Results for Pacific Islands

Tonga’s Director of Meteorology, ‘Ofa Fa’anunu has been re-elected for another four-years as President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Region V, at their virtual session held from September 1-3. "Our challenges are quite unique in the sense that we are in charge of monitoring the atmosphere and the ocean in a very large area of mostly ocean," he said.

Tonga formalized diplomatic ties with the State of Kuwait at an official ceremony at the Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations office in New York, USA, on 2 September.

A multi-million dollar grant for the provision of a new tugboat for the Port of Nuku'alofa was signed by the Japanese Ambassador to Tonga HE Mr Kensaku Munenaga and the Prime Minister, Hon, Rev. Dr Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa at the Prime Minister’s Office, yesterday, 3 September 2021.

The University of the South Pacific is planning to hold their annual open week virtually this year due to COVID-19, from 30 August to 3 September.

The Tongan Parliament got off to a slow start yesterday, 10 August after its four weeks break. At first it did not have a quorum, so it went into recess for 10 minutes. In fact, the House was scheduled to resume on 2 August. However, it did not get rolling until yesterday morning. Government had tabled several Bills to the House only the day before the House resumed its proceeding. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

US border agencies will detain tuna and other seafood harvested by the Hangton 112, a Fijian flagged and owned fishing vessel, under a Withhold Release Order issued by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which claims the use of forced labour on the vessel. Flag states need to uphold international standards and perform proper oversight and safety of their ships, says the chair of a migrant workers union.

Tonga is set to introduce compulsory inoculation against coronavirus disease. A Bill to amend the Public Health Act to enforce inoculation of the public against COVID-19, was among seven Bills that government tabled into parliament yesterday, 3 August. The Bill was carried unanimously on its first reading and passed on to a Standing committee. Full details of the amendment have not been released to the public. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

A one-year USD1.5 million partnership to support seven governments in the Pacific in their COVID-19 preparedness plans was today committed by UNICEF and the United States Government.

Tonga is experiencing a sugar famine that’s likely to last another month. Containers of sugar expected to arrive this weekend have missed shipping connections and will not reach Tonga until the end of August, according to one importer, who is still waiting for his January order to arrive. Deliveries that used to take 6-8 weeks are now taking 5-6 months to arrive in Tonga.