Amatlain Elizabeth Kabua (August 15, 1953 Majuro, Marshall Islands) is an Ambassador, teacher and politician. She is the Permanent Representative of the Marshall Islands to the United Nations. [1]
Immediately prior to her post at the UN, she was Ambassador to Fiji since 2009, Ambassador to Japan between 1997 and 2003, Mayor of the Majuro Atoll Local Government between 1986 and 1997 and a teacher at the Garapan Elementary School in Saipan (1978–1980). [1]
She attended Chaminade University of Honolulu; at Saint Francis High School, also in Honolulu; and at Mount Caramel High School in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. [1]
The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has established bilateral diplomatic relations with 112 countries. Regional cooperation, through membership in various regional and international organizations, is a key element in its foreign policy.
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1994. The Imperial Japanese South Seas Mandate had been seized by the U.S. during the Pacific War, as Japan had administered the territory since the League of Nations gave Japan a mandate over the area from Imperial Germany after World War I. However, in the 1930s, Japan left the League of Nations and invaded additional lands. During World War II, military control of the islands was disputed, but by the war's end, the islands had come under the Allies' control. The Trust Territory of the Pacific was created to administer the islands as part of the United States while still under the auspices of the United Nations. Most of the island groups in the territory became independent states, with some degree of association kept with the United States: the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau are independent states in a Compact of Free Association with the U.S., while the Northern Mariana Islands remain under U.S. jurisdiction, as an unincorporated territory and commonwealth.
Austronesian settlers arrived in the Marshall Islands in the 2nd millennium BC, but there are no historical or oral records of that period. Over time, the Marshallese people learned to navigate over long ocean distances by walap canoe using traditional stick charts.
Majuro is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands. It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district of the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll has a land area of 9.7 square kilometers (3.7 sq mi) and encloses a lagoon of 295 square kilometers (114 sq mi). As with other atolls in the Marshall Islands, Majuro consists of narrow land masses. It has a tropical trade wind climate, with an average temperature of 27 °C (81 °F).
The flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, an island nation in the Pacific, was adopted upon the start of self-government, May 1, 1979. The flag was designed by Emlain Kabua, who served as the first First Lady of the republic.
"Forever Marshall Islands", also known by its incipit, "Aelōn̄ Eo Ao", is the national anthem of the Marshall Islands. The lyrics were written by former President Amata Kabua, and the music was composed by Korean composer Gil ok-yun by the request of President Kabua. The song was finished and recorded at Oasis Records in Seoul. Kabua and Gil became acquaintances after Jiyong (池勇), an economic adviser for President Amata Kabua, introduced Gil Ok Yun to Kabua.
Iroijlaplap Amata Kabua was the first President of the Marshall Islands from 1979 until his death in 1996.
The second USS Tisdale (DE-33) was an Evarts-class destroyer escort of the United States Navy during World War II. She was promptly sent off into the Pacific Ocean to protect convoys and other ships from Japanese submarines and fighter aircraft. She performed dangerous work in numerous battle areas, and was awarded four battle stars.
USS Kenmore (AP-162/AK-221) was a Crater-class cargo ship built during World War II for the US Navy. Kenmore was named after George Washington's sister Elizabeth's house Kenmore. Kenmore was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.
The government of the Marshall Islands operates under a mixed parliamentary-presidential system as set forth in its Constitution. Elections are held every four years in universal suffrage, with each of the 24 constituencies electing one or more representatives (senators) to the lower house of RMI's unicameral legislature, the Nitijela. The President, who is head of state as well as head of government, is elected by the 33 senators of the Nitijela. Four of the five Marshallese presidents who have been elected since the Constitution was adopted in 1979 have been traditional paramount chiefs.
Iroij Litokwa Tomeing was the President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 until October 2009.
Japanese settlement in the Marshall Islands was spurred on by Japanese trade in the Pacific region. The first Japanese explorers arrived in the Marshall Islands in the late 19th century, although permanent settlements were not established until the 1920s. As compared to other Micronesian islands in the South Seas Mandate, there were fewer Japanese who settled in the islands. After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Japanese populace were repatriated to Japan, although people of mixed Japanese–Marshallese heritage remained behind. They form a sizeable minority in the Marshall Islands' populace, and are well represented in the corporate, public and political sectors in the country.
The Baháʼí Faith in the Marshall Islands begins after 1916 with a mention by ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, then head of the religion, that Baháʼís should take the religion there. The first Baháʼí to pioneer there arrived in August 1954 however she could only stay until March 1955. Nevertheless, with successive pioneers and converts the first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly in 1967 in Majuro. The community continued to grow and in 1977 elected its first National Spiritual Assembly. Before 1992 the Baháʼís began to operate state schools under contract with the government. Middle estimates of the Baháʼí population are just over 1,000, or 1.50% in 2000.
David Kabua is a Marshallese politician who served as President of the Marshall Islands from 2020 to 2024. He has represented Wotho Atoll in the Legislature of the Marshall Islands since 2008 and served terms as Minister of Health and Internal Affairs.
Hilda Cathy Heine is a Marshallese educator and politician. She has served as the president of the Marshall Islands since 2024, having previously served from 2016 to 2020. Heine was the first woman to lead any sovereign country in Micronesia and the first person from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate. Prior to entering politics, she worked as a teacher and counselor at Marshall Islands High School and then as a women's rights activist with her organization Women United Together Marshall Islands.
Evelyn Konou was a Marshallese politician. She was a member of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands from 1993 to 1997.
Pacific Shipping, Inc. (PSI) is a shipping company founded in 2009 and incorporated in Majuro, Marshall Islands in 2012. PSI is the Shipping agent for Pacific International Lines, Mariana Express Lines PTE LTD, Neptune Pacific Direct Line & Inchcape Shipping Services (Formerly). PSI is the only agency that handle all oil tankers transport on Majuro. The founder of PSI is Charles T. Domnick a Marshallese entrepreneur, honorary consulate of Israel in Majuro, former Minister of finance in 1982, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Foreign affairs in 1987 during the term of late president Amata Kabua and former Senator of Marshall Islands also a congressman for Marshalls during the time of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in four consecutive terms, together with Hackney Takju as General manager & Francis Carlos Domnick as CEO. PSI is the sister companies of Anil Development Inc. and DAR Sales & Services.
Climate change in the Marshall Islands is a major issue for the country. As with many countries made up of low-lying islands, the Marshall Islands is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and other impacts of climate change. The atoll and capital city of Majuro are particularly vulnerable, and the issue poses significant implications for the country's population. These threats have prompted Marshallese political leaders to make climate change a key diplomatic issue, who have responded with initiatives such as the Majuro Declaration.
Tina Stege is the Climate Envoy for the Marshall Islands (RMI). The RMI is one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change, mainly as a result of rising sea levels. Stege has represented her country at the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) held in Madrid, Spain, the 2021 Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow, Scotland, the 2022 Conference (COP27) held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the 2023 Conference (COP28), held in Dubai, and the 2024 Conference (COP29), held in Baku, Azerbaijan. She has also been a spokesperson for the RMI on the impacts of nuclear testing.
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