Casten Nemra
{{short description|Marshallese politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = His Excellency
|name = Casten Nemra
|image = Casten Nemra.jpg
|caption = Nemra in January 2016
|office1 = Minister of Finance
|term_start1 = 29 June 2023
|term_end1 = January 2024
|president1 = David Kabua
|predecessor1= Brenson Wase
|successor1 = David Paul
|order3 = 7th
|office3 = President of the Marshall Islands
|term_start3 = 11 January 2016
|term_end3 = 28 January 2016
|predecessor3= Christopher Loeak
|successor3 = Hilda Heine
|office2 = Minister of Foreign Affairs
|term_start2 = 13 January 2020
|term_end2 = 2022
|president2 = David Kabua
|predecessor2= John Silk
|successor2 = Kitlang Kabua
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|29|df=y}}
|birth_place = Kwajalein Atoll, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands {{small|(now Marshall Islands)}}
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Independent
|spouse = Terry Paul Nemra
|children = 4
|alma_mater = Portland State University
}}
Casten Ned Nemra (born July 29, 1971) is a Marshallese politician who was President of the Marshall Islands for 17 days in January 2016. He was elected by the Nitijeļā (Parliament) as President in January 2016, following the 2015 general election, narrowly defeating Senator Alvin Jacklick, a seven-term member of Parliament, by a 17–16 vote.{{cite news|title=Casten Nemra elected new RMI President |url=http://marshallislandsjournal.com/Journal_WP/?p=2825 |work=Marshall Islands Journal |date=2016-01-04 |accessdate=2016-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104053442/http://marshallislandsjournal.com/Journal_WP/?p=2825 |archive-date=2016-01-04|url-status=live}} He was the youngest person to hold the job and the second commoner.{{cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/293465/nemra-elected-marshall-islands-president|title=Nemra elected Marshall Islands President|date=4 January 2016|work=Radio New Zealand|accessdate=27 January 2016}} He was ousted by a vote of no confidence after just two weeks in office by the opposition for jumping ship and joining Iroij Mike Kabua's Aelon Kein Ad party along with Senators Dennis Momotaro and Daisy-Alik Momotaro.{{cite news |first=Giff |last=Johnson |title=Hilda emerges as RMI President |url=http://marshallislandsjournal.com/Journal_WP/?p=2921 |work=Marshall Islands Journal |date=2016-01-28 |accessdate=2016-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201023226/http://marshallislandsjournal.com/Journal_WP/?p=2921 |archive-date=2016-02-01 |url-status=dead}}
Early life and education
Nemra was born on July 29, 1971, in Ebeye, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, which were part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands at the time.{{cite news|title=Members: President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands – His Excellency President Casten Nemra |url=http://rmiparliament.org/cms/members.html#minister-of-foreign-affairs-the-honorable-kessai-h-note |work=Marshall Islands Journal |accessdate=2016-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126230507/http://rmiparliament.org/cms/members.html#president-of-the-republic-of-the-marshall-islands-his-excellency-president-casten-nemra |archive-date=2016-01-26|url-status=live}} He was educated at Assumption High School, a Roman Catholic school in Majuro. Nemra received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Portland State University in 2000.
Career
Nemra served as the Budget Director for Office of International Development Assistance from 2001 to 2004. He then served as Assistant Secretary for the Ministry of Finance from 2004 to 2007. Nemra was next appointed the Chief Secretary of the Republic of the Marshall Islands from 2008 until 2015.
Nemra was elected as a Senator in the Nitijeļā in the 2015 general election, representing the Jaluit Atoll constituency in the Ralik Chain.
He was the foreign minister of the Marshall Islands from 2020 to 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://rmiparliament.org/cms/members.html#5-minister-of-foreign-affairs-honorable-casten-n-nemra|title = Members}} As foreign minister, he highlighted that the Marshallese government and people "have no intention to relocate" or become climate refugees. He said in April 2021 that the Marshallese are on the islands to stay.{{cite news |title=Climate-affected Marshall Islands don't intend to relocate |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/441080/climate-affected-marshall-islands-don-t-intend-to-relocate |access-date=23 April 2021 |agency=RNZ |date=23 April 2021}} He was appointed as Minister of Finance in June 2023.{{cite web |title=Casten takes up Finance |url=https://marshallislandsjournal.com/casten-takes-up-finance/ |website=The Marshall Islands Journal |language=en-AU |date=29 June 2023}}
Personal life
Nemra is married to Terry Paul Nemra, the former First Lady of the Marshall Islands. The couple have four children. A resident of Jaluit Atoll, Nemra speaks both English and Marshallese.
References
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{{s-bef|before=Christopher Loeak}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of the Marshall Islands|years=2016}}
{{s-aft|after=Hilda Heine}}
{{s-bef|before= John M. Silk}}
{{s-ttl|title= Minister of Foreign Affairs|years=2020–present}}
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{{MarshallPresidents}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Nitijela}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nemra, Casten}}
Category:Finance ministers of the Marshall Islands
Category:Ministers of foreign affairs of the Marshall Islands
Category:Members of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands
Category:Oregon State University alumni
Category:People from the Ralik Chain
Category:Presidents of the Marshall Islands