Kiribati’s Education Minister, Alexander Teabo, at St Mary's Cathedral in Nuku'alofa. 25 August 2024 Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
The head of the Kiribati government delegation at the Pacific leaders' summit in Tonga has played down the "viral" news of the Micronesian nation closing its border to "diplomatic visits" until the end of the year.
In a media release, dated 21 August, Kiribati's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration said the suspension of diplomatic and official trips was due to the national elections had earlier this month, and that the government was in now caretaker mode.
It said the notice is to inform diplomatic missions in advance and to avoid any disappointment in response to the many requests received to visit Kiribati at this time.
However, visits for critical, urgent, and emergency activities and ongoing works and projects are not affected by this measure but these would go through the usual clearance process with the relevant offices in Kiribati.
One Pacific political expert suggested that the pause to diplomatic trips was "to avoid foreign checks on its government formation process".
"It does reflect a pattern of seeking to avoid international scrutiny, which we have seen under [Taneti Maamau's] government]," the Australian think tank Lowy Institute's Mihai Sora was quoted by AP.
But speaking with RNZ Pacific ahead of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM53) in Nukua'lofa on Sunday, Kiribati's Education Minister, Alexander Teabo, said; "We believe that this is one thing that's gone viral".
"We believe that we [have] got foreign policies. We believe that our task now is to elect our members of the Maneaba ni Maungatabu (Parliament) and elect our government.
"That's our national and constitutional task. We [didn't] close the border," he said.
Teabo said diplomatic visits will resume once the country completes its election process.
"We don't see that there's a problem, but we [prioritise] our election, and when the new team [is elected] can have a good start."
The new Kiribati parliament will have its first sitting on 13 September, after which the new president will be elected, and the government formed.
"I think the diplomatic visits can happen then…feel sorry about that, but that's how we look at it.
"For us it makes more sense to do it like."
Teabo said in Kiribati political leaders have trust in the people, adding "respect and trust have to go together" in their culture.
"We have to respect our people and whoever they put in government; we believe that's the vote from the Lord," he said.
Tonga PM, Hu'akavameiliku, middle in red, with the FSM, left, and Nauru, right, presidents. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
China relations
Teabo said the nation was following the world by switching allegiance from Beijing to Taipei in 2019.
He was reacting to a newly elected MP saying the incumbent government's decision to re-establish bilateral relations with China has so far proved beneficial.
Taiwan has been steadily losing allies, with Nauru being the latest in the Pacific to drop ties in January of this year.
Teabo said China is just like any other development partner.
"Our shift to China is to follow the world," he said.
"You go to the United Nations then you can see what the world is following [and] Kiribati is doing that., we're following the world just like any other development partners, like Australia."
He said the anti-China sentiments was an "agenda from somewhere".
"To us in Kiribati, having China and others, we pray that they work together as partners."
West Papua and New Caledonia issues
Teabo said Kiribati's stance is that West Papua is part of the Pacific family.
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has said he will apologise to fellow Melanesian leaders after failing to secure agreement from Indonesia to visit the province.
At last year's leaders meeting, the Melanesian Spearhead Group appointed Rabuka and Papua New Guinea PM James Marape as the region's "special envoys" on West Papua.
Teabo said he sympathises with indigenous West Papuans.
"As a Pacific islander, we know our brothers [from West Papua] are in the Pacific."
Another issue which is a prominent disucssion point at the Tonga summit is the ongoing political crisis in New Caledonia.
He said Kiribati believes that "one day" New Caledonia will gain independence from France.
"We are lucky. We got our independence," he added.
Climate action
Kiribati is one of the most climate vulnerable nations in the world.
Teabo said it is important big emitters make significant contributions to the Pacific Climate Resilience Facility.
Pacific leaders are set to operationalise a Pacific climate fund in Tonga this week, after years of struggling to access money other ways.
They still need US$300 million to meet the half-a-billion dollars target.
He said climate change means millions of dollars they have to spend each year for adaption.
He said their budget is "consumed" with "running around trying to solve [climate-related] problems" in their remote and scattered islands.
"Climate change is happening now and we in the Pacific are at the forefront [of its impact]. Sea level rise is happening," he said.
"We have schools that we have to move [and] relocate them."
He said due to its remoteness, Kiribati faces challenges with mobilising things, communication and transportation.
"With climate change, we believe there should be more [funding] coming [to address the challenges."