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Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are seeking to deepen economic cooperation, increase cross-border investment and develop stronger business-to-business partnerships as the two Melanesian neighbours work to translate longstanding political ties into economic gains. PNG Prime Minister James Marape made the call during the inaugural Papua New Guinea-Solomon Islands Business Investment Forum in Honiara, held under the theme “From Opportunity to Investment: Building the PNG-Solomon Islands Growth Corridor.” The forum brought together government leaders, investors, business executives, financial institutions and private-sector representatives from both countries. Marape said the forum should mark the beginning of sustained economic engagement between the two countries, with a focus on investment, trade, employment, downstream processing and greater economic independence. “What good is political independence without economic independence?” Marape said, calling for both countries to build economies strong enough to stand on their own feet. He said PNG and Solomon Islands were permanent neighbours whose economic interests were closely linked by geography, culture and history. “We must construct a future that is fair and balanced, respects our people and our businesses, and allows us to walk step by step, side by side, into the future,” he said. The forum followed Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale’s official visit to Port Moresby in June, during which the two countries signed the Framework Agreement on Development and Economic Cooperation 2026-2030. The agreement provides a framework for cooperation in trade and investment, mining, fisheries, agriculture, infrastructure and other areas of mutual economic interest. Marape said the Honiara forum was intended to translate that government-level commitment into private-sector projects and partnerships. “When Prime Minister Wale visited Port Moresby, we agreed that our relationship must produce tangible outcomes for our countries,” he said. “We have established the government framework. Now we want our private sectors to identify projects, establish partnerships and turn those opportunities into investment.” PNG investment presence PNG already has a significant commercial presence in Solomon Islands. A 30-year review records 126 PNG-origin registered investments across 18 sectors, including agriculture, communications and information technology, construction, financial services, fisheries, mining, insurance, professional services, retail and wholesale, tourism and transportation. The investments have proposed employment for more than 7,500 Solomon Islands citizens, with agriculture, professional services and fisheries among the largest employment-generating sectors. Marape said PNG businesses had demonstrated that they could invest successfully beyond the country’s borders while creating jobs and contributing to a neighbouring economy. “Papua New Guinean businesses have demonstrated that they can successfully invest beyond our borders while creating employment and contributing to the economy of a neighbouring Pacific country,” he said. He encouraged Solomon Islands businesses to similarly explore opportunities in PNG. Joint investment opportunities Marape said the two countries had opportunities to cooperate in mining, fisheries, agriculture, energy, tourism, infrastructure, financial services, telecommunications, transport and downstream processing. He particularly highlighted opportunities for joint ventures and partnerships between businesses in both countries. “If we can source capacity from each other, let us source it. If we can have joint ventures amongst each other, let us have those joint ventures,” he said. PNG businesses already operating in Solomon Islands include companies in property, finance, retail, fisheries, professional services, construction and other sectors. Marape encouraged PNG businesses operating in Solomon Islands to develop local partnerships and support the growth of Solomon Islands-owned small and medium-sized enterprises. “PNG businesses, as you work here, incubate a local business to be your value partner,” he said. “A good relationship, a good business venture and a good reputation is premium capital.” Mining, fisheries opportunities The two countries’ marine resources represent another potential area for cooperation, Marape said, particularly in fisheries. PNG and Solomon Islands have large exclusive economic zones with significant tuna resources. Marape called for greater domestic processing and manufacturing rather than simply harvesting and exporting fish. “We have been open for business for so long. We now want to go into partnership,” he said. “We want to step up processing of our catches in our respective countries.” He said stronger cooperation could help the two countries build regional value chains for tuna and other marine products while creating employment and retaining more economic value domestically. Marape also encouraged responsible investment in mining and energy, saying investors should receive reasonable returns while host countries, landowners and local businesses benefit through taxation, royalties, equity and local content. In a separate bilateral meeting with Wale at the Heritage Park Hotel, Marape said Solomon Islands had again invited PNG investors to participate in its economy. He said more than K1 billion of PNG investment was already present in Solomon Islands, with more than 59 PNG companies of various sizes operating there. “We already have over K1 billion worth of Papua New Guinea investments in Solomon Islands, with more than 59 PNG companies of different sizes operating here,” Marape said. He said the two countries could also explore joint participation in major mining projects, including arrangements that would ensure Solomon Islanders remained the principal beneficiaries of their natural resources. Marape said PNG was prepared to consider equity structures in which Solomon Islands government entities, companies, provincial governments and landowners retained majority interests, while PNG companies contributed capital, expertise and experience. “We are not coming here simply to take resources out. We want genuine partnerships in which Solomon Islanders remain beneficiaries of their own resources while our companies contribute capital, expertise and experience,” he said. Economic relationship The leaders also discussed trade and investment, border arrangements, mining, fisheries, agriculture, education, policing and security, air connectivity and other areas of bilateral cooperation. Marape said the direct air connection between Honiara and Port Moresby would help facilitate the movement of businesses, investors and people between the two countries. He said both governments needed to ensure that bilateral agreements translated into practical economic outcomes. “Our political relationship is strong, our cultural and historical relationship is permanent, and now we must build the economic relationship to the same level,” Marape said. “A stronger PNG-Solomon Islands economic corridor will strengthen both countries and contribute to a more economically resilient Melanesia and Pacific,” he said. Marape said PNG’s economic diplomacy should also encourage domestic companies to expand internationally, rather than focusing solely on attracting foreign investment into the country. “Papua New Guinea must also become an investor in the Pacific and, increasingly, beyond our region,” he said. He identified banks, telecommunications companies, resource businesses, superannuation funds, agricultural companies, professional firms and SMEs as potential regional investors. The prime minister said stronger economic integration between PNG and Solomon Islands could serve as a model for wider Melanesian and Pacific economic cooperation. “A healthy Solomon Islands is a healthy PNG. A healthy PNG is a healthy Solomon Islands,” Marape said. “Our strength is in economic prosperity.” He urged businesses attending the forum to focus on practical opportunities, identify projects and establish joint ventures as the two countries seek to build a stronger economic relationship over the coming years.

