SUVA, Fiji | 23 September 2026 (IDN|Wansolwara) — The South Pacific region with its many vulnerable island nations may have moved beyond the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, but its economic consequences continue to weigh on governments across the region. Once again, countries are facing rising debt levels. In its 2026 Pacific Economic Update, the World Bank linked the current financial landscape to slower economic growth, narrowing fiscal space, climate disasters, and an uncertain global economy. Economic growth across 11 Pacific Island countries is projected to slow to 2.8% in 2026, according to the report, as rising fuel and shipping prices pressure budgets. The report shows that repeated shocks are becoming the Pacific’s new normal. It highlights the need to move beyond short-term crisis response and invest in the foundations of long-term growth. According to Joey Tau, Coordinator of the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG), the region’s current debt problem must be understood historically and structurally. “Over the past two decades, both internal and external developments have challenged the economic structures of Pacific Island states,” Tau states. The region operates within a history of colonisation and has long been characterised as a group of “underdeveloped” small island states “faced with...

Wansolwara News The University of the South Pacific (USP) Journalism Programme has marked the 2026 World Press Freedom Day this year in partnership with the Fiji National University (FNU) School of Language, Communication and Literature. A successful collaboration between two universities, the event highlighted a strong partnership focused on advancing journalism education in the Pacific.

By Monika Singh of Wansolwara News Pacific media are facing one of their most challenging reporting environments in their history, marked by governance issues, political instability, geopolitical pressures and escalating climate threats, while simultaneously grappling with declining revenue streams and threats to their financial survival. This is highlighted in the inaugural edition of the Pacific

By Monika Singh of Wansolwara Vanuatu is now in a state of emergency with at least 14 confirmed deaths following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the capital Port Vila yesterday, followed by a 6.1 quake and other after shocks today. According to the…

Wansolwara News The University of the South Pacific (USP) Journalism Programme has marked the 2026 World Press Freedom Day this year in partnership with the Fiji National University (FNU) School of Language, Communication and Literature. A successful collaboration between two universities, the event highlighted a strong partnership focused on advancing journalism education in the Pacific.

By Monika Singh of Wansolwara News Pacific media are facing one of their most challenging reporting environments in their history, marked by governance issues, political instability, geopolitical pressures and escalating climate threats, while simultaneously grappling with declining revenue streams and threats to their financial survival. This is highlighted in the inaugural edition of the Pacific

By Vahefonua Tupola in Suva The University of the South Pacific (USP) is at the heart of a global legal victory with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivering a historic opinion last week affirming that states have binding legal obligations to protect the environment from human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. The case, hailed as a

By Niko Ratumaimuri in Suva World Press Freedom Day is not just a celebration of the vital role journalism plays — it is also a moment to reflect on the pressures facing the profession and Pacific governments’ responsibility to protect it. This was one of the key messages delivered by two guest speakers at The

Like our ancestors before us, the Trade winds brought the two traditional vessels, safely to the shores of Honiara to be welcomed by the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders. #PIFLM54 #OneBluePacific #Wansolwara