25 Facts About Henry Puna

Henry Tuakeu Puna was born on 29 July 1949 and is a Cook Islands politician.

Henry Puna was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from November 2010 to October 2020.

Henry Puna lost his seat at the 2006 election, but regained it in the CIP victory at the 2010 election which saw him elected prime minister.

In June 2020 Henry Puna announced his intention to stand down as prime minister in September to compete for the role of secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Henry Puna stepped down from office on 1 October 2020.

Henry Puna was educated on Aitutaki and Rarotonga before studying law at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and the University of Tasmania in Australia.

Henry Puna worked as a lawyer, public-servant and pearl-farmer before entering politics.

Henry Puna first stood for Parliament at the 2004 election, contesting Prime Minister Robert Woonton's seat of Manihiki.

Henry Puna narrowly lost the seat on election night, but challenged the result in an election petition.

In September 2006, following the retirement of party leader Geoffrey Henry, Puna was elected leader of the Cook Islands Party.

Henry Puna subsequently lost his seat in the Manihiki constituency to Apii Piho in the 2006 election, but continued to serve as leader outside Parliament.

Henry Puna worked as a lawyer and pearl farmer during his time out of parliament.

Henry Puna was re-elected as MP for Manihiki during the 2010 election, in which his party won 16 of the 24 seats.

Shortly after being elected, Henry Puna faced international condemnation after suggesting that the Cook Islands' first HIV victim should be quarantined or deported to prevent the disease from spreading.

Henry Puna was dropped from Cabinet entirely during a reshuffle in November, but later reinstated in January 2014.

Henry Puna's government eked out a narrow victory in the 2014 Cook Islands general election, winning 13 of 24 seats on a minority of the votes, but lost its majority after electoral petitions.

Residents voted to scrap the flights, but Henry Puna refused to say whether he would accept the result.

In June 2015, Henry Puna announced plans for the Cook Islands to join the United Nations.

In March 2016 Henry Puna's government signed a fisheries agreement with the European Union allowing European vessels to use controversial purse seining in Cook Islands waters.

Henry Puna's government continued to emphasize a need for action on climate change, while expanding its diplomatic ties.

In November 2019 Henry Puna announced his government's intention to ratify the PACER Plus trade agreement.

In 2020, Henry Puna led his government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 17 June 2020 Henry Puna announced his intention to stand down as Prime Minister in September to compete for the role of Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum.

On 24 March 2021 Henry Puna resigned as an MP, triggering the 2021 Manihiki by-election.

Henry Puna vacated the role at the end of his first term on 23 May 2024.