The high cost of tuition fees for Pacific university students and the critical importance of reciprocal visa waivers for the people of Forum member countries, were among issues raised by the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku with Pacific Leaders, during his four-day visit to Fiji last week to attend the 2023 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Special Retreat.

Hon Hu’akavameiliku, during side meetings, met with Fiji's Prime Minister Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka and the Prime Minister of  Cook Islands, Hon. Mark Brown, and Heads of States and Governments from the Pacific for high-level deliberations and discussions to encourage opportunities for prosperity and security in Tonga and the region.

The Prime Minister's Office stated this week, that Hon Hu’akavameiliku raised the issue of the high cost of  the current tuition fees structures for Pacific Islands students, attending the University of the South Pacific, in comparison to international students from outside the region, studying at the same University. 

He said that one of the key challenges experienced by students and their families studying in the region, is the high costs of tuition for international students.

Visa waivers

Hon. Hu’akavameiliku also raised the issue of reciprocal visa waivers for the people of Forum member countries.

“The challenges and experience learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic and the border closure which left many Tongans, stranded in Australia and New Zealand to be repatriated to the Kingdom, has highlighted the critical importance of Forum Member countries revising bilateral visa waiver agreements to reciprocate visa on arrival status for all visitors, which Tonga had extended to travelers from abroad visiting Tonga,” he stated.

Fiji Airways

Hon. Hu’akavameiliku also pursued high-level discussions for Tonga’s aviation and transport sector, by conducting a site visit to the Fiji Airways Academy, accompanied by Mr Poasi Tei, CEO and board members of the government's Lulutai Airlines. 

They viewed the Fiji Airway's facilities and explored the technical and operational opportunities for partnership between Tonga and Fiji, as well as continuing the dialogue at the political level with the Prime Minister of Fiji, to assist in the development of Tonga’s domestic and international airline.

Polynesian Leaders

On the margin of the Special Retreat, Hon Hu’akavameiliku attended the Polynesian Leaders.

The reconvening of the face-to-face meeting of the Pacific Leader's Group was also timely, as it considered key issues to be tabled in the Leaders’ Retreat.

Nuku'alofa Sub-Regional Office

The Leaders also discussed procedural and budget arrangements in regard to the setup of the Polynesian Sub-Regional Office, which will be based in Nuku’alofa, with multi-sectoral representatives across the Polynesian Members to be assigned to the Office, to be later opened in April 2023.

The Meeting of Polynesian Leaders also formalized the handover of the chairmanship of the PLG for 2023-2024, from the Cook Islands to French Polynesia.

Hon. Hu’akavameiliku also led the Tonga delegation to the 2023 Pacific Early Childhood Education Forum as Minister for Education and Training on 22 February.

This was aimed to promote a multi-sectorial approach at political, policy to technical level, promoting a better appreciation of the importance of the cross-cutting roles and collective responsibilities played by the sectors of education, health, social protection and finance to support parents and children in building a resilient Pacific through early childhood development.

The Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders Retreat was held on 23-24 February in Denarau, Nadi.