PACNEWS TWO, 27 OCTOBER 2026

PAC – DEFENCE/SECURITY: PACNEWS        PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Timor Leste key to Australia’s regional security network: Aust deputy PM Marles

CANBERRA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Australia sees Timor-Leste as a critical link in its regional security network, with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles saying a new defence framework with Dili strengthens Canberra’s efforts to build closer security ties with countries surrounding Australia.

Marles said the agreement with Timor-Leste completed a wider push by the Albanese government to deepen security relationships across the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

In an interview with ABC, Marles said Timor-Leste had always been strategically important to Australia, but the government had placed greater emphasis on engagement with the region.

“It is a neighbour, it’s right there. And it matters that we have the strongest level of engagement possible with Timor-Leste,” he said.

Marles cited Australia’s security arrangements with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji, as well as ongoing work towards a security agreement with Solomon Islands.

He said these agreements were designed to strengthen relationships with countries around Australia and support regional stability.

“When you do that exercise, the last link in the chain is Timor-Leste,” Marles said, describing the agreement signed in Dili as an important step in completing that network.

He said Darwin would play a key role in defence engagement with Timor-Leste because of its proximity to the country.

A major joint exercise, Hari’i Hamutuk, is planned for August next year, with about 120 Australian personnel from 1 Brigade in Darwin expected to participate, subject to confirmation.

Asked whether the agreements were intended to send a message to China about its presence in the region, Marles said Australia’s priority was to strengthen partnerships and contribute to collective security.

“The message is about the region, which is that we’re here to engage and that we want to be the natural partner of choice for the countries of the Pacific, but also very much a country like Timor-Leste,” he said.

Marles said Australia’s security efforts were not directed specifically at China but reflected its responsibility to help maintain peace and stability across the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

He said Australia’s own security depended on a peaceful and stable regional environment.

“The defence of Australia really doesn’t mean that much unless you’re talking about a peaceful and stable Pacific, a peaceful and stable Southeast Asia,” he said.

Marles said the agreements were intended to strengthen collective security and demonstrate Australia’s commitment to working with its neighbours to maintain regional peace and stability…. PACNEWS

PNG – INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE: THE NATIONAL     PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Bougainville crisis underscores need to reconsider country’s governance: Alotau MP

PORT MORESBY, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (THE NATIONAL) — Alotau MP Ricky Morris says Papua New Guinea should learn from the Bougainville conflict and reconsider its governance arrangements as Parliament debates the outcome of the 2019 referendum.

Morris said the crisis that began with grievances over the Panguna mine escalated into a civil emergency and an independence movement exposing failures in government leadership, policy and performance.

Speaking during parliamentary debate on the Bougainville referendum outcome, he said the experience highlighted the disconnection between Waigani and the provinces, districts and communities across the country.

“The escalation of legitimate landowner community rights and concerns into a civil emergency and an independence vote by the majority of our people on Bougainville points to a failure in government leadership, policy and performance at all levels,” he said.

Morris said the deployment of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in response to the crisis was fundamentally wrong, arguing that the situation required a better understanding of local grievances and concerns of affected communities.

He questioned Parliament’s role in overseeing the executive government during the crisis, asking where elected representatives were when the situation escalated.

Morris said the experience reinforced the need to review the country’s governance structure, drawing on 51 years of experience since independence in 1975.

He referred to the views of former Alotau MP and PNG’s first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the late Sir John Guise, who advocated a presidential system of government with greater powers delegated to the provinces.

Morris said Sir John had supported decentralisation, power-sharing, resource ownership and respect for cultural identity, believing that provinces should have greater autonomy and representation.

He said Sir John’s concerns about the Westminster system and the possibility of secessionist movements causing political instability remained relevant to the issues facing the country today.

Morris said the Bougainville referendum result, in which 97.7 percent of voters supported independence, required careful consideration of both Bougainville’s aspirations and the interests of the wider nation.

He said Parliament had a constitutional responsibility under Section 342 of the Constitution to consider the referendum outcome following consultations between the Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

Morris also urged leaders to learn from other resource-development projects, including the Ok Tedi mine in Western and the PNG Sustainable Development Programme, when considering the future of the Panguna mine and its landowners.

He said the grievances of Panguna landowners and the subsequent conflict demonstrated the importance of addressing resource-related concerns before they developed into wider political and security crisis.

Morris said the debate was not only about Bougainville but also about the future of PNG and the country’s ability to accommodate its diverse people under one Constitution.

