AGP Executive Report

Energy Resilience Training: Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu leaders joined hands-on Solar Scholars workshops in Nadi, learning to install and maintain solar PV systems to cut reliance on imported diesel and handle outages as fuel prices stay volatile. Tourism Data for Planning: Vanuatu’s tourism sector got a fresh boost of decision-ready numbers, with the 2025 International Visitor Survey (647 responses) released by SPTO and the Vanuatu Tourism Office under the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative. Media & Tech Skills Gap: Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation says digital change is forcing a rethink of budgets and audience reach, while staff trained for traditional reporting struggle to transition. Regional Tech Diplomacy: Australia and Japan agreed to prioritise supply chains, energy and critical minerals, plus capacity-building to help Pacific islands tackle money laundering—though climate change wasn’t on the agenda. Local Emergency Engineering: New Zealand Army warrant officer Rob Allen received a Distinguished Service Decoration for engineering leadership during a Port Vila plane crash response and the 17 Dec earthquake rescue and recovery. Pacific Infrastructure Push: The Quad announced plans to develop port infrastructure in Fiji, signalling how connectivity and logistics are becoming central to Indo-Pacific security.

Energy Resilience: Pacific leaders from Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu completed hands-on solar training under the Solar Scholars initiative, installing solar PV systems and learning how to assemble and maintain them to cut reliance on imported diesel and handle outages as fuel prices stay volatile. Tourism Data: Vanuatu’s 2025 International Visitor Survey results were released, reporting 647 valid responses and highlighting strong visitor satisfaction driven by culture, nature and adventure—plus growing local capacity in tourism analytics. Regional Tech & Media: Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation and Papua New Guinea’s NBC both flagged the pressure digital tech and social media put on newsroom workflows, budgets and audience reach, with Vanuatu’s rural coverage needs front and centre. Public Safety & Engineering: A New Zealand Army engineer received a Distinguished Service Decoration for emergency engineering support in Vanuatu, including crash rescue road access and earthquake search-and-recovery coordination. Governance & Security Tech: The Quad announced port-infrastructure plans for Fiji, pointing to how telecoms, cables and ports are increasingly treated as resilience and economic-security assets.

Energy Resilience: Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu community leaders completed hands-on solar PV training to cut reliance on imported diesel and build local energy control as fuel prices stay volatile. Tourism Data: Vanuatu’s 2025 International Visitor Survey (with SPTO and the Vanuatu Tourism Office) reports strong performance, using hundreds of responses to guide planning and investment. Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly backed a Vanuatu-led push affirming a legal duty to limit global warming, a move likely to shape future climate litigation. Health Capacity: A Vanuatu health update highlights gaps in trained staff for cancer screening and treatment, with officials looking to regional support to expand services at Vanuatu National Hospital. Regional Connectivity: The Quad announced plans to develop port infrastructure in Fiji, adding a new layer to Pacific infrastructure and security debates. Mega-project Watch: Australia’s Snowy 2.0 tunnelling milestone is in sight, but costs and safety scrutiny keep the “is it worth it?” question front and centre.

Tourism Data: SPTO and the Vanuatu Tourism Office released the January–December 2025 International Visitor Survey, covering 647 responses and highlighting strong visitor satisfaction driven by culture, nature, adventure and Ni-Vanuatu hospitality—useful for planning and investment. Renewables & Energy Security: Pacific leaders trained in solar tech through 350.org Pacific and the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities’ Solar Scholars programme, installing solar PV systems in Fiji and building local skills to cut fuel dependence and handle outages. Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly backed an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on states’ legal duty to limit global warming; Vanuatu’s climate-focused push passed despite a US “no,” with the ruling expected to shape future climate litigation. Pacific Health Tech & Skills: A Vanuatu health sector update discusses tackling NCDs and cancer care, with a focus on screening and building local oncology capacity amid nursing and workforce shortages. Emergency Engineering Recognition: New Zealand Army engineer WO2 Rob Allen received a Distinguished Service Decoration for lifesaving engineering support during a 2024 aircraft crash and the 17 December Port Vila earthquake. Regional Connectivity: The Quad announced plans to develop port infrastructure in Fiji, signalling how ports and undersea connectivity are becoming central to Indo-Pacific strategy.

