Results for Pacific Islands

Pacific leaders attended the second U.S.-PIF Summit in Washington this week on the invitation of President Joe Biden, who pledged to work with Congress to provide $200 million in funding for the region. Tonga's Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that the United States is also dedicated to working together with the Pacific region to support the successful delivery and implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent (2050 Strategy).

Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku co-chaired a high-level leaders meeting with the President of Palau Hon. Surangel S. Whipps Jr, and CEO and President of Bezos Earth Fund Dr. Andrew Steer, in New York on 19 September, in a discussion to unlock Blue Pacific Prosperity.

Hon. Hu'akavameiliku is leading Tonga’s delegation to a UN High-level meeting, today, 19 September, in New York City. The 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly’s general debate (UNGA 78), was opened by the UNGA President, Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago.

Tonga is hosting an international meeting this week in Nuku'alofa to discuss tsunami warnings in the Pacific. The 46 member states of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS) are meeting at the Fa'onelua Convention Center.

Solomon Islands Governor General, Honourable Sir David Okete Vuvuiri Vunagi, was installed today as the 30th Chancellor of The University of the South Pacific (USP) during the Laucala Campus graduation ceremony held at the Vodafone Arena in Suva, Fiji.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) newest aircraft has been involved in a significant multinational fisheries surveillance operation for the Pacific’s Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). The Operation Island Chief covered 18.2 million square kilometres of Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) member nations’ exclusive economic zones and high seas.

The Regional Preparatory Meeting of the Pacific SIDS came to conclusion this evening, 18 August, at Fa’onelua Convention Center, in a closing ceremony hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu.

Trafficking in Persons, a crime where victims are exploited in various forms of slavery, is coming under a new scrutiny in Tonga. Ever since Tonga prosecuted its first Trafficking in Persons (TIP) case over a decade ago, there have been no further cases of TIP because there were no new trafficking investigations and victims were not identified, says Police Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff, Pelenatita Vaisuai. That situation is about to change. Interview by Katalina Siasau.

On a first visit to Tonga by a US cabinet member, today, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, took a few quiet minutes to lay a wreath at the seafront Cenotaph in Nuku'alofa, before he met with the Tongan Prime Minister and other officials at St George Government Building across the road. The War Memorial honours the Tongan fallen in two World Wars. In WWII there were more American troops stationed in Tongatapu than Tongans. During the morning, Secretary Blinken spoke about US perceptions of today's superpower rivalry in Tonga and the Pacific region, when he was answering questions at a media briefing.