Region: Fiji most likely to be favoured for regional fuel infrastructure investment
Around 11 August, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale proposed a regional fuel hub be established at Aruligo, 34km northwest of Honiara. The hub would be capable of holding up to 12 months' domestic supply — the country currently has capacity for 40–50 days of domestic stocks with one storage facility's contract ending in two years. PM Wale also proposed coordinating bulk purchases with PNG and Fiji to reduce costs, and diversifying supply sources by importing from the US West Coast in addition to the current sole origin of Singapore. Separately, in August, Fiji proposed exploring cooperation with Malaysian state-owned PETRONAS to become part of the company's existing international fuel-storage and stockpiling arrangements. Fiji and Malaysia are also considering strategic reserves, emergency supply assurances, and pre-positioned offshore storage. In further reporting, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa has identified the continuing fuel crisis as a priority for Forum Leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting beginning on 30 August in Palau.
Assessment: While regional-level responses to the ongoing issue of fuel resilience will almost certainly be discussed at the upcoming PIF Leaders Meeting, action is highly likely to continue as a mix of bilateral and regional measures. Former Solomon Islands PM Jeremiah Manele first proposed regional purchasing in April 2026, but PIF action was limited to monitoring and technical support. While the South Pacific is large enough to have multiple regional hubs, Fiji is more favoured by traditional partners — in May, the US, India, Japan, and Australia announced the intent to finance modern port facilities in Fiji — and is most likely to be the primary focus of fuel infrastructure investment.
Sources: “Solomon Islands plans regional fuel hub in Solomon Islands,” Solomon Star, republished by PACNEWS/Islands Business, 13 August 2026; Praneeta Prakash, “Fiji, PETRONAS explore fuel security,” FBC News, 12 August 2026; Riya Mala, “Fuel crisis threatens Pacific economies,” FBC News, 12 August 2026; Solomon Islands Government, “PRIME MINISTER MANELE LEADS TROIKA DISCUSSIONS ON REGIONAL ENERGY SECURITY,” official website, 17 April 2026; Government of India, “Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Joint Statement (May 26, 2026),” Ministry of External Affairs, 26 May 2026; “Australia-India-Japan-US Quad to Build a Port, Unveil Pact on Critical Minerals,” US News, 25 May 2026.
