experiences, and policy priorities to the preparation and approval of IPCC assessments.
He said fair participation was particularly important to ensure the reports reflected the different climate risks, development challenges and adaptation needs facing countries.
“For me, as a scientist and the Chair of this unique scientific and intergovernmental process, inclusivity must include equitable participation in the Panel’s decision-making, access to scientific information, capacity-building, financial and technical support, and effective participation in all critical deliberations,” Skea said.
Agreement on the AR7 timetable is important because the reports provide scientific evidence for national climate policies, adaptation planning, disaster risk reduction and climate finance.
The assessments also inform decisions on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening resilience and responding to the impacts of climate change.
Although delegates agreed on a new process governing the appropriate application and use of artificial intelligence in the IPCC’s work, the reporting schedule and budget remain unresolved.
Skea said he would work with member governments, the IPCC scientific leadership and the secretariat to reconvene the plenary at the earliest opportunity.
The IPCC is the United Nations body responsible for assessing scientific evidence on climate change, its impacts and risks, and options for mitigation and adaptation.
IPCC assessments are a key input into the international negotiations to tackle climate change. ….PACNEWS
PAC – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Pacific leaders discuss development priorities with Israel
By Pita Ligaiula
SUVA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific Islands Forum members have held their first briefing with Israel on development cooperation, identifying regional priorities and opportunities for technical assistance, training and capacity-building.
The talanoa was held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, bringing together Heads of Mission and senior officials in person and online to discuss how Israel’s development cooperation programme, MASHAV, could respond to Pacific needs.
Forum Secretary General Baron Divavesi Waqa welcomed Israel’s Ambassador to Fiji and Pacific Island Countries, Maya Yaron, and the Head of MASHAV, Ambassador Eynat Shlein, who is visiting the region for a series of engagements.
The meeting provided an opportunity for Forum members to outline their national and regional development challenges and identify areas where cooperation with Israel could deliver practical benefits for Pacific communities.
Yaron said partnership must begin with listening to Pacific countries and understanding their priorities.
Water security was among the issues raised during the discussions, with Yaron highlighting the need to match identified needs with appropriate technical expertise, training and capacity-building opportunities.
Shlein shared examples of MASHAV’s development cooperation work globally and in the Pacific.
Her visit to Fiji follows engagements in Papua New Guinea and will continue to Samoa, providing further opportunities to discuss Pacific development priorities and potential areas of cooperation.
The Forum Secretariat said the talanoa was intended to explore practical partnerships and knowledge-sharing opportunities that respond to the needs of Forum members and deliver tangible benefits across the Blue Pacific Continent….PACNEWS
AC – CLIMATE CHANGE: AAP PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Radical climate action urged to save Pacific nation
PERTH, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—A Pacific leader turned activist has pleaded for empathy as he urges radical climate action to help save his island nation.
Former President Anote Tong says Kiribati is facing a growing threat from rising sea levels. A 50cm increase would inundate most of the archipelago.
“During the last high tide, the water was coming over,” the former Kiribati president told the Global Citizen Now conference in Perth.
“Half a metre above that would mean that most of the land area will be overtopped.
“That is what our future is.”
Tong said Kiribati urgently needed to start “radical adaptation measures” if it was to survive.
“Raise all the islands; in the past I’ve spoken about floating islands,” he said.
“We need the technical people, engineers, to come up with credible engineering solutions.”
Tong acknowledged the high cost of the project and said securing funding had become an emergency situation.
He also called out Australia’s action on climate change while continuing to export coal and other fossil fuels.
“On the one hand you are cutting your emissions,” he said.
“(But) it’s not your local emissions; it’s what you export.”
In further criticism, the Pacific Elders’ Voice chair took aim at the attitude of some Australians in the wake of the recent pre-COP31 Tuvalu meeting.
“I’ve read the social comments here in Australia … saying it’s a waste of time,” he said.
“The commentary was brutal.”
