The Pacific Elders’ Voice has called for the Pacific Islands Forum to review and reverse its partnership agreement with Israel.

The group of former Pacific prime ministers, presidents and senior diplomats says the Forum’s decision to make Israel a sectoral partner conflicts with the region’s commitments to human rights, self-determination and international law.

In a statement, the Pacific Elders’ Voice (PEV) said the Forum’s decision raised questions about the consistency of the region’s positions on colonialism, human rights and self-determination.

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It cited the conflict in Gaza, illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and what it described as violations of international law, while also noting unresolved issues of political status and self-determination in the Pacific.

The PEV said the agreement to partner with Israel should be reversed to ensure the Forum’s external partnerships remain consistent with the region’s stated principles on peace, justice and respect for international law.

“The Pacific remains one of the only regions in the world with the largest number of peoples living under occupation — from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam; from Kanaky New Caledonia to French Polynesia; and from West Papua to Bougainville.”

The Pacific Elders group said it had consistently supported decolonisation and self-determination in Kanaky and West Papua, as well as investigations by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Pacific Islands Forum into alleged serious human rights violations by France and Indonesia.

Israel’s ‘genocide .. . long history of offending’
“Given our principled positions on colonialism and human rights violations in the region, the PEV is perturbed with the Forum’s recent partnership with Israel, the state which has committed genocide in Gaza, and has a long history of offending against UN resolutions and international law.”

The Elders group echoed a range of Pacific Islands civil society groups in calling for the Forum’s partnership with Israel to be reviewed and reversed.

The group noted that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who has just faced an election in which his governing coalition bloc has failed to win a majority — and other Israeli leaders are considered to have committed war crimes, with arrest warrants in their name issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Members of the Pacific Elder’s Voice include former Pacific Forum Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor, former Kiribati President Anote Tong; the former President of Palau Tommy E. Remengesau Jr; Robert Underwood — a former Guam delegate to the US House of Representatives and former President of the University of Guam; Tuvalu’s former prime minister Enele Sopoaga; former Fiji Foreign Minister and ambassador Kaliopate Tavola; and Konai Helu Thaman — Tongan academic and former professor at the University of the South Pacific.

Papua New Guinea’s West New Britain province Governor Sasindran Muthuvel says the public is deeply frustrated with repeated armed robberies and other violent crime.

Sasindran Muthuvel’s comment comes after police confirmed the death of 12 men who they say staged an armed robbery at a tradestore in West New Britain’s capital Kimbe on Monday.

Muthuvel told RNZ Pacific it was unfortunate that lives were lost, but noted the group fired on police while trying to flee the scene.

• READ MORE: Other PNG crime reports

The governor said people of the province are frustrated at the surge in activity by criminal groups of so-called “raskols”.

“A lot of genuine people are being hurt and killed also in these kind of holdups by these raskols because they don’t know how to use firearms, or these are homemade guns.

“They just misfire and kill innocent people. We have lost mothers, young people, and all those things in these kind of holdups.”

Police Commissioner David Manning said that while attempting to escape police, the armed group’s vehicle rolled, resulting in the death of a number of passengers.

He said those not seriously injured in the vehicle roll-over subsequently drew weapons and chose to open fire on police.

“Police standing orders and the law are clear — when a criminal raises a weapon they will be stopped,” Manning said in a statement.

“A total of 12 gunmen died in the incident, while one man, believed to be the ringleader of the group, survived and is in police custody.”

Muthuvel said it was fortuitous that the Police Mobile Squad were already in the area attending to another incident.

Terrorising innocent communities
According to the governor, some members of the public have themselves attacked armed robbers in recent incidents, a reflection of the frustration in the community over the activities of criminal groups.

He said it was common for these groups to hold up PMVs (public motor vehicles) and rob the passengers.

PMVs are easy to hold up, Muthuvel said, because they frequently have to drive slowly to navigate the many potholes on local roads.

“When [the PMVs] slow down, they held them up. They get all the women to come outside. They remove, steal all their belongings and take their money and all those things.

“Most of the time, they physically abuse them, attack them, and all those things. This is where it’s really frustrating for us.

“Many times, innocent people get attacked, businesses get robbed. And this police incident, it so happened that when they escaped, there was another police operation happening in that area, so Mobile Squad was already there.”

Authorities cracking down
Muthuvel said he supports a call in parliament this month by Oro Province governor Gary Juffa for criminal groups to be officially categorised as terrorists.

“They’re constantly going and terrorising innocent communities, publics, and all these people. So if it is not contained, then it will be a similar situation like what Governor Juffa is encountering in Popondetta.”

Meanwhile, PNG’s Police Minister John Pundari commended the swift intervention of police in the Kimbe robbery and other incidents.

“l commend those police officers on the front line in West New Britain who have confronted criminals involved in two armed robberies over the past four days.

“This follows an event last Friday when a group of gunmen robbed a PMV near Kimbe, and were confronted by a lone Police Officer. Following an exchange of gunfire, one gunman was killed while the remainder ran away into the bush.

“These incidents demonstrate that police will respond forcefully to remove firearms who elect to use illegal firearms,” Pundari said.

“The firearm amnesty provides a clear opportunity for people to surrender illegal firearms without fear of prosecution, and they should take advantage of it.”

Israel’s inclusion into the Pacific region’s main political body has drawn sharply contrasting reactions across the region.

While the official diplomatic tone from Pacific leaders, including New Zealand, has been welcoming and focused on consensus, civil society groups have described the move as wrong and demanded a review.

Others, such as Kiwi media academic Professor David Robie, have called it “shameful”, while veteran Solomon Islands diplomat Collin Beck said it puts into question the “credibility” of the Pacific Islands Forum’s (PIF) partnership mechanism.

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Israel announced its acceptance into the Forum via a news release posted on X last Wednesday, which swiftly attracted a range of reactions — both for and against the move.

Another diplomatic achievement: Israel joins the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as a Forum Partner.

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Baron Divavesi Waqa, has informed me that Israel has been accepted as a Forum Partner, following a decision at the meeting of the Forum’s member state leaders in Palau.

This follows my visit to Fiji in June, where I met with the Secretary General and presented Israel’s request to join the Forum.

Strengthening ties with the Pacific Island nations is one of my objectives. Earlier this year, I opened Israel’s Embassy in Fiji, which also serves nine other Pacific Island nations, all friendly to Israel.
Under the current government, three of these countries, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Nauru, have opened embassies in Jerusalem.

As a Forum Partner, Israel will participate in a framework for cooperation in areas of mutual interest, based on regional priorities and Israel’s expertise in water management, desalination, agriculture, tackling climate change, innovation and sustainable development.

Israel and the Forum will also develop a joint action plan setting out practical areas of cooperation and a mechanism to monitor progress.

— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) October 20, 2026

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has “serious questions to answer” over Israel becoming a partner of the region’s main political decision-making institution, Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson says.

Israel has joined the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) as a development partner, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Wednesday.

A number of Pacific governments have been forging closer ties with Israel’s government at the same time that its standing in the international community has dropped to a new low.

• READ MORE: Israel joins Pacific Islands Forum as development partner
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The Israeli government has been widely accused of violating international law with its devastating military attack on Gaza and attacks on four other Middle Eastern countries over the past two years.

Luxon stated earlier this month that his Israel counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to New Zealand, after the International Criminal Court’s recent decision to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and others in his cabinet.

He said Israel’s entry to the PIF ecosystem was ultimately a decision for the Forum, but noted its partnership status would be “lower tier”.

The New Zealand leader attended the meeting in Palau last month when PIF leaders decided to recognise Israel as a new partner.

‘Warm Pacific welcome’
ACT leader David Seymour extended “a warm Pacific welcome” to Israel after it was accepted as a partner state.

“Another democratic country in the Pacific Islands Forum is a good thing — possibly a bit geographically challenged. But then we’ve had Britain try and join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, so it seems geography is no barrier these days.”

However, Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson Vanushi Walters said if her party were in government, it would have opposed Israel’s inclusion in the PIF.

