In this bulletin:
PNG – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
Bougainville independence must be resolved by PNG, Bougainville: Aust Foreign Minister Wong
By Pita Ligaiula
PORT MORESBY, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Australia says the question of Bougainville’s independence must be resolved through negotiations between the Autonomous Bougainville Government and Papua New Guinea, while Canberra is open to further discussions on easing visa arrangements for Papua New Guineans.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia respected the process between the two parties when asked how Canberra would respond if Papua New Guinea’s Parliament rejected Bougainville’s independence and the region made a unilateral declaration.
“The position we have expressed in relation to this is very simple. This is a matter for the parties, both the Bougainville side and PNG, to resolve and to negotiate, and we respect that process,” Wong said.
Wong was speaking at a joint press conference with PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko following the Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum in Port Moresby.
She did not outline how Australia would respond to a unilateral declaration of independence.
The discussions also covered PNG’s request for visa arrangements similar to those it has with New Zealand, with Wong confirming Australia was willing to consider further options.
Wong said Australia had already introduced visa measures specifically for Papua New Guineans, including arrangements linked to the National Rugby League (NRL), a mobile application to simplify immigration processes and the Pacific Engagement Visa programme (PEV).
“Papua New Guinea has the largest cohort of Pacific Engagement Visas provided to it of any country in the Pacific, and that reflects the special relationship we have,” she said.
Wong said the Pacific Engagement Visa gave successful applicants access to Medicare and education from arrival.
She acknowledged that PNG had asked Australia to consider additional visa options but said any changes would need to be consistent with Australia’s broader immigration principles.
“We recognise the special relationship we have with PNG as our ally. It’s reflected in some of the unique visa categories that are provided to Papua New Guineans, but we are open to the further discussion that’s been requested,” Wong said.
Tkatchenko said the two countries were working to improve travel access as part of their alliance, including through sports diplomacy.
He said a new arrangement would allow Papua New Guineans to apply for a 12-month, multiple-entry visa from 2028 to attend NRL matches in Australia, with stays of up to 30 days per visit and a fee of Kina 75(US$17) .
The arrangement would not permit employment, Tkatchenko said, adding that it was intended to make it easier for Papua New Guineans to travel to Australia for rugby league.
He said the initiative was expected to benefit thousands of Papua New Guineans who wanted to travel to watch matches.
However, Tkatchenko acknowledged that problems with PNG’s national identification and birth registration systems remained an obstacle to broader visa access.
“Our NID system is corrupt. Our birth certificate system is corrupt because people are getting away with putting false identifications, so Australia is wary of that,” he said.
Tkatchenko said PNG needed to address weaknesses in its documentation systems to build Australia’s confidence in the identity papers submitted by visa applicants.
He said improving access would require action by both governments.
“It’s an ongoing process on both sides, which we have to get our act together and make it happen,” Tkatchenko said….PACNEWS
PNG – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
PNG, Australia deepen alliance with new health, security and digital initiatives
PORT MORESBY, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Papua New Guinea and Australia have agreed to deepen cooperation across healthcare, telecommunications, defence, education and labour mobility, as both governments move to implement their alliance and expand practical benefits for their people.
PNG deputy Prime Minister John Rosso said the outcomes of the 32nd Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum reflected growing cooperation between the two countries, with both governments committed to strengthening their partnership.
“The relationship, likewise, has grown from strength to strength.
“The outcomes are very successful. We are quite happy with the outcomes and we look forward to deepening our mutual partnership moving forward,” Rosso said.
Rosso said the discussions covered defence, police and security, communications, healthcare and education, with the two countries working together on shared priorities.
He said closer defence cooperation, including opportunities for Papua New Guineans to serve in the Australian Defence Force, could provide skills, training and experience that would benefit PNG.
“It’s about learning. It’s about training. It’s about interoperability. It’s about a partnership between both nations,” he said.
Rosso said a stronger and more stable Papua New Guinea would also benefit Australia, describing the two countries as closely connected through their security and economic interests.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the forum, the first since the two countries became alliance partners, had provided an opportunity to assess progress and identify areas for further cooperation.
“Our ambition for this Alliance is to strengthen our shared security, to advance our shared prosperity, and to deliver practical benefits for our people,” Wong said.
Wong announced a new 10-year primary healthcare programme for Papua New Guinea, with a focus on strengthening frontline health services, particularly maternal and child health.
Australia will also provide an additional AUD$1 million (US$700,000) to support the nationwide rollout of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects women and girls against cervical cancer.
The two governments also discussed expanding opportunities under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme and providing additional Pacific Engagement Visa places for PNG citizens seeking opportunities in Australia.
Wong said the initiatives reflected the breadth of the relationship and the focus on delivering tangible outcomes.
“They are about making our partnership real in the lives of our people,” she said.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles announced an AUD$110 million (US$77.15 million) investment in infrastructure for the PNG Defence Force, alongside arrangements for Australian military personnel to rotate through Papua New Guinea.
About 130 Australian personnel will form a combat group deployed on three-month rotations from the 3rd Brigade based in Townsville.
Marles said the measures were part of the implementation of the two countries’ alliance, supported by the Pukpuk Treaty and bilateral security agreement.
He also outlined the new recruitment pathway for Papua New Guineans to join the Australian Defence Force, with applications opening on 16 November. The pilot will involve two cohorts of about 50 recruits each over the next two years.
PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said the forum had also advanced cooperation on telecommunications, including plans to improve access to cheaper and more affordable internet under PNG’s telecommunications blueprint.
He said Australia would assist PNG in moving the initiative forward, with the two governments expected to formalise arrangements involving the Department of Communications and state-owned enterprises in the coming weeks and months.
Tkatchenko also highlighted cooperation in higher education and sport, saying the outcomes demonstrated the strength of the relationship between the Marape-Rosso Government and the Albanese Government.
He said implementation of the Pukpuk Treaty and bilateral security agreement would further strengthen cooperation on security, immigration, visas and people-to-people links.
The 32nd Ministerial Forum brought together ministers from both governments to advance cooperation across key sectors under the Australia-Papua New Guinea alliance….PACNEWS
PAC – HEALTH: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
WHO targets immunisation, hypertension and responsible AI in Western Pacific
MANILA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — More than 840 million people in the World Health Organisation’s Western Pacific Region still struggle to access essential health services, prompting calls for stronger immunisation programmes, better hypertension control and responsible use of artificial intelligence.
WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala outlined the three priorities at the 77th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila, warning that longstanding health gaps were being compounded by climate change, ageing populations and emerging health threats.
“We are making progress, but old challenges are now colliding with new ones,” Dr Piukala said.
He urged Member States to invest in sustainable immunisation programmes to achieve 90 percent coverage by 2029, accelerate hypertension control towards the global target of 50 percent, and ensure artificial intelligence was used safely, equitably and responsibly.
In his annual report, Piukala said more than 840 million of the region’s 2.2 billion people still lacked easy access to essential health services.
He said noncommunicable diseases continued to increase, while infectious diseases, including some vaccine-preventable illnesses, were also surging.
Extreme weather events, environmental risks and rising costs of transport, supply chains and health service delivery were adding further pressure on health systems.
Dr Piukala said the challenges were interconnected and required coordinated responses, with stronger primary health care, sustainable financing, a capable health workforce and reliable data systems essential to improving health outcomes.
“Progress towards universal health coverage depends on health systems that can withstand the next disruption.
“Health security relies on the same workforce, financing and governance that underpin everyday service delivery,” he said.
The WHO regional strategy, Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025–2029), provides a framework for countries to strengthen health systems and address gaps in access and preparedness.
Dr Piukala said progress had been made in strengthening health security, climate resilience, oral health and alcohol control, although significant gaps remained in service coverage, financing and workforce capacity.
Member States have endorsed a regional implementation plan to strengthen preparedness under the amended International Health Regulations, with eight countries having designated National IHR Authorities.
WHO has also increased support for climate-resilient health systems, while countries are working to integrate oral health into primary health care and improve alcohol regulation through taxation, pricing reforms and stronger controls on availability and marketing.
Dr Piukala said countries were making advances in legislation, digital health and workforce development, but the benefits were unevenly distributed, with vulnerable communities facing the greatest risks.
He said regional cooperation was essential, allowing countries to share practical solutions and adapt successful approaches to their own circumstances.
“The year ahead will test whether what we have built can hold together,” Dr Piukala said.
He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to working with Member States, health institutions, partners and communities to address current challenges and prepare for future threats.
Dr Piukala said the goal remained to strengthen health systems and ensure progress towards universal health coverage across the Western Pacific….PACNEWS
PAC – HEALTH: PACNEWS PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
WHO urges Asia-Pacific to strengthen support for ageing populations
MANILA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Countries across the Asia-Pacific must strengthen health and community support to help older people maintain their independence and quality of life as populations age, the World Health Organisation’s Western Pacific regional director Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala says.
Dr Piukala said healthy ageing was becoming an increasingly urgent regional priority, requiring governments and communities to find ways to support older adults to maintain their health, independence and ability to carry out daily activities.
“There’s no doubt that longevity is a triumph of development,” Dr Piukala said following a strategic dialogue held alongside the 77th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila.
“But how can countries, and communities, across Asia-Pacific better support older adults to maintain their health, independence and functional ability amid rapid population ageing?” he said.
The meeting brought together regional experts to share experiences and lessons from nearly three decades of work supporting healthy ageing.
Dr Piukala acknowledged the Institute of Philanthropy and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for convening the discussion, which explored opportunities for regional cooperation, technical exchange and shared learning.
He also thanked WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for joining the dialogue, describing his participation as a sign of WHO’s commitment to healthy ageing under the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has approved nearly HK$4 billion (US$5.6 million) in funding for more than 60 projects related to healthy ageing, reflecting its work on the issue since the late 1990s.
Participants also examined community-based and evidence-based initiatives supported by the Trust through The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
These included the Jockey Club Community eHealth Community Care Project and the Jockey Club Age-friendly City Project, which aim to advance healthy ageing through community programmes and improved support for older people.
Dr Piukala said the meeting provided an opportunity to identify practical ways for countries and partners to work together as population ageing reshapes health and social care needs across the region.
The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office will continue working with governments, institutions and other partners to advance healthy ageing initiatives across the region.
“This is truly important work and we look forward to joining hands with partners old and new in taking this forward all the more,” Dr Piukala said…. PACNEWS
PAC – SEAFARERS SETTLERS: REUTERS PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
Genetic study shows seafarers from Easter Island settled Hawaii
HONOLULU, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (REUTERS)— It was a difficult, almost incomprehensible, feat.
