Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Dr Viliami Latu, attended the Commonwealth Law Ministers meeting, joining more than 250 delegates, in Nadi, on Monday, 9 February.
Justice ministers and Attorneys General from the 56 Commonwealth countries gathered to discuss responses for emerging legal issues affecting people and their livelihoods.
This Commonwealth meeting calls for sustained action to ensure the rule of law delivers progress and shared prosperity for the people of the Commonwealth in an increasingly uncertain world.
The meeting will continue over three days while ministers work through focused agendas including the role of law in determining people’s experience of democracy, economic oppurtunity and environmental protection.
Topics range from safeguarding maritime rights as sea levels rise, to the responsible use of technology to improve access to justice.
Rule of law under pressure
Prime Minister for Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka in his welcome address warned that the rule of law is under growing pressure around the world.
“When the law is weakened, unevenly applied, or unable to command public confidence, it is not abstract systems that suffer. It is ordinary people - real lives… This meeting is not merely a forum for discussion, rather it is a working meeting with real-world consequences.
“Your deliberations, and the practical measures you will advance, speak directly to the expectations our people hold of us. Justice that is dependable, institutions that are strong, and laws that serve not only those who understand them best, but those who rely upon them the most,” Rabuka said.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon. Shirley Botchwey said the meeting comes at a time when many people feel unsettled by political uncertainty, economic volatility and environmental threats.
Hon Shirley Botchwey said, “This is what happens when the rule of force begins to edge out the rule of law. That is why the work you as law ministers and attorneys general do matters so profoundly…
“Over these days, you will shape action to strengthen democratic resilience… In doing so, you are helping to restore trust between institutions and the people they exist to serve. That is no small task. But it is a vital one.
“History will remember not the turbulence of our times, but whether we had the courage to rise above the chaos and build a better world together.”
The Secretary-General said that the Commonwealth’s new strategic plan responds to this urgency by prioritising targeted action to ensure the rule of law is felt not only in courts but in everyday life.
The meeting will conclude on 11 February with the release of an outcome statement which sets out concrete steps Commonwealth countries will take to strengthen the rule of law for the benefit of their citizens.
The meeting is being chaired by Fiji’s Minister for Justice and Acting Attorney-General, Hon Siromi Turaga, under the theme ‘Anchoring Justice in a Changing Tide: Strengthening the Rule of Law for a Resilient Future’.
