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Kiribati is a full member of the Commonwealth, the IMF and the World Bank, and became a full member of the United Nations in 1999. Kiribati hosted the Thirty-First Pacific Islands Forum in October 2000. Kiribati has Least Developed Country Status and its interests rarely extend beyond the region. Through accession to the Lomé Convention, then Cotonou Agreement, Kiribati is also a member of the African Caribbean and Pacific Group. Kiribati maintains good relations with most countries and has particularly close ties to Pacific neighbours Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand. Kiribati briefly suspended its relations with France in 1995 over that country's decision to renew nuclear testing in the South Pacific.
Kiribati established diplomatic relations with Taiwan in November 2003, but cut off all relations in September 2019 when Kiribati switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing. Taiwan's foreign minister stated that Kiribati had "unrealistic" expectations from China and ordered the embassy to evacuate. [1]
Kiribati maintains strong regional ties in the Pacific. Until recently it was a full member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Kiribati is one of the eight signatories of the Nauru Agreement Concerning Cooperation in the Management of Fisheries of Common Interest which collectively controls 25–30% of the world's tuna supply and approximately 60% of the western and central Pacific tuna supply . In 1985, Kiribati was one of the nine initial endorsers of the Treaty of Rarotonga creating the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty.
Kiribati was admitted to the Commonwealth of Nations in 1979 upon its independence, and to the United Nations in 1999.
Additionally outside the region, Kiribati is a member or participant of the ACP (Lomé Convention), the Asian Development Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, the IMF, International Maritime Organization, International Olympic Committee, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Universal Postal Union and the World Meteorological Organization. Finally, while Kiribati is not a member of the World Trade Organization, it does retain observer status.
List of countries which Kiribati maintains diplomatic relations with:
# | Country | Date |
---|---|---|
1 | Australia | 12 July 1979 [2] |
2 | Canada | 12 July 1979 [3] |
3 | Fiji | 12 July 1979 [4] |
4 | Solomon Islands | 12 July 1979 [5] |
5 | United Kingdom | 12 July 1979 [6] |
6 | Japan | 21 March 1980 [7] |
7 | New Zealand | 29 April 1980 [8] |
8 | South Korea | 2 May 1980 [9] |
9 | Netherlands | 6 June 1980 [10] |
10 | China | 25 June 1980 [11] |
11 | Germany | 1 July 1980 [12] |
12 | Vanuatu | 30 July 1980 [13] |
13 | United States | 12 August 1980 [14] |
14 | Chile | 20 January 1981 [15] |
15 | France | 13 October 1982 [16] |
16 | Malaysia | 1982 [17] |
17 | Peru | 29 October 1983 [18] |
18 | Portugal | 15 November 1983 [19] |
19 | Tuvalu | March 1984 [20] |
20 | Israel | 21 May 1984 [21] |
21 | Greece | 1984 [22] |
22 | India | 7 August 1985 [23] |
23 | Papua New Guinea | Before 1986 [24] |
24 | Marshall Islands | 4 June 1988 [25] |
25 | Federated States of Micronesia | 9 December 1988 [26] |
26 | Maldives | 20 March 1989 [27] |
27 | Singapore | 7 September 1989 [28] |
28 | Russia | 5 September 1990 [29] |
29 | Bangladesh | Before 1995 [30] |
30 | Nauru | Before 1995 [30] |
— | Holy See | 10 April 1995 [31] |
31 | Palau | 12 July 1995 [32] |
32 | Italy | 7 December 1995 [33] |
33 | South Africa | 30 August 1999 [34] |
34 | Philippines | 25 March 2000 [35] |
35 | Ireland | September 2000 [36] |
36 | Morocco | 21 March 2001 [37] |
37 | Cuba | 2 September 2002 [38] |
38 | Switzerland | 1 June 2004 [39] |
39 | Austria | 2004 [40] [41] |
40 | Thailand | 29 June 2005 [42] |
41 | Iceland | 15 September 2005 [43] |
42 | Mexico | 13 October 2005 [44] |
43 | Argentina | 21 September 2006 [45] |
44 | Czech Republic | 27 June 2007 [46] |
45 | Turkey | 20 June 2008 [47] |
46 | Brazil | 21 September 2010 [48] |
47 | Egypt | 25 September 2010 [49] |
48 | Finland | 25 March 2011 [50] |
49 | Spain | 24 September 2011 [43] |
50 | Gambia | 27 September 2012 [51] |
51 | Georgia | 28 September 2012 [52] |
52 | Sweden | 28 September 2012 [53] |
53 | Indonesia | 8 May 2013 [54] |
— | Cook Islands | 3 September 2013 [55] |
54 | Lithuania | 15 January 2014 [43] |
55 | Mongolia | 15 January 2014 [43] |
56 | Montenegro | 17 January 2014 [43] |
57 | Kazakhstan | 18 February 2014 [43] |
58 | Kuwait | 4 March 2014 [43] |
59 | Monaco | 20 June 2014 [43] |
60 | Estonia | 4 September 2014 [56] |
61 | Vietnam | 15 September 2014 [43] |
62 | Poland | 2 March 2015 [57] |
