Fiji, June 23 -- Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa has urged Pacific finance ministers to use worsening global conditions as an opportunity to strengthen regional resilience, saying the Middle East conflict and other international crises have intensified economic pressures across the region.

Addressing the 2026 Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) in Majuro on Tuesday, Waqa said the Pacific faces a significantly more difficult regional and global environment as conflicts continue to disrupt economic stability.

"We meet at a time when the challenges facing our region have worsened with the regional and global environment and outlook substantially deteriorating.

The expansion of the Middle East conflict into Iran and ...