Tong said it was disappointing that people who clearly didn’t understand what was happening in the Pacific region were commenting about the meeting.
“Please understand what it is, and this is part of the story,” he said.
Tong served as the President of the Republic of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016.
Kiribati is a group of 32 low-lying atolls with an average height above sea level of just two metres……PACNEWS
VAN – SECURITY: ABC PACIFIC PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Vanuatu says it expects fall in China’s police presence after signing Nakamal Agreement with Australia
CANBERRA/PORT VILA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (ABC PACIFIC) —The Australian federal government has notched a potentially significant strategic win in the Pacific, with Vanuatu saying China’s police presence there was “expected to reduce over time” following its signing of the Nakamal Agreement with Australia.
China has expanded policing ties with several Pacific nations in recent years, but this is only the second time a Pacific nation has made an on-the-record commitment, albeit with a caveat, to wind back Beijing’s police presence on the ground.
Fiji’s prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, said in 2024 that Chinese officers in his country’s police force had been “repatriated” because the two countries had different legal systems.
China has maintained a small police training team in Vanuatu since 2023, and its internal affairs minister, Andrew Napuat, travelled to Beijing last month to renew its policing cooperation pact with Beijing.
The Chinese embassy in Vanuatu has also made substantial donations to Vanuatu’s police force, including multiple surveillance drones, dozens of motorcycles, patrol boats, uniforms, minibuses, riot gear and forensics laboratory equipment.
That is a source of anxiety for Australia, which believes Beijing is intent on establishing a military foothold in the region and that it is using police training teams to embed itself as a legitimate security partner for Pacific nations.
Last week Vanuatu’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, Johnny Koanapo, met Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Pacific Minister Pat Conroy in Canberra to discuss implementation of the high-profile Nakamal Agreement, which was finally signed in June after months of sometimes tough negotiations.
The two governments said in a joint statement that the agreement recognised Australia as “Vanuatu’s longstanding primary policing partner” and “reaffirmed its commitment in the Nakamal Agreement that it would prioritise any policing requests to Pacific Islands Forum members”.
“Vanuatu said its police arrangement with China had been in place for some time, is time-limited and expected to reduce over time, whereas the Vanuatu-Australia Nakamal Agreement is legally binding and has no expiry date,” they said.
The joint statement was quietly uploaded to DFAT’s website early this afternoon, but has not been heavily publicised by either government.
Vanuatu’s government did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The ABC has also sought comment from the Chinese embassies in Port Vila and Canberra.
Issues around police cooperation remain highly sensitive in Vanuatu, and disagreements over China’s role in the sector have sparked up before.
Last week Vanuatu’s prime minister, Jotham Napat, pushed back when a senior Australian Federal Police officer, David McLean, told a parliamentary committee that the eight-strong AFP team in Vanuatu would soon increase due to growing cooperation under the Nakamal Agreement.
“I expect that number could nearly double in size over the coming years as we increase the frequency and intensity of programme delivery and advisory support,” he said.
He said the cooperation would cover “everything from the fundamentals of modern organisational design and administration through to professional standards, investigative policing, community policing, general duties policing, forensics and the centre of excellence we’re delivering”.
But Napat cautioned last week that his country had yet to give any approval for an increase in Australian police officers, and that any request would need to be signed off by his government.
“Anything where we allow them to come, that’s a matter where our government with the government of Australia sits down and agrees to that,” he said.
“But I’m not aware of any arrangement.”
The two countries also provided some basic details about the early implementation of the Nakamal Agreement, which is expected to funnel about $500 million (US$348 million) into Vanuatu’s key priorities over a decade.
In their joint statement, the two countries said the early priorities would include “strengthened policing cooperation, budget support, climate cooperation and assistance for ni-Vanuatu communities affected by El Niño and volcanic ash”.
They also said Australia had committed to “early delivery of two renewable energy and water projects”, including providing “renewable electricity, lighting and clean water to schools and community facilities in remote communities, and solar-powered water supply systems to improve access to water”.