“Christopher Luxon has said that he would arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he came to New Zealand,” she said.

“He has serious questions to answer on how this situation has come about and what steps New Zealand took to object.”

New Zealand has issued a travel ban targeting some Israeli leaders. But in terms of who from Israel would be attending the PIF summit in New Zealand next year, Luxon said it was more on an official level, rather than leader level.

Tel Aviv has stepped up its diplomatic focus on the Pacific over the last few years, gaining support from a number of Pacific countries in the process.

With its new PIF status, Israel will be obliged to engage actively with the region on development priorities in the areas such as water management, desalination, agriculture and climate change adaptation.

“Israel will participate in the Forum’s Sectoral Partnership Stream, enabling focused cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.

It also referred to a more wide-ranging agreement between Israel and the PIF that would set out key goals, and a mechanism to measure their progress.

The PIF Secretariat itself has not issued a formal statement.

In recent times, three Pacific countries have announced they would open embassies in Jerusalem — Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Naoero, and other Pacific nations are considering following suit.

They are among just a handful of countries that recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in spite of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 478 and subsequent international consensus that foreign embassies in Jerusalem are considered a violation of international law.

Samoan government released a statement last night highlighting Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt’s reflections from his past visit. La’auli wants to open the embassy as soon as possible and they are looking forward to it.

“The Prime Minister spoke about some of his greatest memories in Israel and one is when he was walking through the old city and seeing an abundance of fruits used to make juice which he said was amazing,” the Samoan government said in a statement on Tuesday night.

A play for recognition
Sione Tekiteki, a former PIF advisor and now law lecturer at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), told RNZ’s Midday Report that Israel was seeking to use the Pacific as a means of legitimising itself — using the affection it has won in the region.

“They are obviously tied. The strategic aspect here is gaining formal recognition through the Forum, which elevates it’s status beyond bilateral relationships,” he said.

In June, Fiji hammered out an agreement for Israel to open an embassy in Suva, which would service nine Pacific countries.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who is subject to multiple complaints at the ICC in relation to Gaza, landed in Fiji last June, and was welcomed by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka — who himself was deployed in the Golan Heights in his military days.

Rabuka, while sharing a kava bowl with Sa’ar, told him “we will always be with you”.

Most recently, Naoero opened a Jerusalem embassy within days of withdrawing from the ICC. Its government boasted about its record of voting in tow with Israel at the United Nations.

Most recently, Naoero opened a Jerusalem embassy within days of withdrawing from the ICC, a move applauded by the Trump administration.

The Naoero government press office has not responded to questions on whether this decision had to do with active ICC charges laid against Israeli leaders.

How will Israel participate in the Pacific?
Tekiteki said in the decision to grant membership — made in Palau at last month’s PIF leaders summit — partners were considered in their totality, “as opposed to having specific conversations around specific countries”.

The nature of Israel’s diplomacy in the region has been described by Israel officials as a “sharing of expertise”, rather than a traditional aid relationship.

Israeli firms have established themselves in several Pacific countries, and Pacific nationals are provided opportunities to travel to Israel to study and work.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel told RNZ Pacific last year that they do not measure their friendship with the region by the amount spend on aid — which is relatively minor.

“Israel is not a major economical power that has a lot of money to spend, especially during times of war,” she said, adding that Israel had no plans to increase support in monetary terms.

“It’s not about the amount of money that we can invest but the quality and the things and how it affects the people.”

Haskel visited Papua New Guinea and Fiji a year ago. Her country agreed to provide for cybersecurity services in Fiji, with representatives from defence contractor Elbit, also part of her visiting delegation.

On the same trip, Haskel suggested that Fiji could deploy army personnel to the Gaza strip, where it is currently carrying out a devastating long-term military campaign against Palestinians.

This came before a formal request by the United States to Fiji in December for troops to join a UN-authorised International Stabilisation Force in Gaza — which Fiji has given no formal response to.

As for PIF itself, Tekieki said New Zealand, as next year’s hosts, would have to make some hard decisions around Israel’s participation.

“Israel is a sectoral partner … it is still unclear whether, moving forward, sectoral partners would be invited into the PIF leaders meeting, or whether those dialogues would be held at ministerial level.”

The High Court has declined New Zealand Rugby’s application for an interim injunction against the PNG Chiefs NRL rugby league franchise using its name in New Zealand.

The NZR has been seeking to stop Papua New Guinea’s incoming franchise from using the Chiefs moniker also used by the Super Rugby franchise.

The trademark dispute is likely bound for a more substantive trial next year. Meanwhile, the PNG Chiefs, who are to enter the NRL in 2028, will launch their brand and logo next Wednesday.

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The NZR has held the trademark for the Chiefs name since the 1990s, and IP Australia has previously knocked back attempts by the NRL to register the Chiefs trademark because of what it identified as the potential for brand confusion.

Following the High Court decision, the CEO of the rugby Chiefs, Simon Graafhuis, told RNZ Pacific that the NZR was “absolutely” considering legal action in Australia.

At today’s High Court hearing in Wellington, the NZR’s lawyer Earl Gray argued that the PNG Chiefs made no distinction from the rugby Chiefs in its various media materials.

He argued that the NRL was seeking to take away the rugby Chiefs’ brand exclusivity ‘by stealth”, claiming PNG Chiefs’ plans for a brand launch showed the “ramping up and loss of control of this brand” which had been built up over decades by the rugby Chiefs.

Status quo unchanged
But Clive Elliot, the lawyer for the defendant, the Australian Rugby League Commission, said the launch would not change the status quo and was simply the unveiling of the franchise’s strip or team jersey.

He said given the NZR became aware of the PNG Chiefs name around a year ago, that to only now be filing an urgent application for an injunction after an “extremely long delay” was not appropriate.

Earlier, Gray said the NRL franchise’s representatives had been using the “PNG Chiefs” and “Chiefs” interchangeably, which created confusion for sports fans and the many people who follow both union and league codes.

“Confusion can reign,” he said while also warning of potential impact on sponsorship, but Elliot said the geographical qualifier of “PNG” distinguished the franchise clearly.

He said that the PNG Chiefs were at a critical juncture as they tried to build the club and recruit key players during the brief free agency period which opens up in November and ends by the new year.

Elliot said that a temporary injunction at this point would threaten those efforts by creating a cloud over the franchise’s reputation.

However, Earl Gray said a cloud was effectively already hovering, due to the confusion factor.

Some Papua New Guinea parliamentarians are calling for tougher laws against violent criminals who they say should be categorised as “terrorists”.

It comes as PNG police released details of a counter-terrorism operation in Southern Highlands province, in which they seized a cache of high-powered weapons and military-grade explosives.

Various districts in PNG have been experiencing a surge in activity by criminal groups, according to MPs during discussion this week in Parliament.

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Oro Governor Gary Juffa said that in his province, criminal organisations had been engaging in “brutal, violent crimes, killings, injury to innocent people and disruption of especially health and education services”.

“These criminal organisations, we are submitting that they be declared ‘terrorist organisations’ because that is essentially what they are doing — these are crimes of terror whereby they are disrupting government services deliberately and preventing our children from accessing these services, our women, our elderly people, our innocent citizens.”

Juffa sought an update from Attorney-General Pila Ninigi over a submission to his office earlier this year from the Police Minister which asks for criminal groups targeting public infrastructure and government services to be declared terrorists.

Ninigi, who is also the justice minister, said the government was looking into it and assured Juffa that the issue was being taken seriously.

“There are constitutional questions that need to be answered and looked at. If it needs to amend certain provisions in the constitution, we shall do so, and come through the Parliament [to] make necessary amendments,” Ninigi said.

In 2014, PNG’s Parliament passed the Counter Terrorism Act, which defines terrorism, prescribes what constitutes a terrorist organisation, and gives police and defence forces expanded powers.

Police counter-terror raid
Police this week said a counter-terrorism operation in Southern Highlands province resulted in seizure of factory-made weapons, ammunition and military-grade explosives in a raid on a business in Poroma.

