Anthony Bailey accredited as the first Honorary Consul-General of the Kingdom of Tonga to Portugal
The Kingdom of Tonga and the Portuguese Republic established diplomatic relations on 1 November 2008. In August 2022 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal approved the Tongan Cabinet’s decision to open an Honorary Consulate General of the Kingdom of Tonga in Portugal. This is Tonga’s first diplomatic presence in Portugal since the establishment of […]
Tongan Foreign Minister holds talks with her Portuguese counterpart
In July 2022 the Foreign Minister and Minister of Tourism of Tonga, the Honourable Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, paid an Official Visit to Portugal. The Foreign Minister attended the UN Oceans Conference and held numerous bilateral meetings including one with her counterpart, HE Dr João Gomes Cravinho, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs. During this meeting discussions were held […]
Tongan Prime Minister Hon Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni officially visits Lisbon, Portugal
Tonga values it growing relationship with Portugal. In June and July 2022 the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, the Hon Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni, HE Mr Joao Gomes Cravinho, paid an Official Visit to Portugal on the occasion of the hosting in Lisbon of the United Nation’s Oceans Conference. The Prime Minister and delegation […]
Tonga National Women’s Football Team receives Royal Visit
HRH Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku’aho warmly welcomed the Tonga National Women’s Football Team, which is currently in Australia to undertake a high-performance training camp in preparation for the OFC Women’s World Cup Qualifying in July 2022. During a gathering at the Valentine Sports Park yesterday, Her Royal Highness who is also the High Commissioner of […]
Elon Musk donates 50 satellite terminals to Tonga
SpaceX has donated 50 VSAT terminals to Tonga. “They are sending over 50 terminals and we are looking at how we can best utilize it,” Prime Minister Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni said this afternoon. Meanwhile, Tonga’s international telecommunications fibre option cable is still on track to be temporarily fixed by Feb. 20, he said. “We are […]
Australia assists with humanitarian aid and disaster relief needs to the Kingdom of Tonga
One month ago, on the 15th of January 2022, the Kingdom of Tonga suffered from the double catastrophe of the Hunga Tonga – Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami on the same day. The volcanic eruption blanketed Tonga in ash – affecting the air quality, covering everything and killing many of the crops in the […]
Tonga Ports Authority signs MoU with Royal Lalanga Fononga to import ferronickel slag from New Caledonia
The Tonga Ports Authority will partner with a new society to import ferronickel slag from New Caledonia for major infrastructure projects. An agreement to form a partnership company was signed yesterday by Daniel Kimball Fale, PAT Board chairman, and Viliami Lolohea, President of the International Board of the Royal Lalanga Fononga Society. Daniel said that […]
His Majesty King Tupou VI of Tonga appoints new Prime Minister
Nuku’alofa – 28 December 2021. His Majesty King Tupou VI presented Tonga’s newly elected Prime Minister, Hon. Siaosi ‘Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni (51) with a Royal Warrant of Appointment at the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa. Hon. Sovaleni was elected as Designate Prime Minister by 16 members of the 26-members parliament in a secret ballot on 15 Dec. […]
Tongan Ambassador presented credentials to The King of The Netherlands
H.E. Hon. Titilupe Fanetupouvava’u Tu’ivakano presented her credentials to His Majesty King Willem Alexander of The Netherlands at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands on 16 December 2021, to become Tonga’s Ambassador to the Netherlands. The ceremony was carried out in a group of ambassadors from the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal and the […]
Tonga submitted Low Emission Development Strategy to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris
On 11 November 2021, the Department of Climate Change under the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) on behalf of the Government of Tonga, submitted Tonga’s Low Emission Development Strategy 2021 – 2050 (LT-LEDS) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat. This follows the […]
The Kingdom of Tonga and the State of Kuwait formalise diplomatic ties
The Kingdom of Tonga formalised 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. The agreement was signed by Tonga’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tonga to the United Nations, HE Mr […]
9000 Australian-made AstraZeneca vaccine doses arrived in The Kingdom of Tonga
The Australian-manufactured AstraZeneca vaccines arrived from Australia on 20 July (today) as part of Australia’s commitment to Tonga and the region to provide vital support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Australia is pleased to advise that these doses will be used to vaccinate vulnerable peoples in the island of Vava’u. Australia’s sharing of vaccines […]
