Maatia Toafa

Maatia Toafa
Deputy Prime Minister of Tuvalu
In office
10 April 2015 – 9 September 2019
Prime MinisterEnele Sopoaga
Preceded byVete Sakaio
Succeeded byMinute Alapati Taupo
Minister of Finance
In office
5 August 2013 – 9 September 2019
Prime MinisterEnele Sopoaga
Preceded byLotoala Metia
Succeeded bySeve Paeniu
9th Prime Minister of Tuvalu
In office
29 September 2010 – 24 December 2010
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralIakoba Italeli
Preceded byApisai Ielemia
Succeeded byWilly Telavi
In office
11 October 2004 – 14 August 2006
Acting: 27 August 2004 – 11 October 2004
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralFaimalaga Luka
Preceded bySaufatu Sopoanga
Succeeded byApisai Ielemia
Member of Parliament
In office
25 July 2002 – 9 September 2019
Preceded byKokea Malua
Lagitupu Tuilimu
ConstituencyNanumea
Personal details
Born (1954-05-01) 1 May 1954 (age 70)
Political partyIndependent
SpousePulafagu Toafa[1]

Maatia Toafa OBE (born 1 May 1954) is a Tuvaluan politician, representing Nanumea, who served two non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of Tuvalu. He first served as prime minister, and foreign minister, from 2004 to 2006, from the resignation of his predecessor, Saufatu Sopoanga,[2] until the defeat of his Cabinet in the 2006 general election.[3] From 2004 to 2006 he also held the role of foreign minister.

He was re-elected to parliament in the 2010 general election;[4] and regained the premiership on 29 September 2010;[5] however he lost the support of the parliament following a motion of confidence on 21 December of the same year.[6] On 5 August 2013 Toafa became the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in the government of Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga.[7] He was appointed as deputy prime minister following the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.[8] He was not re-elected in the 2019 general election.[9]

Prior to entering domestic Tuvaluan politics, Toafa worked for the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji.

  1. ^ Papoutsaki, Evangelia (2008). South Pacific Islands Communication: Regional Perspectives, Local Issues. AMIC. ISBN 978-981-4136-08-2.
  2. ^ "New Tuvalu leader seeks stability". Radio New Zealand. 11 October 2004. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)". Inter-Parliamentary Union. 2006. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  4. ^ "Current Members (including Ministers and Private Members)". The Parliament of Tuvalu. Archived from the original on 5 March 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Interview with New Prime Minister of Tuvalu", Tuvalu News, 23 November 2010
  6. ^ "Nominations open for new Tuvalu PM", Radio New Zealand International, 22 December 2010
  7. ^ "Enele Sopoaga Sworn-in Today as Tuvalu's New PM". Islands Business. 5 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  8. ^ "Cabinet of Tuvalu, 2015". Fenui News. 10 April 2015. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  9. ^ Tahana, Jamie (10 September 2019). "Tuvalu elections: large turnover for new parliament". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 10 September 2019.

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