Opposition leader calls withdrawal from PIF an ‘extreme move’ and claims the reasons offered by Kiribati’s president were just excuses
, claiming that the Maamau administration was weak, vulnerable and greatly indebted to a superpower that was aggressively trying to acquire strong footing in the region.
“President Maamau is trying to portray to the region and the world that Kiribati has been abandoned and excluded from consultations and due considerations and that we are not part of the Pacific family, hence the withdrawal,” Lambourne said. In February 2021, Micronesian leaders announced plans to leave the regional body after their candidate for secretary general was passed over in favour of a Polynesian candidate, despite a “gentleman’s agreement” that the top job should be shared between Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian candidates.
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