Vanuatu also flagged investment in key infrastructure priorities, including maritime and aviation infrastructure and rebuilding efforts in Port Vila, Santo and Tanna, in meetings with representatives of the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific……PACNEWS
TIMOR – FOSSIL FUEL: AAP PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Aid cuts forcing fossil fuel dependence in East Timor
DILI, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—Dwindling aid is forcing the Asia-Pacific region’s youngest nation to maintain its unhealthy addiction to fossil fuels, an Australian clean energy summit has been told.
President Jose Ramos-Horta says East Timor’s electricity grid is almost exclusively powered by expensive diesel, and it’s hampering investment, but his country has no other choice.
“For the time being, and for many years to come, we need fossil fuel development to power the diversification of our economy into green energy and a green economy,” he told the Global Citizen Now conference in Perth on Monday.
“The cost of our energy in Timor-Leste is a killer of investors.”
President Horta said official development assistance, which could help East Timor transition its economy more quickly, has “almost ceased to exist”.
Some traditional Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) donor countries had shifted their aid to the war in Ukraine, he said.
“They shifted aid to shelter refugees, to support refugees, and the millions who flock to Europe,” he said.
“So (official development assistance) has never suffered so much.
“We need fossil fuels; we need to develop our oil, gas, offshore and onshore, to survive.”
The Nobel Prize winner said there had also been “draconian” cuts to humanitarian aid budgets, pointing to the World Food Programme and UNICEF.
“So this makes it even more difficult for any of us to quickly transition to cleaner energy,” he said.
“But we know that the only way to go for the survival of our humanity is if we still can stop it.”
It comes as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) says it is accelerating access to finance in the Pacific region.
It announced a project with up to US$1 billion in grants and investment funding for Pacific nations, which will be presented to its board for approval next week.
“It will cover 21 projects, and it will basically serve 3.7 million people, so it’s one out of four in the 14 Pacific Islands,” director of external relations Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao told AAP.
The fund will work with regional and local partners to help Pacific nations build renewable energy, water and climate-resilient infrastructure projects.
“It will pretty much change the environment there,” Saraka-Yao said…..PACNEWS
FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Fiji PM Rabuka defends Constitution changes
SUVA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI TIMES) —Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has firmly defended his Coalition Government’s push to amend Fiji’s 2013 Constitution, insisting parliamentary reform remains the only viable path forward despite over a decade under the document.
Addressing criticism that the move lacks genuine democratic principles and aims to favour his administration in future elections, Rabuka maintained that participating in democratic processes was essential to reshape the legal framework.
“We accepted that it was the law at the time, but then we came in with the primary objective of the parties,” he said.
“We were going to start the movement for the amendment of the 2013 Constitution because we believe that it was not promulgated by the people, it was not accepted by the people.”
Rabuka said that contesting power under the law provided necessary legitimacy.
“But the fact that we had gone through three elections has sort of given it a degree of acceptance.
“So we had to go in to be able to defeat it or change it and the only way to do it is from within Parliament, and that’s what we have done.”
Rabuka emphasised that legal frameworks must evolve alongside changing societal needs.
Meanwhile, constitutional law expert Professor Anthony Regan warned on 01 August 2024, during a leadership seminar at Fiji National University, that leaving the framework intact leaves the nation vulnerable to future regimes overriding human rights or stacking accountability institutions.
Prof Regan clarified that Section 131(2) gives the military no guardianship role over the Constitution, stressing oversight strictly belongs to courts.
In another development, Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to halt the push for a new Constitution, saying the proposed changes require adequate public scrutiny and debate.
Chaudhry accused the Government of rushing Constitution Amendment Bill No. 32 of 2026 despite having had four years to pursue changes to the 2013 Constitution.
He said Rabuka had done nothing about constitutional amendments during his first two years in office and was now seeking to force through a controversial draft without sufficient scrutiny.
