Tonga, 2008

I would like to join previous

speakers in offering Mr. d’Escoto Brockmann my

warm congratulations on his election to the presidency

of the General Assembly.

As this is first time that I am here to address this

Assembly, whose main objectives include the

promotion of democracy and economic self-reliance, I

am happy to record that the Kingdom of Tonga has

been undertaking some historical and fundamental

economic and political reforms over the past few years.

Eight years ago, the United Nations adopted the

historic Millennium Declaration, offering new hope to

people living in poverty around the world. Yesterday

we met to review the progress we have made to date.

This midterm review provides us with yet another

opportunity to assess our overall achievements, draw

attention to the constraints and gaps and renew our

political commitment to the achievement of the targets

that we set for the year 2015.

While some progress has been made globally in

regard to poverty reduction, there is yet much more

work to be done. Hardship and poverty have

traditionally not been an issue of serious concern in the

Kingdom of Tonga, but they are now becoming one.

External influences are changing people’s attitudes and

aspirations, straining the traditional Tongan social

system in which everyone’s needs were met by the

community as a whole.

A recent study has found that although there are

no families living in absolute poverty, there is a small

proportion of the population living in hardship.

Population growth, changes in lifestyle and the gradual

breakdown of the traditional social and family systems

have contributed to those increased hardships. But the

main cause has been our lack of foresight, drive and

determination to retain much of that traditional spirit of

self-reliance and self-sufficiency that has served us

well for centuries. That is the main challenge for Tonga

today — to be more self-reliant and more self-

sufficient, given the natural resources readily available

to us within our own national borders.

The main theme of the general debate this year —

the impact of the global food crisis on poverty and

hunger in the world — is most timely. We all should

look upon this crisis as an opportunity to redouble our

efforts and refocus on policy actions that would help

boost agricultural production in order to build greater

self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Development aid can

assist, but in the long term there is no substitute for a

more dynamic and productive agricultural sector.

Greater self-reliance is the ultimate goal for which

Kingdom of Tonga strives.

Tonga’s performance under the United Nations

Human Development Index continues to reflect a high

level of expenditure and investment in the social

sectors, including health and education. The United

Nations Human Development Report for 2008 ranks

Tonga 55 out of a total of 177 countries. Tonga has

achieved targets such as universal primary education

and gender equality through the provision of free

primary school education.

Tonga shares the concern that the President

expressed about the impact of climate change on small

island States. In his prepared remarks for his opening

statement on assuming the presidency last week, he

emphasized that the negotiations process on agreed

long-term actions initiated in Bali

“must be guided by a single consideration: saving

those small island States that today live in danger

of disappearing entirely as nations. This is the

real challenge of our day and this should be our

immediate concern.”

And so it should be. For already, the prospect of

climate refugees from some of the Pacific Island

Forum countries is no longer merely a prospect but a

reality, with relocations of communities already being

relocated due to the rise in sea level. Urgent action

must be taken now.

Last month in Niue, the leaders of the Pacific

Island Forum countries endorsed, for the first time, a

regional declaration on climate change as part of the

Forum’s communiqué. The Niue Declaration duly

recognizes the serious current impact of climate change

and the growing threat it poses to economic, social,

cultural and environmental well-being as well as to the

security of Pacific island countries. Therefore, the

Pacific small island developing States will introduce a

draft resolution entitled “Climate change and security”

during the current session of the General Assembly. I

commend the draft resolution to Member States for

their consideration and support.

Tonga welcomes the resources and technical

assistance that will become available through

initiatives such as Japan’s Cool Earth Promotion

Programme, the European Union’s Global Climate

33 08-52265

Change Alliance, Australia’s National Climate

Adaptation Programme for the Pacific and the increase

in New Zealand’s financial support for climate change

adaptation.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the

normalization of relations between Nuku’alofa and

Beijing. This milestone has reaffirmed Tonga’s

commitment to the observance of the One China

policy, with the state of relations and economic

cooperation between our two countries continuing to

flourish and prosper.

Tonga welcomes the reform process and debates

under way in international institutions. We share the

view that the United Nations has a unique role and

legitimacy and acknowledge the reforms that are

occurring to strengthen the coherence of the United

Nations system and, in particular, the efficacy of its

development and humanitarian activities. It is vital that

the United Nations contribute to developing a global

framework of rules and collective action in an

inclusive and democratic manner. As a member of the

Commonwealth, Tonga joined others in Kampala in

2007, and most recently in London earlier this year, in

expressing concern that the current architecture of

international institutions does not respond adequately

to the challenges facing the small island States and

environmental governance.

The longstanding debate on the reform of the

Security Council, now over 10 years old, remains

fraught with uncertainty and an inability to reach

agreement on improving fundamental aspects of the

Council, including the questions of equitable

representation and an increase in its membership. In

our opinion, the forthcoming intergovernmental

negotiations present a further opportunity for Member

States to advance this debate to a successful

conclusion. Tonga continues to maintain its support for

Japan’s proper and permanent place in any enhanced

Council.

Last year from this podium, we provided details

of how our Legislative Assembly approved a timetable

for the implementation of reforms by 2010, leading to

greater democratization of our political system.

His Majesty King George Tupou V is the driving

force guiding the political reform process on which we

have embarked as a nation. He holds the view that the

monarchy is an instrument of change and not an

obstacle to it. He has for some years, therefore,

encouraged the Government to take the necessary

measures to bring about a more democratic form of

government, one in line with the aspirations of his

people and with the changing circumstances of our

globalized world.

In July this year, royal assent was granted to the

Constitution and Electoral Commission Act of 2008. Its

main task is to consider the constitutional and electoral

implications of the resolutions of the Legislative

Assembly and to draft the necessary bills for

consideration and enactment.

Tonga was the first Pacific State to present its

national report at the second session of the Human

Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review earlier this

year. I wish to thank New Zealand for assisting in the

funding of the preparation of the report and also those

Member States who took the opportunity to contribute

constructively to the review dialogue on the human

rights situation in Tonga, as well as those who made

pledges of financial and technical support.

In our globalized world, no sovereign nation can

achieve its goals of progress, peace and security on its

own, and that includes the Kingdom of Tonga.

Constructive and active engagement in regional and

international affairs through bilateral and multilateral

cooperation mechanisms, with the United Nations at

the centre, and greater, yet appropriate, integration into

the global economy will thus continue to be the

cornerstone of Tonga’s foreign policy.

As a Member of the United Nations, Tonga

wishes to reaffirm its commitment to continuing its

active involvement in the work of the United Nations

as the central body coordinating the common efforts of

the family of nations to which we all belong.