Results for Pacific Islands

Seven males and two females were arrested on charges related to illicit drugs last week by Tonga Police during multiple police raids at different locations.

Discussing collaboration on mutual interests in deep sea mining, the Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Nauru HE David Adeang on 1 March 2024.

The Government of Tonga formally established diplomatic relations with the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, with the signing of a joint communiqué by the Permanent Representative of Tonga to the United Nations, Viliami Va’inga Tone and Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, Lok Bahadur Thapa in a brief ceremony held on 1 March, 2024, at the Permanent Mission of Nepal, in New York.

There is a need for Western Pacific countries to maintain high coverage of measles vaccination and to increase surveillance of cases at international borders, the WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala urged, citing a 255% increase of measles cases from 2022 to 2023 in Western Pacific countries. Measles is one of the most infectious diseases on earth, spreading easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.

Fiji continued their dominance in the Oceania U20s Challenge, defeating Moana Pasifika 48 to 19 in Round 3 at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland. Moana Pasifika has now shifted their focus to taking on Tonga in Round Three on Wednesday, March 6 at 5:00 p.m. local time, while Fiji faces Samoa at 7:30 p.m.

Tonga ranked number one worldwide as the country with the most women with obesity, according to a study released by the well-known medical journal, the Lancet. Nine out of the top ten countries with the most women with obesity in the world, are Pacific island countries. Some 81.5% of Tongan women over the age of 20 are living with obesity, an increase of 23.3% from 1990.

Tonga's nobles are collectively calling on Prime Minister Hon. Hu'akavameiliku to resign his defence portfolio as Minister of His Majesty's Armed Forces, and to respect the decision of King Tupou VI, who has withdrawn his consent to three ministerial appointments. The Nobles' Representatives told parliament today that the PM's response (a refusal) to the King had stirred concern about peace in the country.

A donation of 30 small and medium-scale boats with outboard motors were given by the Nippon Foundation of Japan, to the Government of Tonga, on 28 February, at the Ministry of Fisheries main site, Nuku'alofa.

Airborne marine surveillance by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in the south Pacific is helping to protect a UK Blue Belt marine conservation programme, which prohibits all forms of commercial fishing and mining in special areas.