Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Mr Vice-President,
Aotearoa New Zealand appreciates this opportunity to comment on the Kingdom of Tonga’s Universal Periodic Review outcome, and thanks the distinguished Ambassador for her presentation.
We commend Tonga’s establishment of a Cabinet working group to review, with the aim of ratifying, the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment as well as the establishment of a Cabinet committee to consider the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. We also welcome Tonga’s ongoing consideration of ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
New Zealand would like to acknowledge Tonga’s commitment to examine some of our specific recommendations, for example to establish a National Human Rights Institute in line with the Paris Principles. We encourage ongoing consideration of those that were noted.
New Zealand appreciates Tonga’s engagement in this Universal Periodic Review and looks forward to continuing to work in partnership with Tonga on human rights issues.
Thank you Mr Vice-President.