| David Kabua | |
| Honorific-Prefix: | The Honorable |
| Office: | 9th President of the Marshall Islands |
| Term Start: | 13 January 2020 |
| Term End: | 3 January 2024 |
| Predecessor: | Hilda Heine |
| Successor: | Hilda Heine |
| Office1: | 10th Minister in Assistance to the President |
| Term Start1: | 11 January 2016 |
| Term End1: | 28 January 2016 |
| President1: | Casten Nemra |
| Predecessor1: | Wilbur Heine |
| Successor1: | Mattlan Zackhras |
| Birth Date: | 1951 |
| Party: | Independent |
| Spouse: | Ginger Kabua[1] |
| Children: | 3 |
| Parents: | |
David Kabua (born 1951) is a Marshallese politician who served as President of the Marshall Islands from 2020 to 2024. He has represented Wotho Atoll in the Legislature of the Marshall Islands since 2008 and served terms as Minister of Health and Internal Affairs.
Kabua was born in Majuro in 1951 as the fourth child and second son of the first President of the Marshall Islands, Amata Kabua, and his wife, former First Lady Emlain Kabua.[2] [3] He was educated in Xavier High School in Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia where he graduated in 1971 and later studied at the University of Hawaii.[3] [4] Kabua subsequently worked as teacher aide, student liaison officer and general manager of the Marshall Islands Development Authority. He was the consul general of the Marshall Islands in Orange County, California, United States, for four years. He also worked as a private business owner for a decade.[3]
In the 2007 Marshallese general election Kabua was elected to the Legislature of the Marshall Islands for Wotho Atoll for the first time. He was re-elected in the 2011 Marshallese general election.[3] During his second term he served as Minister of Health from 2012 and 2013[5] [6] and in 2014 he was made Minister of Internal Affairs in a cabinet reshuffle.[7] He was once again elected in the 2015 Marshallese general election.[3] He was Minister in Assistance to the President of Marshall Islands in the cabinet of Casten Nemra in January 2016.[8]
During the 2019 Marshallese general election he was re-elected for Wotho Atoll with 120 votes.[9] On 6 January 2020 Kabua was elected President of the Marshall Islands by the national legislature by a vote of 20–12 with one abstention. He succeeded Hilda Heine, who was seeking a second term, but lost in the first session vote.[10] Kabua said that combating climate change, negotiating with the US regarding the extension of a funding arrangement that expires in 2024 and addressing the issue of Runit Dome as the top priorities of his presidency.[11] Meaghan Tobin, writing for the South China Morning Post described Kabua as a moderate politician who would continue the country's relationship with Taiwan.[12]
In September 2020, in the lead up to the 75th General Assembly of the United Nations Kabua wrote a public letter to The Guardian in which he warned about the risks of climate change to his country, stating that his country could disappear.[13]
On 3 January 2024 Hilda Heine took over the presidency from Kabua.[14]
Kabua and his cabinet were sworn into office by Chief Justice Carl Ingram of the High Court of the Marshall Islands on 13 January 2020.[15]
| Ministry | Minister | Period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minister in Assistance to the President and of Environment | Christopher Loeak | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade | Casten Nemra | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Health and Human Services | Bruce Bilimon | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Finance, Banking and Postal Service | Alfred Alfred Jr. | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Transportation, Communication and Information Technology | Donald Capelle | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Works, Infrastructure and Utilities | Jiba Kabua | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Justice, Immigration and Labor | Kessai Note | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Culture and Internal Affairs | Jemi Nashion | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Education, Sports and Training | Kitlang Kabua | 13 January 2020 | |
| Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce | Sandy Alfred | 13 January 2020 |
Kabua is married to Ginger Kabua, together they have three children.[16] [3]