35 Facts About Enele Sopoaga

Enele Sosene Sopoaga PC was born on 10 February 1956 and is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019.

Enele Sopoaga served as deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs, the environment and labour in Prime Minister Maatia Toafa's short-lived government from September to December 2010.

Enele Sopoaga became caretaker prime minister on 1 August 2013 following Telavi's removal by the Governor General, in the context of a political crisis.

Enele Sopoaga was sworn in on 5 August 2013, and created his ministry the same day.

Enele Sopoaga received a Certificate in Diplomatic Studies from Oxford University in 1990, and a master's degree from the University of Sussex in 1994.

Enele Sopoaga is the younger brother of Saufatu Sopoaga, who was prime minister from 2002 to 2004.

From 1980 until 1986, Enele Sopoaga served as an Education Administrator within the Ministry of Social Services.

Enele Sopoaga became the Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Social Services in 1986.

Enele Sopoaga was the Assistant Secretary and European Union National Authorizing Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economic Planning, both between 1986 and 1991.

Enele Sopoaga was the acting officer within the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Economic Planning from 1991 until 1992.

Enele Sopoaga then served as the Permanent Secretary and European Union National Authorizing Officer within the Tuvaluan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Economic Planning from 1992 to 1995.

Enele Sopoaga simultaneously served as the Tuvaluan High Commissioner to both Papua New Guinea and Samoa.

Enele Sopoaga subsequently served as his country's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2001 to 2006.

Enele Sopoaga served as the vice-chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States from January 2002.

Enele Sopoaga has been described as "Tuvalu's climate change negotiator", tasked with raising the profile of the dangers posed by climate change in Tuvalu and other small island nations.

Enele Sopoaga, who was elected to parliament for the Nukufetau constituency was expected to pose a strong challenge to Ielemia for the office of prime minister during the formation of a new government.

Enele Sopoaga stood for the premiership, but lost to Willy Telavi by seven votes to eight.

Enele Sopoaga continued to call for international initiatives to tackle climate change, including "adaptation techniques", a transfer of affordable sustainable technologies to vulnerable developing nations.

Enele Sopoaga told Radio Australia that Tuvalu was now suffering from "long, serious" periods of drought, affecting crops.

Enele Sopoaga stated that Tuvaluans' "right to correct information is curtailed by censorship".

Enele Sopoaga suggested that the establishing of diplomatic relations with specific foreign countries should be decided by Parliament, not solely by the Cabinet.

Enele Sopoaga became prime minister in a caretaker capacity following the dismissal of incumbent Willy Telavi by Governor-General Iakoba Italeli on 1 August 2013.

Enele Sopoaga was sworn in by Italeli on 5 August 2013, and created his ministry the same day.

Enele Sopoaga promoted a number of high-profile Tuvaluan politicians back to cabinet, including Vete Sakaio who was appointed the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Utilities; and Maatia Toafa, who was appointed Finance and Economic Development' Maatia Toafa was previously the prime minister of Tuvalu from 2004 to 2006 and again in 2010.

Enele Sopoaga said his administration will focus on working to make Tuvalu less vulnerable to climate change and global economic forces.

Enele Sopoaga was re-elected as a member of parliament in the 2019 general election.

Enele Sopoaga was re-elected as a member of parliament in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.

The Tuvalu Constitutional Review Project was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Tuvalu, when Enele Sopoaga was prime minister.

In July 2020, Enele Sopoaga was appointed to the Constitutional Review Parliamentary Select Committee.

Enele Sopoaga served as the main spokesman for the Pacific Small Island Developing States at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, and was one of the chief negotiators for global action on climate change, with Tuvalu receiving attention for its strong advocacy on the issue.

Enele Sopoaga proposed amending the draft climate treaty so as to require all countries to limit the rise in global air temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Prime minister Enele Sopoaga said at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference that the goal for COP21 should be a global temperature rise of below 1.5 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels, which is the position of the Alliance of Small Island States.

Enele Sopoaga was appointed the lead spokesperson for the Pacific Small Island Developing States at COP21.

Prime minister Enele Sopoaga said in his speech to the meeting of heads of state and government:.

Enele Sopoaga described the important outcomes of COP21 as including the stand-alone provision for assistance to small island states and some of the least developed countries for loss and damage resulting from climate change and the ambition of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.