Chaudhry also questioned the Prime Minister’s reasons for accelerating the process, including his arguments that the 2013 Constitution had never been accepted by the people and that Fiji’s demographics and societal expectations were evolving.
“Neither of these justify the rush,” he said in a statement
Chaudhry further alleged that transitional provisions in Chapter 16 of the proposed Constitution could allow the current Government to extend its term without holding a general election.
He specifically cited Clauses 211(2)(3) and 219(3)(a), calling on Rabuka to explain their intended effect.
Chaudhry claimed the provisions had been deliberately inserted to bring forward the commencement of the new Constitution and potentially prolong the Government’s tenure.
He argued that the process was being rushed to have the new Constitution in place before December 24, which he identified as the final day for the issuance of the Writ of Elections.
The FLP leader also questioned whether the proposed Constitution adequately addressed Fiji’s changing demographics, saying it contained no special provisions to protect minority representation in Parliament or the rights of women.
His comments come amid continuing debate over the proposed constitutional changes and their implications for the next general election.
However, the allegations about the transitional provisions remain Chaudhry’s interpretation of the draft legislation.
Prime Minister Rabuka has previously rejected claims that the election would be delayed, assuring the public that it would be held this year or, at the latest, by 06 February 2027….PACNEWS
JAPAN – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Japan, New Zealand pledge closer security cooperation in Pacific
TOKYO, 20 October 2026 (PACNEWS)—— Japan and New Zealand have reaffirmed the need for closer security cooperation and continued engagement in the Pacific Islands region as the two countries prepare to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations next year.
The commitment was discussed during a meeting between Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iwao Horii, and New Zealand Ambassador to Japan Carolyn Jane Weatherall Schwalger in Tokyo on Monday.
Horii congratulated Schwalger on her appointment and expressed Japan’s intention to work closely with New Zealand to advance its updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative, according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Schwalger said New Zealand wanted to strengthen the two countries’ Strategic Cooperative Partnership ahead of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.
Both sides exchanged views on security and developments in the Pacific Islands region, confirming the importance of continued cooperation across a range of areas.
The meeting comes as Japan and New Zealand seek to maintain close coordination on regional security and their wider Indo-Pacific engagement.
The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1952….PACNEWS
JAPAN – SECURITY/DEFENCE: AP PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Japan and the US kick off joint drills around islands as regional tensions rise
TOKYO, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (AP)— Japanese and U.S troops on Monday kicked off one of their largest joint exercises focusing on the defence of Japan’s southwestern islands and showcasing advanced weapons systems in the face of growing tension in the region.
About 45,000 Japanese troops and 12,000 American service members are participating in the biennial Keen Sword 27.
Seven other nations from the Indo-Pacific region and Europe are also taking part in some elements of the exercises, five of them — France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the Philippines — for the first time, according to Japan’s Joint Staff.
During the exercises, which run through Oct. 29, the Japanese and U.S militaries will largely focus on defending Japan’s southwestern islands and waters around its northern coasts as the country faces growing tension from China, North Korea and Russia.
Japan considers China’s rapidly growing military activities in and around Japan, including in the Pacific Ocean, as a threat and has fortified its southwestern region with longer-range missiles and interceptors in recent years.
The drills include amphibious landing, air and missile defence, mine sweeping, as well as intelligence gathering, logistics and resupply and casualty evacuation on several remote islands, including Tanegashima.
One of the key locations for the exercise is Yonaguni, Japan’s westernmost island just 110 kilometers (68 miles) east of Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing calls its own territory.
Japan’s Self-Defence Force has introduced its first long-range Type-25 land-to-ship missile to Yonaguni during the drill, though no test-firing is planned. The missile has a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and is capable of reaching mainland China.
NMESIS, a U.S ground-based offensive anti-ship missile system, and MADIS, a short-range surface-to-air system, are also deployed to Yonaguni for the first time for the exercise. A mobile rocket launching system, HIMARS, has been deployed on the nearby island of Ishigaki.
