Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has reaffirmed his government's commitment to strengthening ties with China's Jiangsu Province, seeking to expand cooperation in agriculture, fisheries, education and workforce development to support the country's long-term economic growth. During talks with Jiangsu Vice Governor Zhao Yan at the Office of the...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $10 million grant facility aimed at strengthening project delivery, boosting resilience to environmental and disaster risks, supporting private sector development and accelerating sustainable economic growth in Vanuatu. The financing will establish the Vanuatu Sustainable Economic Transformation Facility,...

Prime Minister Matthew Wale called for closer alignment between monetary and fiscal policy to strengthen the resilience and stability of the Solomon Islands economy. Speaking during the recent Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, Wale said effective coordination between government fiscal policies and central bank monetary...

New Caledonia showcased its growing innovation and technology sector during its fourth participation in Viva Technology 2026, Europe's largest startup and innovation event, held in Paris from June 17 to 20. The New Caledonian delegation brought together eight startups and 16 institutional and private-sector partners under the New Caledonia Pavilion, wh...

The Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry has taken another significant step towards improving service delivery in rural Fiji with the official launch of Starlink Internet Services at the Wainikoro Station in Macuata. Officially launching the service, Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry Tomasi Tunabuna said the instal...

The Solomon Islands has applied to rejoin the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), marking a renewed commitment to transparency and accountability as the country seeks to develop its mineral resources sector. The EITI announced on June 19 that it had received an application from the Solomon Islands government to become an implementing ...

The Fiji government has reaffirmed its commitment to agricultural research and innovation, describing them as critical to strengthening food security, economic resilience and climate preparedness in the face of growing global and environmental challenges. Finance, Commerce and Business Development Minister Esrom Immanuel made the remarks while officiat...

Vanuatu has completed a comprehensive review of its e-commerce laws and regulations, paving the way for reforms aimed at strengthening the country's digital economy and expanding participation in regional and global digital markets. The National E-commerce Legislative Gap Analysis, launched on May 28 during a meeting of the National Trade Development C...

Panguna landowners have expressed strong support for a new legislative framework aimed at advancing the redevelopment of the Panguna mine, following stakeholder consultations led by the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG). The consultations focused on the Bougainville Mining (Amendment) Act 2026 and the recent grant of Large-Scale Mining Lease No....

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council has welcomed a proclamation by US President Donald Trump restoring commercial fishing access to parts of the Pacific Ocean, describing the move as a significant step towards strengthening fisheries management and supporting regional fishing communities. The proclamation, titled Restoring American ...

Prime Minister Matthew Wale has called for an urgent overhaul of Solomon Airlines, saying the national carrier has lacked a clear vision for years and must adopt a more strategic approach to ensure its long-term viability. Wale, accompanied by Finance Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo, met with the airline's board and management on Friday and stressed the nee...

The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) earned its reputation for stability during some of the country's most challenging periods, with its resilience helping prevent economic collapse during the ethnic tensions of the early 2000s, Prime Minister Matthew Wale said as the institution marked its 50th anniversary. Speaking at the bank's Golden Jubilee ...

Fiji has launched the Nasaulevu Integrated Tourism Development Masterplan, a landmark tourism project aimed at creating a new tourism and investment hub while placing indigenous landowners at the centre of development. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka unveiled the masterplan on 19 June at Navoci Village i...

Kalo Gold Corp. has identified multiple in-situ low-sulphidation epithermal quartz veins at the Wainikoro prospect within its wholly owned Vatu Aurum Project in Fiji, as the company advances exploration and prepares for the next phase of drilling. The company reported surface values of up to 3,397 detectORE units (dU), equivalent to an estimated 3.40 g...

The Fiji Development Bank (FDB) is expanding support for the country's rice sector through its Rice Mobility Package, a financing facility designed to help farmers improve productivity, expand operations and strengthen Fiji's long-term food security. The package provides financing for both existing and new rice farmers, enabling them to invest in land ...

New European Union food safety regulations are expected to affect approximately 97 per cent of Pacific Island-flagged vessels currently authorised to export seafood to the European market, prompting regional efforts to strengthen compliance and protect market access. National Competent Authority (NCA) officials from Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and ...

Finance and Treasury Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has ordered the immediate termination of all Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) relating to tax exemptions in the mining, forestry and fisheries sectors, a move aimed at strengthening fiscal governance and ensuring compliance with existing laws. In a statement issued on June 17, the Ministry of Finance and...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) has released its official Post-Event Report for the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) 2026, highlighting record-breaking participation, stronger regional collaboration, and significant progress toward sustainable tourism development across the Pacific. Held from March 24–26 at the Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay R...

Solomon Airlines has been granted an International Airline Licence by Papua New Guinea’s Department of Transport, clearing the way for the airline to commence direct services between Port Moresby and Honiara. The licence was formally presented on 12 June 2026 by Papua New Guinea Secretary for Transport, Matthew Wowoni, to Solomon Islands High Commissio...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD) has officially launched its 2026 Strategic Workshop at the Raiders Hotel in Tulagi, Central Islands Province, under the theme “Transforming Agriculture for Economic Growth.” The week-long workshop brings together MALD’s management team, senior ministry officials, provincial chief field office...

Fiji has strengthened its fisheries and aquaculture cooperation with South Korea following the signing of an agreement to support the reconstruction of the Makogai Mariculture Research Centre and enhance climate-resilient marine research capabilities. The Ministry of Fisheries announced that its delegation recently concluded an official mission to the ...

The upstream and downstream operators of the Papua LNG Project have been issued amended environmental permits by the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), following more than seven months of consultation between the regulator and project operators. The amended permits were presented on May 29, 2026, following extensive discussions i...

Employees from Lion One Metals Limited participated in a week-long First Aid Rescue Training program at Vatukoula Gold Mines Pte Limited, aimed at enhancing workplace safety, emergency preparedness and collaboration between the two mining companies. The training was conducted from May 11 to May 18 at the Vatukoula mine operation in Fiji and focused on ...

Fiji's expanding tourism sector is attracting growing interest from international investors, with more than $3 billion worth of tourism projects in the pipeline as the country works toward welcoming 1.25 million visitors and generating $4 billion in tourism earnings by 2027. Speaking at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Hotel Industry Conference and Exhi...