Casten Nemra Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency
Casten Nemra
Office1:Minister of Finance
Term Start1:29 June 2023
Term End1:January 2024
President1:David Kabua
Predecessor1:Brenson Wase
Successor1:David Paul
Order3:7th
Office3:President of the Marshall Islands
Term Start3:11 January 2016
Term End3:28 January 2016
Predecessor3:Christopher Loeak
Successor3:Hilda Heine
Office2:Minister of Foreign Affairs
Term Start2:13 January 2020
Term End2:2022
President2:David Kabua
Predecessor2:John Silk
Successor2:Kitlang Kabua
Birth Date:29 July 1971
Party:Independent
Spouse:Terry Paul Nemra
Children:4
Alma Mater:Portland State University

Casten Ned Nemra (born July 29, 1971) is a Marshallese politician who was President of the Marshall Islands for 17 days in January 2016. He was elected by the Nitijeļā (Parliament) as President in January 2016, following the 2015 general election, narrowly defeating Senator Alvin Jacklick, a seven-term member of Parliament, by a 17–16 vote.[1] He was the youngest person to hold the job and the second commoner.[2] He was ousted by a vote of no confidence after just two weeks in office by the opposition for jumping ship and joining Iroij Mike Kabua's Aelon Kein Ad party along with Senators Dennis Momotaro and Daisy-Alik Momotaro.[3]

Early life and education

Nemra was born on July 29, 1971, in Ebeye, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, which were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands at the time.[4] He was educated at Assumption High School, a Roman Catholic school in Majuro.[4] Nemra received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Portland State University in 2000.[4]

Career

Nemra served as the Budget Director for Office of International Development Assistance from 2001 to 2004.[4] He then served as Assistant Secretary for the Ministry of Finance from 2004 to 2007.[4] Nemra was next appointed the Chief Secretary of the Republic of the Marshall Islands from 2008 until 2015.[4]

Nemra was elected as a Senator in the Nitijeļā in the 2015 general election, representing the Jaluit Atoll constituency in the Ralik Chain.[4]

He was the foreign minister of the Marshall Islands from 2020 to 2022.[5] As foreign minister, he highlighted that the Marshallese government and people "have no intention to relocate" or become climate refugees. He said in April 2021 that the Marshallese are on the islands to stay.[6] He was appointed as Minister of Finance in June 2023.[7]

Personal life

Nemra is married to Terry Paul Nemra, the former First Lady of the Marshall Islands. The couple have four children.[4] A resident of Jaluit Atoll, Nemra speaks both English and Marshallese.[4]

Notes and References

  1. News: Casten Nemra elected new RMI President . . 2016-01-04 . 2016-01-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160104053442/http://marshallislandsjournal.com/Journal_WP/?p=2825 . 2016-01-04. live.
  2. Web site: Nemra elected Marshall Islands President. 4 January 2016. Radio New Zealand. 27 January 2016.
  3. News: Giff . Johnson . Hilda emerges as RMI President . . 2016-01-28 . 2016-01-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160201023226/http://marshallislandsjournal.com/Journal_WP/?p=2921# . 2016-02-01 . dead.
  4. News: Members: President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands – His Excellency President Casten Nemra . . 2016-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160126230507/http://rmiparliament.org/cms/members.html#president-of-the-republic-of-the-marshall-islands-his-excellency-president-casten-nemra . 2016-01-26. live.
  5. Web site: Members.
  6. News: Climate-affected Marshall Islands don't intend to relocate . 23 April 2021 . . 23 April 2021.
  7. Web site: Casten takes up Finance . The Marshall Islands Journal . en-AU . 29 June 2023.