A band of seafarers from Easter Island in the South Pacific set off in double-hulled sailing canoes on a voyage across Earth’s largest ocean that ended more than 4,400 miles (7,100 km) away in Hawaii, the only Polynesian island in the Northern Hemisphere.
But this oceanic odyssey centuries ago was no myth. New genetic research has determined that Native Hawaiians are genetically most closely related to the people of Easter Island, also called Rapa Nui.
“Using whole genomes, our algorithms can find DNA sequences matching perfectly between individuals on different islands, the legacy of common ancestors. From these data we can create family trees of the islands,” said Stanford University computational geneticist Alexander Ioannidis, co-senior author of the study published in the journal science.
The findings point to a founding population of people from Easter Island arriving in Hawaii as the first humans to settle the lush volcanic island chain.
The data indicated that the people who settled Easter Island arrived there in the 1200s after journeying from Mangareva island in French Polynesia, more than 1,500 miles (2,400 km) away, and that a subset of them subsequently set off for Hawaii. That voyage likely occurred in the same century, Ioannidis said.
“We examined shared segments of DNA, genetic variation and thousands of reconstructed family trees. In 61 percent of those trees, Hawaii and Rapa Nui were paired together. We checked it four different ways because, frankly, we were dumbfounded and couldn’t believe it ourselves at first,” said genome scientist and study co-senior author Keolu Fox of the University of California, San Diego.
It would have been an incredible journey, Ioannidis said.
“In their canoes, they brought with them plants that they would need on the newly settled island, and they included bananas, taro and sweet potato, as well as animals like the chicken. It is believed that the Polynesians would embark on these voyages across thousands of miles of ocean in order to discover new islands rich in resources and land to settle,” Ioannidis said.
The researchers pieced together these long-ago journeys based on genetic data revealing the relatedness of present-day people from various Polynesian islands, analyzing DNA from more than 1,000 Polynesian people. These included 317 Native Hawaiians, 12 Rapa Nui and 8 Mangarevans, as well as others from the Society, Tuamotu, Marquesas, Austral, Samoan and Tongan islands.
The genetic data showed Mangarevan ancestry was second only to Easter Island ancestry for Native Hawaiians.
The researchers attribute these monumental sea crossings to an ultravoyaging population they call Holomoana Nui, the Hawaiian phrase for “great ocean voyaging,” with Hawaii as the last destination reached.
They were the greatest voyaging community in human history, according to Fox, who is a Native Hawaiian.
“Polynesians were exploring and settling the Pacific centuries before Europeans began their celebrated voyages of discovery,” Fox said. “Perhaps it’s time to rethink who we call explorers.”
Using genetic data, the researchers previously tracked how Polynesian voyagers reached a succession of islands over a period of centuries in one of the most impressive settlement feats in human history, but that study traced them only as far as Easter Island.
The new study included a detailed genomic analysis of people from Tahiti, one of the Society Islands and the locale for which the researchers had the most genomes. They were able to estimate the size and date of the founding generation roughly 800 people reaching Tahiti around the year 1070.
“Since the voyage to Hawaii was much longer, we would expect its founding population size to have been no larger and likely smaller,” Ioannidis said.
Native Hawaiians and Easter Islanders share many cultural traits found among eastern Polynesians, including a similar Austronesian language and similar foods, Ioannidis said.
The study has implications for disease risk among Native Hawaiians and other Polynesians due to genetic bottlenecks called “founder effects.”
These arise when a small portion of a population separates and founds a new population, as the Polynesians did each time they ventured to and settled on a new island. This narrowing of the gene pool can amplify the frequency of some rare genetic variants sometimes related to diseases, while others vanish entirely, Ioannidis said. The Polynesians repeated the pattern of settling on new lands, intensifying the effect.
“Repeated founder effects concentrated rare disease-associated variants in Polynesian populations. We identified variants linked to kidney disease and blindness that occur at surprisingly high frequencies in French Polynesia,” Fox said.
Founder effects have been extensively studied in certain populations including the Amish, Ashkenazi Jews and Finns, leading to standard screenings for certain genetic conditions for them.
“Why not Hawaiians?,” Fox asked…..PACNEWS
FIJI – ANTI CORRUPTION: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
‘Remove FICAC’: Submitters question agency’s effectiveness
SUVA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN)—Fresh calls have been made to abolish the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC).
This follows public concerns over unresolved high-profile cases and use of taxpayers’ money.
Submissions made to the Special Committee on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill in Rakiraki questioned the effectiveness and operation of the anti-corruption body.
The submissions come with questions over the unexplained absence of the Acting FICAC Commissioner, Lavinia Rokoika, from office for more than a month.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told the Fiji Sun that he was not informed or made aware of Rokoika’s absence.
Rabuka had recommended to the President, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, in May to appoint Rokoika as acting FICAC Commissioner.
Rabuka said matters relating to the FICAC commissioner fell under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), not his office.
The Fiji Sun was informed that Rokoika did not formally inform the JSC of her absence.
“She does not apply through my office for any absence or leave. I don’t do that. That’s for the Judicial Services Commission to decide,” Rabuka said.
“She reports to the JSC. I deal with the Electoral Commission and commissioners, but Rokoika, I do not have any control over.”
Rakiraki Town Council special administrator Perri Duaniwai questioned the existence of FICAC under the Constitution following the withdrawal of FICAC cases brought before the court.
