31st August, 2018 TONGAN The Prime Minister, Hon Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva, will lead the Tongan delegation to the 49th Pacific Islands Forum Meeting in Nauru. The theme of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, which will be held from the 3rd to the 6th of September, is “Building a Strong Pacific: Our People, Our Islands, Our Will”.
This year’s Pacific Islands Forum will kick off on Monday 3 September with the meeting of the Leaders of the Small Islands States (SIS), followed by the meeting of the Leaders of the Pacific island countries members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group and then the Opening Ceremony in the evening. On Tuesday, 4 September, The PIF Leaders will hold a Dialogue session with the representatives of the Civil Society Organisations (CSO), followed by their session with representatives of the Private Sector. After lunch the PIF Leaders will hold their Dialogue Session with Associate Members and Forum Observers followed by their session with the Forum Dialogue Partners. Wednesday, 5 September will kick off with the Forum Leaders meeting heads of the CROP agencies followed by the Forum Leaders’ Retreat which will take up most of the day and ending with a State Banquet. The closing ceremony will be held on the morning of 6th September.
Other members of Tonga’s Delegation to the 49th Pacific Islands Forum include: Minister for Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation & Labour, Hon Dr. Tu’i Uata; Acting Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet, Olita Tupou; Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mahe Tupouniua; CEO of the Ministry of Commerce, Consumer, Trade, Innovation & Labour, Edgar Cocker; Political and Media Adviser to the Hon Prime Minister, Lopeti Senituli and; photojournalist with the Prime Minister’s Office, Suliana Pomana. The Hon Prime Minister and part of the delegation will depart Tonga on 31 September for Auckland and then on to Nauru. The rest will depart Tonga on 1 September for Nadi and on to Nauru. It is expected that the delegation will return on 8 September.
ENDS
Issued by the: The Prime Minister’s Office, P.O. Box 62, Nuku’alofa, Tonga. Tel: (676) 24 644 Fax: (676) 23 888; For media enquiries- Email: pressoffice@pmo.gov.to