As part of his programme of official engagements in Portugal, Comendador Anthony Bailey, Honorary Consul-General of HM The King of Tonga to the Portuguese Republic, paid a courtesy visit on 2 July 2026 to the Atlantic International Research (AIR) Centre at its headquarters in Lisbon.<\/p>\n
The Consul-General was received by Professor Miguel Miranda, Executive Director of the AIR Centre, together with Dr Mafalda Carapu\u00e7o, Deputy Executive Director, and Researcher Ana Faria.<\/p>\n
The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to learn more about the AIR Centre’s internationally recognised work and to explore opportunities for developing future cooperation between the Kingdom of Tonga and the Centre.<\/p>\n
Established by the Portuguese Government as an international collaborative research organisation, the AIR Centre brings together governments, universities, research institutions and industry partners from across the Atlantic and beyond. Its mission is to harness space technologies, Earth observation, artificial intelligence, ocean science and climate research to address some of the world’s most pressing environmental and societal challenges. Through innovative scientific collaboration, the Centre supports sustainable development, climate resilience, marine conservation, disaster preparedness, food security and the sustainable management of ocean resources.<\/p>\n
During the visit, the Consul-General received detailed presentations on a number of the Centre’s flagship programmes, including satellite-based ocean observation, the State of the Sea<\/em> platform, Sargassum monitoring, marine ecosystem research, fisheries and aquaculture assessments, and the digital reconstruction of historic shipwrecks using non-destructive technologies. He expressed his admiration for the breadth of the Centre’s work and the practical application of advanced scientific research in supporting governments, coastal communities and island states around the world.<\/p>\n Discussions focused on opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Tonga and the AIR Centre, particularly in the fields of ocean science, climate change adaptation, marine conservation, disaster resilience, capacity-building and scientific research. Given Tonga’s position as one of the world’s largest ocean states in relation to its land area, both sides recognised the considerable potential for collaboration on issues of shared strategic importance.<\/p>\n Academic cooperation also formed an important part of the discussions. The Consul-General highlighted the important role played by Tonga’s higher education sector, including the University of the South Pacific’s Tonga Campus and the Tonga National University. Discussions explored opportunities to develop institutional partnerships with the AIR Centre through scientific exchanges, collaborative research projects, postgraduate training, student mobility and knowledge-sharing in areas including marine science, Earth observation, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and sustainable development.<\/p>\n The Consul-General also welcomed the forthcoming accreditation of HE Carla Manuela Louren\u00e7o Sarago\u00e7a, Ambassador of the Portuguese Republic to the Kingdom of Tonga, resident in Canberra, expressing confidence that her appointment would further strengthen the growing bilateral relationship between Portugal and Tonga, particularly in the fields of science, higher education, ocean governance and climate cooperation.<\/p>\n The Hon Consul-General also outlined proposals for strengthening Portugal’s engagement with the Pacific region through a new organisation to be established in Portugal dedicated to relations with Oceania and the Pacific. He noted that the initiative could provide an important framework for promoting closer scientific, educational and institutional partnerships between Portugal, including the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, and the Pacific Island countries.<\/p>\n Following the meeting, Comendador Anthony Bailey said:<\/p>\n “I was very impressed by the outstanding work being undertaken by the AIR Centre and by the vision and expertise of its team. Their research demonstrates how international scientific cooperation can provide practical solutions to many of the challenges facing island nations, particularly in the fields of ocean governance, climate resilience and environmental sustainability. I very much hope that today’s discussions will represent the beginning of a long and productive relationship between the Kingdom of Tonga and the AIR Centre, bringing together our academic institutions and scientific communities for our mutual benefit.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The visit took place during a particularly significant year for the Kingdom of Tonga, which in 2026 is commemorating the 150th Anniversary of its Constitution, promulgated by King George Tupou I in 1875. As the oldest written constitution in the Pacific still in force, together with Tonga’s Constitutional Monarchy and parliamentary democracy, it remains a defining symbol of the Kingdom’s unique history as the only indigenous nation in the Pacific never to have lost its sovereignty or been colonised by a foreign power.<\/p>\n Portugal and the Kingdom of Tonga established diplomatic relations on 1 November 2008, and both countries continue to strengthen their friendship through growing cooperation in science, education, environmental protection and sustainable development.<\/p>\n AIR Centre (Atlantic International Research Centre)<\/strong> University of the South Pacific (Tonga Campus)<\/strong> Tonga National University<\/strong> AIR Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n University of the South Pacific<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\nOfficial Websites<\/h3>\n
www.aircentre.org<\/a><\/p>\n
www.usp.ac.fj<\/a><\/p>\n
www.tnu.edu.to<\/a><\/p>\nOfficial Social Media<\/h3>\n
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