He said leaders had a responsibility to understand the country’s history, the aspirations of its founding leaders and the circumstances that brought its many tribes and languages together as one nation.

Morris also paid tribute to Papua New Guineans who lost their lives during the Bougainville conflict, including members of the security forces and civilians.

He acknowledged the contributions of people from Milne Bay who served in various capacities during the conflict, including in the police, Defence Force, public service, churches and civil society.

On behalf of the people of Milne Bay, he expressed sympathy for the families of those who had died and the communities affected by the conflict.

Meanwhile, Abau MP Sir Puka Temu has stated in Parliament his backing for Bougainville independence from Papua New Guinea.

“I stand up to support the call by Bougainville for independence,” he said in Parliament this week.

Sir Puka, who is well versed with the issue, said granting independence to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville would not create a precedent for other provinces as some leaders think. 

He told Parliament during the debate last week, “No other district or province has the Constitutional right. Bougainville is allowed under the law to go through that process. 

“Parliament is the only legal House to make the decision.”

Sir Puka also shared some history on the island of Bougainville saying it was the colonial administration that had decided the fate of Bougainville in the beginning. 

He also spoke about the crisis which claimed thousands of lives and acknowledged the brave women who helped to put an end to the war…. PACNEWS

AUST – PRE COP31: SMH                             PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

‘You could almost buy a hotel’: Fiery exchange over climate summit costs

CANBERRA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (SMH) — The Albanese government spent $682,000 (US$478,564) on rooms at a five-star hotel in Sydney to host a series of pre-COP meetings in September, with questions over the contract leading to a fiery exchange in the Senate.

The grilling of bureaucrats in Senate estimates also revealed that Australia’s financial contribution to hosting October’s pre-COP event in Fiji could reach $34.6 million (US$24.27 million) – higher than the $20 million (US$14 million) previously reported.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson said expenditure by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water was “simply out of control” and asked why the government was spending almost $700,000 (US$491,173 million) on meeting rooms and accommodation when “you could almost buy a hotel for that amount of money”.

Dr Sally Box, head of the international climate negotiations division in the department, confirmed the contract with Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour was part of the $150 million (US$105 million) budgeted for pre-COP.

Box said the contract supported at least five separate events over several weeks, but she did not have a breakdown of how many meeting rooms were involved over how many days and whether it included accommodation, or why the venue needed to be five-star.

“These are either mandated events under the UNFCCC that we were hosting in Australia, or they were workshops to support the facilitation of conversations between delegations on negotiations-related issues,” Box said.

“There were multiple events hosting multiple delegates from around the world in the one meeting location, through the one provider.”

Henderson’s comment about being able to buy a hotel for nearly $700,000 (US$491,173 million) prompted the intervention of Labor senator Tim Ayres, who said this was not true. He pointed out that during the G20 in 2014, the Abbott government booked out 7000 hotel rooms across Brisbane including luxury five-star resorts at a cost of $20 million (US$14 million).

The squabble occurred when Senate estimates resumed after a short break to pay tribute to independent MP Helen Haines, who was seriously injured in an alleged attack last week.

Henderson and Ayres spoke over the top of each other repeatedly as Henderson accused Ayres of “running interference” while she tried to question a public servant, and Ayres argued this was “the same Coalition that made jokes about water lapping at Pacific leaders’ doors”, a reference to an infamous 2015 hot mic incident involving then-immigration minister Peter Dutton and then-prime minister Tony Abbott.

More recent examples included one of the Coalition senators referring to Pacific leaders as “the local blokes” earlier in the estimates hearing, Ayres said, and Nationals senator Matt Canavan’s recent comments about the prime minister and a minister looking “silly” in Hawaiian shirts at a pre-COP events in the Pacific.

“Your questions about a much smaller amount of money really do underline the lack of seriousness with which the Coalition views this set of issues in the Pacific,” Ayres said.

Henderson interjected: “$150 million (US$105 million) is not a small amount of money.”

Ayres said: “I did not interrupt you. I did not interrupt you.”

“You’re interrupting the whole …” Henderson said.

“Badgering me or badgering the officials does not assist,” Ayres said.

“I’m not badgering,” Henderson said, and called a point of order on relevance, but committee chair, Labor senator Varun Ghosh, ruled that Ayres’ answer was relevant because Henderson’s question had included “rhetorical preamble” to which Ayres could respond.

Ayres concluded by saying that the pre-COP expenditure was “fully funded by the $500 million (US$350 million) Coalition-era strategic international partnership that [now Opposition Leader] Angus Taylor … put together to bribe his way out of the naughty corner when the previous government became so isolated on these questions in the region and around the world”.

