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The Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau is the executive body in Tokelau. It serves as the governing organization for Tokelau when the General Fono is not in session. The council has six members, consisting of the faipule (leader) and pulenuku (village mayor) of each of the three atolls, Fakaofo, Nukunonu, and Atafu. It was established in November 2003, replacing the Council of Faipule, which had been established in 1993 and had three members – the three faipule.
The 11th Government comprises: [1] [2] [3]
Atoll | Position | Name | Ministerial portfolios |
---|---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule Ulu-o-Tokelau for 2023 | Kelihiano Kalolo | Akoakoga - Education Huiga ote Tau - Climate Change As Ulu: |
Pulenuku | Nofo Iupati | Tama o Kaiga, Koa fakatenatula ma te Hikohikomaga - Economic Development, Natural Resources & Environment (EDNRE) | |
Fakaofo | Faipule | Esera Tuisano | Femalagakiga & Tautuaga Lagolago - Transport And Support Services Malohiaga - Energy |
Pulenuku | O'tinielu Tuumuli | Fagotaga - Fisheries | |
Nukunonu | Faipule Ulu-o-Tokelau for 2024 [4] | Alapati Tavite | Tupe - Finance Olamalolo - Health |
Pulenuku | Petelo Patelesio | Fehokotakiga - Telecommunications |
10th Government (2020-2022) [5] [6] [7]
Atoll | Position | Name | |
---|---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Kelihiano Kalolo (Ulu for 2021) | |
Pulenuku | Faamanuia Tamoa | ||
Faafetai Taumanu [8] | |||
Fakaofo | Faipule | Esera Tuisano (Ulu for 2020) | |
Pulenuku | Mose Pelasio | ||
Nukunonu | Faipule | Siopili Perez (Ulu for 2022) | |
Pulenuku | Lino Isaia |
9th Government (2017-2019) [9]
Atoll | Position | Name |
---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Kelihiano Kalolo (Ulu for 2019) |
Pulenuku | Fano Fao | |
Fakaofo | Faipule | Afega Gaualofa (Ulu for 2018) |
Pulenuku | Mose Pelasio | |
Nukunonu | Faipule | Siopili Perez (Ulu for 2017) |
Pulenuku | Petelo Patelesio |
8th Government (2014-2016) [10] [11]
Atoll | Position | Name | |
---|---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Kuresa Nasau (Ulu for 2014) | |
Pulenuku | Saili Patea | ||
Fakaofo | Faipule | Foua Toloa [lower-alpha 1] | |
Afega Gaualofa (Ulu for 2016) [13] | |||
Pulenuku | Mose Pelasio | ||
Nukunonu | Faipule | Siopili Perez (Ulu for 2015) | |
Pulenuku | Setefano Sakaria [lower-alpha 2] | ||
Petelo Patelesio [15] |
7th Government (2011-2013) [16]
Atoll | Position | Name |
---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Kelihiano Kalolo (Ulu for 2012) |
Pulenuku | Faafetai Taumanu | |
Fakaofo | Faipule | Foua Toloa (Ulu for 2011) |
Pulenuku | Tinielu Tuumuli | |
Nukunonu | Faipule | Salesio Lui (Ulu for 2013) |
Pulenuku | Setefano Sakaria |
6th Government (2008-2010) [17]
Atoll | Position | Name |
---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Kuresa Nasau (Ulu for 2010) |
Pulenuku | Nouata Tufoua | |
Fakaofo | Faipule | Foua Toloa (Ulu for 2009) |
Pulenuku | Tinielu Tuumuli | |
Nukunonu | Faipule | Pio Tuia (Ulu for 2008) |
Pulenuku | Lino Isaia |
5th Government (2005-2007) [18]
Atoll | Position | Name |
---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Kuresa Nasau (Ulu for 2007) |
Pulenuku | Iosua Aleni | |
Fakaofo | Faipule | Kolouei O'Brien (Ulu for 2006) |
Pulenuku | Keli Neemia | |
Nukunonu | Faipule | Pio Tuia (Ulu for 2005) |
Pulenuku | Sakalia Vaha Tavite |
4th Government (2002-2004) [19]
Atoll | Position | Name |
---|---|---|
Atafu | Faipule | Patuki Isaako (Ulu for 2004) |
Pulenuku | Paulo Kitiona | |
Fakaofo | Faipule | Kolouei O'Brien (Ulu for 2003) |
Pulenuku | Keli Neemia | |
Nukunonu | Faipule | Pio Tuia (Ulu for 2002) |
Pulenuku | Setefano Sakaria |
Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo. They have a combined land area of 10 km2 (4 sq mi). In addition to these three, Swains Island, which forms part of the same archipelago, is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute; it is currently administered by the United States as part of American Samoa. Tokelau lies north of the Samoan Islands, east of Tuvalu, south of the Phoenix Islands, southwest of the more distant Line Islands, and northwest of the Cook Islands.
