Loading ...Tonga Trade Division
Tonga Trade Division of the Ministry was established in January 1997. The Division dedicated to assist in expanding and diversifying Tonga’s export earnings by fostering and promoting sustainable export trade.
The core functions of Tonga Trade are as follows:
1. Export Promotion : Responsible for the development of profiles and liaise for inward and outward trade missions; organizing business visit programs and development of investment portfolios
2. Market Research and Development: Identify markets through research and gap analysis, assisting development of exporters marketing skills and facilitate the development and implementation of market management plans for product groups.
3. Trade Policy and Information: This unit advises and acts on international trade policy issues pertinent for Tonga. Including negotiations, monitoring, implementation and analysis of trade agreements (bilateral, regional and multilateral). Dissemination of information to facilitate trade such as commodity pricing, labelling and other regulatory information directly related to export trade. The unit also focus on Research and Development Activities relevant to Trade.
For any information regarding our functions as well as other trade issues contact us.
STAFF
There are four (4) full time staff in this Division headed by the Deputy Director of TongaTrade. Two key positions in the Trade Policy Unit (Senior Trade Officer and Trade Policy Officer) are vacant as shown on the organizational chart.
Staff contacts
Dr. Ha’unga Petelo
Deputy Director [Head of TongaTrade]
TongaTrade
Email: haungap@mlci.gov.to
Ms. Salote Vaimoana Taukolo
Principal Trade Officer
Trade Policy Unit
TongaTrade
Email: moanat@mlci.gov.to
Mr. Siaosi Fifita
Senior Trade Officer
Trade Promotion and Marketing Development
TongaTrade
Email: siaosif@mlci.gov.to
Mr. Adeshola Odysanya
Trade Policy Analyst
Hub and Spokes Project, Commonwealth Secretariat
Trade Policy Unit
Email: adesholao@mlci.gov.to
Ms Malia Kolofo’ou
Computer Assistant/Administrative Assistant
TongaTrade
Email: maliak@mlci.gov.to
TRADE AGREEMENTS TONGA IS PARTY TO
1. Tonga is a member of the South Pacific Forum, a political grouping of independent and self-governing States in the South Pacific. The South Pacific Forum was established in 1971 to develop a collective response to regional issues.
2. Tonga is also a party to the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement (SPARTECA), signed in July 1980. The SPARTECA Agreement is a preferential non-reciprocal trade agreement whereby Australia and New Zealand extended duty free and unrestricted or concessional access for virtually all products originating in the Forum Island members, i.e. Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Western Samoa. The Agreement includes provisions for general economic, commercial and technical co-operation and safeguard provisions against product dumping.
3. Tonga is a member of the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA), ratified by Tonga in 2001. The PICTA provided for progressive phasing out of tariffs between Forum Island countries by 2010, as part of the establishment of the Pacific regional free trade area in goods.
4. Tonga also participated in the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER), which entered into force on 3 October 2002. Members of the PACER includes Pacific Forum Island Countries, Australia, and New Zealand. Although the PACER is not a free trade agreement, it sets a timetable for regional free trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand.
5. Tonga and Fiji signed a bilateral trade agreement in 1995, aimed at facilitating the free flow of agricultural products. The Agreement is non-reciprocal, having been formulated shortly after a bilateral quarantine protocol which was established for 20 agricultural items imported into Fiji from Tonga. A joint committee met bi-annually to discuss matters of mutual trade interest.
6. Tonga participated in the Regional Long-Term Sugar Agreement, running from 1995-1998. Under this Agreement, Fiji had supplied agreed quantities of sugar to Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Western Samoa at pre-determined prices. The Agreement had been administered by the Forum Secretariat, located in Suva (Fiji). Tonga’s entitlement had been allocated among private firms based on their requests without any form of price subsidy.
7. Tonga also signed and ratified the Cotonou Agreement between the European Communities (EC) and 70 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP), whereby the EC extended non-reciprocal trade preferences to the ACP States. Phase II of these negotiations are currently taking place with a view to conclude in December 2007. By January of 2008 the new economic partnership agreement commence.
8. Tonga is a Member of the World Trade Organization. The accession process started in May 1995 and concluded in the signing of the package of accession at the Hong Kong Ministerial in November 2005. Tonga accepted the Protocol of Accession on 27 June 2007 and became the 151 Member of the WTO on 27th July 2007. The Trade Policy Unit within the Tonga Trade Divison of the Ministry of Labour, Commerce & Industries is the focal point for WTO matters.