“In particular, the discovery of C-4 explosive blocks and detonation fuses is extremely alarming, as this material has no legitimate use in civil society and is extremely dangerous,” the country’s Police Commissioner David Manning said.

“The threat posed by these domestic terrorist groups is serious, and police will continue to break open their networks, remove weapons and take suspects into custody to prevent them from undertaking attacks on vulnerable communities.”

News of the seizure, which occurred in late September, comes as police also seized a major cache of high-powered firearms and weapons manufacturing equipment in Port Moresby last week.

“Criminals holding these explosives, along with assault rifles, shotguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition pose a high terrorist threat and this is why we have new laws in place to deal with them,” Commissioner Manning said.

“Investigations are still underway and charges being prepared, as well as the ongoing hunt for accomplices and those involved in bring the weapons to where they were hidden.”

Papua New Guinea has committed around US$5.5 million ($25 million kina) to Tuvalu over five years in aid of its coastal reclamation efforts.

PNG’s Prime Minister James Marape made the announcement at the Pre-COP31 climate meeting in Tuvalu.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo in Funafuti, Marape confirmed that funding would be allocated from each annual budget over the five-year term.

• READ MORE: Other COP climate reports

He said climate change is playing out in real time in the atoll nation, and that even a relatively small amount of investment will make a significant difference.

“It would buy them two or three more generations of life, if they buy 10 soccer fields in land reclamations wherever you can,” Marape said.

Tuvalu consists of low-lying atolls encompassing a total land mass of 26 sq km, making the country highly exposed to sea level rise and environmental degradation.

“Let’s rally behind them (Tuvalu), let’s help them preserve their sovereignty, and let’s move on in this instead of going to COPs with no serious commitments,” Marape said.

‘Talk fests’
Teo acknowledged PNG’s contribution, stating that the financial resources will be used to secure the island nation’s highly vulnerable coast line.

But he noted that while international bodies recently adopted a political declaration on sea level rise at the UN General Assembly, declarations alone cannot physically fix eroding coastlines without substantial capital.

Marape also criticised the lack of actionable progress at global climate forums, referring to them as “talk fests” with few serious commitments.

He said he would not attend the global COP-31 summit in Türkiye next month, choosing instead to focus resources on regional solidarity and localised adaptation projects.

The PNG leader also issued a formal appeal to industrialised nations, including the United States. China, Japan, India, and the United Kingdom, to provide direct financial assistance to small island states facing immediate existential threats.

Target call
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Pacific cannot afford to lose sight of the 1.5 degrees C target as rising seas, extreme weather and El Niño conditions intensify across the region.

Albanese has been in Tuvalu and Fiji attending the Pre-COP climate meetings with other leaders from the Pacific region.

The Post-Courier reports him saying Pacific nations must convert their shared concern about climate change into collective action.

He argues the 1.5 degrees target on global warming remains vital as sea levels rise and extreme weather worsens.

Albanese said Pacific leaders should speak with a united voice to demand stronger global action ahead of COP31.

The new president of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) wants to strengthen the region’s newsrooms.

Neville Choi, who is also president of Papua New Guinea’s Media Council, told RNZ Pacific that the PINA secretariat needed greater support, accountability and transparency.

Choi said strengthening the PINA secretariat was his initial focus as president.

• READ MORE: Other Pacific media reports

He also wants to see national media associations empowered.

“Because the national media associations should be the contact point for all the media in each of the countries,” he said.

“Those are the two main things: strengthening; in any way we can to strengthen and provide more accountability and transparency to the PINA Secretariat, and give them more help and assistance, and see what they need.”

He said the Pacific’s media organisations were facing rapid changes brought about by advancements in technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).

AI widely discussed
The use of AI was a widely discussed topic at the PINA Media Summit in Fiji last week.

“Understanding how AI works, and effectively using those and incorporating those into our newsroom workflows, AI is just the start of it.

“We feel in PNG that AI is still a tool, and that we need also need to strengthen the human oversight over all of our newsroom processes, which is the core of what we do.”

Choi believes larger media organisations have a role to play in supporting smaller media outlets facing challenges.

He said while “media in the Pacific is now stronger than it [once] was, it can get stronger”.

“We can be more united. We have a lot of small island state media who are still doing it tough,” he said.

“They have a lot of challenges, and the bigger media organisations within the region can help them by empowering them, providing mentoring and training – that’s one of the main focuses also for PINA.”

Meanwhile, PNG’s Media Council and National Broadcasting Corporation have jointly agreed to host the next Pacific Media Summit in Port Moresby.

A young mother who gave birth to triplets in a remote part of Papua New Guinea was successfully evacuated, but all three of her babies died before help could reach them.

Manolos Aviation carried out this morning’s emergency medical evacuation from Onga-Waffa in Markham Distict, bringing the mother into Morobe Province’s capital, Lae, shortly after 10am before she was taken to hospital for further treatment.

The woman had given birth prematurely to triplets at about eight months into her pregnancy.

• READ MORE: Other PNG medical emergency reports

Despite the efforts of health workers at the local health facility, all three babies died within hours of each other. The clinic had limited resources and was unable to provide the level of specialised neonatal care required by the premature babies.

Manolos Aviation chief executive and pilot Captain Jurgen Ruh said the outcome could potentially have been different if the medivac team had received the emergency call earlier.

“None of the babies survived. One of the babies died last night and the other two died this morning at nine o’clock,” Captain Ruh said.

The tragedy again highlights the difficulties faced by mothers and newborn babies in remote parts of Papua New Guinea, where geographical isolation, poor transport links and limited medical resources can turn complications during childbirth into life-threatening emergencies.

Echoes earlier evacuation
For Manolos Aviation, the case also carries echoes of an earlier evacuation involving another mother of triplets.

In May 2017, the company evacuated 25-year-old Rose Andy and her newborn triplets — two boys and a girl — from the remote village of Sikami in Obura-Wonenara District, Eastern Highlands Province.

The mother was suffering serious complications following the birth and was bleeding when the call for assistance was made.

Captain Ruh and a medivac nurse flew into the remote community, stabilised the mother and babies and transported them to Angau General Hospital in Lae. All three babies survived, and after four weeks at Angau, the family was cleared to return home.

Manolos Aviation’s medical evacuation work has since expanded considerably, with its MAMA Medevac programme providing emergency air transport for patients from some of the country’s most isolated communities.

One of its most high-profile recent missions involved conjoined twins Tom and Sawong, who were born at Braun Memorial Hospital in Finschhafen in October 2025.

Within two days of their birth, Manolos Aviation evacuated the twins to Angau Memorial Hospital before they were eventually transferred to Australia for highly specialised medical treatment.

Doctors later carried out a complex separation operation in Sydney. Tom, who had severe medical complications, did not survive, but the operation saved Sawong.

The leaders of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands have issued a strong call to action to industrial nations and the international community to act on the climate crisis.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly High-Level Plenary Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea-Level Rise, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape demanded industrial nations to stop the “empty promises” and cut their carbon emissions.

Marape urged the biggest economies to do more to mitigate the impact of sea-level rise threats for PNG and Pacific small island states.

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He expressed deep frustration with what he described as empty promises from industrialised nations.

He said that while climate conversations had remained at the forefront of international diplomacy, actual mitigation from big polluters had been minimal.

“Stop your carbon emissions. We must secure our planet and our future,” Marape said.

“There is only one planet for all of us. Rich or poor, big or small, powerful or not powerful, it does not matter. If we destroy this planet, we pass a ruined world to our children. Sea-level rise is here amidst us, and we must act now. It is enough of talking,” he said.

Wale calls for ‘real action’
Meanwhile, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale said the time for climate promises is over, urging real action from the international community.

Wale made the comments while addressing the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on “Just Transition” at the Trusteeship Council in New York.

He called for grant-based, predictable and accessible finance that turns climate commitments into resilience on the ground.

Wale said the Solomon Islands contributes less than 0.0015 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet communities regularly face threats from rising seas, king tides, saltwater intrusion, cyclones, droughts and extreme rainfall.

