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.