By Ana Uili of MEIDAC (Tonga)

18 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4 – The Government of Tonga will be committing US$25 million to the kingdom’s meteorological service to develop resilience to extreme weather events and to strengthen its early warning system.

Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni announced this during discussions on the outcomes of the Nuku’alofa Ministerial Declaration of 2015 at the Pacific Meteorological Ministers Meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands today.

By Matthew Vari of South Pacific Courier (Post Courier)

18 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4 – No one single country can address the impacts of natural hazards alone.

That was message conveyed by the government of Papua New Guinea in its official statement to the Second Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology (PMMM2).

By Linny Folau of Matangi Tonga Online

18 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4 – The importance of meteorological services to support safe and efficient of aviation and the safety of people who are travelling by air was reaffirmed during the Second Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology on 18 August in Honiara.

By Repeka Nasiko of Fiji Times

18 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4 – The first-ever Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting donors and meteorology director’s roundtable and ‘speed-dating’ sessions have been hailed a success by participants.

By Pita Ligaiula of Pacific Island News Assocation (PINA)

18 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4 – Pacific Meteorology Ministers today paid their respect in a moment of silence acknowledging the untimely passing of Mattlan Zackhras, Marshall Islands climate advocate and Minister responsible for Meteorology.

Zackhras aged 47 died of heart failure at a hospital in Taiwan earlier this month.

By Yvette D’Unienville of Tuvalu Broadcasting Services & Ruci Vakamino of Wansolwara