Solar for resilience: 350.org and the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) ran a Solar Scholars workshop with community leaders from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tuvalu, training locals to assemble and install solar PV systems to cut fuel costs and provide backup power; two PV systems were installed on the Yavulo Kindergarten in Sigatoka and the Fiji Council of Social Services building in Lautoka. Pacific media climate skills: SPREP is coordinating a regional media workshop (17–18 Sept) to help Pacific journalists report on weather and climate, with selected participants also covering PMC8 and 4PMMM in Tonga. Vanuatu emergency engineering honoured: New Zealand warrant officer Rob Allen received the Distinguished Service Decoration for leading engineering responses in Vanuatu, including rescue support after a 2024 Port Vila plane crash and coordination during the 7.3 quake. Climate accountability push: The UN General Assembly backed an ICJ advisory opinion on states’ legal duty to limit global warming, with Vanuatu listed as the resolution’s mover while the US voted against. Undersea cables in the spotlight: A new report highlights growing grey-zone interference risks to Pacific undersea cable networks, including vulnerability across Vanuatu and neighbouring islands.

Climate Accountability: Vanuatu-backed UN action has secured a 141-8 vote affirming that countries have a legal duty to limit global warming, a move expected to fuel climate litigation even though it’s not enforceable. Renewables Training: As fuel prices bite, Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu community reps trained on installing and maintaining solar systems through the Solar Scholars Initiative, pushing energy sovereignty at the local level. Disaster Engineering in Vanuatu: New Zealand’s Rob Allen received a Distinguished Service Decoration for emergency engineering leadership during a 2024 aircraft crash and the 7.3 Port Vila earthquake. Pacific Media Capacity: SPREP is coordinating a regional media workshop to help Pacific journalists better report weather and climate stories, including coverage linked to major meteorology meetings in Tonga. Regional Tech & Security Infrastructure: The Quad’s new push highlights ports, maritime surveillance and cables as strategic infrastructure priorities across the Pacific, with Fiji named for port development. Health Sector Focus: A Vanuatu health update highlights non-communicable disease work, especially cancer screening and treatment, but flags staffing shortages as the main bottleneck.

Climate Accountability: Vanuatu-backed UN action has affirmed that countries have a legal duty to tackle climate change, following a 2025 ICJ advisory opinion—141 nations voted yes, with the US among the eight no votes—setting up more climate litigation momentum for vulnerable states. Pacific Health: A Vanuatu health update highlights non-communicable disease work, with focus on cancer screening and treatment, but stresses the bottleneck is trained staff—prompting regional learning trips to Solomon Islands and PNG. Regional Security & Tech Infrastructure: The Quad (India, US, Australia, Japan) says it will jointly develop port infrastructure in Fiji, a move framed as high-quality support for Pacific priorities and a potential new flashpoint in wider great-power competition. Vanuatu in the Spotlight: A separate report notes Vanuatu’s role in leading the UN climate resolution push, tying youth and civil society advocacy to international legal outcomes. Local Emergency Engineering: A New Zealand Army engineer leading emergency responses in Vanuatu has received a Distinguished Service Decoration for work during a Port Vila plane crash and the later 7.3 earthquake response. Digital Infrastructure Risk: A new analysis warns undersea cables across the Pacific are increasingly targeted in grey-zone interference, with Vanuatu named among the vulnerable locations.

Climate Accountability (UN/ICJ): The UN General Assembly backed a landmark International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate, with 141 countries voting in favour (including Vanuatu, which led the push), affirming that states have a legal duty to limit global warming—an outcome that could shape future climate lawsuits even though the vote itself isn’t enforceable. Pacific Health Capacity: Vanuatu’s Ministry of Health is looking to strengthen non-communicable disease care, including cancer screening and treatment, by learning from staffing and training gaps addressed during recent visits to Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Regional Tech & Security (Quad Ports): India, the US, Australia and Japan announced plans to jointly develop port infrastructure in Fiji, a move framed as meeting Pacific priorities but also raising questions about wider geopolitical competition in the region. Surveillance & Data Concerns (China in the Pacific): A report highlights backlash in the Solomon Islands after Chinese police proposed household registration and biometric collection tied to a surveillance system—an example of how security tech can collide with privacy and local legal limits. Agrifood Innovation for SIDS: The FAO-backed Global AgriInno Challenge 2026 is open for innovators targeting agrifood problems in Small Island Developing States, with Vanuatu among the eligible SIDS teams.