Duaniwai argued that public funds allocated to FICAC could be better used to strengthen the security adviser’s function within the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Abolish FICAC. It is waste of public and taxpayers’ money,” he said.
“We are watching and we see unsolved high-profile cases, no case to answer.”
However, Duaniwai stressed that abolishing FICAC should not automatically mean removing its powers, urging careful consideration of which functions could be transferred to other institutions.
Another participant Sairusi Naibogibogi also demanded the commission’s abolition.
Naibogibogi alleged corruption within FICAC and questioned the progress and outcomes of its investigations.
“It is a waste of taxpayers’ money. There is a lot of corruption going on in this institution. The investigations they are doing are going nowhere,” he said.
Nabogibogi urged the committee to abolish the commission, claiming its investigations raised more questions than answers.
When approached, JSC chair and Chief Justice Salesi Terna declined to comment on Rokoika’s absence.
Attempts to get a comment from Rokoika and her husband Tevita Vakalalabure were unsuccessful.
Sources within JSC said they would not deal with Ms Rokoika since they did not appoint her…..PACNEWS
NZ – FIJIAN DIASPORA: PMN PACNEWS 3: Wed 21 Oct 2026
Bridging the gap: New digital platform set to save Fijian language for diaspora overseas
AUCKLAND, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (PMN)—A new community-led digital movement is taking aim at the growing cultural divide facing Fijian families living across the globe.
Naisema – which means “connection” in Fijian – is a newly developed website and web application designed to help diaspora communities reclaim their identity, heritage, and language.
The idea was born out of personal frustration for founder Unaisi Natasha Mar, who is based in Brisbane after living in both Fiji and New Zealand.
She found herself searching for resources that matched her own stage of language learning and tools for her son.
“It began with an idea that I had to fill a gap that I saw in the market for Fijian language acquisition for people who have my proficiency,” Mar told PMN Fiji.
“I have a lot of Fijian knowledge already… I am an adult,
I’m a parent, and I don’t necessarily have to start from beginners’ Fijian.”
Finding no suitable available, Mar decided to build the solution herself, driven by concern for what the next generation stands to lose.
“This was one of the needs that I identified that sort of brought about the Naisema idea,” she said. “When we start to have children, we start to ask ourselves what we will pass on… What will we pass on to our children?”
Her concerns mirror wider calls across the Pacific sector. In its strategy to support diaspora communities maintaining their mother tongue, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples stressed that cultural grounding is vital for communities living away from their homelands.
“As a diaspora population, our language, culture and identity is more important now, than ever before,” the Ministry stated. “Language is more than just a way to communicate – it’s a way to connect with our ancestors, our traditions, and our identity.”
While language loss among Pasifika families living away from their homelands is widely recognised, Mar warns that the breakdown is also happening back in the islands.
“We don’t only have issues speaking and holding on to our language ties overseas,” she said. “The more Fijians that I spoke to in Fiji, the more that told me that their children also don’t speak Fijian, living in Fiji.”
She believes this disconnection from cultural identity is not just an academic issue, it has direct consequences for the health and safety of young people trying to navigate the modern world.
“This disconnection from identity and culture has led, in my view, or has played a big part in a lot of the social ills that we face today, like drug abuse, suicide, depression,” Mar said.
“Our culture is something that we should draw strength from, and comfort, and a sense of belonging, identity, and wholeness in every sense.”
Unlike corporate platforms or top-down cultural initiatives, Naisema is intentionally grounded in a grassroots approach.
Mar says the platform is built on direct community consultation, giving everyday Fijians a safe space to share their aspirations away from the hostility of social media.
“When I say ‘from the community’, I mean I am actually part of the community… I don’t actually have any traditional qualifying markers to be someone that you would expect to start something like this,” she said.
“Being from the grassroots community might actually resonate better with the diaspora because you don’t have somebody from on top looking down and prescribing what this should and shouldn’t be.”
Having lived in New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia, Mar sees Naisema as a digital meeting place to unite Fijians everywhere under one voice.
“Naisema is there to encourage us with what we already are… You belong, as you are, you are a Fijian,” Mar said.
Naisema is currently preparing for its official public launch, with updates available via its Facebook and Instagram pages.
Its motto sums up its core mission: Mai vei keda, ki vei keda – “From us, for us.”….PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PAC – ECONOMY: ADB PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 21 Oct 2026
ADB launches new approach to build resilience in small Pacific economies
MANILA, 21 OCTOBER 2026(ADB) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new five-year strategy to strengthen resilience and expand economic opportunities in 12 Pacific island countries (PIC-12).
The Pacific Approach, 2026–2030 will guide ADB’s partnership with the Cook Islands, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Naoero, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Facing some of the world’s highest exposure to climate-related disasters, high costs of delivering services, and constrained institutional capacity, Pacific island economies require development solutions tailored to their unique circumstances.
The Pacific Approach introduces a more differentiated and flexible way of preparing and implementing ADB operations. It will also promote regional solutions where collective action can address shared challenges, strengthen institutions, and achieve economies of scale.
“Pacific countries face development challenges that cannot be addressed through a one-size-fits-all approach,” said ADB Director General for the Pacific Emma Veve.
“ADB will continue to adapt business practices and delivery arrangements to the operating context of smaller, dispersed Pacific economies and concentrate resources where we can provide sustained value.”
