Tonga: Foreign militaries join forces to aid islands

Foreign militaries join forces to aid islands

Press Release

Two military ships carrying more than 600 personnel from the United States, New Zealand, and Australia are in the Kingdom as part of the Pacific Partnership 2011.

The U.S-led Pacific Partnership program seeks to strengthen alliances and coordination between the U.S and its partners, as well as provide humanitarian and civic assistance to Pacific communities in need.

The San Diego-based navy vessel USS Cleveland arrived on 13 April in Tonga, with more than 500 military and NGO workers equipped to deliver engineering, dental, medical and veterinary services to hospitals, primary schools and community centres in Vava’u.

Meanwhile, up to 150 defence force personnel aboard the HMNZS Canterbury from New Zealand have been in Niuatoputapu since 11 April, working to improve school facilities, running health and dental clinics, and building 10,000 litre rain water tanks in several villages.

At the official Pacific Partnership 2011 launch ceremony in Vava’u on 14 April, the Prime Minister of Tonga and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Lord Tu’ivakano expressed his gratitude on behalf of the Tongan Government.

“I am pleased to note this year’s inter-governmental approach where the impact and benefit has been widened by working closely and in tandem with the New Zealand and Australian governments,” declared the Prime Minister.

“I am sure that this will form the foundations and perhaps a model for future humanitarian missions that draw together and unite different parties to achieve a set of clearly defined goals.”

All aid projects were delivered by request of the Tongan Government and carried out alongside Tongan professionals.

“The entire Pacific Partnership team is very excited to get our mission started,” said Capt. Jesse A. Wilson, Commander of the USS Cleveland and mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2011.

“The servicemen and women and all of the volunteers from the NGOs are finally able to execute this mission after months of planning.”

“This mission is truly about partnership, understanding and mutual benefit. I am positive we will all learn valuable lessons from our experiences in Tonga,” said Royal Australian Navy Cmdr. Ashley Papp, Commander of the 40-odd Australian Contingent on the USS Cleveland.

The USS Cleveland will leave Tonga on 25 April, following with departure of the HMNZ Canterbury 20 April. Both ships are headed to Vanuatu.

After Vanuatu, the USS Cleveland will continue its mission to deliver humanitarian and civic assistance, along with environmental sustainability operations to the nations of Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Pacific Partnership began in 2006, following a mission formed in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. It has since visited many countries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, treated 210,000 patients, and continued to enhance interoperability with partner nations.

For more news from Pacific Partnership, visit:

www.cpf.navy.mil/pp11

www.facebook/pacificpartnership/

http://twitter.com/pacificpartner

ENDS

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