MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Smith
I will visit the Kingdom of Tonga and Samoa tomorrow Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 June.
This will be my first visit to both countries.
Australia enjoys a long-standing and close relationship with Tonga and Samoa, underpinned by deep community links and substantial development assistance programs.
There are approximately 7,500 Tongan born people and 15,000 Samoan born people in Australia, who have made their mark in the arts, academia, business and sport.
In Tonga, I will meet HM King George Tupou V and Prime Minister Sevele.
I will have the opportunity to address members of the Tongan Cabinet to reaffirm Australia's support for Tonga's program of constitutional and electoral reform ahead elections.
In Samoa, I will meet Head of State Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and Prime Minister Tuilaepa.
I will participate in the ground-breaking ceremony of the Australian funded new Headquarters for the Ministry of Education. I will also visit the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre.
An important element of the visit to both countries will be to discuss the adverse impact of the global economic crisis, including with key business people.
Australia recognises the challenges of the global economic crisis on smaller island nations. As the only G20 country from the Pacific, Australia is committed to developing a global response through the G20.
I will discuss in both Tonga and Samoa our shared desire to see the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Fiji. Fiji is an important part of the economy of the Pacific but its economy has been damaged by the coup.
We will also discuss the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which Australia will host in Cairns in August.
I look forward to a further strengthening of relations with Tonga under a Pacific Partnership for Development, which is expected to be finalised at the Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns.
Samoa, along with Papua New Guinea, was one of the first countries with which we signed a Partnership in August 2008.
In both countries I will also meet with Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development.