15/06/2026
Tonga Showcases Ocean Governance Reforms, Welcomes Australia’s New National Measures
Cairns, Australia — 13 June 2026: The Government of Tonga showcased a decade of game‑changing reforms that have modernised whole‑of‑government ocean governance and strengthened long‑term, sustainable management of 100 percent of its ocean estate during the Australia–Pacific Ocean Business Leaders Summit held on 11–12 June.
At the Summit, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), Chief Executive Officer Sione 'Akauola outlined Tonga’s progress through Ocean7, the national coordination mechanism established by Cabinet decision in 2015 to bring together all ocean‑related ministries and agencies for unified policy, planning and decision‑making. Alongside, he highlighted, the Ocean Management Act 2025 and the forthcoming National Ocean Policy. He emphasised that “the ocean is not what separates us, it is what binds us,” underscoring the deep partnership between Tonga and Australia.
Tonga welcomes Australia’s announcement of new national measures, including the establishment of a cross‑sectoral advisory group and a National Ocean Steering Committee. Announcing the reforms, Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Water, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, said Australia was “strengthening national coordination to ensure our ocean governance keeps pace with emerging challenges and opportunities.”
During the expert panel on 100% Sustainable Ocean Management, Dr. Fononga Vainga Mangisi‑Mafile’o, Senior Advisor for Integrated Ocean Governance, outlined Tonga’s approach to strengthening integrated ocean governance. She noted that Tonga was first invited to present its ocean governance reforms at the inaugural Summit in Sydney in 2024, where Pacific perspectives on long‑term planning and values‑based decision‑making helped shape early regional dialogue. She highlighted the importance of anticipatory governance to ensure institutions can respond to emerging pressures and long‑term challenges.
“We are very pleased to see this kind of governance reform gaining momentum across the region, reflecting a growing commitment to more integrated and future‑focused ocean governance,” she explained.
Mangisi-Mafileo also outlined Tonga’s next phase of work through the Ecosystem Valuation Assessment Framework (EVAF) and tools, which will strengthen national understanding of ecological, cultural, social and economic values and support transparent, balanced and sustainable decision‑making.
Tonga also underscored the importance of the ocean‑climate nexus, noting that strengthened governance and coordinated regional action are essential to addressing the interconnected challenges shaping Pacific futures.
The 2-day Summit was convened by Ocean Decade Australia, and Partners.
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Faka'ali'ali 'e Tonga 'a e Ngaahi Fakalelei ki he P**e'i 'o e 'Oseni, Talitali 'a e Ngaahi Founga Fo'ou Fakafonua 'a 'Aositelelia
Carins, ʻAositelēlia — 13 Sune 2026:
Na’e fakahaa’i ‘e Tonga ‘i he fakataha ‘a e Australia-Pacific Ocean Business na’e fakahoko mei he ‘aho 11-12 ‘o Sune, ha ta’u ‘e hongofulu ‘o e ngaahi fakalelei mo ha ngaahi liliu ‘a ia kuo fakaonopooni anga 'a e p**e’i ‘o e ‘oseni pea fakamālohia ‘a e p**e’i taimi loloa mo tu’uloa ‘o e peseti ‘e 100 ‘o ‘ene koloa ‘i 'oseni.
‘I he Fakataha ni, na’e fakaha ai ‘e he P**e Ngaue ‘a e Potungaue MEIDECC, Sione ‘Akauola ‘a e ngaahi fakalakalaka ‘a Tonga ‘o fakafou ‘i he Ocean7, ko e founga fakafekau’aki fakafonua na’e fokotu’u ai ‘a e tu’utu’uni Kapineti ‘i he 2015, ke fakatahataha’i ‘a e ngaahi potungaue fekaukau’aki mo e ngaahi hoangaue he ngaahi faitu’utu’uni mo e palani. Na’a ne faka’ilonga’i ai ‘a e Lao ki hono P**e’i ‘o e ‘Oseni 2025 pea mo e Tu’utu’uni Fakafonua ki he ‘Oseni ‘oku lolotonga hanganaki mai. Na’a ne fakamamafa’i “’oku ‘ikai ko e ‘oseni ‘oku ne fakamavahe’i kitautolu, ka ‘oku ne fakatahataha’i kitautolu,” ‘o ne fakamamafa’i ‘a e fengaue’aki ‘i he vaha’a ‘o Tonga mo ‘Aositelelia.
