Tokelauan
Tokelauan () is a Polynesian language spoken in Tokelau and historically by the small population of Swains Island (or Olohega) in American Samoa. It is closely related to Tuvaluan language, Tuvaluan and is related to Samoan language, Samoan and ...
politician serving as current
Ulu-o-Tokelau
The Ulu-o-Tokelau is the head of government of Tokelau, often simply called the . The position rotates yearly between the (leaders) of Tokelau's three atolls: Atafu, Fakaofo, and Nukunonu. The current is Esera Fofō Tuisano, the ''faipule'' ...
since 17 March 2025 and as the of
Fakaofo
Fakaofo, formerly known as Bowditch Island, is a South Pacific Ocean atoll located in the Tokelau Group. The actual land area is only about 3 km2 (1.1 sq mi), consisting of islets on a coral reef surrounding a central lagoon of some 45 k ...
since March 2020. He had previously been the 28th (head of government of Tokelau) from March 2020 to March 2021.
Biography
Tuisano is from the island of
Fakaofo
Fakaofo, formerly known as Bowditch Island, is a South Pacific Ocean atoll located in the Tokelau Group. The actual land area is only about 3 km2 (1.1 sq mi), consisting of islets on a coral reef surrounding a central lagoon of some 45 k ...
, part of
Tokelau
Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, an ...
. He is married. Prior to entering politics, he was active in the
Pacific Regional Environment Programme
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is an intergovernmental organisation based in Apia, Samoa with more than 90 staff members. The organisation is held accountable by the governments and administrations of the Pa ...
(SPREP). In 2020, he ran for election as part of the
2020 Tokelauan general election
General elections were held in Tokelau on 23 January 2020.
Electoral system
The General Fono consists of a ''Faipule'' (representative) and a ''Pulenuku'' (village mayor) elected in each of the three villages (Atafu, Fakaofo and Nukunonu). Each ...
to be the of his island and was elected, succeeding
Afega Gaualofa
Aliki Faipule Afega Gaualofa is a Tokelauan politician who served as the 24th and 26th Head of Government of Tokelau from 8 March 2016 to 6 March 2017 and again from 5 March 2018 to 12 March 2019. He had also served as the ''Faipule'' (leader) of ...
and also becoming a member of the
General Fono
The General Fono () is the parliament of Tokelau. It has 20 members (15 before 2008), representing the 3 atolls. Elections are held every three years.
Tokelau is a de facto non-partisan democracy since both village and Fono elections are made w ...
– the Tokelauan parliament.
Although only just elected his island's ''Faipule'', Tuisano was named the (head of government of Tokelau) for the one-year term from March 2020 to March 2021. Working with
Administrator of Tokelau
The administrator of Tokelau is an official of the New Zealand Government, responsible for supervising the government of the dependent territory of Tokelau.
Powers and functions
Certain powers and functions of the administrator are set forth i ...
Ross Ardern
David Ross Ardern (born 28 February 1954) is a New Zealand diplomat and former police officer. He was the Administrator of Tokelau from 2018 to 2022, having previously served as the High Commissioner of New Zealand to Niue from 2014 to 2018, an ...
, Tuisano's term was marked by the territory's response to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. At the end of his term, he noted that "2020 has been a challenging year. I had only been elected for the first time as ''Faipule'' of Fakaofo and straight to the ''Ulu'' of Tokelau office in a global pandemic year that changed the norm for most countries in the world including Tokelau. It has been a difficult year but we successfully repatriated over 100 of our families back to Tokelau and held on to be one of the few countries in the world that is free of COVID-19."
In March 2021, Tuisano was succeeded as ''Ulu-o-Tokelau'' by
Kelihiano Kalolo
Aliki Kelihiano Kalolo"University has new chancellor" ''
. He was re-elected ''Faipule'' and to the General Fono in
2023
Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
, being named the minister of transport and support services and minister of energy.
In March 2025, Tuisano succeeded
Alapati Tavite
''Afioga Aliki Faipule'' Alapati Tavite is a Tokelauan politician who was the Ulu-o-Tokelau from March 2024 to March 2025. The Ulu serves as the dependent territory's head of government.
The office of Ulu rotates on an annual basis between ...