The Solomon Islands government has signed contracts with 83 companies under its Preferred Supplier Arrangement (PSA), clearing the way for the full implementation of the 2026 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) programme. The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) said the legally binding agreements followed the completion of the government's supplier qua...

Canadian explorer Kalo Gold Corp. has confirmed widespread gold mineralisation at its 100%-owned Vatu Aurum Project in Fiji, with laboratory fire assays returning grades of up to 8.78 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, reinforcing the company's geological model ahead of a new phase of exploration. The assay results from the Wainikoro prospect confirmed that s...

Canadian gold producer Lion One Metals Ltd. has begun the first phase of a multi-stage expansion of its Tuvatu Gold Mine processing plant in Fiji, a project expected to increase mill capacity by one-third and lift annual gold production by about 2,100 ounces. The first phase, known as the Filtered Tailings Expansion Project, will increase nominal plant...

Solomon Islands Finance and Treasury Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has directed the Customs and Excise Division to immediately impose a 15% export duty on alluvial gold and gold concentrates, while ordering authorities to recover unpaid duties retrospectively from the date the Harmonised System (HS) 2022 tariff schedule came into effect. In a ministerial ...

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) members have adopted a new regional aid-for-trade strategy for 2026–2030, setting out a coordinated agenda to strengthen trade, digital commerce, connectivity and climate-resilient economic development across the Blue Pacific. The Pacific Aid for Trade Strategy (PAfTS) 2026–2030 builds on the previous five-year framework and...

Fiji and New Zealand have strengthened their bilateral relationship with the signing of the refreshed Duavata Partnership 2026–2030, committing to deeper cooperation in trade, security, climate action and sustainable development over the next five years. The agreement was signed in Auckland by Fiji's Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Sak...

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has held talks with United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau in Washington, D.C., reaffirming bilateral ties and advancing discussions on infrastructure, energy and investment cooperation. The meeting at the U.S. State Department focused on strengthening the long-standing partnership between...

The Solomon Islands has completed the first phase of a Chinese-backed mini solar power project that installed renewable energy systems across 25 constituencies, with a second phase set to begin once financing arrangements are finalised by China. The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) announced on Monday...

The Fiji Meat Industry Board (FMIB) has achieved Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Australia certification, a milestone expected to strengthen Fiji's food safety standards, improve export readiness and support the long-term growth of the country's livestock industry. The internationally recognised certification confirms that FMIB has imple...

Senior officials from Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) member countries, regional organisations and development partners have gathered in Nadi this week to strengthen regional access to climate finance and develop a pipeline of investment-ready projects ahead of the inaugural Pacific Climate Finance Investment Forum in 2027. The three-day Climate Finance Ac...

A group of smallholder farmers in Guadalcanal Province has begun producing bottled pineapple juice after receiving support to establish a processing facility, creating new income opportunities while reducing the need to travel to Honiara to sell fresh produce. The Atunoda Family Farmers Association, based in Gheghede village in East Central Guadalcanal...

Chinese agricultural specialists have completed rice transplanting across a one-hectare experimental and demonstration farm in Honiara, marking a key milestone in an agricultural technical assistance programme between China and Solomon Islands. Since June 2026, a team of four experts from the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) — comprising...

Fiji has earmarked a record FJ$221 million for the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar Industry in the 2026/2027 National Budget, with the government aiming to strengthen food security, improve farmers' livelihoods and accelerate the sector's contribution to economic growth. Speaking in Parliament on 15 July, Agriculture, Waterways and Sugar I...

Vanuatu is strengthening its disaster recovery governance through new sector-specific guidelines and a proposed disaster financing framework aimed at improving post-disaster coordination, accelerating recovery efforts and building long-term resilience to climate and natural hazards. Government agencies, development partners, technical experts, civil so...

The Solomon Islands government is strengthening efforts to combat corruption, illicit financial flows and revenue leakages in the mining sector as it prepares for increased mineral development and works toward rejoining the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). More than 30 representatives from government ministries, oversight bodies, l...

Canadian miner Lion One Metals Ltd reported a strong rebound in gold production during the second quarter of 2026 as operational improvements at its Tuvatu Gold Mine in Fiji lifted output, recovery rates and underground development. The company recovered 3,291 ounces of gold during the quarter ended June 30, up 21 per cent from the 2,726 ounces produce...