Anote Tong | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Tong in September 2011 | |
| 4th President of Kiribati | |
| In office 10 July 2003 – 11 March 2016 | |
| Vice President | Teima Onorio |
| Preceded by | Tion Otang (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Taneti Maamau |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 June 1952 Tabuaeran, Gilbert and Ellice Islands (now Kiribati) |
| Political party | Pillars of Truth |
| Spouse | Meme Tong |
| Alma mater | University of Canterbury (BS) London School of Economics (MS) |
Anote Tong (simplified Chinese: 汤安诺; traditional Chinese: 湯安諾; pinyin: Tāng Ānnuò; born 11 June 1952) is an I-Kiribati environmental activist[1][2] and former politician for the Pillars of Truth party with half Chinese heritage, who served as the fourth president of Kiribati, from 2003 to 2016. He won the election in July 2003 with a slim plurality of votes cast (47.4%) against his older brother, Harry Tong (43.5%) and the private lawyer Banuera Berina (9.1%).[3] The elections were contested by the opposition, due to allegations of electoral fraud but the High Court of Tarawa had confirmed that there was no fraud. He was re-elected on 17 October 2007 for a second term (64%). In 2012, Tong was reelected for a third term, although with a significantly smaller percentage than in the previous two elections.[4]
Tong is primarily known abroad for his efforts to raise "global awareness on the threat posed by climate change".[5]
- ^ Perrone, Tommaso (22 December 2017). "Anote Tong. It's not just the climate that's at stake, it's the future of a generation". LifeGate. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ West, Rebecca. "Former President of Kiribati puts the island nation on the map in the fight against climate change". CBC News. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
Despite his naysayers, former President Tong has succeeded in gaining international recognition and attention for his environmental activism.
- ^ "Country profile: Kiribati". BBC News. 29 April 2009. Archived from the original on 11 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
- ^ [1] Archived 3 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Committee to campaign for Nobel Peace Prize for Anote Tong", Radio Australia, 20 December 2013