63 | Latvia | 10 April 2015 [43] |
64 | Brunei | 26 January 2016 [58] |
65 | Qatar | 28 March 2016 [43] |
66 | Hungary | 17 June 2016 [43] |
67 | Croatia | 26 August 2016 [43] |
68 | Seychelles | 27 February 2017 [59] |
69 | Jordan | 8 August 2017 [60] |
70 | Dominica | 22 January 2018 [43] |
71 | Romania | 9 July 2018 [61] |
72 | Bahrain | 25 September 2018 [43] |
73 | Saint Lucia | 25 September 2018 [62] |
74 | Armenia | 26 September 2018 [63] |
75 | Tajikistan | 5 April 2019 [43] |
76 | Norway | 17 August 2019 [64] |
77 | Kyrgyzstan | 26 September 2019 [43] |
78 | Nicaragua | 17 May 2021 [43] |
79 | Andorra | 27 May 2021 [43] |
80 | Pakistan | 3 June 2021 [43] |
81 | Slovenia | 8 June 2021 [43] |
82 | San Marino | 20 August 2021 [43] |
83 | Paraguay | 20 October 2021 [43] |
84 | Algeria | 29 October 2021 [65] |
85 | Jamaica | 26 April 2022 [66] |
86 | Malta | 21 September 2022 [43] |
87 | Saudi Arabia | 19 December 2023 [67] |
88 | Panama | 30 January 2024 [43] |
89 | Belgium | Unknown |
90 | Samoa | Unknown |
91 | Tonga | Unknown |
92 | United Arab Emirates | Unknown |
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Australia | 12 July 1979 |
|
China | 25 June 1980, broke off 29 November 2003. Restored 27 September 2019. [69] | Kiribati firstly established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1980. At that time, Kiribati had been the home to a satellite tracking base for PRC space program from 1997 until 2003. [70] On 7 November 2003, Kiribati established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC). Although it did not sever ties with the PRC, expressing the intention to continue relations, Beijing suspended ties on 29 November after failed attempts to lobby President Anote Tong to change his mind. On 9 January 2004, the ROC opened its embassy in Kiribati. [71] On 31 May 2013, Kiribati opened its embassy in Taipei. This was the first ever Kiribati embassy outside of Oceania. Teekoa Iuta became Kiribati's first ambassador to the country. [72] On 20 September 2019, Kiribati switched diplomatic relations from Taiwan to China, effectively cutting all relations to Taiwan. [73] Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Beijing had used "dollar diplomacy" to influence the Kiribati government. [74] On 15 July 2023, the Chinese military hospital ship “Peace Ark” made harbor at Tarawa, Kiribati, the first Chinese military vessel to visit Kiribati. The seven-day visit was to include humanitarian and medical assistance, part of China’s effort to build relationships in the region, and was to be followed by stops in Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and East Timor. [75] [76] |
Cuba | 2 September 2002 [77] | In the late 2000s, Kiribati began to strengthen its relations with Cuba. Cuba provides medical aid to Kiribati. There are currently sixteen doctors providing specialised medical care in Kiribati, with sixteen more scheduled to join them. [78] Cuban doctors have reportedly provided a dramatic improvement to the field of medical care in Kiribati, reducing the child mortality rate in that country by 80% [79] As of September 2008, over twenty I-Kiribati medical students are studying in Cuba, at Cuba's expense. [80] [81] In September 2008, President Anote Tong attended the first Cuba-Pacific Islands ministerial meeting in Havana. By meeting President Raúl Castro to discuss "mutual friendship and cooperation", he became the first Pacific leader to pay a state visit to Cuba. [80] The two countries signed an agreement on increased cooperation in the field of health. [82] |
France | 3 December 1982, broke off 6 September 1995, Restored 6 February 1997 | The two countries maintain official diplomatic relations, but no diplomatic presence on each other's territory; the French embassy in Suva is accredited to Kiribati. [83] In 1995, Kiribati briefly suspended its diplomatic relations with France in protest against French nuclear tests at Mururoa in French Polynesia. [84] |
Georgia | 28 September 2012 |
|
Germany | 1 July 1980 | German shipping companies opened a trade school for seamen in 1967. It exists until today. About I-Kiribati 5,000 seaman work for German shipping companies today. [85]
|
India | 6 August 1985 | Diplomatic relations between Kiribati and India were established on 6 August 1985. [86] At the Post Forum Dialogue partner meeting in 2006, India announced that it would provide a grant-in-aid of US$100,000 annually to each of the 14 Pacific Island countries, including Kiribati. [87] This was increased to US$125,000 from 2009. [88] |
Mexico | 13 October 2005 |
|
New Zealand | 12 July 1979 |
|
South Korea | 2 May 1980 | The Republic of Kiribati and the Republic of Korea have established diplomatic relations on May 2, 1980.