The Lakaro Solar Hybrid Power Plant has been commissioned at Vunisea Government Station in Kadavu, reducing diesel consumption and delivering new renewable energy capacity to one of Fiji's maritime communities. Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau officially commissioned the facility, with Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya and New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Greg Andrews also attending. The project, supported through a partnership between Fiji, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, is already reducing Vunisea's diesel consumption from about 60 drums to 20 drums a month. The reduction is expected to save approximately $336,000 a year while lowering the community's reliance on imported diesel fuel. The hybrid plant can provide up to 30% renewable energy, strengthening the reliability and security of electricity supply in Kadavu while reducing the environmental impact of diesel-based generation. For remote and maritime communities, the project demonstrates how renewable energy can contribute not only to climate goals but also to energy security, resilience and lower costs for delivering essential services. The government said it remains committed to working towards 100% renewable energy generation for Vunisea and expanding sustainable energy solutions across Fiji's maritime communities. The project reflects cooperation between Fiji, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates in developing renewable energy infrastructure and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Fiji is moving to a broader tourism regulatory framework under the Tourism Act 2026, replacing legislation that has focused primarily on hotels and guest houses for more than five decades. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka told Parliament Tuesday that the government would implement the new framework through a managed transition, giving existing tourism businesses time and support to meet the new requirements. Businesses currently licensed under the Hotels and Guest Houses Act 1973 will have their licences and approvals recognised for up to 12 months after the new Act takes effect. This will allow operators to transition to the Tourism Enterprise Register. The new framework will cover a wider range of tourism businesses, including accommodation providers, tour operators, guides, dive operators and other tourism experiences. Businesses will be classified under a Tourism Classification System and, after meeting applicable legal and tourism requirements, issued a Recognition Certificate. The Tourism Enterprise Register will be publicly accessible. Gavoka said the reform was not intended to establish another licensing system, but to create a Recognition Pathway and Fiji Tourism Standards that would allow tourism businesses to progressively improve quality, sustainability and compliance. The classification system will include Community, Indigenous and Micro Tourism Enterprises as well as small, medium and large operators. The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation is developing regulations, administrative systems, registration procedures and industry guidance ahead of the Act's commencement. It will also conduct targeted awareness and industry engagement to explain registration requirements, classification, applicable standards and transition timelines. The government expects the new framework to provide clearer rules and nationally consistent standards while improving recognition of tourism operators that meet quality and sustainability requirements. For the government, the Tourism Enterprise Register is also expected to provide better information to support tourism policy, planning and industry development. Visitors are expected to benefit from greater confidence that tourism enterprises operate under recognised national standards. The commencement date for the Tourism Act 2026 will be appointed by the minister and will be determined based on the government's operational readiness.

Customs leaders from 24 Pacific administrations will gather in Fiji this week for the 28th Annual Conference of the Oceania Customs Organisation, focusing on strengthening border security, facilitating trade and supporting economic growth across the region. The conference, to be held from June 2 to 4 under Fiji's chairmanship of the Oceania Customs Organisation, will bring together heads of customs agencies, senior government officials, development partners and international organizations under the theme, "Scaling Up the Commitment of Customs to Protect and Grow our Pasifika Communities." The meeting comes as Pacific nations face increasing pressure from transnational organized crime, shifting trade patterns and growing demands on border management agencies. According to organizers, discussions will focus on enhancing regional cooperation and building customs capabilities to address emerging security and trade challenges. Recent large-scale narcotics seizures across the Pacific have highlighted attempts by organized criminal networks to exploit maritime and aviation routes across the region. Customs administrations also continue to confront risks linked to human trafficking, illicit financial flows, customs fraud, environmental crimes and the smuggling of prohibited goods. OCO Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, Udit Singh, said customs agencies play a critical role in protecting communities while supporting economic development. "Customs today is far more than a border agency. We are guardians of our communities, facilitators of trade, protectors of government revenue, and partners in economic growth," Singh said. "The work of Customs directly impacts the prosperity, safety, and resilience of our Pacific nations." Singh said Pacific countries, despite being geographically dispersed, face common challenges that require collective action and stronger regional partnerships. "The scale and complexity of modern border threats mean that no country can address these issues alone. Regional cooperation is essential. When one Pacific border is strengthened, the entire region becomes safer and more secure," he said. He noted that the Pacific occupies an increasingly strategic position within global trade and transport networks linking Asia, Australasia and the Americas, making effective customs administration critical to regional and international security. The conference will feature contributions from international partners including the World Customs Organization, the United Nations and the World Bank. Key agenda items include border security, maritime enforcement, trade facilitation, passenger processing, digital transformation, leadership development and intelligence-sharing across Pacific jurisdictions. During Fiji's tenure as OCO chair, the organization has prioritized regional capacity building, leadership development, customs modernization and stronger partnerships with international agencies. Organizers said these initiatives have helped strengthen customs administrations across the Pacific and improve their ability to respond to emerging threats and opportunities. This year's gathering marks the first time in more than a decade that Fiji has hosted the OCO Annual Conference, reflecting the country's continued role in regional customs cooperation. Members of the Oceania Customs Organisation include Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Palau, Timor-Leste and other Pacific jurisdictions.