According to a joint statement from Australia’s Foreign Affair Minister, Marise Payne, Defence Minister, Peter Dutton and International Development and Pacific Minister, Zed Seselja, the delivery has been made in a “COVID-safe way”.
This has been done to avoid the spread of the Omicron variant throughout Tonga, which is one of the few nations to be completely Covid-free.
International Development and Pacific Minister, Zed Seselja said in a tweet that more supplies were due to arrive on a separate flight over the coming days.
A second flight arrived at Nuku’alofa from the Royal New Zealand Airforce today which is carrying relief equipment.
According to New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta the shipment is carrying “humanitarian aid and disaster relief supplies, including water container, kits for temporary shelters, generators, hygiene and family kits, and communications equipment".
In an effort to prevent Omicron reaching Tonga’s shores, the entire delivery is contactless with the plane only to remain on the ground for a total of 90 minutes.
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