The Parliament of the Cook Islands has formally declared itself an AI-enabled legislature, becoming one of the first parliaments in the Pacific to adopt artificial intelligence tools aimed at improving transparency, efficiency and public access to parliamentary services. The initiative was supported by the United Nations Development Programme through t...

The Solomon Islands government has officially launched a five-year Japan-backed agricultural research project aimed at strengthening national food security through improved sweet potato production systems and seedling management. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, or MALD, last week welcomed Japanese researchers and partner institut...

NADI, Fiji — Senior officials from the Republic of Korea and Pacific Islands Forum members reinforced commitments to deepen regional cooperation on climate action, maritime affairs, fisheries and economic resilience during the 8th Korea–Pacific Islands Senior Officials’ Meeting held in Nadi on May 21. The meeting brought together representatives from t...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation has selected Fiji as the host of the South Pacific Tourism Exchange, or SPTE, in 2027 following a vote by the organisation’s Board of Directors during a meeting in Nadi last week. The decision came after the board considered expressions of interest from Fiji and Tahiti Tourisme to host the Pacific region’s flagship tour...

The Government of Fiji is advancing a strategic economic reform partnership with the United States through the Millennium Challenge Corporation compact development process, with planned reforms targeting ports infrastructure and the business regulatory environment. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told Parliament that the recently signed agreement betwee...

The Solomon Islands government has called for stronger regional cooperation to improve aviation safety and security across the Pacific during the opening of the 22nd Pacific Aviation Safety Office, or PASO, Council Meeting and Annual General Meeting in Honiara. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Solomon Islands Minister for Communication and Aviation Fr...

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and Steamships Trading Company (Steamships) are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a framework for collaboration between ABG institutions, traditional land custodians and Steamships. The MOU follows a longstanding series of consultative engagements between tra...

A livestock outreach programme conducted by the Solomon Islands Agriculture and Rural Transformation, or SIART, initiative is helping strengthen food security and improve farming practices in rural communities across Makira Province. Through activities including livestock outreach, agribusiness support and extension services, the programme aims to buil...

The Union of Hotels of New Caledonia has signed a statement of intent with the New Caledonian government to support preparations for the 14th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture, or FESTPAC, scheduled to be held in the French Pacific territory in 2028. The agreement was signed on May 21 by Mickaël Forrest and Philippe Etwiller as part of broader effor...

Papua New Guinea has strengthened its push to become a regional leader in sustainable ocean industries following the successful hosting of the inaugural 2026 Melanesian Ocean Summit at APEC Haus in Port Moresby from May 11–14. Held under the theme “Ensuring Ocean Protection with Sustainable Ocean Economies,” the four-day summit brought together Pacific...

Australia’s imports of Pacific kava remained elevated in the first quarter of 2026 despite a decline from late-2025 levels, as exporters continued to benefit from expanded market access under Australia’s Kava Pilot Program. According to a quarterly update released by Pacific Trade Invest Australia, Australia imported 42,906 kilograms of kava during the...

The government of New Caledonia and the French Development Agency have signed an agreement to finance a strategic study aimed at strengthening and structuring the territory’s social and solidarity economy sector following economic disruption linked to the May 2024 unrest. The initiative was presented by Naïa Wateou alongside representatives of the Fren...

French Tech New Caledonia has secured French Tech Capital status for 2026–2028, becoming only the second French overseas territory to receive the designation as the Pacific territory accelerates efforts to position itself as a regional technology and innovation hub. The announcement was formally made on May 12 at Station N in Noumea during a joint pres...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation is advancing plans for a regional gender inclusion framework after the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative presented a draft Gender and Inclusive Tourism Action Plan 2026–2030 during the organisation’s board meeting in Fiji. The draft plan was presented by the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative duri...

Fiji Airports has received the 2026 Green Airports Recognition Platinum Award for its Wailoaloa Mangrove Restoration Project at Nadi International Airport, highlighting growing regional focus on climate adaptation and environmental resilience in the aviation sector. The award was presented during the Airports Council International Asia-Pacific and Midd...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation has intensified engagement in regional institutional reform discussions, with its board emphasising the importance of maintaining a dedicated regional mechanism for tourism governance in the Pacific. During a board meeting held last week in Nadi, Fiji, directors received an update on the ongoing Review of the Regional A...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has completed a two-day animal health outreach program in Leitongo Village in Central Province, delivering veterinary services and livestock training aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods and food security. The outreach covered the three communities of Leitongo 1, Leitongo 2 and Leitongo 3, where...

The Malaita Provincial Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening agrifood systems through closer collaboration between government, farmers, businesses and community groups during a provincial consultation workshop held in Auki. The workshop, organised under the theme “Strengthening Provincial Partnerships for Sustainable and Inclusive A...

The treaty establishing the Pacific Resilience Facility officially entered into force on 6 May after Australia and Fiji jointly presented instruments of ratification in Suva, marking a major milestone for regional climate resilience and adaptation financing in the Pacific. The instruments were deposited with Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Baro...

Matthew Cooper Wale has been elected Prime Minister of Solomon Islands after securing majority support in a parliamentary vote held on Friday following the removal of the previous government through a motion of no confidence. Wale, Member of Parliament for Aoke/Langalanga Constituency and former opposition leader, defeated Peter Shanel Agovaka by 26 vo...

Lion One Metals has appointed underground mining executive Eric Setchell as director of operations as the company advances operational improvements at the Tuvatu gold mine in Fiji, including higher development rates and expanded mining areas underground. The company said Setchell previously served as Lion One’s director of operations from January to De...

  Since being signed in October 2025, the ‘U.S.-Australia Framework for Securing Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths’ (“Framework”) has gained momentum against the backdrop of intensifying global competition for strategic resources. The initiative reflects a broader structural shift: critical minerals are no longer ...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) will launch the third phase of their programme aimed at reducing single-use plastics across the Pacific tourism sector, with implementation expected to begin in July or August this year. The initiative, supported by the Australian governmen...

Pacific Islands Forum leaders have invoked the Biketawa Declaration to coordinate a regional response to worsening fuel supply risks linked to ongoing instability in the Middle East, amid growing concerns over the vulnerability of Pacific economies to global energy disruptions. The move was announced following discussions among the Pacific Islands Foru...