ADB will invest in a resilient Pacific through three interconnected priorities:
*Expanding economic opportunities by strengthening management of public resources; deepening integration with regional and global markets; strengthening trade, finance, and investment; and improving business environments to enable private sector investment and create jobs.
*Supporting thriving communities by improving access to essential health, education, and other services; strengthening social protection, skills and economic opportunities; and helping vulnerable households and communities better withstand and recover from shocks.
*Delivering sustainable infrastructure that drives the shift to clean energy; strengthens transport systems that connect people, communities, services, and markets; and supports resilient urban and municipal infrastructure and services such as water supply, solid waste management, and urban roads. ADB will apply the Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles by emphasising local content, value for money across asset life cycles, climate resilience, effective governance and safeguards, and appropriate private sector investment.
Across its portfolio, ADB will strengthen project preparation and implementation, prioritise sustained capacity development, apply fit-for purpose implementation arrangements, ensure realistic provisioning for operation and maintenance, and invest in longer-term programmes that combine financing, policy reform, institutional strengthening, and workforce development.
Responding to evolving development challenges, ADB’s active portfolio in the PIC-12 reached US$1.9 billion across 80 projects at the end of 2025, up from US$454 million across 35 projects at the end of 2015.
The new approach will leverage ADB’s close partnership with Pacific governments and development partners to mobilise expertise and resources for Pacific-led priorities…. PACNEWS
PAC – ICT PROJECT: PACNEWS PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 21 Oct 2026
PNG, Australia update ICT pact to boost cyber security and digital connectivity
PORT MORESBY, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS)— Papua New Guinea and Australia have signed an updated Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation on digital infrastructure, cyber security and technology development.
The agreement was signed on the margins of the PNG–Australia Ministerial Forum in Port Moresby on Tuesday, establishing a consolidated framework for bilateral cooperation on digital development and cyber resilience.
The Marape-Rosso Government said the updated framework would support Papua New Guinea’s efforts to expand digital connectivity, strengthen the security of critical technology systems and improve public service delivery.
The agreement follows commitments made by both countries at the 2025 Ministerial Forum to bring existing digital development, ICT and cyber security arrangements under a broader framework.
In June, PNG’s Department of Information and Communications Technology identified secure digital infrastructure, cyber capability development, artificial intelligence governance, online safety and the protection of critical technology systems as priorities for the proposed agreement.
The wider partnership includes work on PNG’s Telecommunications Blueprint, which aims to expand connectivity, improve affordability, strengthen competition and enhance cyber resilience.
Australia is also supporting PNG’s Sevis Data Exchange, which is designed to enable government systems to exchange information securely and improve the delivery of public services.
The updated memorandum provides a framework for further cooperation, although the benefits for communities and businesses will depend on implementation, investment and the development of local technical expertise.
Stronger digital systems could improve access to government services, expand online learning opportunities, support businesses and strengthen the security of communications.
The signing marks a further step in PNG and Australia’s bilateral partnership, with both countries seeking to strengthen digital infrastructure and improve resilience against cyber threats…PACNEWS
SOL – PALM SCHEME: SOL GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 21 Oct 2026
PM Wale targets 5,000 Solomon Islanders annually for labour mobility
HONIARA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (SOL GOVT) — Solomon Islands is targeting 5,000 workers annually for overseas labour mobility programmes as the government moves to expand opportunities under Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme.
Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale said stronger partnerships between the Solomon Islands Government, Australian authorities and approved employers were needed to increase participation and meet workforce demand.
Speaking at the inaugural PALM Scheme Approved Employer Expo in Honiara, Wale said the government was working to address barriers to participation and improve systems supporting workers.
“The Government is working to address existing barriers and review the National Labour Mobility Policy to strengthen the country’s labour mobility framework,” he said.
More than 13,000 Solomon Islanders have participated in the scheme since 2018, gaining employment, skills and workplace experience while supporting families through remittances.
The expo brings together representatives from 25 approved employers, including seven engaging with Solomon Islands for the first time.
Wale said the government’s target of 5,000 Solomon Islanders annually in labour mobility programmes would require better coordination between government agencies, effective worker preparation and stronger recruitment partnerships.
He said labour mobility was already delivering significant economic benefits to the country.
According to the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, workers participating in labour mobility programmes remitted about SBD507 million to households in 2025.
“Beyond remittances, the scheme provides opportunities for workers to develop skills, gain experience and bring valuable knowledge back to their communities,” Wale said.
He challenged approved employers and the government’s Labour Mobility Unit to work together to recruit from the pool of workers ready for employment and help achieve the annual target.
Wale said the GREAT Coalition Government remained committed to expanding labour mobility opportunities while ensuring workers were adequately prepared and supported.
He said growth in the programme must deliver lasting benefits for Solomon Island workers and their families, employers and both countries….PACNEWS
SOL – TOURISM INDUSTRY: SOL GOVT PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 21 Oct 2026
PM Wale backs ‘Hapi Isles’ brand to boost Solomon Islands tourism
HONIARA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (SOL GOVT) — Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale says the return of the ‘Hapi Isles’ identity will help strengthen the country’s tourism profile while ensuring local communities benefit from the industry.
Speaking at the welcome reception of the Council of Tourism Ministers Meeting in Honiara, Wale said the identity reflected the country’s people, cultural diversity and natural attractions.
He announced that the Hapi Isles brand would be soft-launched at the close of the meeting and called on Pacific partners to help promote Solomon Islands internationally.
