Fiji’s Trade Delegation Visit Offers Tonga a Blueprint for Regional Growth
Nukuʻalofa, Tonga —
In what can only be described as a timely and potentially transformative visit, Fiji’s high-level trade delegation—led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Hon. Manoa Kamikamica, and accompanied by Kamal Chetty, CEO of Investment Fiji—arrived in Tonga this week to explore opportunities for deeper regional economic collaboration.
In between a packed schedule of business meetings and high-level engagements with Tongan officials, Tonga Independent News caught up with Mr. Chetty for a quick but revealing interview on the goals behind the “Tongan Business Mission” and its implications for Tonga’s long-term economic future.
“This is my first time in Tonga, and I see a huge opportunity within the region,”
— Kamal Chetty, CEO, Investment Fiji
His message was clear: if Tonga is serious about building a resilient, self-sustaining economy, it must look closer to home—specifically to Fiji—for guidance, partnership, and regional leadership. While past strategies have leaned heavily on distant partners such as Australia and New Zealand, Fiji’s proactive engagement demonstrates that effective solutions to Tonga’s economic challenges may lie right here in the Pacific.
Unlocking Pacific Potential
Speaking during the three-day mission, Chetty highlighted the enormous potential for regional collaboration, especially in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, renewable energy, and technology. The delegation, which included a diverse group of Fijian businesses, aimed not just to explore investment opportunities, but to initiate meaningful partnerships that could lead to sustainable, long-term economic ties.
“We’ve seen several agreements signed already. It’s not just about government talking—it’s about businesses acting,”
— Chetty
Agreements were signed, conversations were sparked, and a message was made clear: the Pacific region can no longer afford to underestimate its own value.
A Strategic Shift
At the heart of this mission lies a broader and more strategic truth: regional trade is no longer a secondary option—it is an essential pathway for economic resilience.
“Fijian businesses understand small markets. They’re used to working with limited scale, and that makes them naturally suited for partnerships in places like Tonga,”
— Chetty
With shared cultures, aligned regulatory systems, and geographic proximity, the Pacific is uniquely positioned to foster intra-regional investment. Yet for too long, these relationships have remained underdeveloped. Strengthening them could shift the region’s economic narrative—from one of aid dependency to one of mutual empowerment.
What Tonga Must Do Now
For Tonga, the message is clear: the time to act is now. The Government must move beyond viewing regional visits as ceremonial and begin institutionalising them as part of a long-term economic strategy.
Establishing a formal Tonga–Fiji Business Council, supporting reciprocal trade missions, and reviewing investment incentives to attract regional businesses are all practical, immediate steps. But perhaps most importantly, there needs to be a shift in how the role of the private sector is understood.
“In the government we can talk, but the private sector is the one that can do the business,”
— Kamal Chetty, CEO, Investment Fiji
This is a message Tonga urgently needs to hear. Sustainable economic growth will not come from bureaucracy or public sector overreach—it will come from empowering entrepreneurs, facilitating investment, and removing barriers to doing business. If Tonga is serious about reform, it must revisit restrictive policies, modernise its regulatory environment, and become an enabler rather than an obstacle to private sector development.
The delegation has not just presented ideas but has demonstrated how a neighbouring island nation can thrive by making business development a national priority. Tonga must now choose whether to follow that lead.
Charting a New Course for the Region
This delegation was more than a visit—it was a wake-up call. As the region faces growing global uncertainty, Tonga must look inward and around, not just upward and outward. Fiji’s approach offers a model of what is possible when a Pacific nation backs itself and its neighbours.
“We are not small states—we are big ocean states,”
— Kamal Chetty
If Tonga embraces this moment, it can move towards a future driven not by dependence, but by Pacific solidarity, trade, and self-determined growth.
Tu’ifua Vailena
