Results for Pacific Islands

Financing agreements to extend the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) for an additional four years have been signed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United States, the European Investment Bank, the European Union, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the World Bank Group, at the PRIF Management Committee Meeting that was held on Wednesday in Suva. The PRIF will be based in Suva.

Young Tongans have an important role to play as champions of renewable energy and climate action. More than 80 youth representatives from various agencies and communities took part in a three-day Youth Capacity Building Workshop on Renewable Energy and Climate Finance, earlier this month, in Nuku'alofa.

Funding to cover the participation of four members of delegations from each Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Party at the UN Climate Conference COP29, was announced by the host Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, yesterday to facilitate the active participation of vulnerable communities who stand to lose the most from the climate crisis. 

The Government of Tonga and the Republic of Lithuania formally established diplomatic relations with the signing of a joint communiqué yesterday, 23 September, in New York. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania H.E. Mr. Landsbergis stated, "Lithuania is very grateful for Tonga's strong voice against Russia's aggression and we continue to commit to the Indo-Pacific region as a top priority."

Aid agencies are capable of learning and adapting if they invest in the systems and deep local partnerships that enable them to understand the sources of change, have the expertise and authority to use this knowledge to shape and adapt their programs, and are humble enough to acknowledge failure and make corresponding changes. The Australian Government has said it will...drive evaluation quality to ensure that evaluation findings inform policy and program decision making. But you wouldn’t know this from reading the plans. - By Cameron Hill

The Board of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) as a result of climate change, has announced the selection of Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, from Senegal, as its first Executive Director, for a four-year term beginning November 1, 2024. “This is a key step towards responding to loss and damage by bringing finance to millions of people in developing countries on the frontlines of climate change,” stated the UNFCCC secretariat (UN Climate Change).

Tonga Netball’s Junior Tala qualified for the World Youth Cup set to be held in Gibraltar in Europe in September 2025.

The Tonga Development Bank will retain its CEO and Board Chairman, for the time being, pending the resolution of a dispute at trial, in an ongoing civil action against the National Reserve Bank of Tonga. Lord Chief Justice Malcolm Bishop, in a ruling on 19 September, also ordered that Tonga Development Bank (TDB) must still refrain from engaging in any economic development activities, without the prior approval of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.

The Tonga Sports Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC) is hosting a training workshop this week to develop safe practices to protect athletes and ensure an inclusive, safe, and respectful environment for sports in Tonga.