Pacific Islands Forum in Palau: Niue Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi is set to join other Pacific leaders from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4 for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, focused on “Building Economies: Life. Action. Unity,” as China, the US and partners compete for influence and access to ocean resources. Security and energy pressures: The summit is expected to put energy security high on the agenda, with heavy reliance on fossil fuels leaving islands exposed, and leaders looking to diversify fuel processing and distribution under the Biketawa Declaration. Realm ties and coordination: Ahead of Palau, New Zealand’s Christopher Luxon met Niue’s Tagelagi and the Cook Islands’ Mark Brown and Tokelau’s Ulu Alapati Tavite in Auckland, stressing stable connectivity across the Realm while domestic politics limit any “bonding.” Regional unity vs. geopolitics: Forum officials say leaders will also tackle economic pressures, resilience, transnational crime and the future of regional integration—testing whether island nations can keep a common voice amid Taiwan, ocean minerals and competing defense partnerships. Forestry data for context: A new ranking highlights how forest area is concentrated globally, with Russia leading at 20.1% of the world’s forest area, underscoring why land and resource management remains a major policy lever.