The New Zealand Tonga Business Council Inc. will hold its first trade and investment forum on the afternoon of Friday 11 July to talk about two-way trade activity between New Zealand and Tonga in key sectors.

Christine Connon, Executive Officer of the Council said that the half-day event with six speakers to be held at the University of Auckland Business School, will finish with a networking function.

“The Forum will provide a platform to share information from experiences of trade and investment, identify challenges and possible solutions to expand trade and investment between Tonga and New Zealand,” she said.

Speakers will include Dr Rosemary Hurst, Chief Scientist Fisheries, National Institute of Water & Atmosphere (NIWA) on 'Fisheries: 5-year Development Plan for Tonga's Deepwater Fisheries'.

Two Tonga business people, Minoru Nishi CEO, Nishi Trading Ltd. and Emeline Afeaki-Mafileo, CEO, Tupu’anga Coffee Ltd. will present on ‘Agriculture: Grow for the Market, Tonga’s way.’

Other speakers will include Stuart Perry, CEO, Tonga Tourism Authority; Robert Bell, MD, KlickEx Ltd; Michael Greenslade, NZTE, Trade Commissioner, Pacific Region; and Dr Semisi Taumoepeau, Auckland Institute of Studies.

There is an entry fee for the New Zealand Tonga Business Trade & Investment Forum, with a discount for students. Sponsors include the Business School of the University of Auckland, the Scenic Hotel Group and B.R. & Associates Ltd.