Press Releases

Superlative Sound: U.S. Pacific Fleet Band Shares Culture with Pacific Islands, Continues Proud Tradition

In 2024, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band shared its music with 2.5 million people in nine countries and four Hawaiian Islands. Its 600 engagements included concerts for the community, performances for school children, official Navy events and...

ADB, Solomon Islands, Tonga Sign Agreements for Sustainable Energy Transition Projects at COP29

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (20 November 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the governments of Solomon Islands and Tonga have signed grant and loan agreements for energy projects on the sidelines of COP29. The ADB-supported projects will help the...

Tonga: Empowering educators for sustainable development and human rights

The Friendly Islands Teachers’ Association (FITA) is leading a transformative effort to empower educators and promote sustainable development within Tonga's education sector. In March 2024, FITA, conducted two pivotal workshops focusing on climate...

Tonga's Late Island shows promising results with surge in seabird populations after rat eradication initiative

29 May 2024, Nukualofa Tonga - It's been nearly a year since the Kingdom of Tonga carried out a ground-breaking mission to restore and re-wild Late Island by eradicating invasive rats, potentially marking it as the largest rat-free island in the...

Role of Indigenous communities recognised at world’s first-ever ‘nature positive’ summit

08 October 2024, Sydney, Australia - The critical role of Indigenous peoples in addressing the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution was recognised at the inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit (GNPS)...

Arrival of African Tulip Beetles in Tonga for Natural Enemies - Natural Solutions Programme

8 October 2024, Tongatapu, Tonga - The African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata) is recognised as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive alien species and ranks among the top 30 terrestrial invasive plants. Initially introduced to many Pacific...

Tuvalu Progresses Survey and Training on Identifying Marine Non-indigenous Species (MNIS)

11 October 2024, Funafuti, Tuvalu - The Environment Department and the Marine Ports Department of Tuvalu, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), through the Pacific Regional Invasive Species...

Tongan Scholar Challenges Gender Norms to Pursue Doctorate in Invasive Species Management

Rat eradication programmes have long been used to tackle the issue of invasive species. Yet there is still much to learn about measuring the response of ecosystems to the absence of invasive rats, particularly in the Pacific region. Are there more...

MFAET Minister and delegation joins PIF Forum Leaders meeting in Tonga.

MFAET Minister and delegation joins PIF Forum Leaders meeting in Tonga. Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Minister, Hon. Peter Shanel Agovaka and delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade including the...

Visit by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman to the Kingdom of Tonga for the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, 26 to 29 August 2024

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman will visit Tonga from 26 to 29 August to attend the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting. The PIF is...

Call for Project Concepts: Enhancing Gender Equality Outcomes in the Pacific Developing Member Countries

Background Gender issues vary across the Pacific developing member countries (DMCs) because of various intersecting factors such as levels of economic development; social, cultural, and gender norms; population size and migration trends; as well...

Discover Tonga: Where Friendliness Meets Adventure

Welcome to the Kingdom of Tonga, famously known as the Friendly Islands. With 176 pristine islands, Tonga offers a haven for travelers seeking tranquility and adventure alike. Only 40 of these islands are inhabited, allowing you to imagine...

Crucial Conversations on Climate, Health and Education on the margins of SIDS4

29 May 2024, Antigua and Barbuda - Health is a powerful and compelling argument for climate action. We need to build coherence and foster collaboration across partners and donors alike to accelerate the allocation of finance for climate and health...

Office of the Governor – News Release – Hawaiʻi Announces Readiness to Host 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture

JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR KE KIAʻĀINA HAWAI‘I ANNOUNCES READINESS TO HOST 13TH FESTIVAL OF PACIFIC ARTS & CULTURE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 28, 2024 HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., First Lady Jaime Kanani Green, and festival organizers...

Balancing the scales, addressing the disproportionate impact of marine plastic pollution on indigenous communities in the Pacific

24 April 2024, Ottawa Canada – In the village of Nacamaki on the Island of Koro in Fiji, villagers would at certain times of the year take part in a sacred ancient ceremony where they would make their way to the beach, chant songs, sound the horn...

Office of the Governor – News Release – Awareness, Education and Action: April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawaiʻi

JOSH GREEN, M.D. GOVERNOR KE KIAʻĀINA AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND ACTION: April is Tsunami Awareness Month in Hawai‘i FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 1, 2024 HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., today proclaimed April as Tsunami Awareness Month in...

Gender and social inclusion critical to manage invasive species in the Pacific

04 May 2023, Apia Samoa - The values of gender and social inclusion in managing invasive species are crucial to achieving better outcomes for the environment in the Pacific. This point was emphasised during a Talanoa at the Battler Lounge on...

Australia champions Pacific’s case, spotlights Indigenous people at plastics treaty negotiations

18 November 2023, Nairobi Kenya - Australia continues to champion the One Pacific Voice calling for an urgent and ambitious Global Plastic Treaty that addresses the full life cycle of plastics, as the third session of the Intergovernmental...

Mana College students embrace Tongan culture in a sports and cultural exchange

A group of 38 consisting of netball players and staff from Mana College visited Tonga on a sports and cultural exchange with Tonga Tourism and the Tonga Netball Association 27th September – 3rd October, 2023. The exchange was part of the vision of...

Solomon Islands Community in Tonga Hosts Governor General 

The Solomon Islands community in Tonga accorded the Governor General H.E Sir David Vunagi, GCMG, KStJ, a dinner on Friday 6th October 2023 at the Beulah Adventist College in Nuku’alofa, Kingdom of Tonga. The dinner is to both welcome and farewell...