Results for Pacific Islands

The economies of the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga will continue to decline in 2021. “The COVID-19 pandemic is the worst economic crisis in the history of these countries,” said economist James Webb. “While lives have been saved, livelihoods have been lost.” Economic recovery in tourism-dependent Polynesian countries will be slow, says a new ADB report.

The funeral of the late Peter Warner in Ballina, NSW, Australia, yesterday had a special Tongan presence, including two of the original ‘Ata boys – Mano Totau and Tevita Siolala, reports Tonga's Honorary Consul General.

A “worse-than-expected outcome” for Tonga's GDP in the fiscal years 2019-20 and 2020-21 was forecast by the National Reserve Bank of Tonga, following its first board meeting for the year. During the COVID-19 international crisis Tonga's annual inflation has increased and agricultural exports have fallen. Bank lending decreased, while deposits increased.

Pacific Island countries, including Tonga, are preparing for the new edition of the Harmonized System (HS 2022) used to classify traded goods which will come into force on 1 January 2022.

Tonga’s Minister of Health said she was shocked by a report on adolescent unplanned pregnancy in Tonga, launched today, “because I did not know that young girls can take their own lives because they find out they are pregnant. ...We cannot continue that into the future!” The country report presented recommendations for long-term changes that need to happen.

In the Pacific Islands, evidence of climate change is all around us, but when dozens of images showing its impact across the Pacific come together in one room, it is sobering and challenging to the viewer. Photographs submitted by amateur photographers of all ages capture the immediacy of of the harmful effects of climate change, in a competition organised by the UK Government, on display in Nuku'alofa.

Tonga has a new handbook to guide parliamentary reporters. The 88 pages bilingual Tongan/English, “Tonga Parliamentary Reporters’ Handbook” was launched by the Speaker Lord Fakafanua, at Parliament House, Nuku'alofa, this morning, 4 March 2021. But significantly, the new handbook makes no mention of the role of political parties in Tonga’s parliament.

Repatriation flights are scheduled to arrive in Tonga on March 3, from New Zealand, Australia and Fiji.

We know many people are asking when vaccines will be available in Pacific countries. We anticipate that in 2021, demand will vastly exceed supply. But this doesn’t mean we should just sit and wait. PICs now need to focus on preparing, so they are ready when the first vaccines do arrive. This includes starting pre-registration for priority groups. It means making sure the systems are in place and working, for delivering vaccines and monitoring their safety and effectiveness. This requires investments to strengthen health systems, which will bring benefits beyond COVID-19. By Dr Takeshi Kasai.