Tonga First Resilience Development Policy Operation

closed

The development objectives of First Resilience Development Policy Operation (DPO) for Tonga is to: (i) strengthen public finances; (ii) enhance resilience to the effects of climate change and disasters; and (iii) improve skills and labor mobility. This operation is the first in a programmatic series of two operations designed to support objectives that are critical to enhancing resilience in Tonga one of the Government of Tonga’s (GoT) key priorities in the post-Tropical Cyclone (TC) Gita environment and in light of the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The focus of this multiyear engagement is on strengthening the foundations for resilient development in Tonga by enhancing the resilience of public finances, infrastructure, and households, along with strengthening the institutional and legislative structures for disaster risk management and disaster recovery. This operation will support the achievement of the twin goals by strengthening the resilience of the economy and public finances to support shared prosperity and improving labor opportunities and training, including for women and vulnerable groups. This programmatic DPO series is designed to strengthen the foundations for the achievement of key national outcomes under the government’s Tonga Strategic Development Framework 2015-2025 (TSDF II). The reforms supported will boost resilience to economic and environmental shocks, as well as expand skills training and labor opportunities, all of which should particularly benefit the poor and vulnerable. This program supports policy reforms under three pillars: i) strengthen public finances; ii) enhance resilience to the effects of climate change and disasters (including both climatic and health events); and iii) improve skills and labor mobility.