The Prime Minister Hon. Hu’akavameiliku leads Tonga’s delegation to two international meetings over the next two-weeks, firstly heading to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda from June 20-25.

The Prime Minister and delegation will then travel on to Lisbon in Portugal for the United Nations Oceans Conference from June 27 to July 1.

Commonwealth leaders will reaffirm their common values and agree on actions and policies to improve the lives of all Commonwealth citizens. 

Decisions taken at CHOGM will guide the work programme of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.

PMO stated the official opening of Commonwealth Heads Of Governments Meeting is on 24 June, followed by the main high-level meetings of the Heads of Government.

The delegation includes the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Hon. Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Hon. Dr. Viliami Uasike Latu, Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Mr. Edgar Cocker, CEO for Health Dr. Siale ‘Akau’ola, Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs (and Commonwealth desk officer) Leonaitasi Kuluni and the the Prime Minister’s Media and Communication Adviser, Iliesa Tora.

They will be joined by Tonga’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Hon. Fanetupouvava’u Tu’ivakano at CHOGM.

The Prime Minister's wife, Fiona is also joining this trip to Rwanda as leaders’ wives have also been invited, with sessions planned for them

CHOGM was due to take place in June 2020 but was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

UN Oceans Conference

The Prime Minister and delegation will then travel on to Lisbon in Portugal for the United Nations Oceans Conference from June 27 to July 1.

That delegation will include Tonga’s Ambassador in New York, Va'inga Tone.

The conference is co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal. A statement said that it comes at a critical time as the world is seeking to address the many deep-rooted problems of our societies laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic and which will require major structural transformations and common shared solutions that are anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The conference is expected to mobilize actions and will seek to propel much needed science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter of global ocean action.

The Oceans Conference will be guided by the Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.

No take zones

Government has in the past five years worked on various programs aimed at common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries’ actions to sustainably manage the ocean and more particularly to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, through the creation of a new foundation, across the science-policy interface, to strengthen the management of the ocean and coasts for the benefit of humanity.

That includes the commitment to have 30% of Tong's total Exclusive Economic Zone and oceans to be designated as ‘No Take Zones’.

In addition, Cabinet approved in 2015 the setting up of the ‘Tonga Ocean 7 Committee’ which was tasked to put together the Tonga Ocean Management Plan, which will be used as the guide to sustainably manage the country’s ocean and its resources.

The Conference will also receive the tabling of the ‘Our Ocean Palau 2022 Conference’, which agreed on 410 commitments worth US$16.35 billion across the six issue areas of the conference, stated PMO.

While the Prime Minister is away, the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Poasi Tei is Acting Prime Minister.

The delegation departed Tonga on 16 June.