“We are not chasing visitor numbers alone. We want visitors who stay longer and spend locally, so that the value stays in our islands and with our people,” Wale said.
He said tourism development must create tangible benefits for local businesses, families and communities rather than focus solely on increasing arrivals.
Wale said the Government’s principles of Solomonisation and First Bite must guide tourism development, ensuring Solomon Islanders remained at the centre of the industry and benefited from the value generated by their land, culture and heritage.
He said regional cooperation would also be critical to growing the country’s tourism sector, particularly through improved air connectivity, joint marketing, private-sector partnerships and greater access for emerging destinations.
“Our goal is simple: strong destinations within an even stronger Pacific,” he said.
Wale acknowledged the South Pacific Tourism Organisation’s role in advancing tourism as a driver of regional economic development, in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
He said the Hapi Isles identity provided an opportunity to raise Solomon Islands’ international profile while protecting cultural heritage and supporting local livelihoods.
The Government’s approach aims to ensure tourism growth contributes to a stronger national economy while keeping the benefits within Solomon Islands communities….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
Pacific Islands at the IPCC-65: “The science cannot be delayed”
ADDIS ABABA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (SPREP)—Science must underpin decision-making at all levels when it comes to addressing climate change, even those made by the global community through the processes of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This was emphasised by our Pacific Islands as they attended the 65th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 65) in October.
Calling for the release of the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7) of the IPCC to align with the Second Global Stocktake (GST2) of the UNFCCC in 2028, the Pacific stressed this scientific data would drive informed decisions for our survival – in line with achieving the 1.5°C warming limit.
As the Oceania Envoy for 1.5 and the representative from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Tina Stege strongly encouraged IPCC to have all three working group reports released in 2028.
“The comprehensive data covering physical science, adaptation/vulnerability and mitigation, is essential in shaping imminent national policy, protecting lives and strengthening legal arguments to keep the 1.5 warming limit within reach.”
This call from the Pacific was in response to proposals from governments to delay the release of the reports until after the GST2 to allow time for more developing countries to engage. This was opposed by the Pacific who stood firm in keeping the original timeline for the release of the reports from the three Working Groups in 2028.
“Holding back the reports will not close the equity issues being raised,” said Agnetha Karamui of Solomon Islands.
“Our sinking islands do not see timelines. Our acidifying oceans do not follow principles and procedures. Science is not an end. It is a means to an end.”
For the first time since the IPCC was formed in 1998, more than half of AR7 authors come from developing countries. Around 5 percent are from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), up from 4% in AR6, and 8 percent are from Least Developed Countries, up from 5 percent.
Karamui rejected the proposal that developing countries need a delay to take part: “Barriers to engagement are not being seen as a motivation to help, but as a reason to hold us back. Our scientists are already present within the IPCC.”
The Global Stocktake is a critical UNFCCC process that assesses collective progress by all countries towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. The first Global Stocktake released during the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in 2023, utilised assessed research findings published in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) in 2021/2022.
Conducting a second global stocktake built on the same evidence from AR6 would be a repeat of the first that would omit five more years of research, much of it conducted by scientists from developing countries, including the Pacific.
During the IPCC65, Dr Yimnang Golbuu of Palau called for more support to enable developing countries to engage effectively with the IPCC. “Our populations are small. But our concerns are large. Having two representatives will make a big difference in our engagement,” said Dr Golbuu.
Kiribati, through Mika Bati, joined several other countries in supporting an increase in the number of funded government delegates under the IPCC Trust Fund from one to two. “Our single delegate is often the head, script writer, researcher, communications officer all in one,” stated Bati.
The Working Group I report, on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, will, for the first time, includes a chapter dedicated to responses to loss and damage. This includes non-economic losses such as culture, identity, ancestral land and burial grounds.
Antfalo Levu of Vanuatu described these as “losses that cannot be insured. Losses that cannot be rebuilt.”
This evidence base helps Pacific countries quantify climate impacts on their islands and support their claims to international climate funds, such as the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
Vanuatu also linked the science directly to international law. In July 2025, the International Court of Justice affirmed that States have binding obligations to protect the climate system. In May 2026, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly welcomed that opinion with 141 votes in favour.
“Climate science is no longer merely a policy reference. It is now the baseline for legal compliance,” Vanuatu told the IPCC 65.
“Every year of delay is a year in which communities on the frontline bear losses that cannot yet be measured or claimed.” He added, “In the Pacific, a skewed timeline means a seawall built too low or relocation planned too late.”
Over five days, the Panel considered procedures, the IPCC budget for 2026–2029 and the timeline for the Seventh Assessment Report (AR7). This is important as the science informs policy and decision-making at the 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, which commences on 9 November. It closed on Friday, 16 October. Countries still needed to agree on the AR7 timeline and the IPCC budget with corresponding workplan.
The Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) delegation comprised one representative from Kiribati, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu with technical and coordination support from the Climate Change Resilience Programme through the Pacific Climate Change Centre at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Governments from around the world met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 12 to 16 October 2026 for the 65th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 65).
The region has been building its own engagement. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), through support from the Australian and New Zealand governments, has supported 14 Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) with writing workshops, regional dialogues and the recent launch of the Pacific Climate Change Journal….PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
PNG’s Independence Vote. Australia Can Help
Canberra should stay out of what Port Moresby decides on Bougainville, but it can push for a concrete timeline for the decision.