General Hiroaki Uchikura, Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff, denied that the exercises target a specific country.
At an opening ceremony on Ishigaki, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force Adm. Tateki Tawara said that what they are trying to defend is not just the territory but the peaceful lives of the people, according to Japan’s Joint Staff.
“In order to do so, it is essential to be fully prepared and cooperate with our allies and partners to prevent the crisis.”
On Monday, Japanese and U.S troops were to conduct live fire exercises at a firing range on Oki-Daito, a small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Okinawa.
Japan’s ties with China came under strain following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comment a year ago, when she said Chinese military action on Taiwan could justify Japanese involvement. Her remarks angered China and led to tensions that have spilled over into the economy.
Japan has also raised concern over China’s gradual escalation of its military activity around remote Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean.
This year’s exercises come at a sensitive time, just weeks after the arrest of a U.S. Marine in connection with the murder and robbery of a Japanese woman on Okinawa, where thousands of U.S troops are stationed.
The case has renewed anti-U.S. base sentiment on Okinawa, where residents have long complained about noise, pollution and crime related to U.S bases.
The majority of about 50,000 American troops in Japan under the bilateral security pact are on the small but strategically important southern island.
When the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt briefly entered the U.S Navy base in Yokosuka last week before joining the exercise, local mayor Katsuaki Kamiji requested Japan’s Foreign Ministry to convey to the U.S military the importance of crew members complying with Japanese rules…PACNEWS
AUST – DRONE SUBS: AAP PACNEWS 1: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Ghost Sharks get ‘teeth’ as secret drone subs unveiled
CANBERRA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—Australia’s secret line of underwater drones have been given “teeth” as officials reveal payloads for the long-touted Ghost Shark submarines.
The U.S-designed, locally made uncrewed vessels can be used by the Royal Australian Navy to strike opponents, deploy sea mines and undertake intelligence-gathering missions.
The drones will be deployed anywhere along Australia’s coastline, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy told reporters on Monday.
Payloads – the part of the vessel that performs tasks such as delivering supplies or dropping mines – have now been incorporated into the submarines.
“The Ghost Shark now has teeth and we’ll have the ability to inflict damage on any potential adversary,” Mr Conroy said.
The drone program forms part of the $386 billion (US$269 million) AUKUS defence pact between Australia, the U.S and the UK.
Ghost Sharks, made by American company Anduril Industries, are central to the Defence Department’s focus on drones.
Defence is spending more than $1.5 billion (US$1.04 billion) on the vessels, which accompany the sky-bound Ghost Bats.
Many details of the underwater drones, such as their maximum range, speed and size, have been kept closely under wraps.
“Today highlights the rapid maturity of the Ghost Shark program, transforming it from a highly capable mechanism for delivery to a proven, potent and mission-ready capability being delivered at scale,” Navy Chief Vice Admiral Matt Buckley said.
“The reality is that to protect a country the size of ours requires the fusion of crewed and uncrewed capabilities” he said.
The Ghost Shark programmme forms part of AUKUS’s second pillar, which is focused on the development of high-tech military capabilities amongst the three allies.
The first pillar is centred on the delivery of a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
The Ghost Sharks will be pitched to other AUKUS members during defence exercises in San Diego.
Their maker, Anduril, specialises in advanced autonomous systems and is owned by several entrepreneurs, including Palmer Luckey, the billionaire founder of virtual-reality headset developer Oculus.
The Ghost Sharks are being built in a secret Sydney factory, opened specifically to manufacture them.
It includes an in-water testing tank and artificial intelligence capabilities.
AUKUS’s five-year anniversary was marked recently with intense debate over the agreement’s future.
Experts are divided on the expediency of the pact, with critics pointing to the cost and uncertainty surrounding the nuclear-submarine program and the tethering of Australian security to US interests.
But proponents point to the three-nation deal as the best way to defend Australia from looming Chinese threats in the Pacific.
