Tonga, 2006

The Tongan delegation

joins others in congratulating you, Madam, on your

assumption of the presidency of the General Assembly.

Let us reassure you of Tonga’s full support and its

confidence that the sixty-first session of the General

Assembly will be productive and successful under your

very able leadership. Full recognition is also in order

for the excellent work of your predecessor, His

Excellency Mr. Jan Eliasson, during the sixtieth session

of the General Assembly. In the same vein, the Tongan

delegation takes this opportunity to commend and

extend its gratitude to the outgoing Secretary-General,

His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, for his tireless service

over the past 10 years in the stewardship of the

Organization.

It has been a year since our leaders met at the

historic World Summit in an effort to embrace the

realities of the world we live in and to duly reflect

those challenges in the work of the Organization. We

are pleased that there are specific landmarks that attest

to the fact that some progress has been made in the

implementation of the 2005 Outcome Document

(resolution 60/1). They include the inauguration of the

Peacebuilding Commission, coupled with the

establishment of the Peacebuilding Support Office and

the Peacebuilding Fund; the creation of the Human

Rights Council; and the establishment of the Central

Emergency Response Fund.

Mr. Chidyausiku (Zimbabwe), Vice-President,

took the Chair.

Tonga also welcomes the adoption of the United

Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (resolution

60/288), which forms a basis upon which we can build

our consistent and unequivocal condemnation of

terrorism in all its forms and manifestations —

committed by whomever, whenever and for whatever

purpose — for terrorism constitutes one of the most

serious threats to international peace and security. We

look forward to the effective implementation of the

Strategy, as well as to the conclusion of a

comprehensive convention on international terrorism

during the sixty-first session of the General Assembly.

Tonga also remains committed to supporting the

work of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. We duly

recognize the efforts undertaken to consolidate States’

reporting requirements. We also wish to acknowledge

the cooperation provided by bilateral, regional and

multilateral agencies in helping to fulfil international

and regional commitments to combat transnational

organized crime and to fight terrorism.

Tonga shares the call for the full restoration of

the role of the General Assembly as the main decision-

making, representative and policy-making body of the

United Nations, in accordance with the provisions of

the Charter. That would further enhance the credibility

of multilateralism and the important need to address

the multifaceted and interconnected challenges and

threats confronting the world.

Tonga supports the work pertaining to the

remainder of the reform mandates, especially as

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regards Secretariat and management reforms, the

strengthening of the Economic and Social Council and

the strengthening and streamlining of management in

the Organization.

The important issue of the reform of the Security

Council still remains unresolved, although world

leaders acknowledged that it was an essential element

of our overall effort. Tonga supports the call by the

Secretary-General in his annual report (A/61/1) to find

common ground for action on this fundamental piece

of overall United Nations reform, as well as his urging

that a decision on Council reform be taken sooner

rather than later in order to ensure that the United

Nations machinery to promote the establishment and

maintenance of peace and security will remain relevant

and credible to meet today’s and tomorrow’s

challenges. Tonga continues to support Japan’s

assumption of its proper and permanent place in any

enhanced Council.

Tonga commends the contributions of United

Nations peacekeepers in fulfilling the Organization/s

vital role in helping parties in conflict to end

hostilities. To the degree that it is able, Tonga is

committed to supporting both international and

regional peacekeeping efforts, including the current

Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands.

For many island developing countries, including

my own, the development agenda remains a top

priority. In that regard, the theme of the sixty-first

session of the General Assembly, “Implementing a

global partnership for development”, is not only very

pertinent but also very timely. While we reiterate that

we take primary responsibility for our own

development, we continue to welcome as a necessary

step the maintenance and enhancement of support at

the regional and international levels to complement our

national efforts. That includes the support provided

under the Pacific Plan to strengthen regional

cooperation and integration, which was endorsed by

Pacific leaders in 2005, as well as the implementation

of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further

Implementation of the Programme of Action for the

Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing

States.

Tonga looks forward to progress in the work to

enhance mechanisms to promote coherent United

Nations support to small island developing States

through a strengthened inter-agency consultative

process, the finalization of a strategy for resource

mobilization and the promotion of partnership

initiatives.

In May of this year, His Majesty’s Government

ratified its Strategic Development Plan 8, entitled

“Looking to the future, building on the past”, which

sets out the Government’s road map for the Kingdom’s

future development path for the period 2006-2007 to

2008-2009. The document was formulated following a

lengthy and extensive process of consultation with all

of the relevant stakeholders. It provides due

recognition to the fact that the success of the

implementation of the Development Plan will require

the efforts of both State and non-State actors.

The President of the General Assembly has

rightly observed that the recent historic High-level

Dialogue on International Migration and Development

revealed the potential and opportunities that

globalization presents as a force for improving the

lives of millions of people. The meeting provided

Tonga, a mature migration-remittance economy, with

the opportunity to showcase the important nexus

between migration and development.

A study recently produced by the World Bank

concluded that, for Tonga, recipient household

migration and remittances have positive impacts on

migrant-sending countries through improved income

distribution and poverty alleviation, induced higher

savings and stimulated business activities, resulting in

larger investments in education. The study also

highlighted that improved and restricted, but

organized, labour mobility can significantly contribute

to a country’s gross domestic product and to overall

global income. Labour mobility is therefore a potential

vehicle for achieving our commitment to pro-poor

strategies such as the Millennium Development Goals

and other commitments, and also for achieving national

sustainable development strategies.

The suspension of the Doha round of trade talks

was disappointing. The failure to conclude the talks

will negatively affect global economic prospects and

the growth of low-income countries, including Tonga.

We join others in urging World Trade Organization

member countries to maintain their commitment to the

rules-based multilateral trading system, preserve

progress that has been achieved and to continue with

the negotiations. We also continue to urge the donor

community to move forward with the delivery of aid

5 06-53958

for trade, independent of the Doha round. Regional

cooperation on trade-related projects has the potential

to promote the competitiveness of low-income

countries, such as the island economies of the Pacific.

In October 2005, Tonga’s Legislative Assembly

passed a motion to establish a National Committee of

the Kingdom of Tonga on Political Reform. With the

support of His Majesty’s Government, the Committee

chaired by His Late Royal Highness Prince

Tu’ipelehake has completed public meetings and

consultations throughout Tonga as well as in the

countries where the majority of Tongans reside,

namely, New Zealand, Australia and the United States

of America. It is anticipated that the report will be

deliberated upon by the Legislative Assembly during

its 2006 session and by His Majesty’s Government

with a view to attaining an appropriate political reform

agenda that is not only responsive but also responsible

for fulfilling the objectives of building national unity

and promoting the social and economic advancement

of the people of Tonga.