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.