5th August 2017, Astana, Kazakhstan. The Kingdom of Tonga took the center stage today to celebrate its National Day at the Astana World Expo in traditional Pacific style.
Inaugural Speech by Hon. Semisi Kioa Sika at the National Day of Tonga, Astana Expo National Day Pavilion
Kazakhstan had chosen ‘Future Energy’ as the theme for this World Specialized Expo, with the view to reducing carbon gas emissions as main cause of climate change.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Tourism and Culture, The Honourable Semisi Sika heads the Tongan Delegation representing the Ministry responsible for Energy, and co-VIP Guests of the ceremony together with the Acting Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Birzhan Nurymbetov.
In his inaugural speech, Hon. Semisi Sika stated that the “The Kingdom of Tonga is highly dependent on fossil fuel and places strong emphasis on future sustainable energy aligning both the theme of the Expo with its ambition to achieve 50 percent renewable energy generation by 2020 on a strong tourism-based economy.”
“This Expo provides a timely and important platform to progress efforts towards attaining accessible, reliable, affordable, safe and sustainable clean energy for all;” adds the Minister.
The energy sector plays a pivotal role in supporting other sectors in agriculture, industry and commerce, health and education all of which also provide the substantive support for the tourism industry.
Tonga is taking the lead in the Pacific by implementing more resilient development strategies and energy security measures, and the first Pacific Island State to have its own Energy Roadmap.
The Astana Expo 2017 E coincides with the World Tourism Organization’s 2017 Year of Sustainable Tourism and the addition of Culture to Tourism Ministry. These international events provide remote nations such as Tonga leverage and exposure to other participating nations that represent the potential market for tourism travel to the Kingdom.
The Minister concluded; “Today, we provide but a glimpse of our culture in the form of dance entertainment that is a slice of our history as a three thousand year old dynasty.”
The Tonga Masani dance group provided the entertainment much to the delight and cheerful packed national day pavilion.
The event concluded with a parade to the Tongan pavilion at the Pacific Islands Plaza, and grand tour of the Kazakhstan Plaza.
The 2 millionth visitor to the Expo was celebrated on 4 August 2017, when a Press Conference was held for Tonga prior to its national day.
The delegation also include Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u, CEO for the Ministry of MEIDECC and Commissioner for Tonga as well as the Commissioner for Pacific Islands Plaza at the Expo; Miss Mana Kite, Tonga’s Deputy Commissioner for the Expo, and staff of MEIDECC and Tourism Ministry.
There are total 115 countries participating at the three-months Expo, which include 11 Pacific Island Countries.
The Expo will conclude on 10 September, 2017.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communications.