Foreign relations of Nauru

Nauru became a sovereign, independent republic on 31 January 1968, following the passage of the Nauru Independence Act 1967 by the Parliament of Australia and the end of its status as a United Nations Trust Territory. Nauru has established diplomatic relations with a number of nations, including most of its Pacific neighbors with which it maintains economic, cultural and administrative ties.

Independence	31 January 1968
Joined UN	14 September 1999

Membership in international organizations

Nauru was admitted to the United Nations on 14 September 1999. Nauru's application to the United Nations was questioned by the People's Republic of China due to Nauru's close diplomatic and trade links to Taiwan. Nevertheless, Nauru was granted UN full membership.

Nauru became a full member of the Commonwealth of Nations in May 1999. Since independence, Nauru had been a special member of the Commonwealth prior to 1999, but having fallen behind in payments, reverted to Special Member status on 1 July 2005, with no authoritative power. It then returned to be a full member again in June 2011.^[1]

Additionally outside the region, Nauru is a member or participant of the ACP (Lomé Convention), the Alliance of Small Island States, the Asian Development Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the G-77, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the ITU, and the International Olympic Committee.

Nauru is notable for its lack of membership in several major international organizations. Nauru is one of only seven UN members that is not a member of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and one of 12 not part of the International Finance Corporation. Nauru also is not a member of the International Development Association and has no society associated with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Finally, as with many other nations in Oceania, Nauru is not a member of the International Hydrographic Organization.

Membership in regional organizations

Regional cooperation through various multilateral organizations is a key element in Nauru's foreign policy. The country also hosted the regional meeting that resulted in the Nauru Agreement Concerning Cooperation in the Management of Fisheries of Common Interest whose eight signatories (including Nauru) collectively controls 25–30% of the world's tuna supply and approximately 60% of the western and central Pacific tuna supply.^[2] Additionally, Nauru is a full member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

Hosting refugees

In 2001 Nauru became host to approximately 867 refugees, mostly Afghan, who were intercepted while attempting to enter Australia illegally. This exchange was one of many which were collectively known as Australia's Pacific Solution. In February 2008, the last of the refugees were resettled in Australia.^[3][4]

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Nauru maintains diplomatic relations with:

#	Country	Date
1	Australia	26 August 1968[5]
2	Japan	December 1972[6]
3	New Zealand	24 July 1974[7]
4	Belgium	4 July 1975[8]
5	India	12 September 1975[9]
6	Turkey	27 April 1976[10]
7	United States	24 October 1976[11]
8	United Kingdom	1 December 1977[12][failed verification]
9	France	15 March 1978[13]
10	Solomon Islands	7 July 1978[14]
11	South Korea	20 August 1979[15]
12	Samoa	1979[16]
13	Vanuatu	30 July 1980[17]
14	Fiji	1980[18]
15	Chile	6 February 1981[19]
16	North Korea	25 February 1982[20]
17	Philippines	23 April 1982[21]
18	Netherlands	1982[22]
19	Peru	23 January 1984[23][24]
20	Germany	20 September 1984[25]
21	Greece	1 October 1984[26]
22	Federated States of Micronesia	10 April 1987[27]
23	Russia	30 December 1987[28]
24	Malaysia	11 November 1988[29]
25	Papua New Guinea	1988[30]
26	Marshall Islands	22 February 1991[31]
—	Holy See	1 June 1992[32]
27	Palau	14 October 1994[33]
28	Israel	December 1994[34]
—	Cook Islands	1994[35]
29	Spain	27 September 1995[36]
30	Italy	27 February 1997[37]
31	Canada	11 September 1997[38]
32	Ireland	21 March 2000[39]
33	Cyprus	23 March 2000[39]
34	Maldives	9 May 2000[39]
35	Norway	9 August 2000[40]
36	Croatia	4 December 2000[39]
37	Bulgaria	30 April 2001[39]
38	Belarus	12 September 2001[39]
39	Mexico	21 September 2001[39]
40	Cuba	7 May 2002[41]
41	China	21 July 2002[42]
42	Switzerland	2003[43]
43	Iceland	17 February 2004[39]
44	Azerbaijan	11 November 2004[39]
45	North Macedonia	2 December 2004[39]
46	Thailand	14 January 2005[44]
47	Brazil	2 November 2005[39]
48	Austria	9 November 2005[39]
49	Vietnam	21 June 2006[39]
50	Guatemala	6 December 2006[39]
51	Czech Republic	19 February 2007[39]
52	United Arab Emirates	27 March 2007[39]
53	Cambodia	25 April 2007[45]
54	Venezuela	7 May 2007[46]
55	Dominican Republic	28 September 2007[47]
56	Malta	19 November 2008[39]
57	Singapore	12 March 2009[39]
58	Finland	24 March 2009[39]
59	Portugal	9 September 2009[39]
—	Abkhazia	15 December 2009[48]
—	South Ossetia	16 December 2009[49]
60	Luxembourg	21 May 2010[39]
61	Morocco	9 September 2010[39]
62	Egypt	25 September 2010[50]
63	Montenegro	25 January 2011[39]
64	Qatar	11 February 2011[51]
65	Jamaica	24 February 2011[39]
66	Romania	2 March 2011[39]
67	Slovenia	11 March 2011[39]
68	Uruguay	14 March 2011[52]
69	Seychelles	14 April 2011[39]
70	Albania	20 April 2011[39]
71	Slovakia	24 June 2011[39]
72	Lithuania	28 June 2011[39]
73	Hungary	12 July 2011[39]
74	Mongolia	13 October 2011[39]
75	Estonia	21 March 2012[39]
76	Gambia	27 September 2012[53]
77	Sweden	28 September 2012[54]
78	Indonesia	21 December 2012[55]
79	Kuwait	9 April 2013[39]
80	Poland	24 November 2014[56]
81	Argentina	31 October 2016[39]
82	Armenia	22 September 2017[39]
83	Tajikistan	20 December 2017[57]
84	Latvia	21 May 2018[39]
—	Sovereign Military Order of Malta	5 October 2018[58]
85	Serbia	25 September 2019[59]
86	Nicaragua	18 October 2019[39]
87	Kyrgyzstan	31 January 2020[39]
88	Nepal	4 May 2023[39]
89	Bahrain	4 May 2023[39]
90	Saudi Arabia	7 November 2023[39]
91	Monaco	21 May 2024[39]
92	Benin	6 November 2024[39]
93	Uzbekistan	20 March 2025[60]
94	Oman	15 May 2025[39]
95	Kiribati	Unknown
—	Niue	Unknown
96	Tonga	Unknown
97	Tuvalu	Unknown

