Beretitenti Taneti Maamau receives Letters of Credence of new British High Commissioner.
Bairiki, Kiribati, 2 March 2021 – His Excellency Beretitenti Taneti Maamau received the letters of credence of the new High Commissioner of Britain during a virtual ceremony held on Friday, 26 February 2021, at the MFAI wing of the Presidential Office complex in Bairiki.
Due to the current travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the format of this presentation which usually occurs in person at the State House, was adapted to take place virtually. The British High Commissioner, His Excellency George Edgar, had the privilege of being the first diplomat to present his letters of credence virtually to President Maamau.
In presenting his credentials, the High Commissioner conveyed the best wishes of his Government for the partnership between the two countries and peoples and expressed the sincere desire of his Government to build on the strong partnership between Britain and Kiribati during his tour of duty. He also congratulated President Maamau on his re-election as President and wished him success during his administration.
At a meeting following the presentation, the President congratulated the High Commissioner as he commences his tour of duty as High Commissioner to Kiribati. The President highlighted the significance of this ceremony being the first to be held virtually and the beginning of a new chapter that has great potential to deepen the bilateral relations between Kiribati and Britain. The President further expressed his strong desire for this new chapter to further enhance mutual cooperation between the two countries and peoples at the bilateral level as well as through multilateral institutions.
The President and High Commissioner also shared views on the COVID-19 pandemic particularly Britain’s support to the COVAX facility for the safe and equitable access of vaccines to all including Small Island Developing States like Kiribati. The President took the opportunity to extend the warm appreciation of Kiribati for the support provided by the British Government and her people for the repatriation of stranded nationals in Fiji facilitated by Kiribati’s High Commission in Suva.
The High Commissioner informed the President of the British Government’s strong desire to continue to engage in areas of mutual importance including climate change and oceans and provided an update on preparations for the upcoming UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow.
His Excellency George Edgar took up his appointment in August 2020 as British High Commissioner with residence in Suva, Fiji and succeeds former non-resident High Commissioner to Kiribati, Her Excellency Melanie Hopkins who completed her tour of duty last year.
E a tia Kautun Kiribati ae Beretitenti Taneti Maamau n butimwaai beebwan nakoan ana Ai Kamitina Buritan nakon Kiribati ae boou, His Excellency George Edgar. E karaoaki te bukamaru ae onoti aio n te Kaabong, 26 n Beberuare 2021 rinanon te intanete n te ‘zoom’ n ana aobiti te Tautaeka are tabe ma reitaki ma aban tinaniku ao boborau ke te Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
Te butimwaai ke te kamatoa aei e tataneiai n karaoaki n te State House ke ana Auti Kiribati ike a roroko iai n kawara Kiribati aia Ai Kamitina ke Ambatita aaba ake iai irekerekeia ma Kiribati n nikiri beebwan nakoaia nakon Te Beretitenti. Ma n te tai aei ao iaan kanganga aika noraki n irekereke ma kainakin mwamwannga ibukin te Aoraki ae buti ngkai ae te COVID-19, ao ea karaoaki te butimwaai aei rinanon te intanete. His Excellency George Edgar, ngaia te moan Ai Kamitina are ea butimwaeaki beebwan nakoana rinanon te Zoom are ea katabwena naba moan karaoan aei.
N uotakin beebwan nakoana ao e bon anga taeka n katekeraoi mai iroun te Tautaeka n Buritan te Ai Kamitina ae boou aei nakon te Tautaeka ao kaain Kiribati. E reiti taeka n katekeraoi aikai te Ai Kamitina ni kaota naba nanon te Tautaeka n Buritan ae teimatoa ibukin wakinan ao kamatoaan reitaki imarenan Buritan ao Kiribati. Irarikin aikai ao e bon katekeraoa naba Te Beretitenti ngkai ea tokara ao n waakina ana kauoua n teem n beku ibukin Kiribati.
N butimwaean beebwan nakoan te Ai Kamitina, ao e bon anga ana maroro Te Beretitenti n butimwaai nakon te Ai Kamitina ao n katekeraoia ngkai ea tia n kamatoaaki bwa ana Ai Kamitina Buritan nakon Kiribati ae boou. E katerea kakawakin te butimwaai aei te Beretitenti bwa ai bon tibwa te moan n karaoaki te butimwaai ao te kamatoa aei rinanon te intanete ao riki ngkai e nang manga waakinaki te mwaneka ae boou imarenan Kiribati ao Buritan rinanon te waaki n reitaki rinanon ana tarararua te Ai Kamitina ae boou aio. E keterea kakawakin te reitaki ae ti waakina ngkai te Beretitenti nakon te Ai Kamitina ao n kaota tauraoin Kiribati n reitanako te reitaki aei inanon te waaki n tautaeka ao rinanon botakin nako te aonnaba ma rabwata ake a uaia ni kaainaki irouia Kiribati ma Buritan.
E bon reke naba ana tai te Beretitenti ao te Ai Kamitina n maroroakina butin te Aoraki ae taona ngkai te aonnaba ae te COVID-19. E reita aio te Ai Kamitina n kaota ana ibuobuoki te Tautaeka n Buritan ni noora kakawakin katabangakan reken te iti n totoko ke te vaccine iaon te aoraki aio nakoia aaba ni kabane ai moarara riki aaba aika uarereke n aron Kiribati. E reke naba ana tai te Beretitenti n anga ana kakaitau te Tautaeka nakon te Tautaeka n Buritan ibukin ana ibuobuoki aei ao n reitia naba ma te ibuobuoki are ea tia n anga te Tautaeka n Buritan, rinanon ana Ai Kamitin are I Biti, ibukin kaokaia te nati n Kiribati ake a bae ngkai iaon Biti.
A reita aia maroro n tarai itera ma kanganga aika a kakawaki n aron bibitakin kanoan bong ao marurungin ara marawa. Itera aikai are ana manga tauraoi naba n maroroakinaki irouia kautun aaba n ana ka-26 n bowi te United Nations ae ataaki n arana ae te COP26. Te meeting aei ena boo I Scotland inanon November te ririki aei ao e reke ana tai te Ai Kamitina aio n maroroakini waaki n kakatauraoi ake a karaoaki ngkai.
Ai Kamitina George Edgar ea riki bwa ana Ai Kamitina Buritan nakon Kiribati ae boou are e na maeka ao ni mwakuri mai Biti. E onea mwin Melanie Hopkins are e bane ana tai n te ririki ae nako. E moan taua nakoana aio Ai Kamitina George Edgar n Aokati 2020 iaon Biiti.