A communique from the Grand Republic of Kiribati
Taomati Teannaki of the Kiribati Republican Party was sworn in this afternoon as the President of Kiribati. In his inauguration speech he addressed not only the people of Kiribati but also Oceanoantarctic refugees worldwide:
"It is with great honour I take on the responsibility to lead this Grand Republic forward, a nation born anew from the depths of the Pacific Ocean! We the people of Kiribati give great thanks to the Oceanian Reclamation Initiative and their generous donors who have brought our nation back to this world. May all those who have worked hard to save these precious islands live a long and prosperous life.
As I look out on those standing before me today I can't help but feel tremendous pride. Our atolls were among the first to succumb to the raising sea levels and yet we still stand here today. I can say without a doubt that you are among the most persevering men and women on this Earth. But as we celebrate the rebirth of Kiribati we must not forget our fellow Oceanoantarctic refugees who are still displaced and forced to seek refuge on continents far away because their homelands continue to be submerged.
To show our gratitude we must give back to all those who have not been as lucky as us I-Kiribati. In the long-term my government will do what we can to aid the reclamation of Oceanoantarctica, but in the short-term my first act as President will be to open our borders to our brothers and sisters in need. All refugees from Oceanoantarctica, aswell as residents of territories governed by the Oceanian Reclamation Initiative, who move to Kiribati will be granted a permanent residence permit and may apply for Kiribati citizenship after having resided here for at least one year.
It is crucial that we stand in solidarity with the rest of Oceanoantarctica, so we can rebuild our homes together. Long live Oceanoantarctica! Long live the Grand Republic!"
From: Grand Republic of Kiribati
To: ASEAN
We would like to announce our interest in participating at the 2602 Vientiane Games with a Kiribati team.