10 Facts About Apisai Ielemia

Apisai Ielemia was a Tuvaluan politician who served as the tenth Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2006 to 2010.

Apisai Ielemia was re-elected to parliament in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.

The judge specified that if Apisai Ielemia had, in the context of his appeal, sought "an order staying his sentence of imprisonment [before] he had commenced to serve it", then his seat would not have become vacant, as he would not have been imprisoned.

Apisai Ielemia was elected to serve in the Parliament of Tuvalu by the constituency of Vaitupu on a non-partisan basis: his lack of alignment is not unusual in the politics of Tuvalu, since political parties have not emerged in the country.

In general elections held on 3 August 2006 prime minister Maatia Toafa's government was defeated and Apisai Ielemia was elected by the new parliament on 14 August to become the new prime minister.

Apisai Ielemia continued Tuvalu's pursuit of close relations with the Republic of China, and in December 2007 visited that country, where various bilateral issues were addressed.

Apisai Ielemia gained a higher international profile during the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen by highlighting the dangers of rising sea levels.

Apisai Ielemia was one of 10 MPs who were re-elected to parliament in the 2010 general election.

Apisai Ielemia was among Telavi's supporters, and was appointed to the Telavi Ministry as Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Environment, Trade, Labour and Tourism.

Apisai Ielemia died on 19 November 2018 at his home on Funafuti.