Nauru President Baron Waqa

Nauru calls for urgent climate action for Pacific at meeting with UN chief

UN chief António Guterres travelled to Fiji, Tuvalu, New Zealand and Vanuatu to discuss the looming threat of climate change, and while in Fiji attended the special meeting at the Forum secretariat, that is aimed at building momentum ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit to be held in New York in September.

At the meeting, President Waqa delivered an address highlighting the rich cultural traditions of the islands, their fight for independence, and importantly their vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

Nauru President Waqa delivers Christmas message of love and generosity

“For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son,” was the beginning of the president’s message to the nation, underscoring that Nauruans are proud to embrace being Christians, especially at this time of celebrating the birth of Christ.

President Waqa encouraged brotherly love emphasising that Christmas is a time of happiness, a time for giving and a time for renewing.

Christmas 2018 is particularly special for Nauruans as they continue to celebrate the nation’s 50th anniversary of independence.

Israel welcomes Nauru’s President

Such epithets can usually be taken with a grain of salt, except when it comes to the smallest island states in the South Pacific.

When President Reuven Rivlin welcomed Nauru’s 14th President Baron Waqa and his delegation on Sunday, he was absolutely sincere in all the compliments he heaped on Nauru, because Nauru is Israel’s most unconditional and uncritical friend, invariably voting for and with Israel in every public forum in which they are both members – including the United Nations.

Nauru and Australia to discuss US refugee deal

According to the deal reached last year, some of Australia's refugees held on Nauru and in Papua New Guinea would be settled in the US while Australia is supposed to take refugees from Central America.

RNZ reports today's talks in Sydney will be between Nauru's President, Baron Waqa, and the Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Waqa is also due to meet Australia's foreign minister Julie Bishop, officials from the Asian Development Bank, opposition MPs and the Australian Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove.

     

Nauru president on state visit to visit Australia

Nauru President Baron Waqa will hold talks on renewable energy and immigration policy when he visits Australia later this week.

Mr Waqa will be the first Nauru president to visit Australia for more than two decades.

During the four-day visit, he'll meet Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NSW Governor David Hurley in Sydney.

In Canberra, he'll tour the Mount Majura Solar Farm and discuss renewable energy with senior management, visit the Australian War Memorial to lay a wreath, and be officially welcomed at Government House by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove.

Taiwan welcomes President of Nauru

The Nauruan President was welcomed with a ceremonial red carpet and a 21-gun salute at Taipei’s National Concert Hall main plaza, before delivering a speech.  

In her speech, Tsai said Taiwan and Nauru have maintained cordial relations with numerous cooperation projects, spanning agriculture, medical services, public health, and the development of clean energy.

Malcolm Turnbull thanks Nauruan President for 'combating people smuggling'

Mr Turnbull met with President Baron Waqa Friday on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum in Micronesia.

The meeting between the pair follows a decision by the Nauruan Government to refuse a visa to crossbench MP Andrew Wilkie, who had planned to visit the immigration detention centre on the island.

Mr Turnbull used the meeting to thank President Waqa for his Government's support regarding the centre, which has been in use since it was reopened by the Gillard government in 2012.

PIFS Secretary General Congratulates Nauru President

President Baron Waqa was sworn in this week.

“On behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, I convey to you our warmest congratulations on your re-election as the President of Nauru. The commencement of your second presidency reflects the confidence in your abilities as a leader by the people of Nauru, as well as your parliamentary peers.” wrote SG Taylor.

Statement from HE Baron Waqa MP, President of Nauru

All members of the Waqa Government were re-elected except speaker Ludwig Scotty, to whom I send my heartfelt thanks for serving the people of Nauru for over three decades.

I also acknowledge other MPs from the last parliament who lost their seats – Mathew Batsiua, Marcus Stephen, Sprent Dabwido and Squire Jeremiah – and thank them for their service.

Nauru points to advocates over refugee protests

Baron Waqa issued a video message on the government website a day after the Australian immigration minister, Peter Dutton, blamed refugee advocates for two refugees setting fire to themselves in the past week.

RNZI reports one of them has since died.