Joe Natuman

Joe Natuman (born 24 November 1952 Minister for Judicial Services, Culture and Women's Affairs in 1996 Minister for Lands, Energy, Geology and Mines in 1997 Minister for Education in 1998 Minister for Internal Affairs from April to March 2002 Minister for Education in 2004 Minister for Internal Affairs from 2007 to 2008. While Minister of Education, he was chairman of the Vanuatu National Commission for UNESCO.

Prime Minister Edward Natapei appointed him Minister for Lands in 2008, then reshuffled him to the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Telecommunications in 2010. Natapei's government was ousted in a motion of no confidence in December 2010, and Natuman sat on the Opposition benches until Serge Vohor ascended to the premiership in a successful motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Sato Kilman on Easter Sunday (24 April), 2011, and restored Natuman as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Three weeks later, however, Vohor's election and premiership were voided by the Court of Appeal, and Natuman lost his position in government (13 May). On 16 June, Kilman's election and premiership were themselves voided by the Supreme Court, on constitutional grounds, and previous Prime Minister Edward Natapei became caretaker Prime Minister until a new leader could be elected. Natuman was restored as interim Minister of Foreign Affairs. Transparency International subsequently praised Natuman for having, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, "proceeded with a full clean-up" in the selling of diplomatic passports which had occurred frequently under previous governments. On 26 June 2011, Sato Kilman was elected Prime Minister by Parliament, and Natuman lost his position in government.

Natuman was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in 2018 and given a suspended sentence. He was pardoned by the President of Vanuatu, Tallis Obed Moses, in September 2021, which restores his eligibility to run for public office again.