The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) has reinforced its push for stronger regional coordination and policy alignment after participating in the 18th Heads of Fisheries Meeting convened by the Pacific Community (SPC) in Nouméa, New Caledonia. The annual meeting, a key technical forum for Pacific fisheries leaders, brought together senior off...

Local tax incentives in New Caledonia supported nearly 17.9 billion CFP francs ($160 million) in private investment over the past year, underscoring their role as a key policy lever to stimulate economic diversification and job creation. Nine major projects were approved under local tax relief schemes, generating or consolidating 241 direct jobs and de...

Alumni of the UK government’s Chevening scholarship programme in Solomon Islands convened a two-day symposium in Honiara, bringing together leaders from across government, business and civil society to assess the country’s progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event, held from April 16 to 17, marks a decade since Solo...

Efforts to improve public transport in Honiara are advancing, with authorities developing a draft driver manual aimed at standardising bus operations and improving safety and service quality. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Honiara City Council are working with stakeholders under a transport management project led by the Japan Internatio...

Economic growth in Fiji, the Pacific’s second-largest economy, is expected to soften in the medium term as visitor arrivals slow, pre-election uncertainty increases, and external conditions deteriorate, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. ADB’s flagship economic publication, Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2026, forecasts Fiji...

Leaders from across Tuvalu convened on April 9–10 for the mid-term review summit of Te Kete, the country’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2021–2030, assessing progress and setting priorities for the remainder of the decade. The summit brought together representatives from outer islands, women and youth groups, civil society organisations...

Tonga has launched its first Women in Aviation network, marking a milestone for gender inclusion in the country’s aviation sector and across the wider Blue Pacific region. The initiative was officially unveiled by Infrastructure Minister Semisi Sika, who said the network underscores the government’s commitment to advancing women’s leadership and aligni...

Fiji has stepped up its digital transformation drive with the launch of a new tax administration platform, developed with support from Australia to improve compliance and ease of doing business. The upgraded system, rolled out by the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service in Suva in late March, introduces enhanced self-service features, a more intuitive inte...

Economic growth in the Pacific is projected to moderate to 3.4% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027, according to the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2026, the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) flagship economic publication. “There is an unprecedented need for the Pacific to build resilience against the economic impacts of the Middle East conflict,” said ADB D...

The Commonwealth Digital Roadshow made its inaugural stop in Vanuatu from March 23 to 27, bringing together policymakers, businesses and communities in a coordinated push to accelerate digital transformation and expand access to emerging technologies. Led by the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation in partnership with the Vanuatu government’s D...

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has officiated the external review of the preliminary design for the China-aided Vanua Levu Road Upgrading Project, marking a significant step forward in a flagship infrastructure programme aimed at improving connectivity, resilience and economic development in Fiji’s Northern Division. Speaking at the Grand Pacific Hotel...

Jeremiah Manele has convened senior executives of key state-owned enterprises to accelerate progress on the Auki Road Project, warning that delays could leave the Solomon Islands government bearing full completion costs. At a meeting held on Thursday, Manele brought together chairpersons, chief executives and senior management from major SOEs, includin...

Claude Gambey, New Caledonia’s government member in charge of health, joined global leaders and scientists at the One Health Summit held from 5 to 7 April in Lyon, reinforcing the territory’s commitment to integrated approaches linking human, animal and environmental health. The summit convened policymakers, researchers, international organisations and...

Jeremiah Manele has outlined a pipeline of road and bridge projects for Malaita Province, as the government moves to scale up infrastructure delivery under the Second Solomon Islands Roads and Aviation Project. Speaking at the handover of the Su’u and Bira bridges, Manele said additional financing of about $41 million from the World Bank is being secur...

Master planning has emerged as a central tool in addressing climate vulnerability and rapid urbanisation challenges across Pacific cities, according to discussions at the Seventh Pacific Urban Forum in Papua New Guinea. Delegates at the forum highlighted how Pacific urban centres are increasingly exposed to overlapping risks, including cyclones, floodi...

Pacific Island countries are stepping up efforts to strengthen private sector development, recognising its central role as the backbone of their economies and a key driver of long-term growth, employment and innovation. The private sector remains the region’s largest employer and a major contributor to productivity, competition and wealth creation. It ...