Panapasi Nelesoni

The Honourable
Panapasi Nelesoni
MP
Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance and Development
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 February 2024
Prime MinisterFeleti Teo
Preceded bySeve Paeniu (Minister of Finance)
Minister for Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs
In office
August 2023 – 27 February 2024
Prime MinisterKausea Natano
Preceded bySimon Kofe
Member of Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
30 June 2023
Preceded byFatoga Talama
ConstituencyNukufetau
Personal details
Political partyIndependent

Panapasi Nelesoni is a Tuvaluan politician. He was previously a civil servant, including being the Secretary to the Government.[1] He was elected to parliament to represent Nukufetau in a by-election held on 30 June 2023.[2][3]

In August 2023, Nelesoni was appointed as the Minister for Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs.[2][4] to succeed Simon Kofe, who resigned as the minister to focus on parliamentary work to amend the Constitution.[5]

During Nelesoni's term as foreign minister, prime minister Kausea Natano signed the Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union, a bilateral treaty which covered migration, climate change, security arrangements and their bilateral diplomatic relationship.[6][7]

Nelesoni was re-elected in the 2024 general election.[3][8] He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance and Development in the Teo Ministry.[9]

  1. ^ "Toafa wins Tuvalu's prime ministership for second time". Radio New Zealand. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b "MFAT Document Schedule Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade of New Zealand. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b Marinaccio, Jess (10 February 2024). "Tuvalu's 2024 general election: a new political landscape". PolicyDevBlog. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Pacific news in brief: Tuvalu - minister resigns". Radio New Zealand. 31 July 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  5. ^ Wright, Stephen (30 July 2023). "Pacific climate campaigner resigns as Tuvalu foreign minister". Benar News. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty". Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  7. ^ Daniel Hurst and Josh Butler. "Australia to offer residency to Tuvalu citizens displaced by climate change". The Guardian Australia. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  8. ^ "Tuvalu general election: Six newcomers in parliament". Radio New Zealand. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Cabinet lineup of new Tuvalu government unveiled". Radio New Zealand. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.