AGP Executive Report

Fiji Airways Restores Nouméa Link: Fiji Airways will resume direct Nadi–Nouméa flights from 22 September 2026, operating twice weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays) with Fiji Link ATR 72-600 aircraft, adding more than 10,000 seats annually and boosting tourism, trade and business travel between the two hubs. Local Politics & Voting Rights: France’s Constitutional Council validated a “partial unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral roll for the 28 June 2026 provincial elections, allowing over 10,000 additional voters—mainly people born after restrictions were imposed under the Nouméa Accord framework. Health Sector Restructuring: New Caledonia’s healthcare stakeholders met in Nouméa City Hall to plan restructuring amid chronic disease burdens, youth addictions, caregiver shortages, costly medical evacuations and financial strain, with priorities including making health jobs more attractive, reorganising care delivery and improving financial sustainability. Marriott Leadership in the Pacific: Marriott International appointed John Douglas as Area General Manager for the Pacific Islands, with strategic oversight across Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia. Security & Tech Risk Watch: A report says Creative’s Sound Blaster Katana V2X can be exploited remotely via Bluetooth to flash firmware and inject keystrokes, with no fix offered yet.

New Caledonia Health Restructuring Talks: Healthcare workers and officials met for three days in Nouméa City Hall to tackle a strained system marked by chronic disease costs (about 40 billion francs a year for long-term care), staff shortages, costly medical evacuations and youth addictions, with plans focused on making health jobs more attractive, reorganising care delivery and restoring financial sustainability. Electoral Roll “Unfreezing” Confirmed: The French Constitutional Council validated changes to New Caledonia’s provincial election rules on 28 June 2026, allowing more than 10,000 additional voters by partially lifting restrictions on people born after November 1998. Fiji Airways Restores Direct Nouméa Flights: Fiji Airways will resume Nadi–Nouméa direct services from 22 September 2026, twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays, adding over 10,000 seats annually to support tourism, trade and regional business links. Tech & Security Watchouts: A report highlights a remote exploit affecting Creative’s Sound Blaster Katana V2X soundbar, raising concerns for PC users about Bluetooth firmware updates and keystroke injection. Consumer Tech Curiosity: dumb.co launched a $20 “Dumbphone 2” companion device aimed at reducing screen time, while Citizen unveiled a limited-edition Eco-Drive watch using washi paper as a solar-charging dial surface.

Fiji Airways Restores Nouméa Route: Fiji Airways will resume direct Nadi–Nouméa flights from 22 September 2026, twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays via Fiji Link ATR 72-600 aircraft, adding more than 10,000 seats annually and boosting tourism, trade and people-to-people links. New Caledonia Election Roll Update: France’s Constitutional Council has validated a “partial unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral restrictions for the 28 June 2026 provincial elections, allowing over 10,000 additional voters—aimed at people born after November 1998—after amendments were endorsed by the National Assembly and Senate. Health Sector Restructuring Talks: New Caledonia’s healthcare stakeholders met over three days in Nouméa City Hall to tackle chronic disease burdens, youth addictions, staff shortages, costly medical evacuations and financial strain, with priorities focused on making health jobs more attractive, reorganising care delivery and ensuring sustainability. Kava Prices Bite Local Industry: New Caledonia’s kava bar sector is warning of job losses as the imported dried root price jumps from about 4,500 CFP francs per kilo to around 7,000 CFP since early 2026, driven by higher fuel and freight costs from Vanuatu and lower production volumes. Cruise Dress Code Reminder for Lifou: Carnival Splendor passengers visiting Lifou are being told swimwear must be modest and only worn at beaches or pools, with restrictions on items like G-strings, thongs and topless sunbathing.

Air Connectivity: Fiji Airways will restart direct Nadi–Nouméa flights from 22 September 2026, operating twice weekly (Tuesdays and Fridays) with Fiji Link ATR 72-600 aircraft, adding more than 10,000 seats a year and boosting tourism, trade and people-to-people links. Elections & Voting Rights: France’s Constitutional Council has validated a “partial unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral roll for the 28 June 2026 provincial elections, allowing over 10,000 additional voters—mainly people born after restrictions were imposed under the Nouméa Accord. Health Sector Restructuring: New Caledonia’s health stakeholders are meeting in Nouméa City Hall to tackle chronic disease costs, youth addictions, staff shortages and costly medical evacuations, with a focus on making health jobs more attractive, reorganising care delivery and restoring financial sustainability. Competition & Consumer Costs: New Caledonia’s Congress adopted competition measures targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, including new rules on payment timing and compensation, while some powers for the competition authority were removed amid employer lobbying. Local Business Pressure: New Caledonia’s kava sector warns of job risks as the imported root price from Vanuatu jumps sharply, driven by higher fuel and freight costs and lower Vanuatu production volumes. Tourism on the Move: Carnival Splendor passengers are being reminded of Lifou’s conservative swimwear rules ahead of a June 2 port call.