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Australia	16 August 1968 at Representative level, 21 November 1972 upgraded to High Commission Level	See Australia–Nauru relations Australia administered Nauru as a dependent territory from 1914 to 1968, and has remained one of Nauru's foremost economic and aid partners thereafter. Relations between the two countries are, at present, cordial, with Australia having committed itself to assisting Nauru's economic development. Australia has a high commission in Aiwo. Nauru has a high commission in Canberra and a consulate-general in Brisbane.
People's Republic of China	21 July 2002 – 27 May 2005 24 January 2024 (second)	See China–Nauru relations The Republic of Nauru and the People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations on 21 July 2002,[61] and resumed on 24 January 2024.[62]
Cuba	7 May 2002	In the late 2000s, Nauru began to strengthen its relations with Cuba. Cuba provides medical aid to Nauru; an unspecified number of Cuban doctors are serving in Nauru.[63] In June 2007, Nauru adopted the "Cuban literacy method", reportedly used also in several other countries.[64] In October 2007, Nauruan Foreign Minister and Trade Minister David Adeang travelled to Cuba to strengthen relations between the two island nations.[63] This led to the creation of a Cuba-Nauru Joint Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation.[65] At approximately this time, Nauru-US relations underwent tensions for reasons which were not completely clear (See also: Foreign relations of Nauru#Ties with the United States of America, above). In September 2008, Nauru's foreign minister attended the first Cuba-Pacific Islands ministerial meeting in Havana, aimed at "strengthening cooperation" between Nauru and Cuba, notably on coping with the impact of climate change.[66][67]
India	1975	See India-Nauru relations India established relations with the country since its independence in 1968 and have had numerous visits by presidents of Nauru to the Republic since then. India is one of the largest donors to the island by helping the education ministry and revamping the island's parliament facilities to its MP's and its Speaker. India has also reserved 5 slots for Naruran citizens for training courses under the Indian Technical & Economical Cooperation (ITEC) programme in the year 2010–11.[3] One scholarship slot is also offered under General Cultural Scholarship of ICCR (Commonwealth Scheme).[68]
Israel		See Israel–Nauru relations
Mexico	21 September 2001	Mexico is accredited to Nauru from its embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nauru does not have an accreditation to Mexico.
New Zealand	1975	Nauru does not have an accreditation to New Zealand. New Zealand is accredited to Nauru from a New Zealand-based high commissioner.
Russia	30 December 1987	See Nauru–Russia relations Russia is accredited to Nauru from its embassy in Canberra, Australia. Nauru's banks are said to have provided services to the mafia in Russia during the 1990s; over the course of the 1990s, approximately 70 billion U.S. dollars owned by Russian mafia were held in Nauru banks.[69]
Republic of China (Taiwan)	4 May 1980[70] – 23 July 2002 (first) 14 May 2005 – 15 January 2024 (second)	See Nauru–Taiwan relations President Baron Waqa and ROC President Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan. On 15 January 2024, Nauru severed diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) again, restored diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and recognized "the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate government of China" and "Taiwan as part of the People's Republic of China."[71] On 21 July 2002, Nauru broke diplomatic relations with Taiwan and established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. In 2003, Nauru closed its embassy in Beijing.[72] In April 2005, during a state visit to the Marshall Islands, ROC President Chen Shui-bian met and spoke with the Nauruan President Ludwig Scotty. On 14 May 2005, the two countries signed the necessary documents to restore formal ties and reopen embassies.[73] On 15 January 2024, Nauru cut ties with the ROC.[74]
Turkey	Oct. 24, 1976[75]	Turkish ambassador in Canberra to Australia is also accredited to Nauru.[75] Trade volume between the two countries was negligible in 2018.[75]
United Kingdom	2 February 1968	See Nauru–United Kingdom relations Representatives of the British Phosphate Commission with Nauruan President Hammer DeRoburt on Nauru Independence Day, January 1968. Nauru established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 2 February 1992.[12][failed verification] Nauru does not maintain an embassy in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is not accredited to Nauru through an embassy; the UK develops relations through its high commission in Honiara, Solomon Islands.[76] The UK officially governed Nauru jointly with Australia and New Zealand from 1914–1968, when Nauru achieved full independence. Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, the International Criminal Court, and the United Nations.
United States	24 October 1976	See Nauru–United States relations The Nauruan government has a very complex relationship with the United States; the government of Bernard Dowiyogo agreed to stop passport sales and offshore banking in return for an extensive aid package.[77] However, according to Nauru, that aid has not been delivered and Nauru is now looking to Japan and China for assistance.[citation needed] According to the U.S. Department of State, Nauru has cordial relations with the United States[78] The U.S. has no consular or diplomatic offices in Nauru. Officers of the American Embassy in Suva, Fiji, are concurrently accredited to Nauru and make periodic visits. In September 2007, David Adeang, Nauru's Foreign Minister, made a number of public statements in relation to the United States. He extolled Cuba and criticized US foreign policy, during a visit to the Caribbean island.[79] Subsequently, the US Department of State, referring to events investigated in 2007, reported criticism of Adeang in its Human Rights Report, issued for 2008.[80] This criticism was included in the State Department's report, despite the fact that police, having undertaken an investigation of allegations of wrongdoing, made no attempt to prosecute Adeang. Shortly after Adeang's public pronouncements, a crisis, with himself at the centre, led to the collapse of President of Nauru Ludwig Scotty's government. Trade between the United States and Nauru is limited by the latter's small size and economic problems. The value of two-way trade in 2005 was US$1.6 million. In October 2008 the new U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, also accredited to Nauru, pledged efforts to assist Nauru's economic development.[81]

