Pacific Islands Forum in Palau: Leaders and dialogue partners are converging on Koror for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting (Aug 30–Sept 4), with the agenda set to cover security, economic development, climate resilience, ocean stewardship and regional architecture. Climate finance push: Pacific negotiators are pressing for concrete action ahead of COP31, focusing on keeping 1.5°C within reach, improving access to climate funding, strengthening ocean-climate links and amplifying Pacific voices. Geopolitics and Taiwan at the summit: Taiwan is back at this year’s forum after being blocked in 2025, with the U.S. backing Taiwan’s continued participation; Palau President Whipps says Palau is following forum partner guidelines despite Chinese pressure. Palau’s digital economy: Palau’s Digital Residency Program has topped 47,000 active residents and nearly $9m in revenue since 2022, while the latest report flags cybersecurity, staffing and funding challenges. Local business and security readiness: Bank of Guam ran a fraud prevention workshop in Palau, training businesses and agencies on cyber-enabled scams and payment controls ahead of major events. Forum media focus: Forum SG Baron Waqa and ocean commissioner Dr Filimon Manoni urged Pacific journalists to report clearly and strengthen ocean literacy as leaders’ decisions roll out. Energy and cost pressures: A fuel crisis and regional response mechanism are expected to feature among key issues, alongside transnational crime and HIV.