The deal was sealed in 2021 under former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison and the Biden administration in the U.S…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
FIJI – DIPLOMACY/ELNINO: MAI TV PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Israel explores solutions to help Fiji tackle El Niño drought
SUVA, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (MAI TV) —Israel is exploring ways to help Fiji address water shortages and drought linked to El Niño, but any practical assistance will depend on what can realistically be delivered within the limited time available.
Speaking at a media conference, Head of MASHAV Ambassador Eynat Shlein said discussions on El Niño have featured in almost every meeting held in Fiji, with Israel willing to share its technology, expertise and knowledge to help address the effects of drought.
Ambassador Shlein said Israel is considering possible solutions, particularly in addressing water scarcity, but cautioned that geographical distance and the time required to deliver equipment could limit what could be achieved if El Niño intensifies in the coming months.
“If El Niño is about to hit in three months, we should be realistic,” she said.
While no specific projects or assistance have been confirmed, Israel remains interested in identifying practical ways to support Fiji.
Ambassador Shlein said they did not want to announce proposals prematurely or make commitments that could not be fulfilled.
“What I can promise is that we are very keen on trying to see what we can offer and how we can promote it,” she said.
The discussions come as Fiji considers ways to strengthen its response to drought and water shortages, with agriculture also identified as an area requiring attention.
The representative said further details on potential solutions would be provided as discussions progressed…. PACNEWS
SAMOA – RESPONSE PLAN: TALAMUA MEDIA PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Samoa requests the Asian Development Bank’s support of its Response Plan
BANGKOK, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (TALAMUA MEDIA) —Samoa deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Afioga Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo has requested the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) support of its Response Plan to a multi-crisis including climate change, drought with strong El Nino and the evolving HIV AIDS health crisis in the Pacific, Samoa
These were among the issues discussed between Mulipola and the ADB Vice President, East and Southeast Asia and President; Scott Morris at the junction of the WBG/IMF 2026 Annual Meeting last week.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance acknowledged the continuous support of ADB with Samoa’s national development priorities articulated in the Pathway for the Development of Samoa 2027-2031, which includes digital transformation, renewable energy transition, social inclusion education and health development, workforce development to name a few.
The ADB as one of the main development partners in the Joint Policy Action Matrix (JPAM) arrangement and with continuous assistance via general budget support was also acknowledged.
With Samoa’s encountering multi crisis including climate change, drought with strong El Nino and the evolving HIV AIDS health crisis in the Pacific, Samoa requested the Bank’s support on Samoa’s proposed Response Plan.
The State-Owned Enterprises reforms remain a critical area of engagement for ADB in Samoa.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance also ADB’s support to Samoa and the Pacific countries in addressing the challenges with correspondent banking relationship, thus the urgent request to ADB and leverage its international relationship with other members and international institutions to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in responding to the country needs….PACNEWS
FIJI – AIRPORT: FIJI SUN PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 20 Oct 2026
Fiji Airports adds three rescue boats to emergency fleet
NADI, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Fiji Airports has strengthened its emergency response capability with the addition of three rescue boats funded by the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The boats will enhance Fiji Airports’ ability to respond to aviation emergencies over or near water.
The vessels were officially handed over at Nadi International Airport under the Project for the Improvement of Aviation Safety Facilities at Major Airports in Fiji, an initiative aimed at improving aviation safety, emergency response capabilities and air navigation infrastructure.
The new fleet comprises one 7.6-metre rescue boat and two 4.3-metre rescue boats.
The vessels will provide Fiji Airports’ Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (ARFFS) with additional resources to conduct water rescue operations and assist people in distress….PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Governance, not geopolitics, will make or break PACPOL
By Blake Johnson
SYDNEY, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (THE INTERPRETER)—A new era for Pacific policing has launched. Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) last week announced PACPOL, unifying the PICP with the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) under one umbrella.