Ayres withdrew the attack on Taylor at Henderson’s request.

Earlier in Monday’s Senate estimates hearing, the department’s head of division, international climate & energy, David Higgins, said the pre-COP event in Fiji had included contracted commitments of $34.6 million (US$24.27 million), but this was an “outer bound”, with the government expected to recoup some costs from attending nations over the next month.

The breakdown included an $8.4 million (US$5.89 million) bill for accommodation and venues, which also included most of the catering, about $20 million (US$14 million) for the event management company including the fit-out of venues, audiovisual hardware and simultaneous translation, $2 million (US$1.4 million) to put on host broadcaster services to make sure the proceedings could be publicly screened, and additional costs associated with procurement support, commercial and probity advice.

Department secretary Mike Kaiser said he had approved the travel of 51 department officials to manage the operational side and 48 staff for negotiation and engagement.

The event attracted criticism because the only world leaders in attendance were from the Pacific region, plus Timor-Leste and Mauritius.

Kaiser said the event achieved its goals to put Pacific priorities at the heart of the international climate discussion and help shape the agenda for COP31 in Turkey, and to strengthen relationships with Pacific neighbours…. PACNEWS

PNG – ELECTION/POLITICS: PNG TODAY     PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

PNG public servants given 29 October deadline to resign for 2027 elections

PORT MORESBY, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (PNG TODAY) — Public servants in Papua New Guinea who intend to contest next year’s National General Election have until 29 October 2026, to resign from their positions, the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) has warned.

The deadline follows Section 55 of the Public Services (Management) Act, which requires intending candidates to leave the Public Service six months before the issue of election writs.

With the writs scheduled for 29 April 2027, government employees planning to enter politics must complete their resignations by the end of this month.

DPM Secretary Taies Sansan said the legal requirement must be observed by all public servants seeking to stand in the election.

The department has issued Circular Instructions No. 15, No. 18 and No. 24 of 2026 to guide officers and employees of government agencies through the process.

Sansan said intending candidates must formally submit a Notice of Resignation, clearly stating that their departure from the Public Service is to contest the 2027 National General Election.

Copies of the resignation notices must also be forwarded to DPM for official records and verification.

To ensure compliance, the department has established an Election Technical Working Group to work alongside the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission.

The group will cross-check candidates’ nomination details against Public Service records once the relevant information becomes available from the Electoral Commission.

Officers who fail to meet the legal requirements or follow the department’s circular instructions may face administrative action in accordance with the law.

“DPM respects the right of public servants to seek elected office. At the same time, we have a responsibility to safeguard the integrity, neutrality and professionalism of the Public Service and to ensure that the transition from public service to political participation is undertaken lawfully and transparently,” Sansan said…. PACNEWS

FIJI – HIV/AIDS/HEALTH: FIJI SUN                  PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Dr Sahukhan moves to tackle barriers in Fiji HIV response

SUVA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fiji’s new Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Aalisha Sahukhan says her first job on HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is to clear roadblocks for the ministry’s sexual and reproductive health and HIV unit.

She will be briefed on the needle and syringe programme in the coming weeks.

Dr Sahukhan spoke to the media yesterday, her first day in the office.

She said HIV was “not a new disease” and the world already knew what worked.

“There is about 40 years or more than 40 years of international experience and evidence about what works and what does not work,” she said.

She said her role was to meet the HIV team and hear their concerns.

“My job as the Permanent Secretary is really to meet with them, to let them talk about what they’re doing,” Dr Sahukhan said.

The ministry recorded 2016 new HIV diagnoses last year. Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu declared a national HIV emergency in September.

On the needle and syringe programme, Dr Sahukhan said the HIV unit would brief her first, and an update would follow.

“I will be getting briefed from the HIV unit in the coming weeks, and we will be able to provide an update once that is done,” she said.

On the 100-bed super-speciality hospital, she said briefings were under way, and it would be “one of the priorities going forward”.

Asked if HIV had become a political talking point before the general election, she said no.

“The more people who are talking about this issue, the more awareness that goes out and it is very much a bipartisan issue,” she said.

Dr Sahukhan, a former Head of Health Protection who led the Fiji Centre for Disease Control, will spend this week with headquarters and Central Division teams.

Western and Northern division visits will follow.

Meanwhile, Fiji is aiming to detect outbreaks of potentially epidemic infectious diseases within seven days under a new U.S-backed programme designed to strengthen the country’s disease surveillance and laboratory systems.

