Tonga has never participated in UN peacekeeping operations. Nevertheless, “Tonga participated with troops as requested by the USA for the Iraqi war” and Tonga is in “the process of training its troops to participate in UN peace operations” (Risling 2004, par. 1; Vava 2006, par. 1). Also, Tonga participates in RAMSI and has attended UN training for its troops (Ibid.).
Initial variables of the data collection process:
UN/UN peacekeeping policy reform
No record.
Initial variables of the data collection process:
UN/UN peacekeeping policy reform
No record.
Perception of peacekeeping
Prince ’Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, the country’s prime minister as well as its defence minister, said that Tonga remembers that the United States came to defend the islands nation and the region from the invading Japanese during the World War II (Risling 2004, par. 1). As a result, peacekeeping has a positive perception.
Domestic political environment
The prime minister holds his position at the king’s pleasure (EIU 2006at, 4). The king, who turned 88 in May 2006, still commands respect, but his death is expected to cause pressure from the democracy movement for constitutional change to intensify (Ibid.). Although Tonga has a highly traditional society, some young, Western-educated Tongans have called for a new, more democratic constitution that would allow for direct elections to all parliamentary seats while retaining a titular monarchy (BBC 2006bh, par. 3). The death of royal reformer, Prince Tu'ipelehake, and the ailing health of the king may mean that calls for a transfer to democratic government are intensified (EIU 2006cq, 1). But the prime minister, Fred Sevele, will face some significant problems, particularly if public expectations of change are raised too high (Ibid.). With regards to Tonga’s potential participation in UN peace operations, it is likely to rise if those reforms are made.
The untimely death of Prince Tu’pelehake, chairman of the National Commission for Political Reform (NCPR), in a car accident in the US will undoubtedly precipitate some kind of change in the Tongan political climate, as the prince was one of the royal family’s strongest advocates for political reform, and thus much respected by the general population (EIU 2006cq, 6). Significant protests against the government are likely to continue, particularly from civil servants worried about their future (Ibid., 7).
Domestic economic environment
Sevele has decided to delay Tonga’s accession to the WTO by a year in order to allow the country to better prepare itself to meet the stringent terms (Ibid., 3). Tonga has no strategic or mineral resources and is highly dependent on agriculture, fishing and the money sent home by Tongans living abroad, many of them in New Zealand (BBC 2006bh, par. 4). Endowed with tropical beaches, rainforest, active volcanoes and ideal diving conditions, it has a developing tourist industry, its principal source of hard currency earnings (Ibid.).
Military affairs
The Tonga Defence Force was organized during World War II, became defunct in 1946 and was reactivated in 1952 (Thomson 2006w, par. 3). It consists of a regular cadre and volunteers serving an initial training period, followed by attendance at annual training camps (Ibid.). Forces are organized into marines, royal guards, a navy, a police force, and a newly created air wing (Ibid.). The naval squadron consists of several fast patrol boats policing territorial waters (Ibid.).
Foreign policy
Tonga was admitted to the UN on September 14, 1999 (Thomson 2006w, par. 4). Tonga is also a member of the Asian Development Bank, Commonwealth of Nations, G-77, and South Pacific Forum (Ibid.). Since 1965, Tonga has received aid under the Australian South Pacific Technical Assistance Program (Ibid.). Tonga has only one diplomatic mission overseas, in the United Kingdom (Ibid.).
Additional variables found after the preliminary analysis:
Climate changes
No record.
Independent negotiations taken by DPKO to seek troops
It is not clear if DPKO initiated the contact. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister’s Department noted in 2003 preparations were under way to deploy troops to assist in United Nations peacekeeping duties, initially as observers (RA 2003, par. 1). Tongan MP Fred Sevele stated details were yet to be worked out (Ibid.). Exactly whether they are soldiers or policemen were yet to be finalized (Ibid.).
Royal Tongan Marines who took part in a United Nations Multinational Peacekeeping training exercise in Mongolia were to return home in 2006 (Vava 2006, par. 1). The more than 40 Royal Tongan Marines took part in the exercise which was held at Five Hills Training Center near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from August 11-24 (Ibid.).
Independent negotiations taken by contributor countries to engage non-contributor countries
Tonga sent 44 soldiers to Iraq in 2004 for a peacekeeping mission at Washington’s request (Risling 2004, par. 1). Prince ’Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, the country’s prime minister as well as its defence minister, said that Tonga remembers that the United States came to defend the islands nation and the region from the invading Japanese during the World War II (Ibid.).
Meetings organized by other international organizations to engage in dialogue about peacekeeping
In spite of the recent diplomatic turmoil between the Solomon Islands and Australia, which may result in an early termination of the RAMSI, Tonga stands in full support of continuing the mission (Vava 2006, par. 1).