“Solomon Islands did not cause this crisis, yet we bear its consequences every day,” the prime minister said.

According to Wale, vulnerable countries like his were being forced to make difficult choices between climate action and essential development priorities, including education, health, food and water security and infrastructure.

“Climate finance must be grant-based, predictable and accessible, aligned with national priorities and without adding to the debt burden of vulnerable countries,” he said.

“The time for promises is over. Commitments must become finance, and ambition must become resilience on the ground.”

As the Pacific Islands region reels from a series of recent maritime tragedies, a regional climatologist says it is imperative that boat operators take extra caution in a time of turbulent weather.

There have been dozens of fatalities from incidents at sea in recent months in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu among other Pacific countries.

Although an official or confirmed death toll is not yet known for Vanuatu’s MV Matui tragedy on September 11, it is likely that dozens of people died.

• READ MORE: Vanuatu ferry disaster: ‘It’s a miracle anyone survived,’ says rescuer

A common factor in this and other maritime tragedies in the Pacific over recent months has been rough seas and weather conditions, and coincides with a time when the El Niño phase is getting into full swing across the Pacific.

El Niño has caused extreme heat in parts of the world, extensive drought in the Western Pacific and disruptions to ocean currents through the tropical Pacific.

A senior climatologist with the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Philip Malsale, said El Niño had created a lot of movement of warm waters towards the Eastern Pacific, as a high pressure system moved up closer to the equator, with an active monsoon trough over the Western Pacific as well.

But he told RNZ Pacific that El Niño was not necessarily directly to blame for the rough seas and marine conditions in which various boats had got into trouble.

“Well there is some connection, but not directly. I think it is more related to the weather conditions — but also we need to take into account our season now,” Malsale said.

“We are in the winter season when we have the strong trade winds that are persistent at this time of the year.

“We have the high pressure system move up to the towards the equator, and we have dominant southeast trades (tradewinds), those kind of systems can also cause high pressure gradient over the countries, and it influences a lot of the weather synoptic situations across the countries like Tonga, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea.”

Regional met talks
Malsale, who is from Vanuatu, last week joined regional counterparts in Tonga for the 8th Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting.

A big point of discussion was how to strengthen weather and climate services and make warnings more effective, at a time when some boat operators choose to ignore them and go out to sea, endangering lives.

Malsale and other weather experts are underlining that taking these warnings seriously is absolutely critical for people going to sea.

“We have mandated organisations such as the national weather services in countries. So boat owners or shipowners, captains should reach out to the national met services, find out what the current situation is, before they can plan the trip over to the islands.”

Vanuatu’s government is considering linking marine weather warnings to permissions for which boats can operate under particular conditions.

“Just because the warning is too general, but we can link that up to certain boat size or ships capacity,” Malsale said.

“So you put a certain warning, on which category of ship that is referred to in terms of not sailing or not carrying passengers to other islands.

Climate extremes
Discussions at the Met Council summit also focused on the ongoing wider challenges of climate change and the more extreme conditions it brings.

“There was agreement among all the Met Services to put this as a priority as well on the latest science to help the COP negotiators from the Pacific,” Malsale said.

“This is one area of services that that the national Met services want for our donors to continue to provide funding for.”

Weather experts have warned that the El Niño phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean is already the strongest ever recorded.

Malsale said the peak is still to come later this year and into 2027.

“That’s the forecast like to peak between probably November and January 2027. But these are only the indicators that we’re monitoring, but the impact can peak later on during the year.

However, he added that with cyclone season just around the corner, there could be even more impactful weather in store for the Pacific.

Fiji’s Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu has formally declared a national HIV emergency in the country.

In a pre-recorded video press statement on Tuesday, Dr Lalabalavu said the decision was backed by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his Cabinet due to the “seriousness of the epidemic”.

The health minister confirmed that the government’s current estimates indicated that one in every 60 adults in Fiji is living with HIV.

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• Dr Lalabalavu urges responsible drinking
• Other Fiji HIV reports

“Five years ago, the estimate was one in 1667. In 2024, we recorded 2060 new HIV diagnoses,” he said.

“HIV prevalence among women attending antenatal care reached around two percent. That means one out of 50 pregnant women now has HIV. These figures tell us the response must reach further and follow through more consistently.”

This week, a health researcher told RNZ Checkpoint that a “horrendously high” number of newborns were dying due to HIV-related complications in Fiji.

The NZ government’s SafeTravel website is warning people traveling to Fiji to avoid activities that could increase their risk of infection.

Second-fastest growth in Asia-Pacific
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Fiji has the second-fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region behind Papua New Guinea (PNG).

An estimated 9000 Fijians were living with HIV as of March this year, and officials pointed to high-risk drug use contributing to the rapid rise.

Dr Lalabalavu said every diagnosis must lead to care and every person starting treatment needed support to remain on it.

He said authorities would move quickly to introduce new interventions and scale up established services backed by evidence.

“That means expanding testing, treatment, and access to pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. It also means accelerating the introduction of a formal needle and syringe programme and long-acting injectable prevention.”

He stressed that treatment was central to the government’s response.

“It helps people living with HIV stay well, and when it achieves and maintains an undetectable viral load, it prevents sexual transmission.”

Coordinated implementation
Fiji’s Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV Programme Management Unit is expected to coordinate implementation, working through divisional and sub-divisional health services, and with community partners.

Dr Lalabalavu said Australia, New Zealand, the Global Fund, India, and the United Nations Joint Team on HIV and AIDS, and other partners were supporting the country with its HIV response.

The Fijian government had also proposed the establishment of a parliamentary standing committee on HIV and related matters, he said.

“To anyone who has been diagnosed with HIV, a diagnosis does not take away your future. Effective treatment can help you live a long and healthy life. Keep taking your medicine as prescribed, even when you feel well.

“I call on families, communities, faith leaders, schools, employers, and partners to join in this response, encourage testing, support people to stay in care, and challenge stigma wherever you encounter it.”

Reports from Bougainville say heavy machinery and vehicles belonging to a foreign mining company were destroyed in an arson attack at the Panguna mine site.

Armed men are alleged to have entered the site in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region this morning, and set fire to heavy haul trucks and other equipment stationed near the large open pit mine.

The machinery is understood to belong to Indian company Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited.

• READ MORE: Other Panguna mine reports

Lloyds was selected by the Autonomous Bougainville Government as one of the developers involved in plans to assess the future rehabilitation and possible reopening of the copper and gold mine.

The company has been in Bougainville advancing feasibility studies and exploration work.

Conflict over the former mine operations at the Panguna sparked Bougainville’s civil war in 1989 — since then the mine has been closed for industrial mining.

Panguna and its large reserves of copper are seen by the ABG and others as critically important to Bougainville’s aim to develop its economy as it seeks independence from Papua New Guinea.

The mine’s potential rehabilitation has remained at the centre of debate in Bougainville over ongoing discussions about resource ownership and development.

But this weekend’s unrest has raised concerns about security at the mine site and the future of proposed exploration and rehabilitation activities.

Details surrounding the attack, including the identities and motives of those responsible and the full extent of the damage, remain unclear.

PNG’s Post Courier reports that police in Bougainville are investigating the incident.

Naoero, formerly known as Nauru, has opened its embassy in Jerusalem, becoming the third Pacific Island nation to do so.

Naoero’s Vice-President Lionel Aingimea said it sent a message to the world about where the island nation stood.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel had committed to sending Naoero medical equipment and water purification systems.

• READ MORE: Why most Pacific government’s stand with Israel
• Other Pacific and Israel diplomacy reports

Sa’ar visited Suva in June after the Fiji government opened its own embassy in Jerusalem last year in a ceremony attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Papua New Guinea opened an embassy there in 2023.

Sa’ar said earlier this year that Samoa was also expected to open its Jerusalem embassy this year.

Aingimea said opening an embassy in Jerusalem was a “major political decision”.

‘Strengthening of Israel ties’
“We see opening an embassy here in Jerusalem not only as a strengthening of our ties with Israel, but also as a message to the world of where we stand,” he was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Israeli government.

