Results for Pacific Islands

The Australian Government will provide an estimated T$55.67 million (AUD32.2m) in development assistance to Tonga in 2013-14, the Australian High Commission announced today, 4 June.

Fiji will be welcomed to participate in the newly formed South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting once Fiji holds a credible general election and returns to democratic rule, the Australian Defence Minister, Hon. Stephen Smith said in Tonga on May 2, after the regional ministers agreed to a higher level of military co-operation on regional security issues.

Combating human trafficking in the Pacific islands was the focus of a three day regional workshop held from April 23-25 in Nadi, Fiji. The workshop was organised by the United States Embassy based in Suva who invited the participation of 27 legal officials, prosecutors, customs and immigration officers from Tonga, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

The Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum ended yesterday in Wellington with calls for greater regional effort in dealing with common challenges faced by Pacific Island countries.

Six overseas Tongans have been deported to Tonga or have voluntarily left New Zealand after their criminal records were wrongly wiped-off by Tonga Police under a former practice that remains under police investigation in Nuku'alofa, while New Zealand immigration alerts have been issued at borders on the names of other Tongan individuals who have been identified to have concealed criminal records.

A special inter-governmental organisation made of Five Melanesian countries celebrated its Silver Jubilee last week at the University of the South Pacific Laucala Campus in Suva, Fiji, when the chief guest Sir Michael Somare urged urged greater trade and economic cooperation between the countries of the region.

Thousands of Polynesian high school students in New Zealand have flocked to the Manukau Sports Bowl in South Auckland today to perform traditional dances in the opening day of the annual “Polyfest” competition.

Tonga's display at the 2013 Pasifika Festival in Auckland, New Zealand, will feature a 40 man brass band and cultural groups from Tonga.

Tonga's King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau'u are currently on their first official state visit to New Zealand.