‘Oku talitali lelei ‘e Tonga ‘a e fakahā ‘e ‘Aositelelia ‘a e ngaahi founga fo’ou fakafonua, kau ai hono fokotu’u ‘o ha kulupu fale’i fakakolosi‐sekitoa mo ha Komiti Fakalele Fakafonua ki he ‘Oseni. ‘I hono fakahā ‘o e ngaahi fakalelei ko ‘ení, na’e pehē ai ‘e he Minisitā ‘a ‘Aositelēlia ki he ‘Ātakaí mo e Vaí, Senator Hon Murray Watt, ‘oku “fakamālohia ‘e ‘Aositelēlia ‘a e fehokotaki fakafonuá ke fakapapau’i ‘oku fe’unga ‘etau p**e’i ‘o e ‘oseni mo e ngaahi pole mo e ngaahi faingamālie ‘oku kamata ke ha mai.”
Lolotonga ‘a e fakataha ‘a e kau mataotao ni, na’e fakahoko ‘e Dr. Fononga Vainga Mangisi‐Mafile’o, ko e tokotaha fale’i ki he P**e’i Fakatahataha'i ‘o e ‘Oseni, ‘a e founga ngaue ‘a Tonga ki hono fakamālohia ‘o e p**e’i fakakatoa ‘o e ‘oseni. Na’a ne fakatokanga’i na’e fuofua fakaafe’i ‘a Tonga ke ne fakahoko ‘ene ngaahi fakalelei ki he p**e’i ‘o e ‘oseni ‘i he ‘uluaki Fakataha ‘i Sydney ‘i he 2024, ‘a ia na’e tokoni ai ‘a e ngaahi fakakaukau ‘a e Pasifiki ki he palani taimi loloa mo e ngaahi tu’utu’uni makatu’unga ‘i he mahu’inga ke tokateu ki he ngaahi talanoa fakavahefonua. Na’a ne fakahaa’i ‘a e mahu’inga ke fakapapau’i ‘e lava ‘e he ngaahi kautaha ‘o tali ‘a e ngaahi faingata’a ‘oku kamata 'asi hake pea mo e ngaahi pole taimi loloa.
‘I he’ene fakamatala, “‘Oku mau fiefia ke mamata ki he fa’ahinga fakalelei p**e ko ‘eni ‘oku ma’u ‘a e ivi ‘i he vahefonua kotoa, ‘o fakahaa’i ai ‘a e tukupā ki ha p**e ‘o e ‘oseni ‘oku fakatahataha’i ange mo fakatefito ‘i he kaha’u,”
Na’e toe fakahoko foki ‘e Mangisi-Mafileo ‘a e konga hoko ‘o e ngaue ‘a Tonga ‘o fakafou ‘i he Fa’unga Sivi’i ‘o e Mahu’inga ‘o e ‘Ekosisitemi (EVAF) mo e ngaahi me’angaue, ‘a ia te ne fakamālohia ‘a e mahino fakafonua ki he ngaahi mahu’inga faka’ekolosia, anga fakafonua, fakasosiale mo faka’ekonomika pea poupou ki he faitu’utu’uni ‘oku mahino, palanisi mo tu’uloa.
Na’e fakamamafa’i foki ‘e Tonga ‘a e mahu’inga ‘o e fehokotaki’anga ‘o e ‘ea mo e ‘oseni, ‘o ne fakatokanga’i ‘oku mahu’inga ‘a e fakamālohia ‘o e p**e mo e ngaahi ngāue fakavahefonua ‘oku fehokotaki ki hono fakalelei’i ‘o e ngaahi pole ‘oku ne fo'u ‘a e kaha’u ‘o e Pasifiki.
Ko e Fakataha ni na’e fakahoko ha ‘aho ‘e 2 ‘e he Ocean Decade ‘Aositelelia, mo e ngaahi hoangaue.