The handing over of $3 million pa’anga in Emergency Assistance from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency JICA, to Tonga was completed yesterday, 23 February at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Vaololoa, Nuku'alofa.

JICA’s second phase of its emergency assistance was signed off by the Chief Representative of JICA, to Tonga, Mr Shingi Yoshiura and Mr Leveni ‘Aho the Director of the Tonga National Emergency and Management Office NEMO, witnessed by HE Tetsuya Ishii, the Japanese Ambassador Tonga and Hon. Poasi Tei, Tonga’s Minister for the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications MEIDECC.

Hon. Poasi Tei said that the first package of the Japanese emergency assistance to Tonga, consisting of four crane trucks, two water tankers and one service truck were delivered before Tropical Cyclone Gita struck on 12 February, and had been very useful.

The second package of the emergency assistance from JICA to Tonga consisted of nine tents, 100 camp tents, 100 tarpaulins, 100 plastic jerry cans and 10 generators, which arrived in Tonga on 22 February.