The Queensland Government has launched its Queensland-Pacific Trade and Investment Strategy 2026-2028, outlining plans to deepen commercial engagement with Pacific economies and build on more than AUD 9 billion in existing trade links. Led by Trade and Investment Queensland, the strategy positions the state as “Australia’s Pacific State”, citing Queens...

The Australia Papua New Guinea Business Council, the Australia Fiji Business Council and the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council have welcomed the launch of the Queensland-Pacific Trade and Investment Strategy 2026-2029, highlighting the importance of sustained industry engagement in delivering outcomes across the region. Representatives from th...

New Caledonia and Vanuatu are set to be connected by a pioneering underwater telecommunications cable equipped with scientific monitoring technology aimed at improving earthquake and tsunami detection in one of the world’s most seismically active regions. Jeremie Katidjo Monnier, member of the New Caledonian government responsible for the management of...

Fiji and Australia have reaffirmed their strategic partnership following high-level bilateral talks between Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and senior Australian ministers in Suva, with discussions focusing on regional security, economic cooperation and the development of the proposed Vuvale Union. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for...

Fiji and Denmark have reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation on climate action and regional engagement, following high-level talks aimed at strengthening partnerships ahead of key global negotiations. Fiji’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya, met with Denmark’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Fiji, Ingrid Dahl-Madsen, on A...

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has outlined the government’s immediate priorities following Tropical Cyclone Maila, while addressing fuel price pressures, regional coordination and ongoing governance issues. Speaking at a media briefing on April 28, Manele said the government is moving into the next phase of recovery after conducting as...

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...