The Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, held a bilateral meeting this morning with the President of Estonia, His Excellency Mr. Alar Karis, on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The Prime Minister commended the enhanced diplomatic relations between the two countries since its establishment in early 2015. The mutual partnership has since grown from strength to strength as they had envisaged focused engagements in the United Nations, other international organizations and Climate Change.
The Prime Minister emphasized that Climate Change and Oceans remain top priorities for Tonga. As a Climate Finance Champion for the Pacific, the Prime Minister is strongly advocating for easier access to climate finance for Small Island Developing States, and calls for the establishment of a dedicated climate resilient Trust Fund for the Pacific.
On the digitization front, Tonga commits to nurturing a digital society that stands tall on the pillars of inclusivity, security and resilience in Education, Health and other key sectors. Tonga in this vein, welcomes partnering with Estonia and like-minded countries to improve access and join forces against the challenges of disinformation and cyber security.
The President of Estonia warmly greeted the Prime Minister and stressed crucial ties between two nations, specifically on digital transformation and energy. The President of Estonia also conveyed an invitation to the Prime Minister, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku to pay a High-level visit to Estonia.
The President having raised Estonia’s support for Ukraine, the Prime Minister conveyed his desire for Ukraine to return to peace.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by H.E. Mr. Viliami Va’inga Tone, Ambassador and Permanent Represntative of Tonga to the United Nations, Mr. Mahe ‘Uli’uli Tupouniua, Advisor to the Hon. Prime Minister, and Mr. Maama Misi, National Security Adviser to the Hon. Prime Minister.