New Zealand Foreign Minister , Murray McCully has arrived in Tonga an official statement from Tonga’s Prime Minister’s office said.
It said Hon. McCully and his entourage were greeted and welcomed by Tonga’s Finance Minister Hon. ‘Aisake Valu Eke at Fua’amotu International Airport.
“An official meeting between the Hon. Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon Samiuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva and Hon. McCully has been set to be held shortly after arrival, and to be followed by a Joint Press Conference with the Media, later today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Hon. Minister McCully is also scheduled to visit the rebuilding of Ha’apai from the destruction of cyclone Ian, and is expected to return to New Zealand on Wednesday the 18th February 2015″, the statement said.
In a statement from the McCully’s office before he left for Tonga it said:
“Tonga is one of our closest neighbours and we enjoy a very strong relationship built around a large Tongan population in New Zealand, development cooperation, and working together
at the Pacific Islands Forum,” Mr McCully says.
“This will be my first visit to Tonga since their election late last year and it is an opportunity to discuss the new government’s priorities and how we can support their development objectives.
“Our aid programme in Tonga is currently focused on support for basic education and policing, private sector development, and in particular the development of renewable energy generation,” Mr McCully says.