Atafu, formerly known as the Duke of York Group, is a group of 52 coral islets within Tokelau in the south Pacific Ocean, 500 kilometres north of Samoa. With a land area of 2.5 square kilometres, it is the smallest of the three islands that constitute Tokelau. It is an atoll and surrounds a central lagoon, which covers some 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi). The atoll lies 800 kilometres south of the equator at 8° 35' South, 172° 30' West.
The politics of Tokelau takes place within a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency. The head of state of Tokelau is King Charles III in right of his Realm of New Zealand, who is represented by an Administrator. The monarch is hereditary, the Administrator is appointed by the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Pio Iosefo Tuia has been Ulu o Tokelau, head of government of Tokelau, six times. The position of ulu rotates annually between the three faipule, who are elected for terms lasting three years. Tuia served as ulu for the sixth time in February 2011. He was also the faipule of Nukunonu and a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau.
The office of head of government of Tokelau, often simply called the Ulu, rotates yearly between the faipule (leaders) of Tokelau's three atolls: Atafu, Fakaofo, and Nukunonu. The current Ulu is Alapati Tavite, the Faipule of Nukunonu atoll, who has held the position since 12 March 2024.
The administrator of Tokelau is an official of the New Zealand Government, responsible for supervising the government of the dependent territory of Tokelau.
Kuresa Nasau is a Tokelauan politician who has served as head of government five times and as faipule of Atafu.
The General Fono is the parliament of Tokelau. It has 20 members, representing the 3 atolls. Elections are held every three years.
A referendum on self-determination was held in Tokelau on 20 October and on 22–24 October 2007, with the result being that self-governance was rejected. Had it been successful, the referendum would have changed Tokelau's status from an unincorporated New Zealand territory to a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, akin to the Cook Islands and Niue. However, the referendum required a two-thirds positive vote to pass, and the "yes" side fell short of the required total by 16 votes.
Parliamentary elections were held in Tokelau on 17 January, 18 January and 19 January 2008 to elect the 20 members of the General Fono. The elections saw Kolouei O'Brien replaced as faipule of Fakaofo by Foua Toloa.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tokelau:
Salesio Lui is a Tokelauan politician. He was the head of government of Tokelau from February 1993 to February 1994 and again from 1 March 2013 to 24 February 2014.
Foua Toloa was a Tokelauan politician who served as the Head of the Government of Tokelau, or Ulu, from 21 February 2009, to 21 February 2010. He was a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, and was a faipule on Fakaofo. As the office of Ulu rotates on an annual basis, Toloa resumed office on 21 February 2011. For a time in 2011-2012, he was also Tokelau's minister for Finance, Telecommunication, Energy and Transport.
Tinielu Tuumuli is a politician from Tokelau. He has been a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau as the pulenuku of Fakaofo since the 2023 election, as well as previously between 2008 and 2013.
Lino Isaia is a politician from Tokelau. As of 2008, he was a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau as the pulenuku of Nukunonu.
Aliki Kelihiano Kalolo is a Tokelauan politician who has served several times as the Head of the Government of Tokelau, or Ulu, most recently from 6 March 2023 to 12 March 2024. He previously served in the same position from February 2012 to March 2013, again from 12 March 2019 to 9 March 2020, and again from 8 March 2021 to 19 May 2022. He is a member of the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Education, Economic Development, Natural Resources and the Environment, prior to and then simultaneously to his leadership of the government. The office of Ulu rotates on an annual basis between the faipule of each of the country's three atolls; Kalolo, as faipule of Atafu, took office as Ulu for the first time in 2012.
New Zealand heraldry is the term for the style of armorial achievements, sometimes known as coats of arms, and other heraldic bearings and insignia used in New Zealand. It largely follows the Gallo-British tradition of heraldry also followed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada and Australia.
Siopili Perez is a Tokelauan politician. He served as the Head of Government of Tokelau from 23 February 2015 to 8 March 2016, from 6 March 2017 to 5 March 2018 and from 19 May 2022 until 6 March 2023.
The MV Tokelau was an inter-island ferry which served as Tokelau's main transport connection to the world from 1991 to 2012.
General elections were held in Tokelau on 26 January 2023.