Tonga PM calls for UN reform and urgent climate action

Tongan Prime Minister Fatafehi Fakafanua addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly, calling for urgent reforms to the international system and more decisive global action on the climate crisis.

Fakafanua emphasized that the global response to climate change has been inadequate despite repeated warnings from Pacific leaders. He argued that Small Island Developing States should not bear disproportionate costs for a crisis they did little to create. The Prime Minister advocated for a more representative UN Security Council and an international financial system that provides timely, accessible, and affordable financing to help vulnerable nations build resilience.

Central to his message was the ‘ocean-climate nexus,’ urging the international community to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution through a coordinated approach rather than separate processes. He highlighted Tonga’s commitment to protecting 30 per cent of its ocean by 2030 and its transition to renewable energy. Additionally, he noted that the Pacific faces immediate security threats, including illegal fishing, transnational crime, and cyber threats.