New Zealand to help Kiribati dispose of WWII munitions

New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel have arrived in Kiribati, for a joint operation with Kiribati Police to safely dispose of hundreds of pieces of Second World War-era unexploded ordnance (UXO).

02 September, 2026

Enabled by New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade funding, the NZDF and Kiribati Police will transport more than 400 individual UXOs from Bonnyman’s Bunker in Betio township to an isolated and uninhabited sandbar for safe disposal.

Second World War-era UXO remains a serious risk to public safety in the Pacific. As well as accidental detonation, UXOs can contaminate surrounding soil and water supplies.

Once completed, the operation will significantly increase the safety of people living and working in the densely populated Betio area, including at many public and government facilities.

The NZDF has successfully disposed of UXO throughout the Pacific, with recent operations in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Naoero (previously Nauru).