Tonga, 2007

At the outset,

I offer my congratulations to Mr. Srgjan Kerim on his

election to the presidency of the General Assembly. Let

me assure him of the Kingdom of Tonga’s cooperation,

and of every confidence that the sixty-second session

of the General Assembly will be productive and

successful under his very able leadership. I also wish to

commend Her Excellency Sheikha Haya Rashed

Al-Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain for her

dedication in guiding the work of the sixty-first session

of the General Assembly. I also take this opportunity to

congratulate the new Secretary-General, Mr. Ban

Ki-moon, and to assure him of Tonga’s support during

his tenure in office.

As the United Nations advances well into its

sixty-second year, we can ask ourselves how we have

fared in the stewardship of our world. Have we passed

the test or have we been found wanting? The plethora

of outstanding issues, unfulfilled commitments, and

new and evolving global challenges reaffirms the

relevance of the United Nations as the only multilateral

institution that can appropriately deal with these

complex global issues.

The year 2007 marks the halfway point towards

the target date for accomplishment of the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs), which were endorsed by

world leaders as a road map to a better world by the

year 2015. As the President rightly observed,

“[a]chieving the MDGs is not solely a test of our

ability to deliver on our promises; it is, above all, a test

of our moral obligations and the values that are

enshrined in the Charter” (A/62/PV.1).

The process of an annual ministerial review of

progress made in the implementation of development

goals and targets, which commenced this year,

provides us with a tool to gauge progress at the

national level and bring into focus outstanding issues

to be addressed, as well as highlighting positive

experiences and best practices that can be replicated by

Member States. In addition, the President’s proposal to

hold a MDG leaders meeting during the sixty-second

session is very welcome.

Any meaningful discussion of the MDG cannot

be had without also referring to financing for

development. Since the landmark agreement endorsed

in Monterrey in 1992, the scorecard has been mixed.

While considerable advances have been made in some

areas, stagnation or retrogression has been experienced

in others. One such area is in the fulfilment of

commitments by developed countries to achieve the

target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product (GNP)

for overseas development assistance by 2015. Tonga

joins others in calling on donor countries that have not

fulfilled their obligations to recommit themselves to

meeting the targets by 2015. We also look forward to a

positive outcome in the forthcoming High-level

Dialogue on Financing for Development to be held

later this month as a lead-up to the Follow-up

International Conference in Doha, Qatar, in 2008.

Tonga has emphasized in other forums that, in

order to achieve the MDGs, it is also imperative that

affordable, clean and efficient energy be available to

all through improved access to reliable and affordable

energy services. Technical and financial support,

however, is required to ensure that the poor derive

tangible benefits from public investment in the energy

sector.

The central theme selected for the general debate,

responding to climate change, is of particular relevance

to small island developing countries, including Tonga.

Climate change is not regarded as just an

environmental issue, since it has implications for

economic growth, sustainable development and the

achievement of the MDGs. Tonga commends the

Secretary-General for his laudable initiative to hold the

recent high-level dialogue, which infused political

momentum and set the stage for the Bali Conference of

the Parties to the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change, to be held in

December 2007. Tonga supports the view that

negotiations must be advanced towards a global and

comprehensive agreement on a post-2010 framework to

limit global emissions to avoid dangerous climate

change. It is important, therefore, that this process be

completed by 2009.

Tonga further supports the position that the

essential parameters of such a global framework should

include the following items: enhanced leadership by

the industrialized countries on emission reductions;

incentives for developing countries to act, but without

sacrificing economic growth or poverty reduction, and

in a manner fully consistent with the principle of

common but differentiated responsibilities;

significantly increased support for adaptation in

developing countries, especially the least developed

countries and small island developing States; and

strengthened technology development and

dissemination, with new approaches to financing,

including better use of market-based approaches.

The threat of terrorism continues to be real, and it

is a complex global issue. Following the adoption of

the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy

(resolution 60/288) in September 2006, success will be

guaranteed only if the Strategy is fully implemented.

Tonga looks forward to positive progress leading to the

finalization of a comprehensive convention on

international terrorism during the sixty-second session

of the General Assembly.

As regards peacekeeping operations, we are all

witnessing a surge in the demand for peace operations,

with over 100,000 personnel currently serving in the

field. It is also projected that there will be a further

increase in numbers as new and expanded missions are

approved. This development will certainly provide a

major operational challenge to the institution. Tonga

remains committed to supporting international

peacekeeping efforts where we are requested to provide

such assistance and in keeping with the policy of my

Government. We commend the contributions of United

Nations peacekeepers in fulfilling the role of helping

parties to end hostilities.