PACPOL will seek to improve how Australia and its Pacific neighbours organise regional security by strengthening leadership, coordination and capability across the region. Success will be determined by how well these new regional arrangements can deliver against the many facets and requirements of policing. They should not be defined by a narrow lens focused on geopolitics or even just the ability to detect and disrupt crime.
When the Pacific Policing Initiative was announced two years ago at the 2024 PIF leaders meeting, geopolitics dominated the media reaction. At first glance, some may look to PACPOL as another successful effort to counter China’s growing influence in Pacific security – a geopolitical win for Australia and like-minded partners. But effective regional partnerships inherently mean a reduced dependence on other foreign supports for support. Geostrategic benefits can sometimes be a by-product of delivering workable regional solutions. Reducing policing partnerships in the Pacific to strategic competition obscures their long history and the multiple purposes they serve.
The Development Intelligence Lab’s recently published brief “Six faces of Australia’s Police Cooperation in the Pacific ” identifies six interrelated “faces” of Australia’s police cooperation in the Pacific, each reflecting a distinct purpose.
Alongside the geopolitical face, there are five others: diplomacy, security, stability, development and governance. Together, these faces provide a more nuanced framework for understanding investment in, and the evolution of, Pacific policing.
Governance is where PACPOL could make the most immediate contribution. The Pacific already has the PICP meeting, a transnational crime network, and arrangements for training and deployments through PPI and other mechanisms. The challenge is to make those arrangements work together to their fullest potential. PACPOL could provide clearer responsibility for implementing collective decisions and coordinating assistance across participating police services.
Comparisons with Europol are useful, provided expectations remain realistic. Europol supports national authorities through intelligence sharing, operational coordination and specialist assistance with no independent arrest powers. PACPOL’s early development, however, may more closely resemble ASEANAPOL, which facilitates coordination among sovereign police services. Establishing common governance can happen relatively quickly. Building trusted information systems and routine operational cooperation will take longer.
Security threats point to the urgent need for greater coordination across the region. Criminal networks are exploiting jurisdictional boundaries and uneven enforcement capabilities. Drug trade driven transnational crime is reshaping and threatening Pacific communities. A stronger regional policing body could further improve information sharing to connect vessel and financial data where needed. Success also depends on coordination beyond investigations, including in evidence handling and support for prosecutions.
Stability contributions from the PPI are already visible but should be enhanced through greater coordination and governance. In September, 119 Pacific Police Support Group (Opens in new window) personnel under the PPI supported Palau’s hosting of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting. PACPOL could make cooperation like this more predictable and easier to coordinate by setting guidance and clarifying how assistance is requested, assembled, supported and prepared for across the region.
Development will be critical in ensuring that these gains endure and that police forces across the region are up to the task of tackling global and emerging threats. Large collaborative deployments, such as the support to PIF meetings, are impressive. But without continued investment in national policing capabilities, including equipment, training and career progression, these gains are mostly symbolic.
Diplomacy helps to connect these purposes. Decades of professional relationships across the region have built the trust and confidence needed for Australian and Pacific officers to work towards shared goals for the region. PACPOL can enhance those relationships, particularly between Pacific services, by providing more opportunities for structured and sustained engagement. Collective priorities may not always mirror Canberra’s first preferences, but this should be welcomed as a sign of Pacific ownership and sovereign decision-making.
Geopolitics will inevitably shape perceptions of any initiative in the region, and PACPOL could reinforce Australia’s position as a preferred policing partner. But treating PACPOL primarily as an instrument for excluding China would risk weakening the Pacific ownership on which it depends.
At the PPI’s 2024 announcement, then Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai said that the region needed “to make sure that this PPI is framed to fit our purposes and not developed to suit the geostrategic interests and geostrategic denial security postures of our big partners”. This warning remains relevant today, as Pacific governments will judge PACPOL by the problems it helps them solve.