“There was never a thought in the minds and hearts of Naoero that we would open an embassy here in Jerusalem this year,” he said.

“What changed it? It was born in discussions between myself and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Fiji. I took it to Cabinet, and Cabinet endorsed it. It was an easy decision to make.”

He added that Naoero’s support for Israel had been “unwavering”.

“Naoero is historically one of Israel’s most reliable and consistent diplomatic allies at the United Nations.

“The United States stands at 93 percent of its votes supporting Israel, the Federated States of Micronesia at 88 percent, and Naoero at 71 percent. Mark my words: that 71 percent will increase very quickly.

“True friends stay consistent through both good times and hard trials, and that is who Naoero is to Israel.”

After an historic day in which the result of Bougainville’s independence referendum was finally tabled in Papua New Guinea’s national Parliament, an eventual decision on the matter is at least months away.

The Parliament adjourned after debate on Thursday on the tabling of the Bougainville referendum result from 2019 in which 97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence

PNG’s members of Parliament will have the final say on whether to ratify the result, although it is not clear when that vote will be taken.

• READ MORE: Long time coming: After decades of struggle, is Bougainville on the brink of statehood?
• Other Bougainville independence reports

A delegation from the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) sat patiently in the gallery and watched on as MPs offered different takes on what everyone agreed was a difficult decision for them to have to make.

As the Joint Consultation Report and the Melanesian Framework documents were also newly tabled, PNG’s opposition leader James Nomane pointed out that the MPs could hardly be expected to make informed decisions when they had only just received these documents.

“I ask that the government be very, very clear about when this vote will take place, and make all effort to inform all leaders of the House about: yes, what happens; no, what happens?” Nomane said.

PNG’s Prime Minister James Marape said his government had a plan for the way forward for either outcome of the vote, affirmative and negative.

Setting the vote date
After the adjournment, he issued a statement saying the PNG and Bougainville governments would meet in October to set the date for the Parliament vote on the referendum.

Earlier, he told MPs to go away and digest the report documents before deciding how to vote, and to ponder the Bougainville viewpoint, while also urging Bougainvilleans to consider the perspective of PNG.

“This is not simply a constitutional or political issue. It concerns the lives, hopes and futures of our people, especially those people whose lives have been shaped by the Bougainville crisis and the Bougainville peace process,” Marape said.

Minister for Bougainville Affairs Manasseh Makiba, who tabled the referendum result and relevant consultation documents, noted that the Melanesian Framework provided for a structured pathway and orderly transition for Bougainville to assume greater powers, in the event of an affirmative vote by Parliament.

“At the heart of the framework is concept of a transitional phase that is being termed as self-government,” he said.

“Under the Melanesian Framework, an affirmative decision by the national Parliament would not result in the immediate independence of Bougainville.”

Makiba acknowledged that in the consultations, the national government and the ABG had been unable to reach consensus on the pathway in the event that the parliament does not accept the results.

But he said PNG’s government still believed a constructive pathway forward was possible.

“The first element of the pathway would be the completion of the drawdown and effective exercise of all remaining autonomous powers available to Bougainville under Part 14 of the national constitution.”

‘The real seed’
Meanwhile, a senior MP who oversaw national consultations over Bougainville, described arguments that giving Bougainville independence undermined PNG’s sovereignty as reductive.

Dr Allan Marat, the chairman of the Bipartisan Parliamentary Committee on Bougainville Matters, said the referendum issue attracted considerable debate on the issue of PNG sovereignty.

“This in turn has attracted considerable debate, and especially on the sovereignty issue of Papua New Guinea, that if we vote in favour of the 97.7 percent and grant Bougainville independence, then some of the other provinces might want to leave Papua New Guinea as well,” Dr Marat said.

“I want to express my personal belief … that this fear is an uninformed knee-jerk reaction and lacks human understanding.”

He said it was more useful to bear in mind the development of a particular political mindset of the Bougainville people, “developed from the Paleolithic period during the last Ice Age period, the early European explorers, the missionaries, the colonial period leading up to independence and on to the 10 years of armed conflict, and eventually the peace process and the referendum until today”.

“This human history and facts among the Bougainvilleans were the basis of their reasonings, giving rise to, ‘the real seed’, of discontentment in the minds of Bougainvilleans.

“This exploded into the armed conflict resulting in thousands of deaths, culminating in the conducting of the referendum and achievement of the referendum results.”

We could be about to find out whether a part of the Pacific Islands will become the world’s newest nation.

After a seven-year wait, Papua New Guinea’s Parliament is today (Thursday, August 27) expected to finally table the question of whether to approve of independence for the country’s autonomous region of Bougainville.

In a 2019 referendum, an overwhelming 97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence — but the referendum was non-binding and PNG’s national Parliament has the final say in whether to ratify this result.

• READ MORE: ‘This is a difficult task’: PNG parliament to finally address Bougainville vote
• Flashback: Bougainville: New Zealand’s part in a guerilla war — David Robie
• Other Bougainville independence reports

They are to debate the matter from today, before later putting it to a vote, with support from a three-quarters majority of MPs being the threshold required for ratification.

The decision is no small thing. Bougainville is around 2 percent of PNG’s total landmass, or 2.7 percent of PNG’s total population.

It may seem small, but in the New Zealand context, this would be a bit like giving up, in land mass terms, the Auckland region or, in population terms, like letting go of Dunedin City.

So it is a big call for a bunch of MPs to make.

Brutal civil war
No country is comfortable with ceding some of its territory. But in this case, the context is the legacy of a brutal civil war and ensuing crisis that played out during the 1990s, which brought not just Bougainville to its knees, but PNG too.

New Zealand played a central role in mediating a lasting peace — 2001’s Bougainville Peace Agreement ultimately provided for the referendum that took place in 2019, in which over 200,000 people from an overall population of around 300,000 cast their vote.

The tabling of the referendum result in Parliament has been a long time coming, and follows a series of consultations over the years between the PNG government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) over how the result would be processed.

It is already clear there is some reluctance among PNG MPs to set a precedent for other parts of the country to look to break away. But it is not easy to ignore the clear call for independence from almost 98 percent of Bougainvilleans.

However, PNG’s Prime Minister James Marape has pointed out that without economic independence, Bougainville would not be able to stand on its own feet. He has hinted at allowing for a period of time in which the region works on developing that economic self-reliance before the Parliament might then revisit the question of political independence.

In the eyes of many, economic self-reliance means re-habilitating Bougainville’s large Panguna copper mine, conflict over which sparked the civil war in the first place.

Development of Panguna
ABG President Ishmael Toroama is already pursuing the development of Panguna, and has signalled Bougainville’s intention to declare independence in 2030.

The Burnham Accord, signed by both parties last year in Christchurch, included an agreement for PNG and Bougainville to be bound by any decision of the Parliament and to maintain dialogue after that over the way forward.

So if Bougainville is not granted independence now, it does not necessarily mean it will not get independence at a later point. Either way, it could be the world’s next new country.

Papua New Guinea’s prime minister has urged the nation to appreciate the gravity of the decision on Bougainville that Parliament is to debate this week.

The PNG Parliament resumed on Tuesday and from Thursday MPs will debate whether to ratify the 97.7 percent vote by Bougainvilleans for independence in their 2019 non-binding referendum.

PNG’s national MPs have the final say, in adherence with the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA), which was signed following Bougainville’s civil war and related crisis of the 1990s, and ultimately provided for the referendum.

• READ MORE: Other Bougainville independence reports

“The referendum was legitimate, peaceful and overwhelming in its result, and we respect the voice expressed by the people of Bougainville,” Prime Minister James Marape said in a statement.

As the referendum result is finally to be tabled in Parliament, Marape cautioned MPs and the public not to create division over the issue through threats, fear, regionalism or hostility.

“Every member of Parliament will have the opportunity to speak. Every member will ultimately have to exercise his or her responsibility according to conscience, guided by the Constitution and the interests of our country.”