|
United Kingdom | 12 July 1979 | Britain has long-standing historic links with Kiribati. The first British visitor to Kiribati was reputed to be Commodore John Byron in 1765, the immediate predecessor of James Cook's more famous explorations of the Pacific between 1769 and 1779. With the growth of the British settlement in Australia's New South Wales, whaling became a key element of the regional economy, and up to the 1870s British whalers were regular visitors to the waters surrounding Kiribati. Through its network of sovereign posts in the region (Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia), the UK maintains bilateral programmes with Kiribati sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for Environment and Department for International Development and other government departments. The UK Government's engagement in Kiribati is largely delivered through the Commonwealth, the European Union and The Asian Development Bank. |
United States | 12 August 1980 | Following its independence in 1979, Kiribati signed a treaty of friendship with the United States. [92] The United States Department of State characterizes U.S.–Kiribati relations as "excellent", as of 2009 [update] . [92] Diplomatic relations are conducted by the I-Kiribati Ambassador to the United States. Although the U.S. does not maintain a diplomatic office or consulate in Kiribati, staff from the American embassy in Suva, Fiji make frequent visits to Kiribati. [92] The U.S. provides economic development assistance through multilateral institutions. [92] From 1967 to 2008, the United States Peace Corps operated in Kiribati. [92] |
Kiribati receives development aid from the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, USA, the Asian Development Bank, UN agencies and (until 2019) Taiwan. In recent years it has accounted for 20–25% of Kiribati's GDP. Recent projects and notable inputs by the EU have included telecommunications (improvement of telephone exchanges and provision of radio and navigation equipment), the development of seaweed as an export crop, solar energy systems for the outer islands, the upgrading of the Control Tower and fire fighting services at Tarawa's Bonriki International Airport, outer island social development, health services and extensive support for the Kiribati Vocational Training Programme. Additionally, Cuba provides doctors, as well as scholarships for I-Kiribati medical students. [80]
Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the regional and international arena. Chile assumed a two-year non-permanent position on the UN Security Council in January 2003 and was re-elected to the council in October 2013. It is also an active member of the UN family of agencies, serving as a member of the Commission on Human Rights and participating in UN peacekeeping activities. Chile hosted the second Summit of the Americas in 1998, was the chair of the Rio Group in 2001, hosted the Defense Ministerial of the Americas in 2002, and the APEC summit and related meetings in 2004. In 2005 it hosted the Community of Democracies ministerial conference. It is an associate member of Mercosur and a full member of APEC. The OECD agreed to invite Chile to be among four countries to open discussions in becoming an official member.
Costa Rica is an active member of the international community and, in 1983, claimed it was for neutrality. Due to certain powerful constituencies favoring its methods, it has a weight in world affairs far beyond its size. The country lobbied aggressively for the establishment of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and became the first nation to recognize the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Human Rights Court, based in San José.
Like its Eastern Caribbean neighbours, the main priority of Dominica's foreign relations is economic development. The country maintains missions in Washington, New York, London, and Brussels and is represented jointly with other Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members in Canada. Dominica is also a member of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, and the Commonwealth of Nations. It became a member of the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1978 and of the World Bank and Organization of American States (OAS) in 1979.
The foreign relations of the Dominican Republic are the Dominican Republic's relations with other governments.
