This morning, Speaker Seah Kian Peng met with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Lord Fakafanua, during the latter’s visit to Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue. Speaker Seah affirmed the strong ties with the Pacific Island States (PIS) and engaged in a fruitful discussion with Lord Fakafanua on forging stronger ties, enhancing people-to-people exchanges, and addressing common challenges as small island states.
Singapore maintains warm and friendly relations with the PIS and has a history of welcoming Pacific Officials for training under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. Additionally, Speaker Seah congratulated Lord Fakafanua on his election to the Inter-Parliamentary Union as the first Pacific Island representative to the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, and extended best wishes for Tonga's successful hosting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting in August 2024, an event which Singapore will attend as a Dialogue Partner of the PIF.