Although more than a month has passed with the government reluctant to detail the US demands—which could trigger a travel ban against Tonga—the Eke administration has now issued a statement that appears to confirm sustained concerns about the seriousness of the US requirements.
Acting Prime Minister Taniela Fusimalohi, when pressed during a press conference this afternoon, said the American conditions are complicated and demanding, revealing that authorities are still finalising Tonga’s official response. Yet he continues to withhold the details of the demands.
His response follows June’s memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and sent to U.S. diplomats working with 36 countries, including Tonga.
The memo stated that governments of listed nations were being given 60 days to meet new benchmarks and requirements established by the State Department.
The memo identified varied benchmarks that, in the administration’s estimation, these countries were failing to meet. Some countries had “no competent or cooperative central government authority to produce reliable identity documents or other civil documents,” or they suffered from “widespread government fraud.”
Others had large numbers of citizens who overstayed their visas in the United States, the memo said.
Other reasons included the availability of citizenship by monetary investment without a requirement of residency and claims of “antisemitic and anti-American activity in the United States” by people from those countries.
The memo also stated that if a country was willing to accept third-country nationals who were removed from the United States or enter a “safe third country” agreement, it could mitigate other concerns.
Warning Gains New Weight
A month after Prime Minister Eke called the US demands “seriously alarming,” Acting PM Fusimālohi’s tone signals that the Tongan government’s unease persists.
In Tongan, Fusimālohi said: “Ikai foki faingofua e ngaahi conditions oku ‘omai ‘e ‘Amelika ke fai ki ai ‘a e ngaue mo e ngaahi tu’utu’uni ko e ‘omai ke tau fai pau ki ai.”
This translates into English as – The conditions set by the United States are not easy to meet, as they require actions and decisions that we are obligated to follow precisely.
Fusimālohi, however, sounded optimistic about the response efforts.
He said the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were actively working on it, fully aware of the deadline, and doing their best to meet it.
