PINA

Niue’s Prime Minister, Dalton Tagelagi, has proposed a formal leaders’ meeting between Realm countries.

Tagelagi says a frank conversation about constitutional arrangements is “overdue”.

Niue and the Cook Islands are part of the New Zealand Realm as self-governing Pacific islands in free association with New Zealand. Tokelau is also part of the Realm but is a non-self governing territory.

While the island nations manage their own domestic affairs – Tokelau has a local self-administration – Aotearoa remains responsible for defence and foreign affairs, and all have New Zealand citizenship.

Speaking on Pacific Mornings while he was in New Zealand, Tagelagi says such a roundtable could help dispel speculation and strengthen relationships between Niue, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, and Tokelau.

“I think it’s something that’s overdue and has never been done before,” Tagelagi says. “It’s a matter of just the leaders sitting around the table and just having a frank conversation.”

The call comes as relations between Aotearoa and the Cook Islands have come under increased scrutiny.

Last month, the Cook Islands News reported that Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown was confident diplomatic ties could be mended and that paused funding would be restored in 2026.

According to the Rarotongan-based media outlet, Brown had made multiple attempts to meet New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, after official-level talks failed to resolve a diplomatic dispute between the two governments.

Peters told PMN News in September that the matter was being negotiated by officials from New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

Tagelagi says each Realm country has its own constitutional relationship with New Zealand and that these discussions should be respected.

He framed Niue’s partnership as mutually beneficial, particularly as the island pursues ambitious development goals through external partnerships and investment.

“Our win is also going to be New Zealand’s win, because everything that came outside of New Zealand will filter back to New Zealand, because we get everything from New Zealand,” he said.

“So I guess it’s our way of contributing to New Zealand who has always been looking after us from day one, in our constitutional arrangements.”

Niue celebrated 50 years of self-governance in 2024, with New Zealand’s Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro attending the celebrations in Alofi.

In response to a question about Tokelau, Tagelagi says Tokelau had sought guidance on Niue’s experience of free association. Tokelau is expected to decide on whether a referendum on self-governance will be held this year.

“That’s up to Tokelau, we can only advise on how it worked for us and from what we experienced.”

Beyond the constitutional talks, the Niuean Prime Minister addressed regional cooperation challenges, including the cost of hosting the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.

He did not rule out hosting but cautioned on expenses.

“It’s going to be very hard for us because of those associated costs and I’m not prepared to spend that much money just to bring people to my island.

“So it’s something that needs to be addressed within the Secretariat and the leaders.”

As Niue prepares for general elections, Tagelagi signalled he may seek one more term before stepping away from politics.

With 16 years of experience, he emphasised the importance of youth leadership and succession.

“It’s not my job to keep but if we’re committed to the little rock, we should be doing the best of our ability because we are the lucky ones to be in the position.

“I think one more term will serve the purpose but we’ll leave that decision to the people and those who get elected to the House.”

Tagelagi was in Auckland to formalise diplomatic relations with the Federal Republic of Germany, which now recognises Niue as a sovereign state. The ceremony on 03 February involved Tagelagi and Germany’s Foreign Minister Dr Johann David Wadephul signing a joint declaration.

The head of the United Nations in the Pacific says UN operations across 15 countries in the region will not be affected by a deepening global budget crisis that has prompted stark warnings from the organisation’s leadership in New York.

Dirk Wagener, the UN Resident Coordinator for Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, announced this week that funding for Pacific programmes comes from a separate pool and remains secure, despite the UN facing a record shortfall in its core budget.

It follows a warning from UN Secretary General António Guterres that the organisation is at risk of “imminent financial collapse” after member states failed to pay billions of dollars in mandatory contributions.

Wagener said the UN’s work in the Pacific, spanning 32 agencies with a combined budget of around US$327 million, is funded differently from the UN’s regular budget.

“They fund those agencies either through voluntary core contributions or through specific contributions they make earmarked to projects and specific initiatives,” Wagener said.

