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Hilda Heine
President of the Marshall Islands Hilda Cathy Heine.jpg
Official portrait, 2024
8th and 10th President of the Marshall Islands
Assumed office
3 January 2024
Preceded by David Kabua
In office
28 January 2016 – 13 January 2020
Preceded by Casten Nemra
Succeeded by David Kabua
Personal details
Born
Hilda Cathy Heine

(1951-04-06) 6 April 1951 (age 74)
Jaluit Atoll, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Marshall Islands)
Political party Independent
Spouse Thomas Kijiner Jr
Relations Carl Heine (grandfather)
Children Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner
Education

Hilda Cathy Heine (born 6 April 1951) is an important educator and politician from the Marshall Islands. She has been the president of the Marshall Islands since January 2024. She also served as president from 2016 to 2020.

Heine made history as the first woman to lead any independent country in Micronesia. She was also the first person from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate degree. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a teacher and school counselor. She also helped women's rights through her group, Women United Together Marshall Islands.

Her political journey began when she was elected to the Nitijeļā (the Marshallese parliament) in 2011. She became the Minister of Education. In 2016, the parliament chose her as president after the previous president, Casten Nemra, was removed. She returned to the presidency in 2024, winning against David Kabua.

Early Life and Education

Hilda Cathy Heine was born in Jaluit Atoll on 6 April 1951. She went to college in the United States. She earned her first degree from the University of Oregon in 1970. She then got a master's degree from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1975. In 2004, she earned her doctorate in education from the University of Southern California. She was the first person from the Marshall Islands to achieve a doctorate.

Family and Early Career

Heine's family has a history of being involved in politics and helping their community. Her brother, Carl Heine, was an opposition leader in the parliament. Her cousin, Dwight Heine, was the first Marshallese person to be a District Commissioner. He was also the first to speak out against nuclear testing near the Marshall Islands. Her grandfather, Carl Heine, was a missionary who was executed during World War II.

Heine worked as a teacher at Marshall Islands High School from 1975 to 1980. After that, she was a school counselor until 1982. She was the president of the College of the Marshall Islands from 1990 to 1992. From 1993 to 1995, she served as the secretary of education. She also worked for an organization called Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) in Hawaii.

Heine helped start a women's organization called Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI). Through this group, she asked the president to create a team to deal with domestic violence. She also served on several important boards related to education and health.

Political Journey

Becoming Minister of Education

Heine was first elected to the Nitijeļā in 2011, representing Aur Atoll. She was the only woman elected that year. President Litokwa Tomeing chose her to be the Minister of Education. In 2014, Heine pushed for better test scores in schools each year. She also started a special education program with the University of Hawaiʻi and the University of the South Pacific. This program began in 2017.

First Time as President (2016-2020)

Hilda-C-Heine
Heine in 2016

Heine was reelected to parliament in 2015. On 4 January 2016, Casten Nemra became president. Nemra offered Heine the Minister of Education job again, but she said no. She and her two sons, who were also in parliament, joined the opposition. This was a key reason why Nemra was removed from office on 26 January.

The next day, the parliament voted for a new president. Heine formed her own group of supporters. Out of 30 members, 24 voted for Heine. She was sworn in as President of the Marshall Islands on 28 January 2016.

Heine became the first female president of the Marshall Islands. She was also the first woman to lead any independent Pacific island country. People called her the "mother of the nation." She felt being a woman helped her get chosen, as she seemed like a safer choice. However, she also felt more pressure as the first female president.

Leading the Country

When Heine formed her government, she chose a diverse group of ministers. She wanted decisions to be made by the whole group, based on facts, not just social pressure. In her first year, she introduced her plan called Agenda 2020: A Framework for Progress. This plan helped unite her government.

Heine declared a health emergency when the Zika virus appeared in 2016. She also declared a disaster when the Marshall Islands faced a severe drought. In 2017, she helped create the Pacific Women Leaders Coalition. This group helps female politicians in the region work together on issues affecting women. She also supported a program to give small business loans to women.

In 2018, there was a disagreement in parliament about Rongelap Atoll. Heine did not agree with a plan to make it a special area. This led to a vote to remove her from office. On 12 November 2018, she survived the vote, with 16 votes for removal and 16 against. An investigation later found that some people tried to influence votes by offering money.

Shinzo Abe and Hilda Heine at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1)
Heine with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2019

Heine was the Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific from 2019 to 2020. She also worked with the president of Taiwan to create a fund for women's businesses. During a 2019–2020 dengue fever epidemic, she declared another health emergency.

Between Presidencies (2020-2024)

Heine was reelected to parliament in 2019. However, many of her allies lost their elections. This meant she did not have enough support to stay president. On 6 January 2020, she lost the presidential vote to David Kabua.

After leaving the presidency, she continued to serve as a member of parliament. She also joined the board of the East–West Center in 2021. In November 2021, she was chosen as Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Council for the University of the South Pacific. She also advised the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference. However, she resigned from this role when reports suggested the conference president might use it for oil and gas deals.

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Marshall Islands in 2022, Heine suggested ways to help people. These included using school buses for public transport and reducing medicine prices.

Second Time as President (2024-Present)

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Heine with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos in 2024

Heine was reelected to parliament in the 2023 election. On 2 January 2024, she won the presidential vote against David Kabua, with 17 votes to 16. She was sworn in the next day. Because her win was very close, she included some of Kabua's supporters in her new government.

After becoming president again, Heine said that energy was her top priority. She declared two states of emergency. One was for a lack of food and fuel on Kili Island. The other was for an energy crisis in Majuro, where power was not consistent. She also continued talks with the United States about the Compact of Free Association (COFA). She has visited Marshallese communities affected by past nuclear testing by the United States.

Important Policies and Views

Heine is a strong voice in international discussions about climate change. She works with her daughter, Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner, who is a climate activist. Heine is worried that coastal erosion is a big risk for the Marshall Islands. She does not support moving Marshallese citizens to other countries because of climate change. Instead, she wants to find ways to raise the islands higher.

Heine believes that climate justice and gender equality are connected. During her first term, she proposed a plan for the Marshall Islands to become carbon neutral by 2025. She is against deep sea mining and supports protecting the ocean. She also believes the United States should be responsible for its nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. She opposed the release of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear accident into the Pacific Ocean.

10.25 總統見證簽署「中華民國(臺灣)政府與馬紹爾群島共和國政府經濟合作協定」 (48955759143)
Heine with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in 2019

Heine has expressed concern about the relationship between the Marshall Islands and the United States. She believes that the tense relationship between China and the United States can help the Marshall Islands get more support. She also supports Taiwan having a bigger role in the United Nations. Heine has shown support for Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Heine sees violence against women as a major problem in the Marshall Islands. She supports creating safe places for victims. She also wants to improve schools, including better pay for teachers. Other priorities for her second term include improving energy, expanding health services, and increasing the minimum wage. She also supports the idea of universal basic income.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hilda Heine para niños

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