Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua was pleased to receive a courtesy call from Mayor Webster Lincoln of East Palo Alto, California, and his delegation today.

The meeting brought together representatives of the City of East Palo Alto and the Kolofo’ou District of Tonga, including HRH Crown Princess Sinaitakala Tuku’aho, as the two communities continue to strengthen their historic Sister City relationship.

While the agreement was formally signed in January 2026, the connection between the two communities was forged during a time of crisis. Following the devastating Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami in 2022, the East Palo Alto community mobilised to send five containers of essential aid and resources to Tonga.

The Sister City agreement, signed at the U.S. Embassy in Nuku’alofa on 30 January 2026, formalised this grassroots connection and established the first Sister City partnership between Tonga and the United States.

The partnership provides a framework for cooperation beyond cultural exchange, including opportunities for trade and economic development, urban development and disaster resilience, with both communities sharing experiences and best practices to build stronger and safer communities.

The Government of Tonga welcomes the continued strengthening of this people-to-people relationship and looks forward to the opportunities it creates for deeper connections between Kolofo’ou and East Palo Alto, contributing to the enduring friendship between Tonga and the United States.

Naʻe fiefia ai ʻa e ‘Eiki Palemia, Lord Fakafanua ke tali lelei ʻa e ʻaʻahi fakaʻofisiale mei he pulekolo ʻo East Palo Alto, Kalefōnia, ko Webster Lincoln, mo ‘ene kau muimuifolau, ‘i he ʻaho ni, 17 ʻAokosi 2026.

Ko e fakataha ni na’a ne fakatahataha’i mai ʻa e kau fakafofonga mei he kolo ʻo East Palo Alto ‘i ‘Amelika mo e Vāhenga Kolofoʻou ʻi Tongatapu ni, kau ai ʻa e Ta’ahine Pilinisesi Kalauni, Sinaitakala Tukuʻaho, ʻi he kei hokohoko atu ʻa e ngāue ʻa e ongo kolo ni ke fakamālohia honau vā fakafeohi ʻi he tuʻunga ʻo e ngaahi kolo fengaue’aki.

Neongo naʻe fakamoʻoniʻi fakaʻofisiale ʻa e aleapau fengaue’aki ni ʻi Sānuali 2026, ka naʻe fakahoko ʻa e vā fetuʻutaki ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo e ongo kolo ni ‘i he taimi ʻo e faingataʻa. ʻI he hili ʻa e mapuna ʻa e moʻungaafi Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai mo e peau kula na’e hake ʻi he 2022, naʻe fakatahataha ʻa e kainga ʻo East Palo Alto ke tuku mai ha ngaahi koniteina tokoni ʻe nima mo e ngaahi naunau mahuʻinga ‘e ‘aonga ki Tonga.

Ko e Aleapau ʻo e Ongo Kolo fengaue’aki ni, ʻa ia naʻe fakamoʻoniʻi ʻi he ‘Ofisi Faka’amipasitoa ʻo ʻAmelika ʻi Nukuʻalofa ni ʻi he ʻaho 30 Sānuali 2026, naʻe faka’ata ai ʻa e vā fetuʻutaki ‘i he vaha’a ‘o e kakai ʻo e ongo kolo ni, pea fokotuʻu ai ʻa e fuofua fetuʻutaki ʻo ha kolo fengaue’aki ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo Tonga mo ʻAmelika.

ʻOku ʻomi ʻe he ngāue fakataha ko ʻení ha makatuʻunga ki he fetokoniʻaki ʻoku mahulu atu ʻi he fevahevahe’aki ‘o e ‘ulungaanga fakafonua, ʻo kau ai ʻa e ngaahi faingamālie ki he fefakatauʻaki mo e fakalakalaka fakaʻikonōmika, fakalakalaka ʻo e ngaahi kolo, mateuteu mo e matuʻuaki ʻo e ngaahi fakatamaki. ʻE vahevahe ʻe he ongo kolo ni ‘enau ngaahi aʻusia mo e ngaahi founga ngāue lelei ke langa ha komiuniti mālohi mo malu ange.

ʻOku talitali lelei ʻe he Puleʻanga Tonga ʻa e hokohoko atu hono fakamālohia ʻo e vā fetuʻutaki ni, pea mo e ʻamanaki ki ha ngaahi faingamālie ʻe fakatupu ʻi he vā ko ʻení ke toe vaofiange ai ʻa e ngaahi fetuʻutaki ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo Kolofoʻou mo East Palo Alto, ʻo tokoni ki he va fakakaungāmeʻa tuʻuloa ʻi he vahaʻa ʻo Tonga mo ʻAmelika.