ADB assistance

ADB provides US$200,000 grant to Tonga for cyclone Harold relief

The Category 4 cyclone hit Tonga on 9 April, with sustained winds of more than 150 kilometers per hour affecting the country’s east and southeast and extensive flooding affecting the main island of Tongatapu and the ‘Eua group of islands.

“Tropical Cyclone Harold destroyed livelihoods and vital infrastructure in Tonga and other Pacific countries,” said ADB Director General for the Pacific Leah Gutierrez. “This grant will assist early recovery and relief efforts, and ADB stands ready to help support Tonga build back better in the wake of the cyclone.”

Tonga welcomes ADB assistance for COVID-19 response

Tonga’s Minister for Finance, Tevita Lavemaau, said, “the prompt response by ADB is indeed timely as government had in place a small contingency provision for un-anticipated events but neither planned nor included in the budget resources to combat the scale of the negative impacts by COVID-19 on our small and vulnerable economy. The Ministry of Finance projected the negative impacts on the economy up to 7 percent in 2020 and higher in the financial year 2021. ”