‘Not an ordinary debate’
“This is a difficult task but duty demands that we do this,” Marape said, while also praying with other MPs for wisdom to guide their deliberations on the issue.

He said Papua New Guineans should appreciate the gravity of the matter because the decisions on Bougainville will have implications for future generations.

“This is not an ordinary parliamentary debate. It concerns our Constitution, our sovereignty, our national identity, the aspirations of the Bougainville people and, above all, the peace that our people have worked so hard to maintain.”

It remains uncertain whether this week’s debate will culminate in a vote on whether to ratify the refendum result as soon as the debate finishes, or whether it will be scheduled at a later point.

Earlier this year, the Parliament set a three-quarter majority threshold requirement for ratification.

The Autonomous Bougainivlle Government (ABG) has said it plans to declare independence in 2030, while it works to prepare for independence in the meantime.

Papua New Guinea’s Central Province is feeling the brunt of prolonged drought caused by the El Niño weather phase.

Central and the National Capital District which is located within it, is extremely dry, its communities struggling with damaged crops and water sources in short supply.

Port Moresby communities meanwhile have been experiencing frequent water outages due to malfunctioning of the city’s water infrastructure.

• READ MORE: Other El Niño and the Pacific reports

There has also been at least one bad bout of frost, which has worsened the crop damage.

The ongoing weather disruptions have prompted the Central Province government to conduct an assessment of the scale of the province’s food and water security problems.

The National Disaster Centre warned months ago that the El Niño phase could increasingly impact many parts of the country, and other regions such as the Highlands and Western province have been suffering for months.

Fires common sight
Now much of PNG’s central region is tinder dry, and fires are a common sight in the arid hills around the capital

And further into Central Province, many water sources have dried up, forcing closures of schools.

The Central Governor Ruffina Peter said the provincial executive has allocated 5.3 million kina (NZ$2 million) to respond to the drought and help communities.

But she indicated that 40 million kina would be needed to begin to respond in full.

The governor of Papua New Guinea’s Western Highlands Province says his province is unprepared to deal with the severe impacts of the El Niño weather event being experienced across the country.

During an El Niño event, warmer ocean waters affect rainfall and wind patterns, often bringing drier-than-usual conditions and a higher risk of drought to the western Pacific.

Western Highlands Governor Wai Rapa is warning that the PNG government does not have the finances or the resources to manage the situation.

• READ MORE: Other El Niño reports

Rapa told the PNG Post-Courier there had been no communication from the national government.

He said the current dry season was “on another scale” and compared to previous dry seasons.

Rapa told the newspaper that the river from which the province’s capital city got its water supply had also dried up.

“We haven’t got the resource to put up with the dry season,” Rapa was quoted as saying by the Post-Courier.

“We Highlanders look after animals especially pigs and this dry season will greatly affect our animals. When we go deep into the dry season, we will face a lot of challenges,” he added.

The concerns raised by Rapa come despite the national government saying preparations for the dry season are underway.

In late-June, PNG Prime Minister James Marape instructed all provinces and districts to prepare for the possibility of a severe dry season linked to El Niño.

A statement from Marape’s office on June 22 said: “The Prime Minister said Cabinet was examining appropriate Financial and Administrative arrangements to support Provincial and District Governments to prepare for, mitigate and respond to Disaster situations arising from prolonged dry conditions.”

Marape also urged Papua New Guineans to remain calm, saying: “This is a time for preparedness, not panic.”

Nauru’s government has announced plans to set up an embassy in Israel.

The government said Cabinet had endorsed the deployment of a scoping mission to Israel, to assess the diplomatic, operational, and logistical requirements to establish the embassy.

“A diplomatic presence in Israel will serve as an essential platform for advancing [Nauru’s] foreign policy priorities, promoting sustainable development, and deepening bilateral engagement with one of the region’s key partners,” the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

• READ MORE:  Pro-Palestinian activists plan protest against ‘Israeli pond’ diplomacy push in Pacific
• Fiji opens embassy in Jerusalem
• Let peace govern security – A pastoral message from the Pacific Conference of Churches
• Other Pacific and Israeli diplomacy reports

“The creation of an embassy in Israel represents a significant milestone in [Nauru’s] diplomatic outreach and underscores the nation’s dedication to expanding its global partnerships in support of national development and strategic cooperation.”

The statement did not specify which city the embassy would be established in, but Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar said it would be in Jerusalem.

In a translated social media post shared by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saar said the Nauruan embassy was expected to be the 10th embassy in Jerusalem, and the fifth since he took office, coming after he also reached an agreement with Colombia’s incoming foreign minister on a similar move.

Fiji and Papua New Guinea are among several countries which have diplomatic missions in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv, which is controversial due to the sensitive nature of a territorial dispute between Israelis and Palestinians, who both claim Jerusalem as their capital.

Fiji embassy in Jerusalem
Fiji opened its embassy in Jerusalem in September 2025.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said earlier last year that establishing an embassy was “not a blanket endorsement of another country’s policies; it is a bridge that allows Fiji to work directly with partners”.

Fiji also reaffirmed its support for a peaceful two-state solution “where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in dignity and security”.

In March this year, Fiji’s human rights watchdog warned that the country’s pro-Israel foreign policy and diplomatic engagement worked against its international obligations and could be enabling “genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity” in Gaza.

Israel has also opened its permanent diplomatic base in Suva.

In January, Saar said that Samoa would open an embassy in Jerusalem this year.

Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Schmidt said he instructed Samoa’s foreign ministry to begin preparations for the embassy’s opening by the end of the year, according to a recording of the speech posted on the Samoan government’s Facebook page.

PNG ‘violation’ of international law
When PNG opened its Israeli embassy in Jerusalem in 2023, the Palestinian Authority called it an “aggression” and a “violation” of international law.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape said at the time the move had deep religious significance.

“Many nations choose not to open their embassies in Jerusalem, but we made the conscious choice,” he said.

“This has been the universal capital of the nation and people of Israel.

“For us to call ourselves Christian, paying respect to God will not be possible without recognising that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and nation of Israel.”

The United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo and Paraguay also have embassies in Jerusalem.

The Israeli government has a formal policy of offering incentives to countries willing to open embassies in Jerusalem, including financial support for relocation and setup costs.

Concern is mounting for up to 27 people missing at sea in Papua New Guinea’s Islands region.

Bad weather has hampered the search for the crew on at least two boats who were registered as missing on Saturday.

The incident involved several staff of the East New Britain Provincial Health Authority and their families and friends — totalling 27 people including 11 children.

• READ MORE: An NBC update on the 27 missing at sea in PNG

They were reportedly voyaging on two boats from Pangpang Island in the Duke of York group to Kokopo, the capital of East New Britain, a journey of around 20 km.

The East New Britain Provincial Disaster Committee said that on Saturday afternoon, the capsised vessels were reported, and a search was immediately initiated.

It said that on Saturday night, two survivors, who were described as skippers, were reported to have gone ashore on the mainland at Baii Village, Kombiu, which is north of where their journey to Kokopo would have taken them.

Police reportedly retrieved the pair and took them to Kokopo Police Station, where they were kept and interviewed as part of the ongoing response.

NBC reports update
The national broadcaster NBC reported on the update given by the chairman of East New Britain’s Disaster Committee, Levi Mano, before a concerned crowd in windy conditions in Kokopo.

He said a number of agencies have been involved in the search, including police, a helicopter courtesy of National Government through the National Disaster Office and Maritime Safety Authority, and numerous local sea vessels.

Eventually on Monday one of the boats was spotted far to the north drifting upturned with no apparent sign of people off the west coast of Namatanai, in neighbouring New Ireland Province.

Levi Mano said that rough seas and bad weather hampered both sea and air search efforts, causing a temporary pause to the search operation.

Gazelle MP Jelta Wong told RNZ Pacific the aerial search resumed Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mano said authorities were doing what they could in tough conditions across a wide region.

He emphasised to the crowd that police were involved as the search operation required “all agencies” to be engaged.

