The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Lord Fakafanua, has officially invited elected representatives to submit nominations for a Prime Minister designate following the resignation of Siaosi Sovaleni on Monday.
Nominations are now open and must be submitted to the Speaker’s Office by 4:30pm on Monday, 23 December 2024.
Lord Fakafanua emphasised the importance of compliance with the constitutional requirements, warning that non-compliant nominations would be void.
The nominations will be read aloud during a special meeting of the Legislative Assembly scheduled for Tuesday, 24 December 2024.
This process follows Tonga’s constitutional guidelines for filling the vacant Prime Ministerial role.
Sovaleni’s resignation has left the nation anticipating a significant political transition.
Meanwhile, Tonga’s former Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni has been credited with advancing Tonga’s global influence through strategic partnerships and climate resilience initiatives, according to a recent SDG News report.
Titled “2024 Year in Review: Tonga’s Global Leadership and Visionary Partnerships Under Prime Minister Sovaleni,” the analysis highlights the Prime Minister’s achievements on the world stage.
In April, Sovaleni co-hosted the Island Resilience Summit at EarthX in Texas. The event resulted in Tonga partnering with the Family Offices for Sustainable Development (FOSD), which later brought investors to the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga.
Discussions with InnovWood at the summit also paved the way for using its climate-resilient “SuperWood” in critical infrastructure projects.
At the May SIDS4 conference in Antigua, Sovaleni signed a commitment to establish the Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity.
This groundbreaking initiative reimagines how Small Island Developing States finance development by leveraging natural assets.
Hosting the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in August, Sovaleni convened global leaders to address climate and economic challenges.
Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, FOSD Executive Chairman, praised Sovaleni, stating: “Through his remarkable leadership and unwavering commitment to resilience and prosperity, he has… inspired action.”
In September, Sovaleni addressed family office leaders at the UN General Assembly and formalized the partnership with InnovWood.
Later, at COP29 in Azerbaijan, he urged investments in Pacific resilience.
SDG News describes 2024 as a transformative year for Tonga, positioning the Kingdom as a global leader in sustainable development under PM Sovaleni’s leadership.
