Foreign relations of Kiribati

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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]

Regional relations

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.

Extra-regional relations

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.

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Kiribati maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...
# 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 Malaysia 15 March 1982[16]
16 France 3 December 1982[17]
17 Papua New Guinea Before 1982[18]
18 Peru 29 October 1983[19]
19 Portugal 15 November 1983[20]
20 Tuvalu March 1984[21]
21 Israel 21 May 1984[22]
22 Greece 1984[23]
23 India 7 August 1985[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 Paraguay 20 October 2021[43]
83 San Marino 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 18 December 2023[43]
88 Panama 30 January 2024[43]
89 Oman 2 July 2024[43]
90 Bulgaria 17 July 2024[43]
91   Nepal 17 July 2024[43]
92 Dominican Republic 18 July 2024[43]
93 Moldova 11 September 2024[43]
94 Guatemala 4 October 2024[67]
95 Belgium Unknown
96 Samoa Unknown
97 Tonga Unknown
98 United Arab Emirates Unknown
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Bilateral relations

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
Australia12 July 1979
China25 June 1980, broke off 29 November 2003. Restored 27 September 2019.[69]
Main article: China–Kiribati relations
Kiribati President Taneti Mamau and Republic of China President Tsai Ing-wen in May 2016.

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][71] On 7 November 2003, Kiribati established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC).[72] 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.[71]

On 9 January 2004, the ROC opened its embassy in Kiribati.[73] 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.[74] On 20 September 2019, Kiribati switched diplomatic relations from Taiwan to China, effectively cutting all relations to Taiwan.[75] Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said Beijing had used "dollar diplomacy" to influence the Kiribati government.[76]

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.[77][78]

Cuba2 September 2002[79]
Main article: Cuba–Kiribati relations

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.[80] 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%[81] As of September 2008, over twenty I-Kiribati medical students are studying in Cuba, at Cuba's expense.[82][83]

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.[82] The two countries signed an agreement on increased cooperation in the field of health.[84]

France3 December 1982, broke off 6 September 1995, Restored 6 February 1997
Main article: France–Kiribati relations

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.[85]

In 1995, Kiribati briefly suspended its diplomatic relations with France in protest against French nuclear tests at Mururoa in French Polynesia.[86]

Georgia28 September 2012
Main article: Georgia–Kiribati relations
  • Georgia is accredited to Kiribati from its embassy in Canberra, Australia.
Germany1 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.[87]

  • Kiribati has an honorary consul in Hamburg.
  • Germany has no embassy in Tarawa. The German embassy in Wellington is accredited for Kiribati.
India6 August 1985
Main article: India–Kiribati relations

Diplomatic relations between Kiribati and India were established on 6 August 1985.[88] 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.[89] This was increased to US$125,000 from 2009.[90]

Mexico13 October 2005
  • Kiribati does not have an accreditation to Mexico.
  • Mexico is accredited to Kiribati from its embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[91]
New Zealand12 July 1979
Main article: Kiribati–New Zealand relations
  • Kiribati has an honorary consulate in Wellington.[92]
  • New Zealand has a high commission in Tarawa.[93]
South Korea2 May 1980

The Republic of Kiribati and the Republic of Korea have established diplomatic relations on May 2, 1980.

  • Kiribati and South Korea have nice diplomatic relations and others things.[94]
United Kingdom12 July 1979
Main article: Kiribati–United Kingdom relations

Kiribati established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 12 July 1979

  • Kiribati does not maintain a high commission in the United Kingdom.
  • The United Kingdom is not accredited to Kiribati through a high commission; the UK develops relations through its high commission in Suva, Fiji.[95]

The UK governed Kiribati from 1892 until 1979, when Kiribati achieved full independence.

Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, the International Criminal Court and the United Nations. Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Agreement.[96]

United States12 August 1980
Main article: Kiribati–United States relations

Following its independence in 1979, Kiribati signed a treaty of friendship with the United States.[97] The United States Department of State characterizes U.S.–Kiribati relations as "excellent", as of 2009.[97] 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.[97] The U.S. provides economic development assistance through multilateral institutions.[97] From 1967 to 2008, the United States Peace Corps operated in Kiribati.[97]

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Aid and development

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.[82]

See also

References

External links

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