Effective implementations require an understanding of how all six faces of policing partnerships deliver impact. Seizures and arrests tell us something about security, deployment readiness supports stability, and stronger institutions contribute to development outcomes. Counting activities or overemphasising one face risks obscuring real benefits for Pacific communities. Giving PACPOL the best chance of success requires an appreciation of all faces of police partnerships……PACNEWS
Blake Johnson is a collaborating expert at the Development Intelligence Lab.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Pacific partners unite to advance the Pacific Roadmap for Strengthened Climate Services
PORT MORESBY, 20 OCTOBER 2026 (SPREP)—- Directors and climate officers from Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and technical partners are meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea today to assess existing climate services capabilities across the region, and identify priorities for strengthening climate services under the Pacific Roadmap for Strengthened Climate Services 2024 – 2033.
The workshop brings together the key players involved in climate services in the region to reflect on progress, identify gaps, and consider the capabilities of Pacific countries needed to deliver consistent, effective, and user-focused climate services by 2033.
In his official remarks, Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC) Chairman and President of the World Meteorological Organisation’s Regional Area V (WMO RA-V), Laitia Fifita, highlighted the importance of the Roadmap as a shared regional framework for improving the production, delivery and use of climate information and services across Pacific island countries.
“The roadmap recognises that climate services are not simply about generating forecasts and climate data. They are about helping people make better decisions,” Fifita said.
“Whether it’s a farmer determining when to plant crops, or fishers monitoring ocean conditions, disaster management agencies preparing for severe weather, or governments planning long-term investments, climate services provide the information needed to reduce risks and enhance resilience,” he added.
The one-day workshop will examine the climate service capabilities that currently exist nationally and regionally, including the products and services being delivered by Pacific NMHSs, areas of strength, and any gaps requiring future attention.
It will also consider the capabilities needed by Pacific NMHSs to deliver consistent climate services and aligning these with the WMO’s Global Framework for Climate Services and the Pacific Roadmap for Strengthened Climate Services.
The process will help establish a clearer picture of where the region aims to be by 2033, while recognising that countries have different priorities, needs, and resources and will require approaches suited to their individual circumstances.
The contributions of regional programmes such as the Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac), the Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA), the Republic of Korea-Pacific Islands Climate Prediction Services (ROK-PI CliPS), and the UNEP Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for Resilience in 5 Island Countries in the Pacific Ocean (CIS-Pac 5) will also be a key focus of the workshop, exploring the capabilities developed by these programmes, the services and activities that need to be sustained, and the remaining gaps that require additional support.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework of the roadmap will also be introduced during the discussions, as well as the 17 Strategic Performance Indicators, the three monitoring data streams, and the annual reporting template for Pacific NMHSs.
These tools are intended to support a more structured approach to monitoring progress against the roadmap, and provide a way to measure progress and understand how climate services are developing and where further attention and investment may be needed.
Fifita emphasised that strengthening climate services requires more than improvements in technical systems, but also depends on regional coordination, strong partnerships, enhanced human capacity and meaningful engagement with users of climate information.
He stressed that the roadmap places people at the centre of climate services, encouraging a shift from simply producing information to ensuring it is translated into actionable knowledge that supports effective decision-making.
“The success of the Pacific Roadmap will ultimately be measured by its impact on people’s lives,” he added.
As the region faces increasing challenges from climate variability, extreme weather events, ocean warming, and sea-level rise, stronger climate services are essential to protecting lives and livelihoods, supporting food and water security, safeguarding infrastructure and building resilience.
Fifita reflected on the Pacific’s shared identity and spirit of cooperation, drawing on the word Lamana from Papua New Guinea, specifically the Motu language, commonly understood to mean a friend, companion or soulmate, as a reminder of the partnerships needed to advance climate services across the Blue Pacific.
“Just as our ancestors navigated the ocean together, we gather today as lamana to share knowledge, strengthen climate services, and build resilience across our Blue Pacific continent,” he said.
The workshop sets the stage for further regional discussions during the 19th Pacific Islands Climate and Oceans Forum (PICOF-19) convenes on Tuesday and Wednesday….PACNEWS