New Caledonia Electoral Roll Update: France’s Constitutional Council has validated a “partial unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral restrictions for the 28 June 2026 provincial elections, allowing more than 10,000 additional voters—mainly people born after November 1998—to cast ballots, after amendments backed by the National Assembly and Senate. Health Sector Restructuring: New Caledonia’s health stakeholders met at Nouméa City Hall to tackle chronic disease costs, youth addictions, caregiver shortages and expensive medical evacuations, with a push to make professions more attractive, reorganise care delivery and restore financial sustainability. Competition Law Passes: Congress adopted a New Caledonia competition bill targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, setting 30-day payment deadlines and creating late-payment compensation, while also scaling back some powers of the competition authority amid employer lobbying. Tourism Signal for Nouméa: The US State Department lowered its travel advisory for New Caledonia from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety conditions after the 2024 unrest, though it still flags petty crime and limited help outside Nouméa. Kava Prices Bite: New Caledonia’s kava industry is warning of a sharp rise in imported Vanuatu root prices—up about 40% since early 2026—driven by fuel and freight costs and lower Vanuatu volumes, with job cuts a risk if prices don’t ease.

New Caledonia Health Overhaul: Health professionals met at Nouméa City Hall to tackle a strained system, with priorities set on making health jobs more attractive, reorganising care delivery, and restoring financial sustainability amid long-term illness costs estimated at 40 billion francs a year. Electoral Roll Update: France’s Constitutional Council approved a partial “unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral restrictions for the 28 June provincial elections, allowing over 10,000 additional voters—aimed at correcting demographic “distortions” since the Nouméa Accord era. Competition Law Push: New Caledonia’s Congress adopted competition measures targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, including new rules on merger controls and a framework for deferred producer-distributor discounts, while also trimming planned powers for the competition authority. Kava Price Shock: New Caledonia’s kava sector is warning of job losses as the imported root price jumps about 40% since early 2026, driven by higher fuel and freight costs from Vanuatu and weaker production volumes. US Travel Advisory Eased: The US State Department lowered its New Caledonia travel advisory to Level 2, citing improved safety while still flagging petty crime, political tensions, and limited help outside Nouméa. Regional Fisheries Move: Conservation International expanded its Pacific Tuna Initiative to Palau, building on reforms in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen tuna governance and sustainable production.

New Caledonia Electoral Roll Update: France’s Constitutional Council has validated a “partial unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral roll for the 28 June 2026 provincial elections, allowing more than 10,000 additional voters—mainly people born after November 1998 who were previously barred under the Nouméa Accord framework. Health Sector Restructuring: New Caledonia’s health stakeholders met for three days in Nouméa City Hall to tackle a strained system marked by chronic disease, youth addictions, staff shortages, costly medical evacuations and weak finances, with priorities set around making health jobs more attractive, reorganising care delivery and restoring financial sustainability. Competition Law Push: Congress adopted a competition bill aimed at curbing abusive practices such as excessive pricing and late payments, including tougher merger controls and new rules on payment deadlines, while some powers of the Competition Authority were scaled back pending a performance review. Tourism & Business Climate: The US has lowered its travel advisory for New Caledonia from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety overall but still warning about petty crime, political demonstrations and limited help outside Nouméa. Regional Trade & Sustainability: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on reforms already underway in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen sustainable tuna governance and more equitable ocean management.