The seven-day target will be a key measure of success for the Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems (STRIDES) programme, launched at Rose Hall, Tamavua Twomey Hospital Monday.

Permanent Secretary for Health Dr Aalisha Sahukhan said the initiative would help Fiji strengthen its ability to detect infectious disease threats before they spread further.

She identified dengue, leptospirosis, typhoid and seasonal influenza as Fiji’s main outbreak diseases.

“But we also need to be ready… for any new disease, new virus that comes up,” she said.

Dr Sahukhan, who represented Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu at the launch, said the seven-day goal would be among the indicators used to assess the programme’s success.

The programme will support laboratory testing for humans and animals, safer transportation of samples, biosafety measures, staff training and improved data sharing.

It is led by FHI 360 in partnership with Black & Veatch and PATH.

U.S Chargé d’Affaires Christina Cavallo, who launched the programme alongside Dr Sahukhan and Agriculture Minister Tomasi Tunabuna, said the initiative would build on Fiji’s existing expertise and systems.

“Our job is to strengthen the systems that work, not to build parallel ones,” she said.

Tunabuna highlighted the importance of cooperation between the agriculture and health sectors, warning that infectious diseases could spread between animals and humans.

“Diseases do not always respect sectoral boundaries,” he said.

He said farmers and livestock officers could be among the first to notice unusual changes in animals, making their observations important for early disease detection.

Dr Sahukhan stressed that the improvements must continue beyond the life of the programme.

“We don’t want to just have a project and then have that capacity during the project and then that falls off,” she said.

The programme aims to strengthen Fiji’s long-term capacity to identify infectious disease threats through better testing, trained personnel and coordination between human and animal health services…. PACNEWS

PNG – POLICE: TVWAN                               PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Fijian is new Madang PPC

MADANG, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (TVWAN) — Madang Province in Papua New Guinea welcomed their new Provincial Police Commander Chief Superintendent Uraia Vakaruru in a handover-take-over ceremony held at the Jomba Police Station.

Chief Superintendent Vakaruru from Fiji takes over from Superintendent Robert Baim, whose work contract has expired.

Vakaruru had built his police career in New Zealand for 35 years. A few months ago, he retired but was recalled to serve in Madang province.

While working under the New Zealand police force, he has an extensive experiences and expertise across the police force divisions.

Serving as a Detective Superintendent, PPC Uraia stated that he is called to serve and with it comes standards which part of what he wants maintained within the PNG Royal Constabulary. In addition, the new PPC is thankful for the warm welcome he received and is looking forward to serving the Madang people.

The official hand over take-over documents have not been signed as Chief Superintendent Uraia reviews.

On the other hand, this was a sudden twist of events for outgoing PPC Superintendent Baim as he was in Lae, Morobe Province with his team for a conference when he received the notification of his replacement on Friday 23 October.

Despite the sudden transition in Madang police hierarchy, Baim has welcomed Chief Superintendent Uraia to the command post.

Baim also highlighted challenges of the command, the ongoing projects and an insight into running the affairs of Madang’s law enforcement. Baim appreciated his officers, the business houses that continue to support police efforts and the general public.

He officially handed over the post Monday, with good intentions and advised that he will be on hand, should the incoming PPC need him.

Superintendent Robert Baim remains unattached until assigned by the Police Commissioner.

The police post appointments nationwide, come under the Executive Director Programme with the Australian Government, serving as non-ongoing contract officers within the provinces. It has left outgoing PPCs unattached for months. …PACNEWS

SAMOA – CYBER SECURITY: SAVALI NEWSPAPER PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Samoa launches cyber week to strengthen data protection

APIA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (SAVALI NEWSPAPER) — Samoa has launched Cyber Week 2026 with a focus on strengthening data protection, cybersecurity skills and the resilience of digital systems as government services and businesses become increasingly reliant on technology.

The event was opened on Monday by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), bringing together government leaders, cybersecurity specialists, development partners and information technology practitioners.

This year’s theme, “Trusted Data, Resilient Systems”, highlights the need to protect personal and government information and ensure digital systems can withstand and recover from cyber threats.

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Agaseata Tanuvasa Valelio Tanuvasa Peto said growing reliance on technology increased the responsibility to secure data and digital services.

“Every day, individuals, businesses, and governments rely on digital systems. As our dependence on technology grows, so does our responsibility to ensure that the data we hold is protected and that the systems we rely on remain secure and resilient,” he said.