Tonga and Cyprus celebrate 12 years of diplomatic ties
Tuesday 22 June 2021, is the commemoration of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Cyprus. The Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Cyprus first established diplomatic relations on 22 June 2009 following the signing of a Joint Communiqué in Canberra of by the then High Commissioner […]
National Reserve Bank of Tonga General Public Awareness on Legal Tender, External Reserves, and Investment on Bitcoin
It has come to the attention of The National Reserve Bank of Tonga that there are social media posts and mainstream media articles relating to Bitcoin potentially becoming a legal tender in the Kingdom of Tonga and/or alluded to the utilisation of the country’s foreign exchange reserves to buy/invest in cryptocurrency/crypto-assets such as Bitcoin. The […]
Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Pursuant to His Majesty’s decision in Council to establish diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in November 2020, and in furtherance to the close collaboration between the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Tonga in Abu […]
Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Spain to Tonga appointed
Mrs. Amelia Fakahikuo’uiha Liliu’okalani Fonua Helu had been appointed as the new Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Spain for the Kingdom of Tonga. At a short ceremony held this morning at the Cabinet chambers, Prime Minister’s Office, Mrs. Helu was presented with the Letter of Exequatur by the Hon. Rev. Dr. Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa, Prime […]
British High Commissioner Lucy Joyce presents credentials to His Majesty King Tupou VI of Tonga
Nuku’alofa – 12 May 2021. The British High Commissioner Lucy Joyce presented Letters of Recall for her predecessor and Letters of Credence for herself to His Majesty King Tupou VI on Tonga at a ceremony held at the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa. This marks the official re-opening of the British High Commission in Nuku’alofa, capital […]
Acceptance of the Letter of Credence for the new Tongan Ambassador to the United States of America
The President of the United States of America, Joseph R. Biden accepted on 20 April 2021 the Letter of Credence for Viliami Va’inga Tōnē as Ambassador of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United States of America, thereby accrediting him as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Tonga. Due to the exigencies of […]
Emperor Naruhito of Japan’s 61st Birthday celebrated in the Kingdom of Tonga
On 25 February 2020, His Excellency Mr Munenaga Kensaku, Ambassador Designate of Japan to the Kingdom of Tonga hosted a reception to mark and honour of the 61st Birthday of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan. His Royal Highness Prince Ata of Tonga graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour. The Prime Minister […]
Tonga’s Crown Prince & Crown Princess announce the birth of a daughter
Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala and Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho of the Kingdom of Tonga have announced the birth to their fourth child and third daughter. Crown Princess Sinaitakala gave birth to a baby girl at the Calvary Hospital in Canberra, Australia, on 25 February 2021. The little girl was born at 7.41 […]
Tonga becomes the 84th member of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
On 5 January 2021, the Kingdom of Tonga became the 84th member of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The occasion was marked with a flag ceremony at the AIIB Headquarters, with the presiding presence of the President of the AIIB Mr. Jin Liqun, Vice President Right Hon. Sir Danny Alexander, Vice President D.J Pandian […]
His Majesty King Tupou VI of Tonga commissioned new patrol boat VOEA Ngahau Siliva
The second of the new Guardian Class Patrol Boats VOEA Ngahau Siliva was commissioned by His Majesty King Tupou VI of Tonga this morning at Masefield Navy Base, Touliki. The vessel was provided by the Australian Government to Tonga under Australia’s Pacific Maritime Security Program which committed $2 billion to the Pacific and Timor-Leste over […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approves $45 Million Grant to Upgrade the Kingdom of Tonga’s International Port
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the upgrade of the Queen Salote Wharf in the Tongan capital of Nuku’alofa with a $45 million grant. The current wharf has visibly degrading facilities, decaying concrete structure, and grapples with short berthing issues, as well as substandard safety provisions. The ADB grant aims to reconstruct and extend […]
Meet the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to IRENA
The Kingdom of Tonga has ambitious renewable energy targets. It aims to source 70 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2030 and is on track to reach 50 per cent by the end of 2020 – a major milestone in the country’s path towards decarbonisation. The Permanent Representative of Tonga to IRENA and […]