By Yilan Liang
BUKA, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (THE DIPLOMAT)—In September, Kokoda constituency in Bougainville declared itself “independence ready.” At the ceremony, Ishmael Toroama, president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, pledged funding for a hospital and a police station.
Similar ceremonies are being held across Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Each carries the same message: the long road from civil war to self-determination is nearing its end.
97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voted in favor of independence in 2019, but that referendum was not binding. PNG’s parliament has the final say, and seven years later, the wait for a parliamentary decision continues.
This year, Prime Minister James Marape had proposed holding a vote on August 30. Parliament formally received the result on August 27, then adjourned without voting.
Now Peter Tsiamalili Jr, Bougainville’s regional MP and the leader of government business, has announced a two-day debate for October 20-21. That is progress. But it remains unclear whether the sitting will end in a vote, or what will follow if parliament adjourns without one.
Australia has been careful on the issue of Bougainville, with good reason. In 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said Canberra’s job was to “support Papua New Guinea.” Bougainville’s leadership took that as a retreat from neutrality, and Canberra had to clarify that it would support whatever the two sides agreed.
Australia is right to keep its distance on what parliament decides, but it can – and should – help nudge PNG to make a decision.
The 2001 Bougainville peace agreement required a referendum within 10 to 15 years after the election of Bougainville’s first autonomous government. The agreement also gave PNG’s parliament authority to make the final decision on independence – but did not set a deadline for parliamentary action.
The 2022 Era Kone Covenant set 2027 as the outer limit for implementing independence or another settlement, but again it failed to fix a date for parliament to vote. The covenant’s one interim deadline – tabling the result in parliament by the end of 2023 – was missed by almost three years.
The lack of a deadline lets Port Moresby postpone a politically difficult decision; meanwhile Bougainville’s leaders must keep persuading supporters to accept the wait. Many who sustained the peace are former combatants who staked their credibility on the promise that politics would produce an answer. Toroama himself was once a rebel commander. He now warns that trust is under strain even as he urges Bougainvilleans to stay patient. Each postponement makes that appeal harder to sustain.
The approaching PNG election compounds the problem. Under the provisional timetable, voting will be held from June 26 to July 9 of next year. If PNG’s parliament does not vote before the election, the decision will pass to a new parliament, which may first need to decide how much of its predecessor’s groundwork it accepts. Bougainville’s leaders have set September 1, 2027, as the “firm timetable” for a further stage of self-government. At that point, the new PNG parliament would be barely a month old.
Without an agreed timetable, Bougainville and PNG are heading back toward potential conflict. “Trust is the foundation of every agreement. Where agreed processes have been departed from, concerns have naturally arisen,” Toroama said while announcing his timetable in June. He added that “recent events violating these existing understandings cannot be ignored or downplayed,” even as he urged the people of Bougainville to “remain patient.”
Australia has a stake in avoiding a new rift between PNG’s central government and Bougainville. Canberra witnessed the 2001 agreement and led the Peace Monitoring Group that helped hold the ceasefire. Under the Pukpuk Treaty that entered into force in July, Australia and the PNG are formal allies, with an obligation to consult on threats to either country’s sovereignty, peace, or stability.
If Bougainville moves on its own timetable in 2027 and Port Moresby treats that as a challenge to its sovereignty, Canberra might be asked to consult as an ally on the dispute. It’s better for Australia to press for a credible timetable now than be forced to take sides later.
Port Moresby may resent even that level of Australian involvement. Marape’s government frames the referendum as a matter for PNG’s constitutional process, and an ally’s question about parliamentary scheduling can easily be heard as pressure on parliament.
But in asking for a concrete deadline, Canberra would merely be aligning itself with voices from within the PNG. When the result was tabled in August, opposition leader James Nomane told parliament the government should “not kick the can down the road” and pressed it to say when MPs would vote. The PNG and Bougainville have already agreed that Marape and Toroama will jointly determine the date. Canberra would simply be holding them to their word.
A hurried vote under contested procedures could deepen mistrust. In June, parliament set the bar for ratification at a three-quarters majority: 89 of 118 members. Bougainville’s leaders dispute the threshold and how the rule was adopted. However, leaving the vote date open-ended risks pushing the issue past the election – and conflicting with Toroama’s timetable.
That is where Canberra can help. Its role is not to shape the outcome, but to help ensure the process does not drag on indefinitely. Through existing ministerial talks, it should seek a date for the vote and a timetable for addressing the disputed voting rules. A deadline alone is not enough; the covenant had one. What matters is what happens if the next deadline is missed. Both governments should then say publicly why it slipped, who must act next, and when parliament will return to the issue.
If a pre-election vote proves impossible, a joint record of what has been agreed, what remains contested, and when talks resume would at least protect the handover to the next parliament. Australia, already a backer of the transfer of powers, could help maintain that record with both sides’ consent.
Kokoda says it is ready for independence. If Bougainvilleans are asked to keep waiting for parliament to act, their governments owe them a clear account of what comes next….PACNEWS
Yilan Liang is a master’s student in International Affairs at the National University of Singapore.
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
AI on track to ‘crowd out’ human decision-making in warfare
NEW YORK, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) —Artificial intelligence is already being widely used on the battlefield, and the role of human judgment in military operations is shrinking rapidly, the head of the UN’s independent disarmament research institute warned on Tuesday.
In a briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, UNIDIR Director Robin Geiss had a stark question for journalists: “Are we going to let machines target and kill human beings?” he asked, warning that AI was increasingly “on track to crowding out human decision-making” in the sector.
