New Zealand multi‑entry visas expand Pacific commerce
Effective 6 July 2025, New Zealand implemented a policy change granting multi-entry Visitor Visas to citizens of all Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries –including Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Niue, Cook Islands, Palau, FSM, and...
Boosting women’s employment could lift Pacific growth: World Bank
A World Bank Pacific Economic Update, widely reported in late July 2025, projects regional GDP growth slowing to 2.6 per cent in 2025 (down from 5.5 per cent in 2023). The Bank highlights that only around 43% of working-age women are employed across island nations,...
AFBC, Investment Fiji launch landmark Trade & Investment Review
In a major milestone for regional business collaboration, the Australia Fiji Business Council (AFBC) and Investment Fiji have jointly launched the Fiji Trade and Investment Review 2025-26: a flagship publication designed to showcase Fiji’s economic potential and guide...
Infrastructure Budget sets stage for climate-ready future
Fiji’s 2025-26 Budget signals a growing alignment between Fiji’s infrastructure priorities and its climate responsibilities. From water and transport to energy and finance, the government is investing in the systems that will underpin a more secure and sustainable...
Fiji, Australia elevate Vuvale partnership
Fiji and Australia have agreed to formally elevate their Vuvale Partnership, with new commitments aimed at strengthening development cooperation, security collaboration, and regional stability. The enhanced partnership was announced during Fijian Prime Minister...
Economists call for targeted support for Fiji’s VAT reduction
As the Fijian government rolls out its latest economic relief measure, a reduction in Value Added Tax (VAT) from 15 per cent to 12.5 per cent, economists are calling for complementary policies to ensure the most vulnerable households benefit without compromising...
Pacific’s biggest Infrastructure Forum just weeks away
Preparations are in full swing for the Pacific Infrastructure Conference 2025, to be held from 18 to 20 August at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. With just over a month to go, excitement is building across the region for what promises to be one of the...
Nauru looks to infrastructure, renewable energy, regional connectivity for growth
Nauru is making steady progress toward economic revitalisation in 2025, with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) projecting a 2.5 per cent GDP growth for both 2025 and 2026, as outlined in the April 2025 edition of the Asian Development Outlook. After years of economic...
Kiribati eyes economic recovery with infrastructure push; reform
Kiribati’s economy is beginning to show signs of recovery in 2025, as the Pacific Island nation leverages infrastructure investment, tourism revival, and a renewed focus on governance reforms to stabilise its economic outlook. Following several years of sluggish...
Marshall Islands gains lifeline with World Bank support
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), a small island nation in the central Pacific, has received a vital boost to its financial resilience through a new World Bank initiative designed to keep Pacific countries connected to the international banking system. The...
Solar mini-grids power up remote Tongan islands
Tonga is making tangible progress toward its renewable energy targets with the rollout of solar-powered mini-grid systems across its outer islands, in a bold move to reduce its dependence on expensive diesel imports and improve electricity access for remote...
Forum explores investment pathways from culture to code
The 40th Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Forum and Trade Expo concluded in Port Moresby with a renewed commitment to shaping future trade and investment between the two countries. Held from 23 to 25 June at the Stanley Hotel under the theme “Securing the Future of...