Electoral Roll Update: The French Constitutional Council has approved a “partial unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s electoral roll for the 28 June provincial elections, allowing more than 10,000 additional voters—mainly people born after the Nouméa Accord-era restrictions—after an organic law backed by both chambers. Health Sector Push: New Caledonia’s health stakeholders met over three days in Nouméa City Hall to tackle chronic disease burden, youth addictions, staffing shortages and costly medical evacuations, with a focus on making professions more attractive, reorganising care delivery and restoring financial sustainability. Competition Law: Congress passed a New Caledonia competition bill targeting abusive practices such as excessive pricing and late payments, tightening merger controls and setting 30-day payment deadlines from invoice issuance, while scaling back some powers of the competition authority amid employer lobbying. Tourism & Travel Signals: The US lowered its travel advisory for New Caledonia from Level 3 to Level 2, citing generally improved safety while still warning about petty crime, political tensions and limited help outside Nouméa. Regional Fisheries & Climate: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on work already underway in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen sustainable tuna governance and ocean resilience, as research highlights how Super El Niño can disrupt marine ecosystems and fisheries. Local Business Pressure: New Caledonia’s kava industry is bracing for layoffs as the imported root price jumps sharply—linked to higher fuel and freight costs from Vanuatu and lower production volumes—while Drought Watch: more central NC snakes are being spotted as drought drives wildlife indoors and outdoors.

US Travel Update: The US State Department has downgraded its New Caledonia advisory from Level 3 to Level 2, saying the territory is generally safe for tourism again, while still flagging petty crime, political demonstrations and limited emergency support outside Nouméa. Electoral Reform: France’s Constitutional Council validated changes to New Caledonia’s electoral roll for the 28 June provincial elections, a partial “unfreezing” expected to let more than 10,000 additional voters cast ballots. Competition & Business Climate: New Caledonia’s Congress passed a competition law targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, including new merger controls and a framework for deferred discounts, while also trimming some powers of the Competition Authority after employer lobbying. Local Industry Pressure: Kava bar operators in New Caledonia warn of a sharp rise in imported Vanuatu kava prices, citing higher fuel and freight costs plus lower regional production, with potential job losses if costs don’t ease. Sustainable Fisheries: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on work already under way in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to improve tuna governance and market incentives.

New Caledonia Electoral Roll Update: France’s Constitutional Council has validated changes to New Caledonia’s electoral restrictions for the 28 June 2026 provincial elections, allowing more than 10,000 additional voters by partially “unfreezing” the roll for people born after the 1998 Nouméa Accord restrictions. Competition Law Push: New Caledonia’s Congress adopted a competition bill targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, with tighter merger controls and new rules on payment deadlines, though it removed parts that would have expanded the Competition Authority’s powers. Kava Industry Under Pressure: New Caledonia’s kava bars are bracing for job cuts as the imported root price jumps about 40% since the start of 2026, driven by higher fuel and freight costs from Vanuatu and weaker supply. Tourism Confidence Boost: The US State Department lowered its travel advisory for New Caledonia from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety after the 2024 unrest, while still warning about petty crime and limited emergency support outside Nouméa. Regional Fisheries Cooperation: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on work in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen sustainable tuna governance and ocean resilience. Business & Economy Watch:

New Caledonia Electoral Roll: France’s Constitutional Council validated an “organic law” adjustment that partially “unfreezes” the voting roll for the 28 June provincial elections, allowing over 10,000 more people to vote, mainly those born after November 1998. Competition & Consumer Costs: New Caledonia’s Congress passed a competition law targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, while also allowing deferred discounts between producers and distributors—aimed at easing pressure in a high-cost environment. Kava Industry Pressure: Nouméa’s kava bars face a potential squeeze as the imported root price jumps about 40% since the start of 2026, driven by higher fuel and freight costs from Vanuatu and lower Vanuatu production. Tourism Signal: The US State Department lowered its travel advisory for New Caledonia from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety after the 2024 unrest but still warning about petty crime and limited emergency support outside Nouméa. Regional Fisheries Governance: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on reforms in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen sustainable tuna management and ocean governance.

US Travel Update: The U.S. State Department has lowered its New Caledonia travel advisory from Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”) to Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), citing improved safety since the 2024 unrest, while still warning about petty crime, political demonstrations, and limited emergency help outside Nouméa. Competition & Consumer Protection: New Caledonia’s Congress passed a competition law targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, tightening merger controls and allowing deferred discounts between producers and distributors, while the government removed some planned powers for the Competition Authority after employer lobbying. Elections Roll “Unfreezing”: France’s Constitutional Council approved changes to New Caledonia’s electoral roll for the 28 June provincial elections, allowing over 10,000 additional voters—mainly people born after restrictions began under the Nouméa Accord framework. Regional Fisheries Governance: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on reforms already underway in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to improve tuna management, market incentives and ocean governance. Kava Industry Pressure: New Caledonia’s kava sector is bracing for job losses as the imported root price jumps sharply—linked to higher fuel and freight costs from Vanuatu and reduced Vanuatu production.

