Tonga-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Forum

  • Rt Hon Winston Peters
Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Affairs

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. 

“We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga is one of our closest neighbours and we look forward to working with Prime Minster Tu'i'onetoa and his new government,” Mr Peters said.

“During Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa’s visit we discussed a range of bilateral issues including security cooperation, economic development, and health and education, as well as regional and global challenges such as climate change,” Mr Peters said.

The visit followed high-level discussions between senior officials from Tonga and New Zealand in November in Wellington, which involved a number of government agencies from both countries.