On Tuesday 4 December, Nauru formally opened the Court of Appeal, allowing the country, for the first time, to take full ownership and responsibility for all aspects of its justice system.
In January this year, President Baron Waqa told Parliament that, “Severance of ties to Australia’s highest court is a logical step towards full nationhood and an expression of confidence in Nauru’s ability to determine its own destiny.”
On May 10, 2018, the Act came into force which provided for the establishment of the Nauru Court of Appeal as the final appellate court.