Minister of Foreign Affairs (Tonga)

Head of the Tongan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Kingdom of Tonga

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Tonga

Flag of Tonga

Incumbent
Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala

since 28 January 2025

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Status| Foreign Minister
Abbreviation| FM
Member of|

* Cabinet of Tonga
* Legislative Assembly of Tonga

Seat| Nukuʻalofa
Nominator| Prime Minister of Tonga
Appointer| King of Tonga
Term length| No term limit
Constituting instrument| Constitution of Tonga
Inaugural holder| Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake
Formation| 4 June 1970

Politics of Tonga

Constitution

Monarchy

* King

Tupou VI
* Crown Prince

Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala
* Succession
* Privy Council

Executive

* Prime Minister

ʻAisake Eke
* Deputy Prime Minister

Vacant
* Cabinet

Legislative

* Legislative Assembly

Speaker: Lord Fakafanua
Members

Judiciary

* Court of Appeal
* Supreme Court

Elections

* Recent elections (constituencies)

* General: 2014
* 2017
* 2021
* next

* Political parties

Democratic Party of the
Friendly Islands (DPFI)

People's Democratic
Party (PDP)

Administrative divisions

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Samiu Vaipulu (acting)

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Tonga

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Tonga is a cabinet minister in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tonga. It is responsible for conducting foreign relations of the country. Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala has served as foreign minister since 28 January 2025.[1]

## Description of the office

[edit]

Like other ministers, the Foreign Minister is formally appointed by the King on the nomination of the Prime Minister, and is responsible to both the Prime Minister and the Legislative Assembly. The position may be held independently, or in conjunction with other ministerial responsibilities. From time to time, the Prime Minister has simultaneously served as Foreign Minister.

## List of ministers

[edit]

Political parties

Human Rights and Democracy Movement

Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands

Other factions

Independent

Symbols

Denotes acting Minister

† Died in office

The following is a list of foreign ministers of Tonga since the country gained independence in 1970:[2]

No. | Name
(Birth–Death) | Portrait  | Tenure

|
|
|

1  | Prince Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake
(1922–1999) |  | 1970–1979
2  | Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa
(1948–2012)
[a] |  | 1979–1998
—  | Baron Vaea
(1921–2009)
Acting |  | 1998
3  | Prince ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho
(born 1959)
[b] |  | 1998–2004
4  | Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu
(1943–2013) |  | 2004–2009
5  | Lord Sevele of Vailahi
(born 1944) |  | 2009–2010
6  | Lord Tuʻivakanō
(born 1952) |  | 2011–2014
7  | ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
(1941–2019) |  | 2014–2017
8  | Siaosi Sovaleni
(born 1970) |  | 2017–2018
(7) | ʻAkilisi Pōhiva
(1941–2019) |  | 2018–2019†
—  | Semisi Sika
(born 1968)
Acting |  | 2019
9  | Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
(1951–2023) |  | 2019–2021
10  | Fekitamoeloa ʻUtoikamanu
(born 1959) |  | 2021–2024
—  | Siaosi Sovaleni
(born 1970)
Acting |  | 2024
—  | Samiu Vaipulu
(born 1952)
Acting |  | 2024–2025
11  | Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala
(born 1985) |  | 2025–present

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Later King George Tupou V.
2. ^ Later King Tupou VI.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Tupou Vaipulu Jr. (28 January 2025). "Crown Prince named as member of new cabinet". Matangi Tonga. Nukuʻalofa. Archived from the original on 28 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
2. ^ "Foreign ministers S-Z". rulers.org. B. Schemmel. Retrieved 16 January 2015.

* v
* t
* e

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Tonga

* Fatafehi
* Tupoutoʻa
* Vaea*
* ʻAhoʻeitu
* Taumoepeau-Tupou
* Sevele
* Tuʻivakanō
* Pōhiva
* Sovaleni
* Pōhiva
* Sika*
* Tuʻiʻonetoa
* ʻUtoikamanu
* Sovaleni*
* Vaipulu*
* Tupoutoʻa

*acting

* v
* t
* e

Foreign relations of Tonga

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* Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Tonga articles

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