Political situation in Tonga

Tonga Prime Minister: Our Gasoline Could Run Out

Tonga has fuel reserves that last for two more months, but if the war in the Middle East continues beyond that, it will be difficult. This is what the country's Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua said in an interview with the local television program Pacific Waves.

The government is now considering measures to reduce the use of diesel and gasoline, including by allowing government employees to work four-day weeks or from home.

- We are ready to do what we can to ensure that the current stocks last as long as possible.

According to Matangi Tonga, Tonga now has the highest fuel prices ever, and the government has previously urged residents not to waste.

The nation of Tonga consists of 170 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and the more than 100,000 inhabitants are largely dependent on fuel imports for transportation.

Tonga can't afford to build - in debt to China

The small island nation of Tonga's attempt to rebuild the country's infrastructure four years after the devastating volcanic eruption in January 2022 is going slowly, writes AFP.

The problem is money, and according to the news agency, is due, among other things, to Tonga taking large loans from China, which it is now having difficulty paying back. It has gone so far that the repayments constitute a crucial part of the nation's rather modest budget.

During the first half of 2025, Tonga paid the equivalent of almost 170 million kronor to China. During the same year, Tonga's total infrastructure budget was just over 90 million.

- We could have easily used that money for other things, but Tonga has signed a loan agreement, and we intend to pay what we owe, says the country's Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua.