Taneti Maamau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taneti Maamau
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Maamau in 2023
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| 6th President of Kiribati | |
| Assumed office 11 March 2016 |
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| Vice President | Kourabi Nenem Teuea Toatu |
| Preceded by | Anote Tong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 September 1960 Onotoa, Gilbert and Ellice Islands |
| Political party | Tobwaan Kiribati Party |
| Spouse | Teiraeng Tentoa Maamau |
| Alma mater | University of the South Pacific University of Queensland |
Taneti Maamau (born 16 September 1960) is a politician from Kiribati. He has been the president of Kiribati since 2016. The president is the main leader of the country.
Maamau is a member of the Tobwaan Kiribati Party. His main goals are to make Kiribati's economy stronger and help with social problems. His government created a plan called the Kiribati Vision for 20 Years (KV20). This plan aims to grow tourism and fishing with help from other countries.
Under Maamau, Kiribati changed its official ties from Taiwan to China. This decision caused some debate. He also has different ideas about climate change than the previous president. After being re-elected in 2020, Maamau shared plans to fight rising sea levels. He wants to raise Kiribati's islands, partly by digging up sand and dirt from the sea. He was re-elected for his third and final term in 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Taneti Maamau was born on 16 September 1960. He comes from a place called Onotoa in Kiribati. He studied at the University of the South Pacific and later earned a higher degree in Australia. In 2003, he finished his studies on how countries develop their industries and trade.
In 1997, Maamau started working for the government. He was a Planning Officer in the Ministry of Finance. Later, he became a top official (permanent secretary) in that ministry. He also worked as a secretary for the Ministry of Commerce.
In 2002, Maamau left his government job to enter politics. In 2007, he was elected to represent Onotoa in the parliament. He was re-elected in 2011 and 2015. During this time, he was part of the group that opposed the president, Anote Tong.
After the 2015–16 elections, two political parties joined together to form the Tobwaan Kiribati Party. In February 2016, they chose Maamau as their candidate for president. He won the election with almost 60% of the votes. He officially became president on 11 March 2016.
Presidency
First Term: 2016–2020
President Maamau focused on improving the economy and solving social issues. In April 2016, his government made some big changes. They extended free education for students up to year 12. They also started a group to look into problems like corruption.
Many people from Kiribati's outer islands move to the capital, South Tarawa. They often look for better jobs and living conditions. Maamau wanted to help people stay on their home islands. He tried to boost the coconut trade and local manufacturing. His government also increased the price paid for copra (dried coconut meat). This helped people who sell coconuts to the government.
The previous president, Anote Tong, believed that people might need to move due to climate change and rising sea levels. He worked to tell the world about Kiribati's situation. However, Maamau did not agree with this "migration with dignity" idea. While he knows climate change is real, he believes Kiribati will not be destroyed.
At a big meeting in 2017 (COP23), Maamau said his government would not focus on the idea of a "sinking nation." He showed a video about his Kiribati Vision for 20 Years (KV20). This plan includes investing in tourism and fishing to help Kiribati become richer. It also suggests raising land in Tarawa to build new homes. He looked for help from other countries to develop businesses and build resorts.
In September 2019, Maamau's government changed its official ties from Taiwan to China. This led to 13 members of parliament leaving his party. They formed a new party. Maamau said he was surprised but respected their choice. Some believed Maamau made the switch because Taiwan did not help enough with his KV20 plan.
Second and Third Terms: 2020–Present
On January 6, 2020, Maamau signed an agreement with China. Kiribati joined China's "Belt and Road Initiative" which helps with building projects. Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Kiribati for its decision. In the 2020 parliamentary elections, Maamau's party lost its majority. However, he won the presidential election again with 59% of the votes. He started his second term on June 24, 2020.
In August 2020, Maamau announced plans to raise Kiribati's islands. This would involve dredging, which means digging up sand and dirt from the seabed. He sought help from countries like China for these projects, which would cost a lot of money. He said Kiribati would stay independent and not take huge loans. He also denied that his government would allow China to build a military base on Kiritimati.
In October 2020, Maamau and other leaders from Micronesia threatened to leave the Pacific Islands Forum. They felt their interests were not being supported. Kiribati officially left the forum in July 2022 but rejoined in 2023.
In 2022, Maamau's government faced criticism for how it handled judges. In September 202au suspended an Australian-born judge. He then suspended other judges when they ruled against his decision.
Kiribati had no COVID-19 cases for the first two years of the pandemic. On January 22, 2022, the government announced a lockdown. This happened after people on a flight tested positive for the virus. The virus then spread to Tarawa. Maamau's office urged citizens to get vaccinated. At that time, only about half of the people were fully vaccinated.
Maamau's government supports deep sea mining. This means digging for minerals on the ocean floor. This idea is not popular with groups that protect the environment.
In March 2024, news reports said that Chinese police were working with officers in Kiribati. This was part of China's plan to build security ties in the Pacific. This raised concerns for countries like Australia and the US. In the 2024 elections, Maamau was re-elected for his third and final term as president. He won with 55% of the votes.
Personal Life
Before becoming a politician, Taneti Maamau served as a deacon in the Kiribati Uniting Church. He is married to Teiraeng Tentoa Maamau. She is from Tabiteuea. They have three children and two grandchildren.
Images for kids
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MV Butiraoi.jpg
The MV Butiraoi ferry, which sank in 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Taneti Maamau para niños
