Dalton Tagelagi | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Tagelagi in 2023 | |
| Prime Minister of Niue | |
| Assumed office 11 June 2020 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Governor-General | Patsy Reddy Cindy Kiro |
| Preceded by | Toke Talagi |
| Minister for Natural Resources | |
| In office May 2017 – June 2020 | |
| Premier | Toke Talagi |
| Preceded by | Billy Talagi |
| Member of theNiue Assembly fromAlofi South | |
| Assumed office May 2008 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi (1968-06-05)5 June 1968 (age 57) Alofi, Niue |
| Political party | Independent |
| Relatives | Sonya Talagi (half-sister) |
| Occupation |
|
Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi (born 5 June 1968)[1] is a Niuean politician who is serving as the sixth and currentprime minister of Niue since June 2020. He was elected premier by theNiue Legislative Assembly on 11 June 2020, defeatingO'Love Jacobsen by 13 votes to 7.[2]
Tagelagi is the son ofSam Pata Emani Tagelagi, who served as Speaker of theNiue Legislative Assembly from 1972 to 1996.
Dalton Tagelagi was born on 5 June 1968 inAlofi, Niue.[1] His father,Sam Pata Emani Tagelagi, served as the Speaker of theNiue Legislative Assembly from 1972 until 1996. Growing up, he attended the Halamahaga Primary School, followed byNiue High School.[3] He is the half-brother ofSonya Talagi.[4]
Tagelagi was first elected to the Niue Assembly at the2008 Niuean general election. Following the2014 Niuean general election he was appointed Minister of Infrastructure.[5][6] He was re-elected at the2017 Niuean general election,[7][8] and subsequently served as Minister for the Environment, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[2][9] As Environment Minister he represented Niue at the2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference, calling for rich nations to show greater ambition.[10]
He was re-elected in the2020 Niuean general election and subsequently elected premier. After being elected he announced that his first priority would be investigating government finances.[11] As Premier his government ratified thePACER Plus regional trade agreement.[12] During theCOVID-19 pandemic he negotiated a one-way travel-bubble allowing Niueans to travel toNew Zealand,[13] and oversaw a vaccination program which saw Niue gain full herd immunity to the virus.[14][15] In November 2021 he began a one-year term as Chancellor of theUniversity of the South Pacific.[16][17] His tenure concluded in June 2022, and he was succeeded byTuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II.[18]
He was re-elected unopposed to the Assembly at the2023 election.[19] He was subsequently re-elected as Premier, defeatingO'Love Jacobsen 16 votes to 4.[20] He appointed his Cabinet on 12 May 2023, the first gender-balanced Cabinet in Niuean history.[21][22]
Tagelagi has competed inbowls for Niue, at the2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow[23] and the2018 Commonwealth Games on theGold Coast.[24] In 2022, he competed in themen's pairs and themen's fours at the2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.[25][26]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Premier of Niue 2020–present | Incumbent |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chancellor of theUniversity of the South Pacific 2021–2022 | Succeeded by |
