Bilateral Meeting between Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u, Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Tonga’s Delegation to COP30, and Ms. Dinara Kemelova, Special Envoy of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic

Tuesday, 18 November 2025 – Belém, Brazil (COP30)

The Kingdom of Tonga and the Kyrgyz Republic held a productive bilateral meeting today on the margins of COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u, Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Tonga’s Delegation, met with Ms. Dinara Kemelova, Special Envoy of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the context of accelerating global climate challenges and ongoing multilateral engagement.

The meeting builds on the high-level discussion held between Prime Minister Hon. Dr. ‘Aisake Eke and H.E. Mr. Sadyr Zhaparov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, on the margins of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on 24 September 2025 in New York. That earlier engagement reaffirmed both nations’ commitment to climate action and identified avenues for collaboration, including advancing the Mountain Agenda and an invitation for Tonga to participate in the Second Global Mountain Summit in Bishkek in October 2027.

Mr. Ma’u and Ms. Kemelova also acknowledged the successful cultural diplomacy event co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Tonga and the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations — the Kambarkan concert held at UN Headquarters on 7 November 2025. The event celebrated the shared connection between mountain regions and ocean states, underscoring the collective duty to safeguard fragile ecosystems across different geographies.

During the COP30 bilateral meeting, Tonga expressed its sincere appreciation to the Government and people of the Kyrgyz Republic for the warm partnership fostered since the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 2022. Both sides emphasised the value of enhancing cooperation between Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), particularly as both groups face intersecting vulnerabilities that warrant stronger representation in global climate negotiations.

The discussions also explored opportunities for deeper collaboration within the United Nations and other multilateral fora to ensure that SIDS and LLDC priorities remain central to global policy processes.

In closing, Tonga reaffirmed its commitment to further advancing political dialogue and practical cooperation with the Kyrgyz Republic, both bilaterally and within the UN system. The Kingdom welcomed continued engagement to foster a resilient, secure, and inclusive future for both nations as they confront shared climate and development challenges.