Teima Onorio (also as Teimwa) (born 1963[citation needed]) is an I-Kiribati politician who has been a Member of the House of Assembly since 1998. She served as the vice president of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016.[1][2]

Teimwa Onorio
Onorio in 2014
5th Vice President of Kiribati
In office
10 July 2003 – 12 March 2016
PresidentAnote Tong
Preceded byBeniamina Tinga
Succeeded byKourabi Nenem
Minister for Internal and Social Affairs
In office
2012–2016
Minister for Education, Youth and Sports Development
In office
2003–2007
In office
2008–2012
Minister for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives
In office
2007–2008
Member of the House of Assembly
Assumed office
1998
ConstituencyArorae
Personal details
Born1963 (age 60–61)
Political partyPillars of Truth
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington (BA)
University of East Anglia (MA)

Early life

edit

Onorio is the daughter of Rota Onorio, president of Council of State and acting President of Kiribati from 10 December 1982 until 18 February 1983. She was educated at Victoria University of Wellington (BA) and the University of East Anglia (MA, 1990).

Career

edit

Onorio served as Member of Parliament for the Arorae constituency from 1998 to 2002.[2] She has also held the post of Minister for Internal and Social Affairs since 2012.[3] She was Minister for Education, Youth and Sports Development from 2003 to 2007,[4] before heading the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives from 2007 to 2008[5] and then returning to Education, Youth and Sports Development from 2008 to 2012.

As Vice-President of Kiribati, she has represented the Alliance of Small Island States at the United Nations, speaking on the topic of climate change.[6]

President Anote Tong reappointed Onorio to a third consecutive term as Vice President on 19 January 2012, as part of his cabinet appointees.[7]

 
House of Assembly in South Tarawa

References

edit
  1. ^ "Kiribati Thanks Cuba for its Cooperation and Solidarity", Cuban News Agency, May 29, 2009
  2. ^ a b "Historical Information on the Parliament of Kiribati" Archived 2007-11-01 at the Wayback Machine, Kiribati Parliament website
  3. ^ "Cabinet Members (2012 - 2015)". Parliament of Kiribati. Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  4. ^ "Séance plénière - Quatorzième séance", UNESCO, October 7, 2003
  5. ^ "Composition du gouvernement: République de Kiribati", French Foreign Affairs Ministry, November 20, 2007
  6. ^ "Assemblée générale : appels épars au respect du protocole de Kyoto", UN News Centre, September 21, 2009
  7. ^ "Kiribati President Appoints New Cabinet". Kiribati Independent. Pacific Islands Report. 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2011-01-23.