Ionatana Ionatana

Ionatana Ionatana, Prime Minister of Tuvalu from April 27, 1999 to December 8, 2000. He was born in 1938 and died in office.

Ionatana served in the country's parliament from Tuvalu's independence in 1978 up to his death. He held many portfolios during his political career, including government secretary, Minister of Education and Minister of Works and Communications.

Ionatana succeeded Bikenibeu Paeniu as Prime Minister and in his term oversaw Tuvalu's entry into the United Nations on September 5, 2000.