Pacific Islands Forum summit disrupted as multiple leaders withdraw from Palau meeting

Several Pacific leaders, including Solomon Islands PM Matthew Wale, have cancelled attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau at the last minute. Wale's withdrawal follows a no-confidence motion lodged against him domestically, while Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa leaders also pulled out. The absences weaken the summit's diplomatic weight and may signal regional fragmentation or domestic political pressures.