Results for Press Releases

Economic growth in the Pacific will slow sharply in 2009, with five economies in the region expected to contract as the global economic slump continues to erode incomes from tourism and remittances, says a major new report from the ADB.

Today the Tonga Legislative Assembly considered ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. It voted 18 to 1 with 4 abstentions to not ratify CEDAW at this time. The Legislative Assembly believed that to ratify CEDAW would cut across our cultural and social heritage that makes up the Tongan way of life. It would require the creation of fundamental changes for every Tongan citizen to a way of life and social organisation that has sustained Tonga to date.

The latest World Development Report finds that although many countries in the East Asia and Pacific region are vulnerable to climate change, developing countries can shift to lower-carbon paths while promoting development and reducing poverty if they receive financial and technical assistance from high-income countries.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes a decision by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to conduct a war crimes investigation into the murder of five Australian-based journalists, known as the Balibo Five, during Indonesia's invasion of East Timor in 1975.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Feleti Vaka'uta Sevele, will attend a special function on Wednesday, 9 September, in Wellington, New Zealand, marking the important milestone of "Two Years To Go" until the host, New Zealand, meets Tonga in the opening match of the Rugby World Cup 2011.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, today announced that the Republic of the Fiji Islands stands fully suspended from membership of the Commonwealth with immediate effect.

This is a Preliminary Statement to inform the public about the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the M.V . Princess Ashika.

The Tongan communities in the United States are rising to the occasion to send assistance home to Tonga for the families of the victims in the inter-island ferry MV Princess Ashika's mysterious sinking August 5, during a Tongatapu-to-Ha'apai/Vava'u voyage. Seventy passengers and crew members are presumed dead. - Sione K. Tupouniua

Operation Kurukuru 2009, a coordinated maritime surveillance operation in which countries cooperate to detect activities such as illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, smuggling and people trafficking, was hosted by FFA over 10 days.