Elon Musk invited to Pacific Island Leaders meeting

Source: Talanoa ‘o Tonga/

Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla, has been invited to attend the 53rd Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting, scheduled from August 26-30, 2024 in the Kingdom of Tonga.

According to Talanoa ‘o Tonga, the invitation reportedly comes from the Tongan government, acknowledging Musk’s previous assistance to the island nation following the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai eruption and tsunami in February 2022.

In the aftermath of the disaster, Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink services provided emergency satellite internet terminals to Tonga, aiding in the restoration of communication.

This support has proven vital once again, as Tonga faces an ongoing internet crisis after its underwater cable was damaged by an earthquake on June 29. The outer islands of Ha’apai and Vava’u have been significantly affected, with limited internet access.

The Tongan government has granted a provisional six-month permit to Starlink to operate in the country while repair efforts are underway. However, these efforts have been delayed due to the breakdown of a special repair vessel en route from Singapore.

Tonga Cable CEO, Semisi Panuve, said last week that the timeline for full internet restoration remains uncertain, depending on the extent of the damage and the availability of a replacement cable.