Tonga presents Voluntary National Review Report at the United Nations High Level Political Forum ^Featured

The Report had covered the progress on Tonga’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and it’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Those Goals on which Tonga reported are Sustainable Development Goal 4, Quality Education; SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities; SDG 13 Climate Action; and SDG 16 on Peace and Justice, Strong Institutions, and SDG 17 on Partnerships to achieve the Goals.

These Goals are embedded in and mainstreamed into the Tonga Strategic Development Framework II (2015-2025) and the relevant sector plans which guide the Government’s priorities to enhance the quality of the lives of our people.

The opportunity to present Tonga’s voluntary report was a stock take of the progress to date, and provided a snapshot of the remaining work that lies ahead.

The High Level Political Forum 2019 was held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC),at the UN Headquarters from 9-18 July 2019.

It was convened under the theme ‘Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality’.

Following the delivery of Tonga’s VNR, several questions were received from Member States and Major Groups and other Stakeholders with respect to our Report.

Questions were received from Belize as Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States, the Kingdom of Netherlands, India, the Kingdom of Norway and from the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organisation (PIANGO).

The questions ranged from the resourcing of access to justice initiatives, partnership with and engagement of civil societies and youth, education as a trade tool, potential ratification of human rights treaties, and precautions with respect to seabed mining.

The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister also delivered a statement at the General Debate of the High-Level Segment of the High-Level Political Forum.

In his statement, the Hon. Deputy Prime Minister reiterated our progress on the SDGs and further highlighted existing initiatives in Tonga geared towards translating our ambitions and plans to tangible results.

The development of, inter alia, statistical systems and genuine collaboration and partnerships were identified as avenues for mobilising resources to strengthen Tonga’s means of implementing the Goals, and its targets.

The Hon. Deputy Prime Minister expressed Tonga’s ongoing commitment to taking a whole-of-government approach, through strengthened bilateral and multilateral partnerships to ensure the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. All of which are aimed at empowering our people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.

The Government delegation included officials from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministries of Education, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Health, Statistics Department, Climate Change (MEIDECC), Infrastructure (MOI) and the Ministry of
Justice. The delegation was also supported by the Permanent Representative of Tonga to the United Nations, and the staff of the Tonga Mission in New York. 

Tonga joined a record number of other Small Island Developing States from the Pacific region in also presenting their voluntary national reviews at the United Nations.