By Savithri Rodrigo
Nuku’alofa, Tonga (Commonwealth Union)_The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-2027 has its first signatory from the Pacific Islands Country and Territories (PICTs) – Tonga, committing to the four national development priorities across four outcomes detailed in the Framework. The Framework is a blueprint for work the UN engages in across 14 Pacific Island countries during a five year period, to ensure that development plans and aspirations of each nation best supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Framework was formally signed by Tonga’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Fekitamoeloa Katoa Útoikamanu and UN Resident Coordinator to Tonga, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu Sanaka Samarasinha. It intends to contribute to the fourteen countries on the premise of leaving ‘no country behind’, giving equal access for citizens to exercise fundamental rights, promote gender equality and peace and be resilient to existential threats. To meet these objectives, the development priorities embedded in the Framework are Planet, People, Prosperity and Peace.
From over 170 years ago from the era of the reign of King Tupou I, Tonga has carried the banner of sustainability as a national emblem, deeply embedded in its national motto, God and Tonga are my Inheritance, enshrining sustainability as a way of life. Hence, Tonga’s development progress underlines that the country’s inheritance and wealth is its people, its land, its culture and strong traditional values.
On these was built the Tonga Strategic Development Framework (TSDF II) 2015-20125, using the overarching principles of sustainable and inclusive growth aligned to the 2030 Agenda, the SAMOA Pathway, Addis Ababa Agreement and the Sendai Framework, each integrated into the wider national planning process. But Tonga believes strongly in accountability and therefore also has in place a strong monitoring and evaluation framework that will ensure the country remains true to the axis upon which it has built its development agenda.
By signing the UNSDCF, Tonga now commits to empowering people communities and institutions to be resilient in facing climate change shocks and protect, manage and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, ensure that no person will be left behind due to strong food security and social protection systems being implemented, bring everyone to the table to ensure equitable sustainable and diversified and inclusive prosperity and make the country’s governance systems promote gender equality, climate security, justice and ultimately peace. The goal is to do all this by 2027.
