Kiribati faced a diplomatic snub at the Pacific Islands Forum closing ceremony in Palau when its delegation was omitted from the official roster and left unannounced in the front row, according to reporting by 1News. The island nation, which maintains close links to China, sent David Teeabo—its special envoy, public servant and head of the Foreign Service and its former High Commissioner to China—to the annual 18-member leaders’ meeting instead of President Taneti Maamau or a political minister.
Diplomatic Snub and Closing Ceremony Oversight in Palau
According to 1News, the omission was corrected later, but speaking to BPA News in Kiribati after the ceremony, Teeabo said it was disappointing.
“What else to say but protocol-wise, it’s not good… I don’t know where the mistake comes from, the MC’s or somewhere else,” he said. The island nation was also absent during the Leaders Retreat.
Regional Tensions Over Chinese Missile Testing
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Reforming Forum Partnerships and Future Strategy
According to 1News, Reforming what is considered to be an overly bureaucratic and unwieldy organisation is also on the cards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Kiribati absent from the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Retreat?
Who represented Kiribati at the Palau summit?
Kiribati sent a special envoy, public servant and head of the Foreign Service and its former High Commissioner to China, David Teeabo, instead of President Taneti Maamau or a political minister, as reported by 1News.
How did the forum address the Chinese missile test in the final communique?
What changes are coming to Pacific Islands Forum dialogue partnerships?
Leaders agreed there are to be two partnership streams depending on what they bring to the table, with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wanting to see dialogue countries develop a four-year plan outlining how they intend to partner with PIF and its member countries ahead of next year’s summit.
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