Results for Pacific Islands

Climate change is the single greatest threat that will determine the future of Small Island Developing States like the Kingdom of Tonga, said King Tupou VI at COP27 this week. “We no longer have the luxury of time,” and our task is to agree to ambitious goals and act together before the impacts become irreversible for us all.

The New Zealand Government has announced the re-opening of two more visa categories for migrants to become residents there starting this November.

The New Zealand Government has announced additional 3000 places for the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme (RSE).

Registrations for the Pacific Access Category will reopen on 5 October to 4 November and enable people from Pacific Islands, including Tonga, the chance to obtain residence visas in New Zealand.

New Zealand has ended its traffic light system, which means international travellers will no longer need to be vaccinated to enter the country, and the mandatory COVID-19 testing is scrapped.

Tonga Police will host the 51st Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Annual Conference in 2024. Tonga Police Commissioner, Shane McLennan was appointed as the Deputy Chair of the PICP at the recent 49th Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) Annual Conference in Nadi, Fiji, 24 – 25 August, 2022.

Hon. Nanaia Mahuta this afternoon reaffirmed New Zealand as Tonga's long standing partner and promised to deliver a Pacific Resilience Climate Change speech updating their climate finance strategy tomorrow at Fangaloto. The New Zealand Foreign Minister told reporters that her lunch with the King Tupou VI at the Royal Palace in 'Eua today was very warm and very hospitable.

The United States does not ask any nation to choose between the United States and China, the United States Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy R. Sherman, said in Tonga this afternoon, while expressing disappointment that China had decided to cancel and suspend various relations with the US yesterday, including climate change talks. “For Tonga climate change is existential, and we understand that, and it's just terribly disappointing that the world's largest emitter right now, and a country who must be engaged, for us to reach 1.5 degrees Celsius, has now withdrawn from that discussion, that should be a big concern to all of us.” By Mary Lyn Fonua.

Royal New Zealand Navy Hydrographers on the HMNZS Matataua will be in Tonga to survey its landscape in August. They are currently in Niue doing the same charter survey, which will be completed at the end of July as a part Exercise Tropic Twilight.