New Zealand’s Deputy Secretary for International Development, Jonathan Kings, visited Tonga from 9-10 March to participate in high level consultations with the Government of Tonga on New Zealand’s development assistance to the Kingdom.
New Zealand anticipates investing approximately TOP112 million (NZD75 million) in development assistance to Tonga over the next three years.
Mr Kings stated “New Zealand remains a long-standing and close partner of Tonga. It has been excellent to engage in constructive discussions with the Government of Tonga on the immediate and longer term areas of development cooperation. It is pleasing to see the results that New Zealand assistance is bringing to Tonga, particularly in the areas of energy and law and justice.”
Minister of Finance, the Honourable ‘Aisake Eke, commented “The Government of Tonga welcomed the opportunity to reconvene high level dialogue on development assistance with the Government of New Zealand and to consider Tonga’s priorities of education, renewable energy and economic governance.”
The New Zealand Aid Programme is currently supporting Tonga Power Limited to upgrade the village electricity network on Tongatapu, and has funded new police stations, search & rescue boats and police training. New Zealand also supports the Tonga courts and has reconstructed Ha’apai schools following Cyclone Ian.
As an outcome of the talks, New Zealand’s future development assistance to Tonga will be focused on: energy, law and justice, education and skills development, and economic development.
A detailed strategy for New Zealand’s support will be formally agreed between New Zealand and Tonga later this year.