The Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Tonga (hereinafter referred to as “Germany” and “Tonga”) recognise the deep and historic bonds between their two nations, rooted in the Treaty of Friendship of 1 November 1876, and further solidified by the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation which entered into force on 2 January 1978.

They celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship and 50 years of diplomatic relations and acknowledge that these agreements serve as enduring symbols of the steadfast partnership between Germany and Tonga.

They are convinced that the challenges of the 21^st century, particularly the climate and biodiversity crisis and the need for a rules-based international order, require strengthened bilateral and multilateral cooperation grounded in a shared vision and the alignment of strategic goals.

They also recognise that such cooperation is most effective when partners pursue shared objectives and a mutual commitment to a sustainable and secure global future.

Germany and Tonga underline their shared political will to enhance their cooperation and express their common understanding on the following topics:

Strengthening Bilateral Relations and Cultural Exchange
Germany and Tonga aim to intensify their political, economic and cultural ties. This includes:

1. Diplomatic and Consular Cooperation: They intend to deepen their diplomatic cooperation and expand their bilateral engagement. This intention is exemplified by the recent accreditation of the Ambassador of Tonga in the United Kingdom also to Germany.
2. Cultural Partnership: They seek to deepen their cultural cooperation and to initiate partnerships. As a concrete example of this commitment, they aim to accompany and facilitate the development of a partnership between the Kulturstiftung Dessau-Wörlitz and corresponding partners in Tonga.
3. Exploration of Further Cooperation: They declare their willingness to explore and consider further opportunities for cooperation in other fields of mutual interest, such as technical, vocational and professional education, with a view to broadening the scope of our bilateral partnership in a manner that reflects our evolving shared priorities.

Engagement in the Pacific Region and the PIF
Germany recognises the central role of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in ensuring regional security and prosperity, and considers its appointment as a strategic partner of the PIF an honour and an important expression of mutual trust, which motivates Germany to deepen its commitment to the region and engage substantively in the priorities of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Climate Action and the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF)
Germany and Tonga recognise that climate change and sea-level rise represent an existential threat to Tonga and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS):

1. Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF): Germany has earmarked a contribution of five million euro to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), which has its headquarters in Tonga.
2. Strategic Initiatives: Germany and Tonga will strengthen their partnership within the Coalition for Addressing Sea-level Rise & its Existential Threats (C-SET) and the United Nations Group of Friends on Climate and Security.
3. Project Support: Germany reaffirms its current support to Tonga through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), especially for nature-based resilience and ecosystem protection.

Cooperation within the United Nations and Global Governance
Germany and Tonga reaffirm their commitment to the rules-based international order, the purposes, rules, and principles of the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and effective multilateralism.

1. International Peace and Security: Germany expresses its gratitude for Tonga’s steadfast support in the UN against Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. It encourages Tonga to explore further avenues of support for Ukraine and to continue its engagement to curb operations of the Russian shadow fleet in light of the significant environmental, security and maritime safety risks posed by it. Germany also commends Tonga’s global and regional role as a peacekeeping nation.
2. Human Rights: Germany and Tonga will continue to support the UN human rights architecture, as well as to promote and protect human rights. As a concrete example, Germany commits to fulfilling its role as an elected member of the UN Human Rights Council during the 2027-2029 term and Tonga will continue its efforts to strengthen the rights of persons with disabilities, as exemplified by its ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.