Bikenibeu Paeniu

Bikenibeu Paeniu (born 10 May 1956) is a Tuvaluan politician and diplomat who is the current ambassador of Tuvalu to Taiwan. He has served twice as the Prime Minister of Tuvalu and represented the constituency of Nukulaelae in the Parliament of Tuvalu.

Political career

Paeniu made his entrance on the political scene in November 1989, when he won a seat in the Parliament of Tuvalu following a by-election.

First premiership

Following the 1989 Tuvaluan general election on 27 September 1989, he challenged Prime Minister Tomasi Puapua in the general election and won, becoming the youngest ever Prime Minister of Tuvalu at age 33. Paeniu formed a five-member Cabinet on 16 October 1989, in which he also held the role as foreign minister.

The next general election was held on 25 November 1993. In the subsequent parliament the members were evenly split in their support of Paeniu and Puapua. The subsequent parliament elected Kamuta Latasi as prime minister on 10 December 1993, with a 7 to 5 majority over the group of members of parliament headed by Paeniu. Paeniu remained as prime minister until he resigned following a motion of no confidence adopted on 27 April 1999 and was succeeded by Ionatana Ionatana.

Subsequent career

Paeniu continued to sit as a Member of Parliament, representing the constituency of Nukulaelae island. In addition, he served as Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in the cabinets of Koloa Talake, Saufatu Sopoanga and Maatia Toafa.

Paeniu lost his seat in the 2006 general election. He faced challenges not only from independent Namoliki Sualiki, but also from his own brother and nephew, Iefata and Luke, who stood against him in his constituency. Bikenibeu Paeniu received 65 votes (ahead of Lukes's 64 and Iefata's 21), but Sualiki was elected with 109.

Paeniu is an alumnus of the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, where he resided as of 2016.

In June 2022, he presented his credentials as ambassador of Tuvalu to Tsai Ing-wen, the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan).