Tonga is an isolated Pacific Island country which needs to find new ways to adapt to challenging water and sanitation issues, especially in the aftermath of the HT-HH Volcanic Eruption and tsunami, the Tonga delegation told the UN Water Conference 2023 this month in New York.

They said the volcanic eruption ashfall and tsunami on 15 January 2022 had resulted in a high demand for clean drinking water, and impacted sanitation facilities.

In delivering Tonga’s country statement, the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations, HE Mr Va’inga Tōnē said Tonga's water sources and infrastructure were also impacted by climate change and COVID-19. There is a need for innovative and practical solutions to reach an outcome of successfully adapting to challenging water and sanitation issues.

He highlighted Tonga's commitment to achieving universal access to safe, sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene.

He noted that resilience and water security are of great significance to Tonga, urging other countries to invest in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs and adopt sustainable policies and legislation throughout the region. 

The CEO of Ministry of Public Enterprises, Sione 'Akauola, was a member of the delegation.

The theme for this year's conference "Accelerating Change," emphasized the urgent need for prompt action by governments to provide better quality, accessible safe drinking water, and sanitation in communities.

The United Nations convened its UN Water Conference to address the global water crisis after almost 50 years. The outcomes of the conference are expected to lead to the adoption of more efficient, and timely coordinated measures in addressing water and sanitation issues in member countries.

Tonga participated in a Preparatory Meeting held on 25 October 2022 following five interactive dialogues of the Conference, submitting a written intervention for:

1. Water for Health: Access to WASH, including the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation;
2. Water for Sustainable Development: Valuing Water, Water-Energy-Food Nexus, and Sustainable Economic and Urban Development;
3. Water for Climate, Resilience, and Environment: Source to Sea, Biodiversity, Climate, Resilience, and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR);
4. Water for Cooperation: Transboundary and International Water Cooperation, Cross Sectoral Cooperation, including Scientific Cooperation, and Water Across the 2030 Agenda; and
5. Water Action Decade: Accelerating the Implementation of the Objectives of the Decade, including through the UN Secretary-General’s Action Plan.

The themes of the five interactive dialogues are based on the five accelerators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 6 Global Acceleration Framework, launched by UN-Water in 2020: Financing, Data and Information, Capacity Development, Innovation and Governance.

The Tonga Delegation also attended side events during the Conference to seek potential solutions for solving the water problems in Tonga, especially those in the remote outer islands, rural communities, and schools.

The Ministry of Public Enterprises stated that team from the MPE and Tonga Water Board that attended in this conference will continue to work with companies which have water solutions to establish projects for Tonga. There were also discussions in these meetings for possible funding that can be used to finance these projects.