Taneti Maamau (modern spelling: Taaneti Mwamwau, born 16 September 1960) is an I-Kiribati politician who has served as the 5th

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Kiribati Kiribati (), officially the Republic of Kiribati ( gil, ibaberikiKiribati),Kiribati
''The Wor ...

since 11 March 2016.

Political career

A member of Tobwaan Kiribati Party, he began his career in public service as a Planning Officer with the Ministry of Finance before becoming Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives. In 2002, Maamau resigned from public service to join

politics Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that stud ...

and won in 2007 one of the two seats for his constituency home island

Onotoa Onotoa is an atoll of Kiribati. It is situated in the Gilbert Islands in the Pacific Ocean, from Tamana, the smallest island in the Gilberts. The population of Onotoa in the 2015 census was 1,393. The atoll is similar to many other atolls in ...

. In 2011 and in 2015, he was re-elected a member of the

Maneaba ni Maungatabu The House of Assembly (, ) is the Legislature of Kiribati. Since 2016, it has 45 members, 44 elected for a four-year term in 23 single-seat and multi-seat constituencies and 1 non-elected delegate from the Banaban community on Rabi Island in Fi ...

(parliament). He previously served as the Finance Secretary under President Teburoro Tito Maamau contested for the

2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...

, where he was supported by a new coalition of the Tobwaan Kiribati Party. He received the support from former president Teburoro Tito, the predecessor of

Anote Tong Anote Tong (; born 11 June 1952 in Tabuaeran, Line Islands) is an I-Kiribati politician for the Pillars of Truth party and environmental activist with half Chinese heritage, who served as President of Kiribati, from 2003 to 2016. He won the elect ...

. He won the election and was officially declared President after winning against the ruling party by nearly 60%. He began his first term on 11 March 2016. In August 2018, he was installed as the Chancellor of the

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the go ...

. In September 2019, Maamau ended Kiribati's diplomatic ties with

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

and established diplomatic relations with China. The decision comes after Taiwan dismissed Maamau's request of "massive financial assistance to purchase commercial air planes". As a result, his governing party lost the majority in the 2020 parliamentary elections from 34 seats to 22. He ran for re-election in the

2020 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *5 January: **C ...

against former party member Banuera Berina of

Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party The Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party (BKM) is a political party in Kiribati from the merger of the Kiribati First Party and Boutokaan te Koaua in 2020. History The party was established in May 2020, after the merger of the Pillars of Truth with ...

. Taneti won the election by 59% of the vote and was officially sworn in for his second term on 24 June 2020. In August 2020, Maamau announced his plans to seek support from China and other diplomatic allies to raise the islands of Kiribati. This is in response to the looming threat of

sea level rise Globally, sea levels are rising due to human-caused climate change. Between 1901 and 2018, the globally averaged sea level rose by , or 1–2 mm per year on average.IPCC, 2019Summary for Policymakers InIPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cry ...

and

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

. In October 2020, Maamau along with four other Micronesian leaders threatened to withdraw from the Pacific Island Forum if their nominee is not chosen as

Secretary-General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

adding that "Micronesia would remain resolute and united in its position to take the wheel of the Forum helm". He wrote a letter in July 2022 that Kiribati withdraws.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maamau, Taneti Place of birth missing (living people) Living people Presidents of Kiribati Members of the House of Assembly (Kiribati) People from the Gilbert Islands 1960 births Foreign ministers of Kiribati Tobwaan Kiribati Party politicians 21st-century I-Kiribati politicians

Political career

See also

References