Strong cybersecurity is essential to protecting sensitive information, maintaining public confidence in online services and securing business transactions and customer records.

Cyber Week has been part of Samoa’s annual cybersecurity programme since 2022, providing a platform for public awareness, skills development, policy discussions and cooperation.

This year’s programme supports the country’s digital transformation agenda, including the National Cybersecurity Strategy 2026–2031 and the Pathway for the Development of Samoa 2026–2031.

A key event is the National Data Governance and Protection Policy Roundtable, where senior executives are discussing how government agencies should manage, share and protect public-sector data.

The discussions are expected to contribute to a consistent national approach to responsible data management and protection.

The programme also includes specialised cybersecurity training and knowledge-sharing sessions aimed at strengthening the skills of those responsible for protecting Samoa’s digital infrastructure and information assets.

The Samoan Government acknowledged support from the Australian Government and other development partners in building the country’s cybersecurity capacity.

Peto said protecting Samoa’s digital future required a collective effort involving government, businesses, educational institutions, civil society, development partners and the public.

Cyber Week 2026 continues through the week, with activities focused on building awareness, strengthening technical capacity and improving cooperation to keep Samoa’s digital systems secure and reliable…. PACNEWS

FIJI – CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: FIJI SUN    PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Public gets chance to query Fiji political leaders on Constitution Bill

SUVA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (FIJI SUN) — Fijians will have an opportunity to discuss, debate and question six political figures on the proposed constitutional amendments and other national issues at a Fijian Media Association (FMA) public forum in Nasinu this Thursday.

The FMA will bring together Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad, former MP Tupou Draunidalo, Minister for Education and Social Democratic Liberal Party leader Aseri Radrodro, Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube and Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry.

The town hall discussion comes ahead of an anticipated final parliamentary vote on the Constitution Amendment Bill.

The forum will be held at the College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies (CBHTS) Lecture Theatre at Fiji National University’s Nasinu Campus on Thursday, 29 October from 7pm to 9pm.

Doors will open at 5pm.

The association has encouraged community organisations to share the invitation and urged members of the public to attend, listen and contribute to the national discussion.

Members of the public will be able to question the panellists on the proposed constitutional changes and issues affecting their daily lives, including employment, education, health services and public accountability.

The forum, themed “Have your say on the Constitution Bill and other Key National Issues”, aims to bring different political perspectives into one public discussion.

The association said members of the public did not need legal expertise to ask questions about the proposed constitutional changes.

It wants public concerns to help shape the conversation and ensure the discussion addresses issues that matter to Fijians.

Mai TV director Stanley Simpson and Communications Fiji Limited news director Vijay Narayan will host the forum.

Members of the public can submit questions in advance through an online form or by using the QR code on the event poster.

Online submissions close at midnight on Wednesday, 28 October.

The discussion will also be broadcast live across platforms, allowing Fijians outside Nasinu to follow the exchanges…. PACNEWS

AUST – DIPLOMACY: AAP                           PACNEWS 2: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Former NZ PM to mentor students in new Australian gig

SYDNEY, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (AAP) — Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has taken up a post at a major Australian university.

Ardern, who was her home country’s leader from 2017 to 2023, will soon begin guest-lecturing, running masterclasses and mentoring students and researchers at the University of Sydney. 

She has been appointed a professor of practice – a part-time role for people with extensive leadership experience outside of academia – in the school of public health. 

Her work will focus on areas including empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. 

Ardern led New Zealand through the Christchurch terrorist attacks, the Whakaari volcanic eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 46-year-old resigned as prime minister and leader of the New Zealand Labour Party in January 2023, saying she did not “have enough in the tank” to carry on. 

“I’ve found myself especially focused on the question of leadership since leaving office, and how we can better support and encourage the kind of leadership needed to tackle our many global challenges,” Ardern said.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside the brilliant students, faculty and wider University of Sydney community, as we share experiences, explore and develop ways to better serve our communities, and help solve the issues facing so many today.”

Since leaving office, Ardern has held fellowships at Harvard and Oxford universities and founded an international programme that promotes empathetic leadership. 

She and her family moved to Sydney from the U.S earlier in 2026. 

University vice-chancellor Mark Scott said he had long admired Ardern for the courage and humanity she brought to public life. 

“Her leadership demonstrated that empathy and resolve do not compete with one another; each can strengthen the other,” he said.

Students would meet not only a former prime minister, but a thoughtful teacher with a great deal to share about public leadership and service, he said.

Ardern spoke at a gender equality conference in Melbourne in April, which was attended by delegates from 185 countries. 