Pacific leaders have long warned that global funding systems are not working for small island states.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Vanuatu’s Permanent Representative, Odo Tevi, said climate impacts were “pushing our countries backwards”.

He said Pacific nations needed “predictable and accessible finance” to respond to growing risks.

At the UN Ocean Conference, Palau’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment, Steven Victor, said: “While we lead globally in safeguarding our marine resources, Pacific Island Countries remain among the least supported in doing so.”

Wagener’s reassurance comes as the UN’s financial crisis intensifies. In a letter sent to all 193 member states, Guterres said countries now owed a record US$1.6 billion, warning that the shortfall is threatening the organisation’s ability to operate.

“The United Nations is at risk of ‘imminent financial collapse’,” Guterres wrote, saying the crisis was “deepening, threatening programme delivery”, and that money could run out by July.

He said 77 percent of assessed contributions had been paid in 2025, leaving the highest unpaid total in the organisation’s history.

“I cannot overstate the urgency of the situation we now face. We cannot execute budgets with uncollected funds, nor return funds we never received,” Guterres wrote.

He said the UN was being hit by a “double blow” from a financial rule requiring it to return unspent money to member states, even when the funds were never paid in the first place.

“Just this month, as part of the 2026 assessment, we were compelled to return US$227m funds we have not collected,” the letter said.

“The bottom line is clear,” Guterres added. “Either all member states honour their obligations to pay in full and on time or member states must fundamentally overhaul our financial rules to prevent an imminent financial collapse.”

The crisis has been driven in large part by the United States, the UN’s largest contributor, which has refused to pay into the organisation’s regular and peacekeeping budgets and has withdrawn from dozens of UN agencies.

Other countries, including the United Kingdom and Germany, have also announced cuts to foreign aid.

At UN headquarters in Geneva, cost-saving measures have become visible, with heating turned down and escalators regularly switched off.

Across the world, the impact is already being felt. The UN’s human rights office has warned that serious violations may go undocumented due to a lack of funds.

In Afghanistan, the UN Population Fund has closed mother and baby clinics, while the World Food Programme has cut food rations for refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.

Despite the global strain, Wagener says Pacific communities should not expect disruptions to UN support in areas such as climate resilience, health, education and disaster response.

He says UN agencies in the Pacific remain focused on delivering programmes on the ground, even as the wider organisation faces one of the most serious financial threats in its history.

The Tongan government says bilateral relations with the United States remain robust despite new U.S visa requirements that will affect Tongan passport holders from later this month.

Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala, Minister for His Majesty’s Diplomatic Services, told reporters on Friday that cooperation with the United States continues “to progress well” even as nationals face increased financial and procedural hurdles to travel. The comments were made at the first press briefing of the new Cabinet.

The United States has expanded its visa bond pilot programme to include more countries, requiring some applicants for B-1/B-2 visitor visas to post refundable bonds of up to USD$15,000 – a measure aimed at reducing visa overstays.

Tonga is among 38 countries now subject to these requirements, which take effect from 21 January 2026.

Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua said the inclusion of Tonga in the programme reflects statistical overstay rates rather than a deterioration in diplomatic relations.

“This directive does not arise from a fault in our diplomatic relations but rather a decision by the U.S government in a move to strengthen border safety,” he said.

The Crown Prince acknowledged that the Ministry has not yet released a formal statement on the issue, noting that further “private discussions” are underway.

Lord Fakafanua confirmed he has invited the U.S Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, to visit Tonga for high-level talks, and that the invitation has been accepted. The precise date of the visit will be discussed at an upcoming meeting in Hawaiʻi later this month.

Some Tongans have raised concerns that the bond requirements could restrict family travel and study opportunities, though officials have not publicly detailed any specific community impacts.

Discussions between Tongan officials and U.S counterparts are expected to continue as authorities seek clarity and possible mitigations.