UN Climate Accountability: Vanuatu helped drive a UN General Assembly resolution backing an ICJ advisory opinion that states have a legal duty to address climate change, passing 141–8 with 28 abstentions; the US voted against, alongside Russia, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Belarus, Liberia and Yemen, while UN chief António Guterres called it a “powerful affirmation” of international law and climate justice. Health Workforce & Cancer Care: In a Vanuatu Ministry of Health update, Acting DG Dr Santus Wari says the push on non-communicable diseases includes scaling cancer screening and treatment at Vanuatu National Hospital, but shortages of trained staff are driving regional scholarship and training plans after a trip to Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Pacific Security Tech: A report says China is exporting surveillance-style policing to the Solomon Islands, including collecting personal identifiers and biometric prints, raising concerns about privacy and legal safeguards. Agri Innovation for SIDS: The FAO-backed Global AgriInno Challenge 2026 is open for innovators tackling agrifood problems in Small Island Developing States, with Vanuatu among the eligible countries and reserved finalist spots. Geopolitics & Connectivity: Coverage highlights how submarine cables in the Pacific are increasingly contested, with grey-zone interference risks for regional digital infrastructure. Vanuatu in the spotlight: The week’s climate diplomacy and health capacity moves keep Vanuatu front and centre in science, tech, and resilience priorities.

UN Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly backed a landmark International Court of Justice climate ruling, voting 141–8 (with Vanuatu leading the push) to affirm that countries have a legal duty to tackle climate change, curb fossil fuels, and submit stronger plans under the Paris goal—while the US and several major fossil-fuel states voted no. Pacific Climate Justice: Vanuatu’s role is framed as turning moral appeals into enforceable rights, with SIDS highlighting impacts like sea-level rise, erosion, and food security risks. Quad Port Push (Fiji): The Quad (India, US, Australia, Japan) plans new port infrastructure in Fiji, raising fresh questions about Pacific influence and China’s objections to “bloc confrontation.” Security Tech in the Pacific: A report says China-backed policing in the Solomon Islands included fingerprint and palm-print collection and a surveillance-style system, sparking backlash over privacy and legal safeguards. Vanuatu in the spotlight (tech & identity): A separate story links a Vanuatu citizenship claim to an alleged online betting and hawala network, underscoring how digital finance can collide with Pacific jurisdiction.

Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly backed a landmark International Court of Justice climate ruling, with Vanuatu leading the resolution that says countries have a legal duty to tackle climate change; it passed 141–8 with the US among the opponents. SIDS Innovation Call: The Global AgriInno Challenge 2026 is open for agrifood innovators targeting Small Island Developing States, with finalists travelling to Hangzhou for workshops and pitching. Pacific Tech & Security: A report says China is testing a state surveillance model in the Pacific, raising concerns about personal-data collection and limits of “security” exports. Biodiversity Science: DNA analysis has identified the Seychelles’ vanished crocodiles as the westernmost saltwater crocodile population, solving a 250-year mystery using museum specimens. Aviation & Reef Messaging: Qantas unveiled a Great Barrier Reef-inspired livery on its new A321XLR “Coral Sea,” linking tourism and reef restoration funding. Public Safety Tech: A bomb-squad scare at Avalon Airport turned out to be a laser hair removal device and hot chocolate, highlighting how security tech responds to suspicious items.

UN Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly backed an International Court of Justice climate opinion with a 141–8 vote, with Vanuatu leading the push—reinforcing that states must take all possible steps to protect the climate system under international law, and urging stronger fossil-fuel action. Pacific Climate Justice: Vanuatu’s win is part of a wider Pacific push for accountability, not sympathy, as leaders stress sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and food security impacts. Marine Conservation: Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea signed on to expand the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, aiming for a huge interconnected transboundary marine protected area. Agrifood Innovation for SIDS: The Global AgriInno Challenge 2026 is open for innovators tackling agrifood problems in small island developing states, with reserved finalist spots for Vanuatu. Tech & Security in the Pacific: A report says China has tested a state surveillance model in the region, raising privacy and legal concerns. Science & Nature: DNA analysis identified the Seychelles’ “lost” crocodiles as the westernmost saltwater crocodile population.