The UN Secretary General has been repeatedly urging stakeholders to make sure we do not cross this “moral red line.”
Master and commander
AI is being given a growing number of responsibilities in military affairs, from intelligence analysis and target identification to drone operations and orchestrating cyber-attacks.
Crucially, this comes at the expense of human judgement, including in the nuclear domain, Geiss stressed.
The shift is dramatically increasing the pace of battlefield operations, shortening the time between identifying and striking targets and allowing forces to engage an unprecedented number of targets each day.
At the same time, many of these evolving AI systems are opaque, and the UNIDIR chief warned they are increasing the risk of error, miscalculation and therefore of unintended escalation.
As AI tools are becoming easier to use, it will also become easier for non-State actors to engage in ever-more sophisticated military operations, he said.
Geopolitical convergence
Geiss recognised that geopolitical competition and tensions are “serious obstacles” to regulating AI involvement in the military sector.
Yet he also stressed that concerns about its risks are increasingly being shared – regardless of political outlook – including among major global powers.
In September, for example, the United States proposed an AI “notification mechanism” with China, so the world’s two largest military spenders can warn each other about AI incidents that could threaten national security.
The UN Secretary General’s repeated calls for stronger regulation of military AI and a legally binding treaty on lethal autonomous weapon systems are also “increasingly [finding] an echo across the international community,” the UNIDIR Director said.
A multilateral response
The UNIDIR is working actively to create some of the building blocks required for multilateral cooperation on the matter.
On Thursday, the UNIDIR Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security will launch a new multi-stakeholder forum on AI in international peace and security and in the military domain – the first and only such forum within the UN system so far, said Geiss.
The forum will focus on three areas:
1. Developing a framework for responsible industry behaviour, with practical, voluntary guidelines for companies to follow at the design and development stage for AI military tools.
2. Developing an “AI security lexicon” to clarify key concepts such as autonomy, safety or security, which are currently being used very differently by different stakeholders – creating ambiguity that hinders trust and cooperation.
3. Addressing the risk of misuse of AI by non-State armed groups to support operational planning, execution, and logistics. …PACNEWS
PACNEWS SPORT
PNG – RUGBY LEAGUE: AAP PACNEWS SPORT: Wed 21 Oct 2026
‘True identity’: PNG Chiefs unveil new logo amid drama
PORT MORESBY, 21 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP)—With legal action and lawyers circling in the background, the PNG Chiefs have unveiled their official logo and supporter jersey on what Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape hailed as a day that secured “the future for our children”.
The ceremony in Port Moresby on Wednesday took place amid controversy over the use of the “Chiefs” branding, due to the existence of the Waikato-based Chiefs in the Super Rugby competition.
The New Zealand High Court recently rejected an application for an interim injunction by the New Zealand Rugby (NZR), which sought to prevent the PNG Chiefs using the branding.
The judge in Wellington ruled that the proposed injunction could harm the NRL expansion club’s ability to attract players ahead of their 2028 entry into the competition.
The battle over the trademark and naming rights will continue, with a final injunction still before the court.
For now the PNG Chiefs have clear air and are making the most of it.
The logo, designed by a team of Papua New Guinean graphic artists, has as its centrepiece the face of a chief, adorned by a five-feather headpiece decorated with kina shells and a cassowary bone through his nose.
The symbols represent qualities such as national pride, courage, power and unity.
“Today marks one of the most significant milestones in the journey of the PNG Chiefs,” club chief executive Lorna McPherson said.
“This is the first time that our club has its true, complete identity …a logo and jersey that our players, partners and fans can hold to as their own.”
The supporter jersey features cultural drawings by TABU, a renowned Papua New Guinean artist.
The new franchise was given its impetus by an injection of $600 million (US$420 million) by the Australian government, with $290 million (US$203 million) set aside for direct support of the Chiefs over a 10-year period.
Another $60 million (US$42 million) was allocated for NRL licence fees, and $250 million(US$175 million) for the Pacific Rugby League Partnership with Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.
There has been debate over the use of taxpayer funds for the venture, but PNG Prime Minister James Marape had a message for Australians who have their doubts.
“To Australian taxpayers I want to say one thing, your contribution is not in vain,” Marape said on Wednesday.
“Your investment will be returned in many many ways.”
Of the two nations, now united by an NRL team, Marape said: “We are marked by geography. We are marked by history, and what we are doing today is securing the future for our children.”
The focus of the government funds was stipulated to be not just about providing pathways to the NRL and NRLW for elite players, but also to enhance the grass roots via school programs, with a focus on girls.
The funding also targets social impact aims that include fostering healthy lifestyles and increasing school attendance.
The Chiefs have been active and successful in the player market, with big-name recruits Jarome Luai, Brian To’o, Joey Manu, Alex Johnston, Zac Lomax and Connor Watson already signed for 2028.
The Chiefs are currently seeking to sign Canberra and NSW back-rower Hudson Young.
From 01 November they will be in a position to target players contracted to other clubs for the 2027 season.
Gold Coast and PNG international forward Cooper Bai, the son of Kumuls legend Marcus Bai, is an obvious target.
Bai, contracted to the Titans until the end of 2027, said he was open to investigating an offer should the Chiefs come knocking.
“They are all options. I will have a look at it, but I have to wait until 01 November,” Bai told AAP….PACNEWS