Kiribati–United States relations

Kiribati–United States relations

Kiribati	United States
Diplomatic mission
Kiribati Consulate, Honolulu	United States Embassy, Suva
Envoy
Ambassador Teburoro Tito	Ambassador Marie C. Damour

Kiribati and the United States have diplomatic relations. Geographically, Kiribati is the closest neighboring country to the state of Hawaii.

History

Gilbert and Ellice Islands–United States relations

Gilbert and Ellice Islands	United States

Gilbertese-Hawaiian girl, 1909

Gilbert Islands–United States relations

Gilbert Islands	United States

Before independence

See also: Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, Marshalls–Gilberts raids, Battle of Tarawa, and Canton and Enderbury Islands

After independence

Following its independence in 1979, Kiribati signed a treaty of friendship with the United States. ^[1] The United States Department of State characterizes U.S.–Kiribati relations as "excellent", as of 2009 ^[update] . ^[1] Diplomatic relations are conducted by the I-Kiribati Ambassador to the United States. The United States has no consular or diplomatic facilities in the country. Officers of the American Embassy in Suva, Fiji, are concurrently accredited to Kiribati and make periodic visits. ^[1] The U.S. Peace Corps, an independent United States federal agency, had maintained a program in Kiribati since 1967. However, the Corps announced plans to pull out of Kiribati in November 2008 after 35 years of working in the country. ^[2] Michael Koffman, the Peace Corps Country Director for Kiribati, cited the frequently cancelled and erratic air service in the country as the main reason the Peace Corps was leaving Kiribati. ^[2]

In 2023, the United States announced plans to open up an embassy in Kiribati, as part of a larger regional push to strengthen ties in the Pacific. ^[3]

Embassy

United States

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials include:

• US Ambassador – Marie C. Damour (since 2022). ^[4]

The U.S. Embassy responsible for Kiribati is located in Suva, Republic of the Fiji Islands.

Kiribati

Principal Kiribati Officials include:

• Permanent Representative of Kiribati to the United Nations – Teburoro Tito

The Kiribati Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy in the United States.

See also

• Foreign relations of the United States
• Foreign relations of Kiribati
• List of ambassadors of Kiribati to the United States

Further reading

• "Secretary Clinton on Amelia Earhart". 20 March 2012. Retrieved 2013-06-08. I especially want to welcome Tessie Lambourne, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Republic of Kiribati. [She]...and her husband David...traveled three days to get here for this wonderful event. (Applause.)

References

1. Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (May 2009), "Background Note: Kiribati", United States Department of State website, retrieved 2009-08-06, Relations between Kiribati and the United States are excellent.
2. Bataua, Batiri (3 July 2008). "Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati". Pacific Magazine . Retrieved 2 July 2008.^{[ permanent dead link ‍]}
3. "US set to open Tonga embassy in May as Pacific push ramps up". The Guardian . May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
4. Suva, U. S. Embassy (December 24, 2022). "Ambassador". U.S. Embassy in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Retrieved April 30, 2024.

 This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.

External links

• History of Kiribati - U.S. relations