She also recently attended the pre-COP31 meetings in Fiji alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese…. PACNEWS

PACNEWS BIZ

PAC – TOURISM INDUSTRY: PACNEWS      PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Pacific launches gender action plan to make tourism more inclusive

HONIARA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (PACNEWS) — Pacific tourism organisations have been given a new regional action plan and practical tools to strengthen gender equality, support women’s economic participation and improve inclusion across the tourism industry.

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) launched the Pacific Gender and Inclusive Tourism Action Plan (GITAP) and Toolkit 2026–2030 at the Development Partners Dialogue in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

The initiative aims to help National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) integrate gender equality and inclusion into tourism policies, planning and investment decisions.

The toolkit provides resources including data systems, policy templates and guidance to help tourism organisations identify gaps, monitor progress and develop more inclusive programmes.

SPTO said the action plan was informed by findings from the Pacific Regional Gender Audit and developed with technical support from the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI).

The plan identifies four priority areas: data, monitoring and advocacy; inclusive tourism policy and planning; women’s economic empowerment and private sector engagement; and institutional commitments, including human resources and organisational culture.

The first five resources developed under the toolkit are a Gender Audit Workbook, Inclusion Data Template, Action Plan Template, User Guide and Inclusive Employer Checklist.

Chair of the SPTO Sustainable Tourism Board Sub-Committee and Cook Islands Tourism chief executive Karla Eggelton said the plan marked an important step towards embedding gender equality and inclusion in Pacific tourism development.

“This plan is a milestone for our region, embedding inclusivity and equity into policies and programmes across Pacific tourism,” Eggelton said.

She acknowledged PSDI for its funding and technical support in developing the action plan and toolkit.

Eggelton said the initiative translated regional research and consultation into practical measures aligned with the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework 2030.

The framework’s goals include thriving and inclusive communities, as well as healthy islands and oceans.

SPTO said the action plan also recognised inclusion as a factor in tourism competitiveness, workforce development, business growth and community resilience.

The initiative aligns with the SPTO Strategic Plan 2025–2029, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework 2030 and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

It is intended to support tourism organisations across the region to incorporate gender equality and inclusion into their policies, operations and long-term planning through to 2030… PACNEWS

UN – AIR TRAFFIC: UN NEWS CENTRE        PACNEWS BIZ: Tue 27 Oct 2026

Why do planes keep circling before landing? The UN has a plan to fix it

VACOUVER/NEW YORK, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (UN NEWS CENTRE) — Air traffic delays cost billions and turn journeys into ordeals. 

Some countries are already proving that better coordination saves thousands of flying hours and cuts emissions – and the UN’s aviation agency wants the rest of the world to follow.

Most frequent flyers know the feeling: the plane begins its descent but, instead of heading for the runway, starts circling overhead.

It isn’t necessarily a fault or bad weather. Often, it is a holding pattern – a manoeuvre that keeps aircraft airborne until there is room for them to land.

It is one symptom of increasingly crowded skies, where a storm, an emergency or a closed route in one place can cause delays thousands of kilometres away.

The bill is enormous. In Europe alone, air traffic management delays cost an estimated US$2.3 billion or more in 2025, according to EUROCONTROL, the continent’s air navigation body.

What if countries coordinated their flights the way a city synchronises its traffic lights?

That is the idea behind a push by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the UN agency that sets global aviation standards.

“If the traffic lights work independently, traffic becomes chaos and there are jams on every corner,” ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar told UN News. 

“If you get a green light on one street and are stopped at the next, the backlog builds immediately. The same happens with air traffic across the world’s airspace.”

The fix starts long before landing. If an airport knows it cannot take more aircraft for a while, it can coordinate with other airports to hold back departures, rather than leave planes circling overhead.

This approach, known as air traffic flow management, lets airlines, airports, controllers and weather services share information and make decisions together.

Several countries already use it, but the benefits are limited when national systems don’t talk to each other. After five days of talks in Montreal convened by ICAO, governments and industry backed a faster global rollout.

For passengers, who should mean earlier warning of cancellations and delays as well as quicker recovery when things go wrong.

“When people get to the airport, wait all day and nobody tells them anything, that creates huge problems,” Salazar said.

Disruption snowballs, he explained. A problem lasting an hour or a day knocks on to every flight scheduled after it and today’s system is slow to bounce back.

The gains are already measurable. In the Americas, collaborative trials supported by ICAO saved more than 265,000 minutes of flying time in 2026, about 4,400 hours, and over US$38.9 million.

