Teatao Teannaki (15 June 1935 – 11 October 2016) was an I-

Kiribati Kiribati, officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island country in the Micronesia subregion of Oceania in the central Pacific Ocean. Its permanent population is over 119,000 as of the 2020 census, and more than half live on Tarawa. The st ...

political figure A politician is a person who participates in policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles or duties tha ...

who served as the second

president of Kiribati The president of Kiribati () is the head of state and head of government of Kiribati. Following a general election, by which citizens elect the members of the House of Assembly (Kiribati), House of Assembly, members select from their midst "no ...

from 1991 until 1994. He was first elected to represent

Abaiang Abaiang, also known as Apaiang, Apia, and in the past, Charlotte Island, in the Northern Gilbert Islands, is a coral atoll of Kiribati, located in the west-central Pacific Ocean. Abaiang was the island of the first missionary to arrive in the G ...

in the House of Assembly of the Gilbert Islands. Teatao Teannaki, Minister of State in the previous government of Chief Minister Naboua Ratieta, became Minister for Education, Training and Culture in March 1978. At independence on 12 July 1979, Tabai immediately nominated Teannaki as vice-president. He served as

vice president of Kiribati The vice-president of Kiribati () is the vice president, deputy head of State of the Kiribati, Republic of Kiribati. His or her constitutional functions are to exercise the duties of the President of Kiribati, temporarily or permanently, should th ...

under the three mandates of Sir

Ieremia Tabai Ieremia Tienang Tabai (born 16 December 1949) is an I-Kiribati politician who served as the first president of Kiribati from 1979 to 1991. He previously served in the equivalent role, chief minister, under the colonial government from 1978 ...

. He would also serve as the Minister of Home Affairs in 1987, and as

Minister of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfolio ...

from 1987 to 1991. Replacing Babera Kirata, suddenly dead before the general election, he was narrowly elected to replace Tabai as the

President of Kiribati The president of Kiribati () is the head of state and head of government of Kiribati. Following a general election, by which citizens elect the members of the House of Assembly (Kiribati), House of Assembly, members select from their midst "no ...

on behalf of the National Progressive Party of Kiribati from 8 July 1991 until 1 October 1994. It is said that Tabai continued to exert political influence in the Kiribati government throughout Teannaki's term. Teannaki also served as Foreign Minister beginning in 1992. He was succeeded by

Teburoro Tito Teburoro Tito (born 25 August 1953) is an I-Kiribati politician and diplomat who served as the third president of Kiribati from 1994 to 2003. Early life Teburoro Tito was born in Tanaeang, a village in Tabiteuea North, on 25 August 1952 or 1953. ...

after defeat in a September 1994 election. Teannaki was at the helm of the National Progressive Party as of July 2015. Teannaki died in a maneaba namely Ueen Abaiang during a meeting with the Unimane of Abaiang Called " te Ie nao" (following a heart attack on 11 October 2016. at the age of 80.

References

*Lentz, Harris M., III. ''Heads of State and Governments". Jefferson, NC:McFarland & Company, Inc. 1994. . 1930s births 2016 deaths Presidents of Kiribati Vice-presidents of Kiribati Speakers of the House of Assembly of Kiribati Members of the House of Assembly (Kiribati) Finance ministers of Kiribati Government ministers of Kiribati National Progressive Party (Kiribati) politicians People from the Gilbert Islands 20th-century I-Kiribati politicians 21st-century I-Kiribati politicians Tobwaan Kiribati Party politicians 20th-century presidents in Oceania {{Kiribati-politician-stub