SUVA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- For the first time, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) will send a team to observe Tonga's general elections which will be held on Nov. 16.
According to a press release by the PIF Secretariat here on Thursday, the Forum's decision came after the Tonga government extended an invitation to the forum to observe the upcoming elections.
The observers will be in the country between Nov. 9-17 and they will observe the pre-polling environment, polling and counting.
"Forum election observer missions serve as an independent source of analysis regarding the conduct of forum members'election processes, and provide practical demonstration at community levels of the forum's commitment to good governance," PIF Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor said.
In August, Tonga's King Tupou VI officially dissolved the island state's parliament, dismissing democracy in Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva and called for a new election no later than Nov. 16.
There are two political parties, the Democratic and Poor People's parties, as well as many independents and nine seats reserved for Nobles in Tonga.
With a week left before Tongans head to the polls, there are 59,003 voters registered after a supplementary electoral roll was published last week, with 7,556 more registered voters than for the last election in 2014.