Climate Accountability (UN/ICJ): Vanuatu helped win a UN General Assembly vote (141–8) backing an International Court of Justice advisory opinion that countries have a legal duty to address climate change, with the push aimed at fossil-fuel accountability and stronger action under the Paris goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C. Pacific Ocean Protection: Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea signed on to the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, aiming for a connected transboundary marine protected area of at least 6 million sq km. Agrifood Innovation (SIDS): The FAO-backed Global AgriInno Challenge 2026 is open for applications, reserving five finalist spots for SIDS teams including Vanuatu, with finalists heading to Hangzhou for workshops and pitching. Public Health (Dengue): China says it has cut local dengue transmission despite rising imported cases, citing stronger surveillance and rapid outbreak response. Education/Environment (Vanuatu): National University of Vanuatu graduates were celebrated through a JCU-linked Bachelor of Environmental Science program, supporting local capacity for climate resilience. Tech & Security (Pacific): A report describes China’s use of surveillance-style policing in the Pacific, raising privacy and legal concerns. Earth Observation/Science Curiosity: A piece explores whether concerts and sporting events can trigger real earthquakes, citing expert views that they cannot. Aviation/Branding: Qantas’ new Airbus A321XLR “Coral Sea” livery rolls out, themed on the Great Barrier Reef.

Pacific Security & Data: A report says China is testing a state surveillance model in the Pacific, using village-level data collection and biometrics in places like the Solomon Islands—sparking backlash over privacy and legal gaps. Digital Infrastructure: Another analysis highlights how submarine cables are a growing grey-zone target across the Pacific, with Vanuatu and neighbours named among vulnerable points. Climate Accountability (Vanuatu-led): The UN General Assembly backed a Vanuatu-drafted resolution endorsing a 2025 ICJ advisory opinion that states have legal duties to tackle climate change; it passed 141–8, with the US among opponents. Marine Conservation: Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea signed on to the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, aiming for a huge interconnected transboundary marine protected area. Local Science & Skills: JCU and partners marked NUV’s inaugural environmental science graduation, boosting bilingual training for climate resilience in Vanuatu. Public Health: China says it has curbed dengue locally through stronger surveillance and vector control, despite rising imported cases.

Submarine Cables & Grey-Zone Tactics: A new report links recent Taiwan-area cable cuts to a wider pattern of undersea “grey-zone” interference, warning the Pacific’s cable-rich but vulnerable region—from PNG to Vanuatu—needs more policy attention. Climate Accountability (UN): In the biggest win of the week, the UN General Assembly backed an ICJ climate advisory opinion 141–8, with Vanuatu leading the push; the resolution frames climate action as a legal duty, urges 1.5°C-aligned plans, and keeps pressure on fossil-fuel subsidies and accountability. Rangatahi Budget Push: Young people across Aotearoa are calling on Budget 2026 for rangatahi-focused funding—youth spaces, mental health, affordable childcare, and better transport. Security & Public Safety: A man accused of making bombs in a home lab faces extra explosives charges, while an airport scare at Avalon Airport turned out to be a laser hair removal device and hot chocolate. Pacific Sovereignty: SIDS leaders say the UN vote marks a shift from sympathy to enforceable rights, including protections for maritime zones despite sea-level rise.

UN Climate Accountability: The UN General Assembly just backed a Vanuatu-led push to treat climate action as a legal duty, voting 141–8 (with 28 abstentions) to endorse a 2025 International Court of Justice opinion—while the US and other major fossil-fuel states voted no. Pacific Climate Push: Minister Lynda Tabuya framed the moment as a shift from “begging for sympathy” to demanding accountability under international law. Earthquake Myths: A separate story tackles whether concerts and sports can trigger earthquakes—experts say the answer is no, despite viral “human-made quake” claims. Security Check: At Australia’s Avalon Airport, a bomb-squad scare ended as a laser hair removal device and hot chocolate. Grave Restitution: Another thread follows efforts to identify resting places for remains found in desecrated graves. Tech/Finance Noise: A fintech firm claims a new AI-driven trading setup for private wealth—another reminder that “AI” headlines keep moving fast.