Other countries

Nauru has diplomatic relations with most states in Oceania.^[84] It also has ties with most major industrial countries, including Japan,^[85] the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, France, the UK, Germany, Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and South Africa.^[83] Nauru has diplomatic relations with the European Union,^[86] most of its member states^[96] and a few other states in Europe,^[97] including the Holy See (Vatican City).^[98]

In 1995, Nauru broke off relations diplomatic relations with France to protest French nuclear testing in the Pacific. Relations were resumed in 1997.^[99]

Nauru established diplomatic relations with Kosovo on 23 April 2008,^[100] which ended 13 November 2019 as Nauru withdrew its recognition.^[101]

Nauru established diplomatic relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 15 December 2009.^[102]

Relations with partially recognised states

See also: Checkbook diplomacy

Nauru has used its position as a member of the United Nations to gain financial support from both the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) by changing its position on the political status of Taiwan. During 2002, Nauru signed an agreement to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC on 21 July. Nauru accepted $130m from the PRC for this diplomatic move.^[103] In response, the ROC severed diplomatic relations with Nauru two days later. Nauru later re-established links with the ROC on 14 May 2005,^[104] and diplomatic ties with the PRC were officially severed on 31 May 2005. Similarly, Nauru recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic on 12 August 1981. Then, on 15 September 2000, Nauru withdrew recognition of the SADR, and signed accords with Morocco on the phosphates area, which are running out in the island.^[105][106] In 2008, Nauru recognized Kosovo as an independent country, but withdrew its recognition in 2019.^[101] Additionally, in 2009, Nauru became only the fourth country to recognize the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are both claimed by Georgia. Russia was reported to be giving Nauru $50m in humanitarian aid in return.^[103]

Missions in Nauru

• Australia (High Commission)^[107]
• People's Republic of China (Embassy)^[108]

Nauru and the Commonwealth of Nations

Nauru has been an independent republic in the Commonwealth of Nations since 1968.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Nauru
• List of diplomatic missions of Nauru