They also saved some 13,330 tonnes of fuel and avoided 42,160 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, a contribution to the goal of net zero carbon emissions from international aviation by 2050.

In Europe, a EUROCONTROL programme anticipating weather and congestion avoided around 3.1 million minutes of delay between May and August 2026, saving an estimated US$448 million and making the network 14 percent more stable on the worst days.

Brazil and Colombia have run such systems for years, Salazar said, but largely at national level while international flights cross many countries’ airspace.

“Technology alone is not the answer,” he said. Information has to be shared and often it isn’t, sometimes for lack of will, sometimes for lack of the means to transmit it in real time.

“A flight from Europe to Australia or New Zealand passes through four or five regions, different continents and that requires excellent coordination which doesn’t exist today,” he said.

“No country or region acting alone can manage that.”

ICAO, with 193 member States, sets common standards and provides technical help so countries can coordinate regardless of resources. New international rules on flow management are due in November 2030, with regional workshops planned for 2027.

The pressure is mounting. ICAO projects air travel could reach 12.4 billion passengers by 2050.

A busier sky

Other challenges are piling up. Conflicts force airlines to reroute around danger zones, creating new bottlenecks. Drones, air taxis, rocket launches and unplanned re-entries of objects from orbit all demand closer coordination.

For Salazar, the goal is simple. An air transport system that reaches every person in the world, so that everyone sees the benefits of being connected…. PACNEWS

PACNEWS DIGEST

The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS

It’s time for WCPFC to commit to a biodegradable FAD transition

By Holly Koehler and Dr Gala Moreno

VIRGINIA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (PACIFIC ISLAND TIMES) — The science is clear. Solutions exist. And resources are within reach.

Non-entangling and biodegradable fish aggregating devices (bio-FADs)—made from bamboo, hemp, cotton, and other organic materials—offer a sustainable, effective alternative to conventional drifting FADs.

There are real consequences to the continued use of conventional FADs made with plastic and synthetic materials, which can damage the marine ecosystem when lost or abandoned. 

Fishers use FADs to harvest more than 38 percent of the tropical tuna catch, and between 19,000 and 40,000 FADs are deployed or re-deployed annually in the WCPO. It has been estimated that only 6 percent of FAD buoys in that region were retrieved from the ocean by purse seiners or other vessels; the rest were stranded (11.3 percent), abandoned (44.8 percent), or had an unknown fate (37.6 percent). 

Recent research on FADs stranded on the Hawaiian Islands and Palmyra atoll showed that the average time from deployment to stranding was approximately two years and could be as long as seven years.

The WCPO produces more than half of the world’s tuna catch. By not requiring its fleets to transition to bio-FADs, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission is out of step with its peer tuna regional fisheries management organisations: the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). 

After passing binding bio-FAD resolutions, IATTC, ICCAT and IOTC are guiding their fleets toward fully biodegradable FADs by 2028 (ICCAT) and 2030. (For IATTC, the 2030 deadline excludes flotation components. The requirement to use fully biodegradable FADs, including the flotation components, is expected to take effect in 2031, subject to regulatory approval.)

In contrast, WCPFC has been “encouraging” bio-FAD use since 2017. This year, the WCPFC Scientific Committee agreed that “a stepwise introduction of biodegradable dFADs is technically feasible.”

ISSF has led research on bio-FAD designs for more than 10 years and pioneered the “jelly-FAD”—an innovative design inspired by the drift and buoyancy of jellyfish and co-designed with fishers. 

Thousands of jelly-FADs have been tested by fleets in all three oceans, including in the WCPO by fleets from China, Taiwan, the Federated States of Micronesia, Japan, Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands and the United States, through a project led by Dr Lauriane Escalle from the Pacific Community in collaboration with ISSF. 

Governments, fleets, market actors, scientists and NGOs recognise that using bio-FADs is the next step in responsible FAD management. WCPFC must follow suit and agree on a bio-FAD transition timeline at its annual meeting in December.’

Bio-FAD designs have been developed through years of collaboration among scientists, vessel owners, fishers, NGOs, government agencies and regional organisations, with positive results:

*Trials in the Pacific and Indian Oceans show comparable catch performance between biodegradable and conventional FADs, with jelly-FADs outperforming conventional FADs in Eastern Pacific tests.

*Bio-FADs are feasible for use at commercial scale. Fleets have tested thousands, including jelly-FADs, in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

*Bio-FADs typically last long enough for fishing operations but degrade before becoming persistent drifting debris. Jelly-FADs have average lifespans of nine to 12 months.

