Wellington – July 2024. The Hon Consul General of the Kingdom of Tonga, Anthony Bailey, visited Aotearoa-New Zealand visiting Auckland, Wellington, Ngaruawahia and Hamilton.
During his visit to the country’s capital Mr Bailey visited the Apostolic Nunciature which is the Holy See’s diplomatic mission with responsibility and accreditation to the Kingdom of Tonga. A meeting was held with the Charge d’affaires Monsignor Giosue Busti. The Kingdom of Tonga and the Holy See established diplomatic relations on 24 September 1996.
The Hon Consul-General of Tonga Anthony Bailey had previously accompanied His late Majesty King George V of Tonga on his Official Visit to the Holy See during which the King was received in private audience by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho later officially visited Vatican City and were received in private audience by His Holiness Pope Francis in 2015.
Discussions were held about the highly successful visit of 104 pilgrims from Tonga to World Youth Day which was held in Portugal in 2023 in the presence of His Holiness Pope Francis and Portuguese President His Excellency Dr Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. Discussions were held about promoting further spiritual ties between the Christian communities of Tonga, Portugal and the Vatican City.
Hon Consul-General Anthony Bailey also called on Paul O’Hara, Charge d affaires of Ireland to Aotearoa-New Zealand. Ireland established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Tonga on 27 July 2021 and it is expected that Ireland’s will accredit its first Ambassador to Tonga shortly from its diplomatic mission in Wellington. This Irish mission is diplomatically responsible for the Kingdom of Tonga. Ireland maintains strong ties with Tonga in areas such as climate change and rugby.
Mr Bailey also visited the New Zealand Parliament, National Museum and National Library during his visit to Wellington and viewed documents both historic and contemporary outlining relations between Tonga and Aotearoa-New Zealand.
