Tonga, 2013

As this is my first time

addressing the General Assembly as Head of State, I

wish to sincerely congratulate Mr. John Ashe on his

election to the presidency of the General Assembly at

its sixty-eighth session. I assure him that the Tongan

delegation will be fully supportive and cooperative

under his very able leadership. I also wish to commend

the stewardship of his predecessor, Mr. Vuk Jeremi.,

during the sixty-seventh session. I express my gratitude

to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his persevering

guidance and energetic leadership in further enhancing

the profile and work of the United Nations in the face of

unprecedented global challenges.

Tonga welcomes the timely theme for the general

debate, “The post-2015 development agenda: setting the

stage”, and the inclusion of a set of six thematic issues of

focus for high-level events and thematic debates during

the sixty-eighth session. Indeed, Tonga joins other

small island developing States (SIDS) in affirming that

priorities in the outline of the post-2015 development

agenda should, with increased cooperation among

Member States, reflect the outcome of the 2014 Third

International Conference on Small Island Developing

States, to be convened in Samoa.

Tonga supports the proposed high-level event that

would address the needs of women, youth and civil

society and contribute to development goals. It applauds

the high-level event on the contribution of human rights

and the rule of law to the post-2015 framework and hails

the twentieth anniversary of the Vienna Conference on

Human Rights. Earlier this year, Tonga submitted its

second universal periodic review, which was adopted

by the Human Rights Council. The next review for

Tonga is scheduled for 2017-2018.

The high-level event, centring on South-South

and triangular cooperation, including information

and communication technology, is appreciated as

adding value to the realization of development targets.

Tonga hosted the annual Pacific Islands Chapter of

the Internet Conference earlier this month to celebrate

the emergence of high-speed Internet connectivity in

Tonga. The Conference showcased the achievements

of the Pacific region in accessing opportunities for

Internet users and demonstrated how Tonga can best

develop its own investment strategy for the new cable

submarine Internet system.

The thematic debate on partnership deserves high

praise, in particular with the aforementioned Samoa

Conference focusing on the overarching theme of the

sustainable development of small island developing

States through genuine and durable partnership. The

second thematic debate, on the establishment of stable

and peaceful societies, is also welcome, given the

current chaos we are experiencing in the international

community. The third thematic debate, on the roles

of water, sanitation and sustainable energy, is equally

crucial to the development agenda for the post-2015

period.

Energy is the golden thread that connects economic

growth, increased social equity and an environment

that allows the world to thrive. Sustainable energy is

central in order to reach the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs), including many development goals that

extend far beyond the energy sector — eradicating

poverty; increasing food production; providing clean

water; improving public health; enhancing education;

creating economic opportunity; and empowering

women — as well as an integral part of creating

sustainable development, including environmental

sustainability. A shift towards more sustainable energy

sources is also essential in addressing environmental

sustainability while tackling climate-change challenges.

The concept of establishing a Pacific Regional Data

Repository for Sustainable Energy for All is aimed at

focusing on all energy-related projects to be sourced,

including all projects implemented in the Pacific,

reflecting best practices as well as those that have not

been so successful.

The lack of bankable data in the region causes a

disconnect from the true value of assistance from our

development partners, whereby 60 per cent of project

financing is absorbed by technical assistance, pilot

projects, pre-feasibility studies and only 40 per cent, and

in some cases less, on hardware. The Pacific Regional

Data Repository for Sustainable Energy for All has an

ambitious goal of implementation whereby the Pacific

small island developing States, with the assistance

of their developing partners, will gift to the Third

International Conference on Small Island Developing

States, to be held in 2014 in Samoa, a documented

process under which this has been achieved and which

may be shared by all regional groups of the United

Nations.

I therefore urge all relevant stakeholders to work

together to develop and establish a common global goal

on sustainable energy for all as part of the post-2015

development agenda.

A set of related targets and indicators supporting

the goal should encompass all three dimensions of

sustainable development. The three objectives of the

Sustainable Energy for All Initiative — universal

energy access, increased efficiency and renewable

energy — can provide a solid framework to build on

further, while keeping them fully adaptable to different

circumstances and priorities at the regional, national

and local levels.

Tonga commends the Secretary-General for his

laudable initiative to convene a high-level summit

meeting on climate change in 2014 and joins other SIDS

in urging the leaders of developed countries to enhance

their mitigation ambition to bridge the pre-2020 gap

in a timely and effective manner. Furthermore, Tonga

joins other SIDS in calling for the inclusion of climate

change as a cross-cutting issue in terms of sustainable

development goals. Oceans are a thematic priority and

should also be prominently featured in the context

of sustainable development goals and the post-2015

agenda.

The Government of Tonga has adopted the

United Nations Development Programme Millennium

Development Goals Acceleration Framework and

has chosen to apply it to MDG 6, on combating

non-communicable diseases, with applications to MDG

1, on poverty, and MDG 3, on gender equality.

The following five key interventions have been

prioritized in Tonga to combat non-communicable

diseases: increase the local food supply and create

income-generating opportunities for women and

vulnerable groups; provide curative health services in

hospital settings, screening for disease-specific risk

factors; review legislation, subsidiary legislation and

policies affecting food, tobacco, kava, alcohol and

physical activity; advocate healthy lifestyles through

churches and workplaces; and support resources.

Tonga’s Millennium Accelerated Framework report

is completed and ready for launching and, moreover,

is aligned with the call of SIDS for non-communicable

diseases and other emerging health issues to be

highlighted in the post-2015 development agenda.

Tonga joins other delegations of the international

community in urging a swift and peaceful resolution to

the situation in Syria.

With respect to pertinent regional issues, Tonga

endorses the views expressed in the Marshall Islands

communiqué, that is, the outcome document of the

annual meeting of Pacific Island Forum leaders, held

earlier this month.

May God continue to bless and guide the States

Members of the United Nations as they take their

crucial work forward.