Nukuʻalofa, Tonga – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Legislative Assembly of Tonga have signed a new Letter of Agreement to strengthen transparency, accountability, and community participation in the management of Tonga’s Constituency Fund (CF), under the regional Vaka Pasifika project, funded by the European Union.

The agreement reaffirms UNDP’s continued technical and financial support to the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, as the institution advances critical reforms aimed at improving public financial management and civic trust in governance.

The ceremony, held at Parliament House in Nukuʻalofa, was attended by senior officials from both institutions, including the Honourable Lord Speaker of the House, Fatafehi Fakafanua, who has championed the CF reform process.

“We commend the leadership of the Honourable Lord Speaker for his sustained commitment to strengthening governance and accountability in Tonga,” said Christophe Bahuet, UNDP Deputy Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. “This agreement represents a significant step forward, at a crucial time ahead of the national elections, to institutionalise reforms that will deliver more transparent and inclusive development outcomes for all Tongans.”

The initiative will support the development of a publicly accessible digital platform to track CDF allocations and spending across all 17 constituencies, strengthen the capacity of constituency office staff, and promote local consultations to ensure community voices—especially those of women and traditionally underrepresented groups—inform project selection and oversight.

In acknowledging the signing, the Honourable Lord Speaker emphasised the importance of sustainable, inclusive reforms:

“This partnership reflects our ongoing efforts to ensure that the Constituency Development Fund serves the people equitably, transparently, and accountably. We welcome UNDP’s support as we continue to strengthen our internal procedures and engage our communities more meaningfully in decision-making.”

The agreement builds on previous collaboration under the Vaka Pasifika project, which thanks to the generous contribution of the European Union, supports Pacific Island countries in promoting accountable public finances and effective, inclusive parliaments. The timing of this agreement is particularly significant, as it allows the Legislative Assembly to consolidate progress and institutional reforms ahead of the national elections in November 2025.