Lionel_Aingimea
Lionel Aingimea
President of Nauru from 2019 to 2022
Lionel Rouwen Aingimea (born 2 September 1965)[2] is a Nauruan lawyer and politician. He served as President of Nauru from 2019 to 2022.[3][4] He currently serves as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru.[5]
Lionel Aingimea | |
|---|---|
Aingimea in 2019 | |
| President of Nauru | |
| In office 27 August 2019 – 28 September 2022 | |
| Deputy | Martin Hunt[1] |
| Preceded by | Baron Waqa |
| Succeeded by | Russ Kun |
| Minister Assisting the President | |
| Assumed office 30 October 2023 | |
| President | David Adeang |
| Preceded by | Martin Hunt |
| Assistant Minister for Justice and Border Control | |
| In office 2016–2019 | |
| Member of Parliament for Meneng | |
| Assumed office 2016 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1965-09-02) 2 September 1965 (age 58) |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse |
Ingrid Engar (m. 1985) |
Aingimea was born in September 1965 into the Deiboe tribe.[2] He studied law in Australia and subsequently worked for the Regional Rights Resource Team NGO,[6] and as a public defender in the Marshall Islands.[7] He later worked as a lecturer in law at the University of the South Pacific.[7] On 20 December 1985, Aingemea married Ingrid Engar.[8]
Aingimea ran for election to Parliament in the Meneng Constituency in 2013, but failed to be elected. Following the elections, he joined the new administration of President Baron Waqa as Secretary for Justice.[6][7]
After successfully contesting the Meneng seat in the 2016 elections, he was appointed Assistant Minister for Justice and Border Control in Waqa's government,[6] serving under Minister for Justice David Adeang. He was re-elected in the 2019 elections, which saw Waqa lose his seat. Following the elections, he was elected President by Parliament, defeating Adeang by twelve votes to six.[9]
After Russ Kun's election as president, on 28 September 2022, Aingimea began serving as Deputy Speaker under Speaker Marcus Stephen.[5]
After President David Adeang was sworn in on 30 October 2023, Aingimea was made Minister for Justice, Foreign Affairs, the Nauru Police Force, Nauru Port, Nauru Shipping Line and Minister Assisting the President.[10]
- All new Cabinet named by Nauru President Aingimea Loop Nauru, 29 August 2019
- "Government Gazette 13th September 1965" (PDF). Ronlaw.gov.nr. Administration of Nauru.
- USP governance needs improvement: Aingimea Radio New Zealand, 3 July 2020
- Lionel Aingimea is Nauru's 15th President Nauru Bulletin, 11 September 2019
- "Pacific news in brief for September 28". RNZ. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- Nauru Parliament picks lawyer Lionel Aingimea for president Deutsche Welle, 27 August 2019
- Lionel Rouwen Aingimea elected President of Nauru Archived 2019-08-28 at the Wayback Machine PMN News, 27 August 2019
- Cain, M. B. (8 January 1986). "MARRIAGES" (PDF). Republic of Nauru Government Gazette (2): 6.
- Nauru's Parliament elects former human rights lawyer Lionel Aingimea as President ABC News, 27 August 2019
- "Nauru's President Adeang sworn in, names his Cabinet". RNZ. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
