Team Tonga at the opening ceremony for the 17th Pacific Games in Solomon Islands. 19 November 2023 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Junior Maealasia
Tonga has won the bid to host the 2031 Pacific Games, the announcement coming seven years after pulling out of hosting the 2019 Games.
It was announced the host in Koror, Palau on Friday, when the Pacific Games Council members voted.
Tonga secured the right to host the Games with a total of 12 votes, against Fiji's nine.
It will be the first Pacific Games held in Tonga since the 1989 Pacific Mini Games.
Tonga's successful bid comes seven years after the country pulled out of hosting the 2019 Games.
Former prime minister, the late Samiuela Akilisi Pohiva, pulled the plug on the event and cancelled the event, forcing the Pacific Games Council (PGC) to move the Games to Samoa in 2019.
Tonga was also suspended from the Council but the Tongan government two years ago reached an out of court settlement with the PGC, which allowed the Kingdom back into the fold and now getting another chance to host the Games.
TASANOC president Michael Bloomfield, left, and Tonga PM Hu'akavameiliku, sitting front right, and sitting behind him is Lord Vaea, at the Pacific Games Council meeting in Palau. Photo: Supplied / Melielau Manu
Tongan Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni led Tonga's team at the meeting in Koror.
"We are grateful to the members for giving us the votes and backing for Tonga to host the 2023 Games," he said.
"It is a great achievement. We know there is alot of work to be done but we are confident that with our people, our partners and all stakeholders Tonga can host the event successfully."
Journalist Melielau Manu, who is in Palau covering the event, said it was cause for celebration for Team Tonga at the event.
"There was so much joy and celebration by the Tongan delegation when the votes were announced," Manu, of Broadcom 87.5FM in Nuku'alofa, said.
"The team came here determined to get the hosting right and with the Prime Minister here and Lord Vaea plus the TASANOC president Michael Bloomfield, it went through and the support was tremendous."
The delegation included Lord Vaea, the Minister responsible for Sports, and Tonga's two-time Olympian Pita Taufatofua.
Fiji also had a strong delegation at the event but the votes did not go in their favour.