The East New Britain government has urged all travellers to check weather and sea conditions before going out to sea, and to take precautions.

It said difficult weather has been compounded by particularly strong winds as a result of the ongoing El Niño weather patterns.

The Papua New Guinea Correctional Service (PNGCS) has confirmed three prisoners have been killed in the Western Highlands Province while attempting an escape.

The inmates, who scaled the fence at Baisu Prison, were shot dead, while five others were critically injured on Sunday afternoon.

Two other escapees remain at large.

• READ MORE: PNG prison break leaves three dead, two still on the run in Western Highlands

PNGCS Deputy Commissioner David Suagu told RNZ Pacific that attempted prison escapes are typical during this time of year.

“It’s almost the same across the country … it happens randomly,” he said.

“We expect a high rate of escape, especially towards the later part of the year, and that is something that we are working towards addressing.”

He said infrastructure at Baisu Correctional Institution Services is in a state of despair, which likely made the escape possible.

“It’s in a deteriorating state, so consequently [they went] straight over the fence.”

Kerevat prison break
Suagu could not confirm whether the escapees were being held in remand, as has been widely reported by local media.

Local media has also reported last week that 38 inmates broke out of Kerevat prison in East New Britain province and were still at large.

According to a release from the Australian High Commission in Port Moresby in March, Baisu’s perimeter fencing “has been affected by rust, cracking concrete, unstable soil and frequent waterlogging,” and is in the process of being replaced with Australia’s help.

According to the World Prison Brief, Papua New Guinea’s prison population was at 5373 as of mid-2023.

Explosive activity has picked up in recent days at Bougainville’s Mt Bagana volcano.

Papua New Guinea’s Rabaul Volcanological Observatory declared a Stage 1 Alert for Bagana amid its most notable upsurge in activity for two years.

The observatory’s principal geodetic surveyor, Steve Saunders, said activity at the volcano had been ongoing for several years, but last week the activity increased.

• READ MORE: Lack of monitoring meant PNG volcano was missed by agency
• NZDF delivers supplies for volcano-affected Bougainville communities
• More than 7000 people in Bougainville need temporary accommodation after eruption
• Schools closed, people displaced by Bougainville eruption says president

“There was a large eruption, it was basically the dome collapsing down the east flank. It was very spectacular but it was in uninhabited areas so didn’t really cause much of a problem.

Noting continuous lava activity at the summit, Saunders said there was “a red glow and rocks rolling down the side every few weeks”.

“There was some dust downwind etc, but it looked worse than it was.”

Social media comments about the volcano indicated dust issues impacting crops to the south in Torokina, on Bougainville’s east coast.

PNG’s National Information Centre said the Department of Community Government and District Affairs Disaster Office were in touch with Torokina and other areas impacted, and monitoring the situation.

Pumice issue
Meanwhile, in another part of PNG’s Islands region, Manus Province, Saunders said big rafts of pumice from an active submarine volcano in the Bismarck Sea had started to disperse.

Since May, pumice created by the so-called Titan Ridge volcano had been carried by tides and currents into Manus Island’s south coast, impacting sea life and marine traffic.

However, Saunders said there was little pumice being produced by the volcano now as its activity has abated in the past week or two, and that pumice rafts around Manus Island had now mostly washed away with currents and winds.

But locals in Manus have told RNZ Pacific that pumice is still a problem, and that pumice has also increasingly the province’s smaller, outer islands.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has formally outlined its final position on its political future, proposing a three-stage pathway towards self-government and eventual independence.

President Ishmael Toroama presented its position to the independent facilitator who is overseeing the joint technical consultations between the ABG and the Papua New Guinea government.

Bougainville would continue preparations for self-government until 1 September 2027, focusing on strengthening institutions, governance systems, peace and security, and economic readiness.

• READ MORE: PNG’s ruling party supports 15-year transition period for Bougainville
• Other Bougainville independence reports

From that date, Bougainville would enter a period of self-government, “exercising the fullest practical and constitutional authority available under the existing legal framework, including additional powers provided under Section 289 of the Constitution”.

“The proposal further envisages Bougainville attaining independence in 2030, as defined during the referendum process as an independent nation-state recognised under international law and separate from the State of Papua New Guinea.”

Toroama said the pathway provides certainty, preserves peace, and honours the democratic choice expressed by the people.

In 2019, a referendum was 97.7 percent in favour of independence, but the final decision rests with PNG’s national Parliament, as provided for under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

Consistently honoured
Toroama said Bougainville has consistently honoured both the letter and spirit of the Peace Agreement.

“This position is not founded on emotion or convenience. It is founded on the Bougainville Peace Agreement, on Part XIV of the Constitution of Papua New Guinea, and on the solemn commitments and agreements that have guided our journey and preserved peace to date,” he said in an ABG statement.

“Our objective has never been confrontation. Our objective has always been reconciliation, partnership and a peaceful transition founded on law and mutual respect.”

According to Toroama, the 2019 referendum delivered a clear mandate from the people of Bougainville in favour of independence and that subsequent consultations between the ABG and the national government had produced several important agreements, including the Joint Communique of 11 January 2021, the Kokopo Joint Statement, Wabag Joint Statement, APEC Joint Statement, Era Kone Covenant and the Melanesian Agreement.

A cost-of-services report has also been filed, with acting president and Minister for Treasury and Finance, Albert Punghau, saying the 97.7 percent vote for independence must be matched by “fiscal readiness”.

“A sovereign people must be served by a government that can sustain itself,” he said.

“The report we launch today, ‘From Here To There’, speaks directly to both governments — the National Government of PNG and the Autonomous Bougainville Government — on the financial stewardship of our people’s resources, and the political responsibility of building Bougainville into nationhood.”

15-year process
Earlier this week, PNG’s ruling PANGU Party said it would support a 15-year transition process for Bougainville, regardless of whether Parliament votes for or against independence.

Prime Minister James Marape outlined the proposal in a statement defending PNG’s constitutional process for deciding Bougainville’s political future.

He said the process would be conditional on Bougainville demonstrating financial self-sufficiency, maintaining peace and stability, and eliminating armed violence and factionalism.

The Prime Minister said Bougainville would need to generate enough internal revenue to fund at least 70 percent of its annual budget over a five-year period.

Marape repeatedly stressed that Bougainville’s future could only be decided through constitutional processes established under the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement and incorporated into Papua New Guinea’s constitution.

During the fuel crisis, Pacific Island countries have scrambled to secure their own fuel supply, forcing them to lean on their wealthy neighbours and multilateral donors.

This triggered a region-wide economic slowdown and driven a managed, yet sharp, increase in fuel and electricity costs throughout the Pacific.

According to fuel price schedules released by Pacific governments regularly from February to June, Fiji has doubled the maximum price for diesel in urban centres in the main island, Viti Levu, such as Suva and Nadi.

• READ MORE: Fuel relief efforts, minerals diplomacy and fallout at a publicly funded trust
• Australia extends fuel excise relief to ease household cost pressures
• Other Pacific energy reports

Samoa has lifted its diesel ceiling by more than two thirds during that time, Tonga by more than 60 percent in Tongatapu.

And quite apart from asking for budgetary support, Pacific leaders, whenever they had the chance, appealed for help to build solar panels and other forms of renewable energy, in hopes of sidestepping a future calamity.

February
The war begins.

February 28
Iran begins its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after taking heavy fire from US and Israeli forces. In the coming days, several Pacific-flagged tankers are trapped, abandoned or damaged, and their crews injured or killed. The Palau-flagged Skylight is abandoned with two crew dead on March 1. The Marshalls-flagged MKD Vyom is abandoned with one death on the same day, and the Safesea Vishnu is set ablaze 10 days later, killing another.

March
It doesn’t take long before the public grows nervous over fuel and electricity price hikes. Pacific governments issue certain reassurances, but panic buying occurs in sporadic cases.

For Pacific Island countries, which are far away from the established oil refineries in Singapore and South Korea, it makes better economic sense to buy from bulk, rather than to have constant shipments. This means they have forward orders already secured.

