Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua has presented Tonga’s Second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum in New York, outlining the Kingdom’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while calling for stronger international support to help vulnerable island nations.
Addressing the forum yesterday, Lord Fakafanua said Tonga had adopted a whole-of-society approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda, highlighting advances in clean water, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, sustainable communities and international partnerships.
He said the country’s progress reflected improvements in people’s daily lives, while acknowledging that significant challenges remain.
The Prime Minister said climate change, economic shocks and the unique vulnerabilities facing Small Island Developing States continued to place pressure on Tonga’s development.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Tonga Strategic Development Framework 2035, with a focus on resilience, expanding renewable energy and ensuring no one is left behind.
Alongside the review, Lord Fakafanua joined several high-level meetings during the forum. At a UN Development Programme roundtable, he highlighted the indirect economic impacts of the Middle East crisis on Tonga, including higher living costs and reduced fiscal space, and urged faster, more flexible international assistance.
He also delivered the keynote address at an Australia and Tonga co-hosted event promoting the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, arguing that global financing should better reflect the realities facing climate-vulnerable nations.
During a separate youth-focused event with Italy and the European Youth Forum, he called for greater investment in young people as partners in national development.
The High-Level Political Forum, held annually under the UN Economic and Social Council, provides countries with an opportunity to report voluntarily on progress towards the SDGs. Tonga is among 36 nations presenting reviews in 2026.
