The Cook Islands’ roll-out of an open-source system to record births, marriages and deaths is seen as a reference case for the Pacific, where many are still born and die without ever being registered.

Tokelau’s international supply lines run across vast ocean distances. Now, for the first time, the atoll nation has trade numbers that trace those currents—showing what is imported, where it comes from, and how exposed Tokelau’s trade can be to shocks.

A stark picture emerges for the Pacific in new estimates showing average death registration completeness of just 19.8%. This leaves governments without the basic information needed to understand why people are dying and how many of these deaths could be prevented.

Food trade plays a vital role in daily life across the Pacific. Many island nations depend on imported food and beverages. This shapes what people eat, how healthy their diets are and how secure their food supply can be.