So most retail prices are kept relatively stable as countries burn through their existing stocks. The import prices are going to go up, but the lag means they can bide their time.

Behind the scenes, governments are scrambling to secure supply from new sources — and to keep the public calm. It isn’t a question of if, but when.

March 15
Christopher Luxon touches down in Samoa. They discuss energy, but New Zealand isn’t committing to anything yet. They have their own crisis brewing. He’ll go to Tonga and say mostly the same thing.

March 23
The American Pacific and the free association states don’t have price ceilings, so their consumers are paying the market rate, plus the elevated travel costs. At a Mobil gas station in Saipan, petrol is US$6.619 per gallon, and diesel $8.789. In Tinian, diesel is $10.

April
Pacific Island countries begin to raise their fuel price ceilings. Vanuatu raises diesel by 64 percent, but won’t raise it further for the indefinite future. In PNG, the price is 73 percent higher, in Fiji it’s 35 percent, and in Tonga it’s 43.5 percent.

April 15
Tuvalu’s Energy Minister Simon Kofe appears on RNZ’s Morning Report and reveals that their fuel supply is “not assured” beyond June. Just days earlier, Tuvalu had declared a state of emergency, allowing the government to take extraordinary measures to cut back on power usage. They’re experiencing rolling blackouts. The country spends more than a quarter of their GDP on petroleum imports.

April 17
In the Marshall Islands, government departments are shutting down at 3pm. They’re using their universal basic income to help consumers and adding a subsidy to their state-owned power company.

Marshall Islands Finance Minister David Paul later reveals to RNZ Pacific that their singular supplier, ExxonMobil, is using force majure provisions in their supply contracts to balloon import prices.

May
Samoa and Solomon Islands both lift their diesel caps by 46 percent. Fiji and the Cook Islands climb as well. Fuel at the pump in Port Moresby is slashed by 42 percent after the government uses its windfall revenue from LNG exports, which have spiked dramatically in value, to subsidise consumer prices. Tonga cuts their electricity surcharge and reinvests more into welfare payments for pensioners. Pacific leaders are meeting.

May 6
Fiji’s Finance Minister defies an international travel ban for ministers to go to Uzbekistan for an Asian Development Bank AGM. He walks away with a US$200 million loan in his pocket.

Meanwhile, Australia hands Fiji A$30 million. Foreign Minister Penny Wong calls it a “targeted budget support” to support Fiji’s efforts to be a regional fuel hub.

At this point, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Southeast Asia, trying to get Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea to give them preference if they have to make tough decisions over their own stocks. Foreign Minister Penny Wong says they will keep the Pacific in mind, but they have to put themselves first.

New Zealand chips in NZ$8 million.

May 8
Pacific Islands Forum leaders officially invoke the Biketawa Declaration. It’s a framework for a regional crisis response, where leaders are compelled to come together, share their resources and expertise, and arrange some kind of plan together. It was last used during covid pandemic.

Jeremiah Manele jumps the gun and says they would, before any Pacific leaders, including Australia or New Zealand, could even consider it.

May 29
ADB Pacific Lead Emma Veve tells RNZ Pacific that help requests from Pacific Island governments have begun only recently. She calls this a credit to their resilience.

Help requests at this point have come from Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and Nauru. Veve says they have freed up hundreds of millions in both loans and grants. Support for each country will range from $10 million to $100 million, depending on their size.

June
Peace appears on the horizon at the end of the month, but there’s no indication of it. By now Viti Levu’s diesel price ceiling has more than doubled since February. PNG’s fuel subsidy helps for a little while, but this month’s increase has exceeded last month’s decrease, and then some. Nauru and Niue, with their singular islands and tiny populations, have had to increase theirs, too.

June 5
Samoa triggers an “amber alert”, which indicates they have less than 30 days of fuel stocks left in country. They deny this is the case, and just call it a “precautionary measure.”

June 12
Fuel price caps rise in the Cook Islands — diesel in Rarotonga hits NZ$3.84 per litre, and LPG hits $5.06 per kilo. In Aitutaki: diesel is $6.24 per litre. In New Zealand, diesel prices only ever briefly passes $4 in some rural areas.

Bougainville Copper Limited has been told its licence for the Panguna copper and gold mine has been suspended.

BCL said it was considering its position after the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Registrar of Tenements advised that as a consequence of new mining legislation the company’s rights under the exploration licence for the mine had been suspended.

The ABG has picked a new partner to redevelop the long-mothballed mine, which Bougainville’s leaders see as a critical resource for the autonomous Papua New Guinea region’s independence aspirations.

• READ MORE: Bougainville president warns against ‘unauthorised’ Panguna mine forum
• Other Panguna mine reports

A new 25-year mining licence has been granted to Bougainville Minerals Ltd, a company controlled by the ABG and local landowners.

This comes after the ABG passed amendments to the Bougainville Mining Act.

The ABG’s President, Ishmael Toroama said the new development was a significant strengthening of landowner participation.

“Landowner rights, compensation rights, local content participation and benefit sharing rights and royalties are preserved. Landowner equity participation is preserved and strengthened,” Toroama said in a statement.

BCL, the long-time licence holder, said it was considering its position as to what steps, if any, it will take.

“The company is currently reviewing the Bougainville Mining (Amendment) Act 2026 to confirm the position set out in the letter from the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Registrar of Tenements, and that the legislation referred to is in fact enacted and having the force of law,” BCL said in a notice to the ASX.

Panguna is one of the world’s largest copper-gold deposits, still containing an estimated 5.3 million tonnes of copper and 19.3 million ounces of gold.

The mine has been closed since 1988, when grievances over mine operations ignited the Bougainville civil war.

The ABG has also engaged an Indian company, Lloyds Metals, to partner with the local-based company in efforts to redevelop the mine.

Lloyds recently moved machinery and equipment into the Panguna mine area in order to conduct feasibility and exploration work.

A Pacific politics expert and ni-Vanuatu woman has become the first woman to be appointed to lead the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat.

Anna Naupa, described by the Vanuatu government as “one of the nation’s finest minds”, is the new director-general of the sub-regional bloc, which is headquartered in Port Vila.

The MSG is made up of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) of New Caledonia.

• READ MORE: Other MSG reports

In a statement yesterday, Vanuatu’s Office of the Prime Minister said Naupa’s appointment was “a historic moment”.

“Since the MSG was founded in 1986 by the giants of Melanesia — Paias Wingti of Papua New Guinea, Father Walter Lini of Vanuatu, Ezekiel Alebua of Solomon Islands, and our brothers from the FLNKS [Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front] — Vanuatu has waited 40 years to lead this organisation.

“Today, that wait ends,” it said.

It said Naupa’s appointment sends a clear message to every young ni-Vanuatu girl to “aspire for the best, because the highest offices in our region are within your reach”.

Inspiring new generation
Naupa’s leadership will inspire a new generation to dream bigger and serve boldly, it added.

The Vanuatu government said it holds immense confidence in Naupa’s capabilities, leadership, and integrity, and commended the MSG and the selection team for a transparent process “that has delivered the right leader for this moment”.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat congratulated Naupa.

“We know the MSG was born from struggle — its heart has always been the political aspirations of the Kanak people and the big issues facing Melanesia,” the Office of the Prime Minister’s statement said.

“Over the years the organisation has grown, expanding its focus to trade, sports, culture, and other areas of common interest that bind our nations. Vanuatu believes the success of the MSG under Dr Naupa’s leadership will depend on never losing sight of that founding spirit — solidarity, justice, and self-determination for our peoples.

“Anna, you carry not just a title, but the hopes of a region. You carry Vanuatu’s pride, Melanesia’s trust, and the spirit of Father Walter Lini’s vision.”

Naupa replaces Papua New Guinea’s Leonard Louma, who was appointed in February 2022 and finished his term in late 2024.

Solomon Islander Ilan Kiloe, who is the political and security affairs programme manager, was acting in the role following Louma’s departure.

The MSG Secretariat has not made any official announcements on Naupa’s appointment.