WELLINGTON — New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has told reporters there is "no immediate risk" to Pacific leaders travelling to this year's Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, but cautioned that Wellington stands ready to help if fuel pressure across the region worsens in the coming months.
Speaking on 16 April, Luxon said no Pacific government has so far asked for assistance. "At this point we don’t see any risk of that. There is no risk to any fuel disruption for us and that’s a good thing. But August is a long way away," he said, underlining the government’s willingness to step in should supply or price shocks make travel to Palau difficult. The Forum leaders meeting, scheduled for August, remains the region’s most important political gathering, bringing heads of government together to discuss shared priorities.
Travel to Palau is already logistically challenging for many island nations. Leaders from Samoa, Tonga and Niue — among others — generally rely on a handful of international hubs such as Guam, Japan and the Philippines to reach western Pacific destinations, a vulnerability that has been highlighted by recent disruptions to global fuel and shipping markets. Luxon noted the complexity while stressing that, for now, New Zealand judges there is no immediate threat to delegations making the journey.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., who visited Aotearoa last week, also played down the likelihood of travel being affected. "I don’t think that [the fuel crisis] should affect [leaders] coming to PIF but we’re very grateful to New Zealand, Australia and the United States who are willing to go around and pick up leaders and bring them to PIF," Whipps told Pacific Mornings during his stopover in New Zealand.
New Zealand has a recent track record of stepping in to help Pacific delegations reach Forum meetings, having assisted with transport to the Forum held in Tonga in 2024 and again in Honiara in September 2025. Foreign Minister Winston Peters emphasised the stakes: "The region faces a very challenging global strategic environment, and in this context, Pacific countries best advance our shared interests when we work together, showing strength through unity," he said in a government statement cited by Luxon’s office.
The prime minister’s comments come amid broader regional concern about rising fuel prices and supply-chain stress linked to the Middle East conflict, which Pacific authorities have warned could feed through into domestic fuel and food costs. Governments across the region are already watching fuel markets closely and preparing contingency measures. At the same time, Pacific governments continue to pursue resilience measures: Tonga this week launched a new five-year multi-hazard strategy for risk communication and community engagement, a move officials said is aimed at strengthening preparedness for a range of shocks. Other Pacific-focused research released recently — including a study ranking the Hawaiian monk seal as the marine mammal most at risk from plastic pollution — underscores the range of security, economic and environmental challenges framing this year's diplomatic calendar.
For now, organisers expect leaders to attend the Palau Forum as planned. New Zealand has yet to confirm its full delegation for the Forum, and officials say they will keep monitoring fuel markets and travel networks closely in the months ahead.
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