SUVA - Nikenike Vurobaravu has become the 12th President of Vanuatu.

Nikenike Vurobaravu is a member of the Vanua'aku Pati party. He had served as the coordinator of the Vanuatu Comprehensive Reform Program for the Asian Development Bank and a political adviser in the Prime Minister's Office

According to the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper on Tuesday, Vurobaravu was elected by 48 votes of the 58-member Electoral College on Saturday after eight rounds of voting since Thursday last week.

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Vurobaravu has promised to encourage national unity and strengthen  efforts on the issue of climate change.

Born in 1964, Vurobaravu is a member of the Vanua'aku Pati (VP) party. He had served as the coordinator of the Vanuatu Comprehensive Reform Program for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a political adviser in the Prime Minister's Office. 

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He was also Vanuatu's High Commissioner to Fiji.