Kiribati–United States relations explained

Mission1:	Kiribati Consulate, Honolulu
Mission2:	United States Embassy, Suva
Envoy1:	Ambassador Teburoro Tito
Envoy2:	Ambassador Marie C. Damour

Kiribati and the United States have diplomatic relations. Geographically, Kiribati is the closest neighboring country to the state of Hawaii.

History

Flagvariant2:

1912

Before independence

See also: Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign, Marshalls–Gilberts raids, Battle of Tarawa and Canton and Enderbury Islands.

After independence

Following its independence in 1979, Kiribati signed a treaty of friendship with the United States. The United States Department of State characterizes U.S.–Kiribati relations as "excellent", . Diplomatic relations are conducted by the I-Kiribati Ambassador to the United States. The United States has no consular or diplomatic facilities in the country. Officers of the American Embassy in Suva, Fiji, are concurrently accredited to Kiribati and make periodic visits. The U.S. Peace Corps, an independent United States federal agency, had maintained a program in Kiribati since 1967. However, the Corps announced plans to pull out of Kiribati in November 2008 after 35 years of working in the country.^[1] Michael Koffman, the Peace Corps Country Director for Kiribati, cited the frequently cancelled and erratic air service in the country as the main reason the Peace Corps was leaving Kiribati.^[1]

In 2023, the United States announced plans to open up an embassy in Kiribati, as part of a larger regional push to strengthen ties in the Pacific.^[2]

Embassy

United States

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials include:

• US Ambassador – Marie C. Damour (since 2022).^[3]

The U.S. Embassy responsible for Kiribati is located in Suva, Republic of the Fiji Islands.

Kiribati

Principal Kiribati Officials include

• Permanent Representative of Kiribati to the United Nations - Teburoro Tito

The Kiribati Permanent Mission to the UN serves as the Embassy in the US.

See also

• Foreign relations of the United States
• Foreign relations of Kiribati
• List of ambassadors of Kiribati to the United States

Further reading

• Web site: Secretary Clinton on Amelia Earhart . 20 March 2012 . I especially want to welcome Tessie Lambourne, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Republic of Kiribati. [She]...and her husband David...traveled three days to get here for this wonderful event. (Applause.) . 2013-06-08.

External links

• History of Kiribati - U.S. relations

Notes and References

1. News: Batiri. Bataua. Peace Corps To Quit Kiribati. Pacific Magazine. 3 July 2008. 2 July 2008.
2. Web site: US set to open Tonga embassy in May as Pacific push ramps up. en-GB . May 2, 2023 . May 2, 2023 . .
3. Web site: Suva . U. S. Embassy . December 24, 2022 . Ambassador . April 30, 2024 . U.S. Embassy in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu . en-US.