Panapasi Nelesoni

{{Short description|Tuvaluan politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Panapasi Nelesoni

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image = Panapasi Nelesone 2015 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Nelesone in 2015

| office1 = Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance and Development

| term_start1 = 27 February 2024

| term_end1 =

| primeminister1 = Feleti Teo

| predecessor1 = Seve Paeniu (Minister of Finance)

| successor1 =

| office2 = Minister for Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs

| term_start2 = August 2023

| term_end2 = 27 February 2024

| primeminister2 = Kausea Natano

| predecessor2 = Simon Kofe

| successor2 =

| office3 = Member of Parliament

| term_start3 = 30 June 2023

| term_end3 =

| predecessor3 = Fatoga Talama

| successor3 =

| constituency3 = Nukufetau

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Independent

| spouse =

| alma_mater =

}}

Panapasi Nelesoni is a Tuvaluan politician. He was previously a civil servant, including being the Secretary to the Government.{{cite news| url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/192817/toafa-wins-tuvalu's-prime-ministership-for-second-time| title= Toafa wins Tuvalu's prime ministership for second time|work= Radio New Zealand |date= 29 September 2010|access-date=10 February 2024}}

He was elected to parliament to represent Nukufetau in a by-election held on 30 June 2023.{{cite news| url= https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/OIA/OIA-2023/OIA-28816-Pacific-Islands-Forum-and-Partners-in-the-Blue-Pacific-7-November-2023.pdf| title= MFAT Document Schedule Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting |work= Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade of New Zealand |date= 14 September 2023 |access-date=29 January 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Marinaccio|first1=Jess |title=Tuvalu's 2024 general election: a new political landscape|url=https://devpolicy.org/2024-tuvalu-general-election-a-changing-political-landscape-20240130/ |access-date=26 January 2024 |work=PolicyDevBlog|date=10 February 2024}}

In August 2023, Nelesoni was appointed as the Minister for Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs.{{cite news| url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/494839/pacific-news-in-brief-for-july-31| title= Pacific news in brief: Tuvalu - minister resigns |work= Radio New Zealand |date= 31 July 2023|access-date=10 February 2024}} to succeed Simon Kofe, who resigned as the minister to focus on parliamentary work to amend the Constitution.{{cite web| last = Wright | first = Stephen |title= Pacific climate campaigner resigns as Tuvalu foreign minister|publisher= Benar News |page=|date = 30 July 2023 |url= https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/pacific/tuvalu-climate-change-spokesman-simon-kofe-resigns-07302023232405.html | accessdate=10 February 2024}}

During Nelesoni's term as foreign minister, prime minister Kausea Natano signed the Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union, a bilateral treaty which covered migration, climate change, security arrangements and their bilateral diplomatic relationship.{{cite web|url= https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/tuvalu/australia-tuvalu-falepili-union-treaty|title=Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty|publisher=Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|access-date= 12 November 2023}}{{cite web|url= https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/10/australia-to-offer-residency-to-tuvalu-residents-displaced-by-climate-change|title=Australia to offer residency to Tuvalu citizens displaced by climate change|publisher=The Guardian Australia| author = Daniel Hurst and Josh Butler | access-date= 12 November 2023}}

Nelesoni was re-elected in the 2024 general election.{{cite news| url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/pacific/507716/tuvalu-general-election-six-newcomers-in-parliament | title=Tuvalu general election: Six newcomers in parliament |work=Radio New Zealand |date= 29 January 2024 |access-date=29 January 2024}} He was appointed Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Finance and Development in the Teo Ministry.{{cite web |first=|last= |title= Cabinet lineup of new Tuvalu government unveiled|work=Radio New Zealand |date= 28 February 2024|url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/510410/cabinet-lineup-of-new-tuvalu-government-unveiled|access-date=26 February 2024}}