U.S. Secretary of State first official visit to the Kingdom of Tonga
27 July 2023
The Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, received the Secretary of State of the United States, T.H. Antony Blinken, at the Cabinet Chamber, St. George Government Building at Nuku’alofa.
The two leaders held a bilateral meeting followed by a press conference with the local and foreign media.
In his remarks at the Press Conference, the Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, state that “the visit today by Secretary Blinken is historic. It is the first visit by a sitting US Secretary of State and it is the highest-level visit we have received from the United States Government in our recent history”. He continued that the visit is a clear indication from the Unites States of America to strengthen relations between the two countries.
The Hon Prime Minister also stated that many aspects in Tonga’s partnership with the United States were covered including climate change and education.
Secretary Blinken stated that the United States is in Tonga to discuss shared democratic values and vision of a connected, prosperous, peaceful, and resilient Pacific region.
Hon. Hu’akavameiliku then joined the Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the opening of the new United States Embassy office in Tonga located at the National Reserve Bank of Tonga Building.
Present at the dedication ceremony of the new embassy was HRH Crown Prince Tupouto’a and HRH Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho, HRH Princess Salote Mafile’o Pilolevu Tuita and Lord Tuita, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and distinguished guests.
The Secretary of State was accompanied in Tonga by the Her Excellency Marie Darmour, the US Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Nauru and Tuvalu, Mr Daniel Kritenbrink, the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and other high level official from the US.
The Secretary of State will also be visiting New Zealand and Australia in the next few days.
-ENDS-
