The Prime Minister, Hon. Dr ‘Aisake Valu Eke, has joined fellow Pacific leaders in urging US President Donald Trump to reverse damaging tariffs and aid cuts affecting the region.
The call came in a formal letter sent by the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Troika, comprising leaders from Tonga, the Solomon Islands, and the Cook Islands, with Palau also participating as Micronesia’s representative.
At a Troika meeting in Fiji last week, leaders expressed concern over steep US tariffs and the broader implications of the US’s shifting foreign policy, including stalled climate aid projects.
Donald Trump had recently announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries except China.
While Tonga had remained at 10% tarrif, it was higher for others with 23% on Vanuatu, 30% on Nauru, and 32% on Fiji.
“These developments threaten the well-being of vulnerable communities across our region,” Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said after the meeting.
Tonga’s involvement in the letter signals rising frustration with what Pacif6ic leaders view as punitive and uneven US trade policies.
“There is no reason for the Federated States of Micronesia and Marshall Islands to get a 10 percent tariff, and Palau to escape it,” noted economist Stephen Howes of ANU’s Development Policy Centre.
The Forum Troika also agreed to initiate reforms to regional governance, aiming for a more streamlined, cohesive Pacific architecture. A full leaders’ summit is set for October in Honiara.