Electoral Reform Watch: France’s Constitutional Council has approved changes to New Caledonia’s electoral roll ahead of the 28 June provincial elections, “unfreezing” voting rights for more than 10,000 people born after the roll restrictions were imposed under the Nouméa Accord framework. Competition & Business Climate: New Caledonia’s Congress passed a competition law aimed at curbing abusive practices such as excessive pricing and late payments, while also tightening merger controls and allowing deferred discounts between producers and distributors. Travel & Tourism Signal: The US State Department downgraded its New Caledonia travel advisory from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety after the 2024 unrest, though it still flags petty crime outside Nouméa and limited emergency support. Regional Fisheries Governance: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on reforms already underway in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen sustainable tuna management and more equitable ocean governance. Local Industry Pressure: New Caledonia’s kava sector is warning of job risks as the imported root price reportedly jumped about 40% since early 2026, driven by freight costs and reduced supply from Vanuatu. Health Update: The Cook Islands declared itself dengue-free after 26 days without new cases, while Tonga and other Pacific areas—including New Caledonia—continue to report outbreaks.

Competition Law Passes: New Caledonia’s Congress adopted a new competition bill targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, with tighter merger controls and a shift that allows deferred discounts between producers and distributors to help ease high consumer costs. Regulator Powers Under Review: The government removed 10 planned articles that would have expanded the Competition Authority’s powers, citing a performance review ahead of its 10th anniversary, after lobbying from employers’ group FEINC. US Travel Advisory Downgraded: The US State Department cut its New Caledonia advisory from Level 3 to Level 2, saying the territory is generally safe for tourism but warning about petty crime outside Nouméa and limited emergency support beyond the capital. Tourism & Trade Boost: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on reforms in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to improve tuna fisheries governance and market incentives. Local Market Pressure: New Caledonia’s kava sector fears a price surge after imported root costs rose sharply, driven by higher fuel and freight costs and lower Vanuatu production.

US Travel Update: The U.S. State Department has lowered its travel advisory for New Caledonia from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety after the 2024 unrest, while still warning about petty crime outside Nouméa and limited emergency support beyond the capital. Competition Reform: New Caledonia’s Congress adopted a competition law targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, tightening merger controls and setting 30-day payment deadlines, though it scaled back some powers of the competition authority after employer lobbying. Regional Fisheries & Trade: The Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on work already underway in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen sustainable tuna governance and ocean resilience. Kava Supply Pressure: Nouméa’s kava sector is bracing for higher costs as the price of imported Vanuatu kava chips reportedly jumped about 40% since early 2026, driven by fuel, freight and lower production volumes. Diplomacy & Influence: Papua New Guinea announced it will open a Paris embassy, aiming to deepen cooperation with France on climate, trade and security, with implications for Pacific partners including New Caledonia.

Competition & Payments Reform: New Caledonia’s Congress passed a competition law targeting abusive practices like excessive pricing and late payments, including punishments for dominant-position overpricing, tighter merger controls, and a shift to 30-day payment deadlines from invoice issuance plus government-set compensation for late pay—though 10 proposed ACNC power-expansion articles were removed after lobbying from employers’ group FEINC. Travel & Tourism Confidence: The US State Department downgraded its New Caledonia travel advisory from Level 3 to Level 2, citing improved safety since the 2024 unrest, while still warning about petty crime outside Nouméa and limited emergency support. Regional Fisheries & Ocean Governance: Conservation International’s Pacific Tuna Initiative expanded to Palau, building on reforms in Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia to strengthen tuna fisheries management and equitable ocean governance. Energy & Investment Signals: TVA highlighted major generation expansion progress, with 3,770 MW under construction and a project listed for New Caledonia (500 MW), reinforcing long-term power and competitiveness planning. Diplomacy & Business Links: France reiterated its Pacific ocean commitment at the Melanesian Ocean Summit in Port Moresby, tying investment to fisheries protection and the blue economy.