Tonga supports the ongoing work on the reform

agenda of the United Nations and commends the

commitment by the Secretary-General to breathe new

life and inject renewed confidence into a strengthened

United Nations firmly anchored in the twenty-first

century, and effective, efficient, coherent and

accountable. On the outstanding issue of Security

Council reform, we need to remind ourselves of our

commitment in the 2005 World Summit Outcome

(resolution 60/1) to early reform of the Council. Tonga

looks forward to the forthcoming intergovernmental

negotiations and anticipates that the process will

provide the necessary impetus for decisive action to

bring closure to the issue.

On the question of Taiwan, Tonga is of the view

that maintaining the sovereignty and territorial

integrity of Member States and non-interference in the

internal affairs of Member States are among the

cardinal principles enshrined in the Charter of the

United Nations. Thus, Tonga continues to adhere to the

one-China policy, recognizing Taiwan as an integral

part of China.

Regional integration and cooperation are vital for

small island developing countries of the Pacific in view

of their remoteness, small size and narrow economic

base. The Pacific Plan is currently in its second year of

implementation; it focuses on four overlapping pillars,

including economic growth, sustainable development,

good governance and security. In this regard, Tonga

commends the Secretary-General for attaching

importance to strengthening United Nations

cooperation with our regional organizations. Tonga

continues to support the process of regional

cooperation and looks forward to hosting the thirty-

eighth annual Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in

Nuku’alofa later this month.

After 10 years of negotiations, the World Trade

Organization (WTO) welcomed Tonga on 27 July 2007

as the 151st member of the organization. As a small

island developing nation, there are many challenges

and obstacles to gaining full benefit from the global

trading system, including productive capacity and

infrastructure. It is, therefore, imperative that the Doha

development Round negotiations be concluded

expeditiously, with a meaningful development package,

including the elimination of all export subsidies,

improved market access and enhanced special and

differentiated treatment. Last year, we urged the donor

community to move forward with the delivery of “aid

for trade” independent of the Doha Round. In this

regard, we wish to commend our donor partners for the

effort to improve the delivery of aid for trade in Asia

and the Pacific to ensure that countries take full

advantage of the open global market in the lead-up to

the WTO global aid for trade review that will be held

later this year.

Tonga continues to advocate for labour mobility

as a vehicle for achieving its pro-poor strategies.

Earlier this year, the New Zealand Government

instituted a seasonal labour programme for agricultural

workers from five kick-start countries in the Pacific,

including Tonga. We view this as an important and

positive step towards wider acceptance of this type of

model by developed countries as an option for

resolving seasonal labour shortages.

Our Legislative Assembly this year passed a law

that allows dual citizenship. The new law gives due

recognition to the large number of Tongans residing

overseas, their significant contribution to the economy

and their desire to still have links to their homeland.

Last year at this rostrum, we provided a brief

synopsis of the state of play in the process leading to

the greater democratization of Tonga’s political system.

Regrettably, while the report of the National

Committee on Political Reform was being deliberated

by the Legislative Assembly, the supporters of one of

the three models of reform rioted, burned and

destroyed 80 per cent of the central business district,

which resulted in the loss of eight lives. In a matter of

a few hours, the tally of the damage incurred equated

to a loss of 20 per cent of the gross domestic product.

A state of emergency was subsequently declared by the

Government, initially for a one-month period, but has

by necessity and by demand been continuously

extended to prevent any further civil disturbance.

In our hour of need, Tonga sought the support of

its neighbours New Zealand and Australia to assist

local police in establishing order. They responded

promptly and appropriately with the deployment of

military and police personnel. Within a period of two

weeks, the role played by our friendly neighbours, as

well as by the Tonga Defence Services and the Tonga

Police Force, provided security and law and order for

the country.

A reconstruction committee under my

chairmanship is coordinating the reconstruction of

Nuku’alofa Township. Government, however, is fully

committed to bringing all of the perpetrators of that

horrendous event to full accountability for their

actions, and the court cases are ongoing. At the same

time, efforts are in progress on a process of national

reconciliation.

A tripartite select committee of the Legislative

Assembly was also established to review the political

reform agenda. The report of the tripartite committee

was recently tabled to the Legislative Assembly, where

a timetable was approved for the full implementation

of political reform by 2010.

We seek the understanding and support of the

international community as we continue with the

healing of the wounds through the national

reconciliation process, the rebuilding of the central

business district, as well as the transition into a more

democratic political system that is relevant to the

economic, social and cultural architecture of the

nation.

It has been emphasized time and again that what

is needed in the United Nations is to close the gap

between rhetoric and actions. There has been much

rhetoric and commitment, but the world will not judge

us on rhetoric. The world will judge us on our outputs

and on what we deliver. Let us face up to our

responsibility, fulfil our promises so as to equate

rhetoric with action, and show the people whose lives

will be impacted by the decisions we make in this Hall

that we can be trusted to deal effectively with global

issues that require global solutions.