Prime Minister John Key and Tatafu Moeaki. Wellington, New Zealand. October 2013.
Tatafu Moeaki the CEO of the Ministry of Finance and National Planning completed a one-week program as the fourth New Zealand Prime Minister’s Fellow.
He was nominated last year by the New Zealand High Commission in Nuku’alofa as the then CEO of the Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Labour. The nomination was endorsed by Tonga’s Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano and approved by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.
During the program Tatafu met the New Zealand Prime Minister, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Murray McCully, other senior government officials and observed Parliament in session and the Treasury.
In 2008, New Zealand presented Tonga with the annual fellowship for a senior public or private sector figure to travel to New Zealand. The program focuses on current leaders or emerging and potential leaders within both the public and private sectors of Tonga, including parliamentarians, academia, business to media.
The first three fellows were Dr Toakase Fakakovikaetau who went in 2009, the Solicitor-General 'Aminiasi Kefu in 2010 and the Director of Education 'Emeli Pouvalu in 2011.