The United States, Venezuela, Cuba, and the People's Republic of China have embassies in Grenada. Grenada has been recognized by most members of the United Nations and maintains diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom, the United States, Venezuela, and Canada.
The foreign relations of Guinea, including those with its West African neighbors, have improved steadily since 1985.
Honduras is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), the Central American Integration System (SICA), and the Central American Security Commission (CASQ). During 1995-96, Honduras, a founding member of the United Nations, for the first time served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Honduras is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military.
The foreign relations of Mexico are directed by the President of the United Mexican States and managed through the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs. The principles of the foreign policy are constitutionally recognized in the Article 89, Section 10, which include: respect for international law and legal equality of states, their sovereignty and independence, non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other countries, peaceful resolution of conflicts, and promotion of collective security through active participation in international organizations. Since the 1930s, the Estrada Doctrine has served as a crucial complement to these principles.
Paraguayan foreign policy has concentrated on maintaining good relations with its neighbors, and it has been an active proponent of regional co-operation. It is a member of the United Nations and has served one term in the UN Security Council in 1967-1969. It maintains membership in several international financial institutions, including the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. It also belongs to the Organization of American States, the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), the Rio Group, INTERPOL, MERCOSUR and UNASUR.
Saint Lucia maintains friendly relations with the major powers active in the Caribbean, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France. Saint Lucia has no extant international disputes, aside from tension resulting from the island's status as a transit point for South American drugs destined for the United States and Europe.
Bolivia traditionally has maintained normal diplomatic relations with all hemispheric states except Chile. Foreign relations are handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by the Chancellor of Bolivia, Rogelio Mayta.
Palau gained its independence October 1, 1994, with the entry into force of the Compact of Free Association with the United States. Palau was the last Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands territories to gain its independence. Under the Compact, the U.S. remains responsible for Palau's defense for 50 years.
Papua New Guinea's foreign policy reflects close ties with Australia and other traditional allies and cooperative relations with neighboring countries. Its views on international political and economic issues are generally moderate.
The Samoan Government is generally conservative and pro-Western, with a strong interest in regional political and economic issues. Samoa participated in a first round of negotiations with its Pacific Island neighbors for a regional trade agreement in August 2000. In January 2009, Samoa opened embassies in the Republic of Korea, China and Japan.
Nauru, following independence from the United Kingdom, became a sovereign, independent republic on 31 January 1968. Nauru has established diplomatic relations with a number of nations, including most of its Pacific neighbors with which it maintains economic, cultural and administrative ties.
The Cook Islands maintains diplomatic relations with various countries and is a member of multilateral organisations. While the country is in free association with New Zealand, which can act on the Cook Islands' "delegated authority [...] to assist the Cooks Islands" in foreign affairs, the Cook Islands nevertheless enters into treaty obligations and otherwise "interacts with the international community as a sovereign and independent state."
The Republic of Kiribati and the People's Republic of China (PRC) established diplomatic relations on June 25, 1980, and resumed on September 27, 2019. Between 2003 and 2019, The government of Kiribati recognized the Republic of China, and, in accordance with the "One China" policy, the People's Republic of China did not have diplomatic relations to the country.
Haiti was one of the original members of the League of Nations, and was one of the original members of the United Nations and several of its specialized and related agencies. It is also a founding member of the Organization of American States. Haiti also has diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, instead of the People's Republic of China. Taiwan is one of Haiti's major trading partners and the two countries maintain very friendly relations. Haiti has also re-established very warm relations with Cuba in which a major act of bilateral cooperation has resulted in Cuba's large contribution of doctors to the country. The Haitian government has publicly shown admiration to Fidel Castro and his administration.
Foreign relations of Djibouti are managed by the Djiboutian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Djibouti maintains close ties with the governments of Somalia, Ethiopia, France and the United States. It is likewise an active participant in African Union, United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League affairs.
The political status of the Cook Islands and Niue is formally defined as being states in free association within the Realm of New Zealand, which is made up of the Cook Islands, Niue, and New Zealand and its territories, Tokelau and the Ross Dependency. The Cook Islands and Niue have full constitutional independence from New Zealand and act as independent countries. Some countries have recognised them as sovereign entities and established diplomatic relations. However, New Zealand may carry out defence and foreign affairs on behalf of the two associated states when requested.
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has generic name (help)Relations between Kiribati and the United States are excellent.