*Fishers can customize components and structures using local organic materials to suit fishing conditions. Jelly-FADs, for example, can incorporate different woods and plant fibers. 

Bio-FAD costs are also comparable to conventional FADs.

The availability and affordability of organic materials will vary, and some regional supply chains face constraints. Remote Pacific islands and atolls that are members of WCPFC may face higher transition costs. However, these practical barriers can be overcome. 

To support WCPFC members and fleets, ISSF has launched a research project mapping fleets, ports, manufacturing facilities, and natural materials across the WCPO. This factor should be considered when setting the timeline but is not a reason to avoid developing one.

Bio-FADs are only one element of holistic FAD management, which also requires thorough FAD data collection and tracking, limits on the number of FADs, higher FAD recovery rates at sea and on land, and comprehensive monitoring coverage through both human observers and electronic monitoring.  

The WCPO region has made, and continues to make, strides on these important components through measures adopted by WCPFC and initiatives launched by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, individual purse seine fleets, and partner NGOs.

Fishers will face learning curves, and bio-FAD designs will evolve as more is discovered through deployments and ongoing collaboration between scientists and fishers. But the WCPFC should not let “what ifs” delay implementation of innovative, known technological solutions to real problems. 

Setting a transition timeline does not require science to anticipate and solve every potential challenge first. In fact, setting a time-bound goal can help drive problem-solving and allow fleets to plan and prepare.

The commission will not navigate this transition alone. ISSF and other NGOs stand ready with data, tools, and expertise. Scientists and fishers are eager to exchange technical knowledge, and peer RFMOs can share lessons learned. 

Bio-FADs are the way forward—a needed next step in the continuous improvement of FAD management and a solution for reducing tuna fishing’s impact on marine ecosystems. WCPFC has the science, practical solutions, and international precedents it needs to commit to a bio-FAD transition timeline this December….PACNEWS

Holly Koehler is the vice president of policy and outreach at the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation; D. Gala Moreno is a research scientist at the foundation.

PACNEWS DIGEST

The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS

SPREP sets implementation direction for its PEUMP II marine species component

HONIARA, 27 OCTOBER 2026 (SPREP) — Implementation of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme’s (SPREP) component of the European Union-funded Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership Programme Phase II (PEUMP II) is getting underway, following an inception and implementation planning session with Pacific countries and partners in Honiara this week.

The SPREP component focusing on Mitigating Threats to Key Marine Species in the Pacific will now kick-off into implementation. Building on experience and lessons from the first phase of PEUMP the work will support Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, alongside regional activities, with a focus on sea turtle conservation, reducing bycatch of threatened marine species, and strengthening Pacific capacity to meet requirements under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The inception session, held on 14 October, provided an important opportunity for SPREP to work with countries, partners and the European Union to translate the approved project design into practical implementation arrangements for the next two years.

“PEUMP II gives us a strong opportunity to build on the experience, relationships and lessons developed through the first phase of PEUMP and other regional initiatives,” said Ms Utulei Lui, SPREP PEUMP II Project Coordinator. “The next two years will be about working closely with countries and partners to translate that foundation into practical action for threatened marine species across the Pacific.”

During the session, SPREP presented the proposed implementation framework for PEUMP II, including refinements to the project’s Logical Framework, the proposed sequencing of activities under the two-year implementation plan, and the draft Communication and Visibility approach.

Country representatives and partners were invited to provide practical feedback on whether proposed project targets are realistic and achievable, national or regional considerations that could affect implementation timing, existing programmes and networks that PEUMP II should connect with, and communication channels that could support the effective sharing of information, tools and results.

The consultation forms part of the PEUMP II inception process and will help SPREP refine implementation arrangements before activities are progressively rolled out with participating countries and partners.

Making the most of Pacific partnerships

The PEUMP II inception session was held alongside the Pacific BioScapes Programme Steering Committee Meeting, another European Union-funded programme led by SPREP.

Bringing the two processes together provided a practical opportunity not only to engage countries and partners already gathered in Honiara but to identify new opportunities for coordination and strengthen synergies in marine conservation initiatives across the Pacific. This approach reflects the way PEUMP II has been designed, with an emphasis on coordination and complementarity with Pacific BioScapes and other regional programmes.

The next phase will see SPREP progressively mobilise activities across the three Key Result Areas, working closely with Pacific countries, regional organisations, technical partners and the European Union throughout implementation…. PACNEWS