The week beginning 26 March 2007, Tonga will be hosting the Joint Donor's Country Strategy Mission. This will involve several of our development partners, such as ADB, AusAID, NZAID, World Bank, The People's Republic of China and JICA whom will be in country to undertake joint reviews of their current strategy.

In undertaking this exercise, the development partners wish to consult with officials from the Government of Tonga, and also representatives from the Civil Society Organization, on their individual country programme of assistance to Tonga, and to obtain an agreed direction for their programmes over the next five years (2007-12).

This mission provides the Government of Tonga with an opportunity to provide and remind our development partners of Tonga's strategic development objectives for the next three years, based on the Strategic Development Plan 8 (SDP8) and especially those following the events of 16/11.

As government has ratified the SDP8 in May 2006 as our development roadmap for the next three years, it is therefore, imperative that the Joint Donor Mission receive a consistent set of development strategies and objectives from senior officials and all stakeholders that align to our key development goals and policies expressed in the SDP8.

There are 5 main thematic areas that have been proposed to guide but not limited to the discussion for the joint country strategy mission. They are:

(i)The Strategic Overview and SDP 8;

(ii)The Economic and Public Sector Reform, Private Sector Development, Growth Agenda;

(iii)Law and Justice & Policing;

(iv)The Social Sectors (Education, Health, Training) & Pro-Poor Initiatives:

(v)Outer Island Development & Government Donor Coordination and Aid Delivery Mechanisms.

Members from the Government, Civil Society, Chamber of Commerce, Representatives from Communities & Vulnerable Groups have been invited to partake in particular thematic areas of discussion which are relevant to their portfolios or their work. The Mission will be completed on the 30th of March 2007. Minister of Finance, 21/03/07.