Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has arrived in Tonga to participate in the 53rd Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting. The gathering, themed “Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now,” is scheduled to take place from August 26 to August 30.
Tonga’s government will host the forum, with Prime Minister Hu’akavemeiliku Siaosi Sovaleni serving as the chair of the meeting. Later today, Rabuka is also set to meet with the Fijian diaspora in Tonga.
Rabuka was among three Pacific leaders involved in a mission to New Caledonia during the unrest that started on May 13, 2024. This mission was expected to report to Forum Leaders during the meeting in Tonga.
However, a statement released this week indicated that the New Caledonia Government has identified several issues related to due process and protocol that must be resolved before a Troika visit can occur. The situation in New Caledonia will be a key topic of discussion at the Leaders meeting, with the aim of providing a path forward to support the ongoing issues.