{{Short description|Tuvaluan politician (1957–2024)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Samuelu Teo | honorific_suffix = MP | image = Tuvalu MP Samuelu Penitala Teo speaking at the 144th IPU Assembly on March 2022.jpg | caption = Teo in 2022 | office1 = Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu | term_start1 = 20 September 2019 | term_end1 = 27 January 2024 | prime_minister1 = Kausea Natano | predecessor1 = Otinielu Tausi | successor1 = Iakoba Italeli | order2 = Acting | office2 = Governor-General of Tuvalu | monarch2 = Elizabeth II | prime_minister2 = Kausea Natano | term_start2 = January 2021 | term_end2 = 28 September 2021 | predecessor2 = Teniku Talesi (acting) | successor2 = Tofiga Vaevalu Falani | office3 = Minister of Works, Energy and Communications (1999–2001); Minister for Natural Resources (2001–2002) | prime_minister3 = Ionatana Ionatana (1999–2000);<ref name="NZH2000"/> Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000–2001); Faimalaga Luka (2001); and Koloa Talake (2001–2002) | term_start3 = 1999 | term_end3 = 2002 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = | constituency_MP4 = Niutao | parliament4 = Tuvaluan | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | term_start4 = 26 March 1998 | term_end4 = 3 August 2006 | constituency_MP5 = Niutao (serving with Fauoa Maani) | parliament5 = Tuvaluan | predecessor5 = Vete Sakaio | successor5 = | term_start5 = 31 March 2015 | term_end5 = 26 January 2024 | birth_name = Samuelu Penitala Teo | birth_date = {{birth date|1957|11|24|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|11|13|1957|11|24|df=y}} | death_place = | party = Independent }}
'''Samuelu Penitala Teo''' (24 November 1957 – 13 November 2024)<ref>[https://rulers.org/indext1.html Index Ta-Ti]</ref><ref>[https://rulers.org/2024-11.html November 2024]</ref> was a Tuvaluan politician. He was the son of Fiatau Penitala Teo who was appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu (1978–1986) following independence from Great Britain.<ref name="PIR90">{{cite web | work= PacificIslands Report | title= Tuvalu Elects 12 Members of Parliament | date= 27 March 1998 | url= http://www.pireport.org/articles/1998/03/27/tuvalu-elects-12-members-parliament | access-date= 6 October 2021 | archive-date= 6 October 2021 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211006065414/http://www.pireport.org/articles/1998/03/27/tuvalu-elects-12-members-parliament | url-status= dead }}</ref> Samuelu Teo himself served as the Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu from January until 28 September 2021.<ref name="I2021-1">{{cite web|url= https://tuvaluparadise.tv/2021/01/29/lct-moeiteava-christened-and-commissioned/|title= LCT 'Moeiteava' Christened And Commissioned|publisher= Kitiona Tausi, Tuvalu Paradise – Issue No. 06/2021|date= 29 January 2021|access-date= 16 October 2021|archive-date= 7 August 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210807120850/https://tuvaluparadise.tv/2021/01/29/lct-moeiteava-christened-and-commissioned/|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref name="J2021">{{cite web |url= https://www.fj.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_ja/11_000001_00299.html|title= The Presentation of Credentials to Honourable Samuelu Penitala Teo, Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu, by His Excellency Mr. KAWAKAMI Fumihiro, Ambassador of Japan to Tuvalu |publisher= Embassy of Japan in Tuvalu|date= 16 June 2021|access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref> He had succeeded Acting Governor-General Teniku Talesi<ref name="I2020-12">{{cite web |url= https://tuvaluparadise.tv/2020/12/21/government-launches-te-kete/|title= Government Launches "Te Kete" |publisher= Kitiona Tausi, Tuvalu Paradise – Issue No. 12/2020|date= 21 December 2020 |access-date=16 October 2021}}</ref> and remained in office until the Rev. Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was sworn in as the 10th Governor-General in September 2021.
He was born on 24 November 1957.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tuvalu {{!}} Parliament of Tuvalu |url=https://data.ipu.org/parliament/TV/TV-LC01/ |website=IPU Parline: global data on national parliaments |publisher=IPU}}</ref> His spouse was Miliaga Samuelu Teo.<ref name="MST">{{cite web|title= List Of Participants - PGA 43rd Annual Forum & 12th CAP-ICC|url= https://www.pgaction.org/pdf/2022/annual-forum-lop-2022-en.pdf|publisher= Parliamentarians for Global Action |page=|date=5 November 2022 |access-date=1 November 2023}}</ref>
== Career == He was first elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu at the 1998 general election to represent the constituency of Niutao.<ref name="PIR90"/> He served as the Minister of Works, Energy and Communications in the governments led by Ionatana Ionatana (1999–2000)<ref name="NZH2000">{{cite web| last = Johnston | first = Martin | work= New Zealand Herald|title= Student to blame for Tuvalu fire |date = 30 June 2000|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=125135 | access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref> and Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000–2001). He was the Minister for Natural Resources in the governments led by Faimalaga Luka (2001) and Koloa Talake (2001–2002). He was re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election, then lost his seat in the 2006 Tuvaluan general election when the vote of the Tuvaluan electorate resulted in the election of 8 new members to the 15 member parliament.<ref name="GH2006">{{cite web| last = Hassall | first = Graham | work= Democracy and Elections project, Governance Program, University of the South Pacific|title= The Tuvalu General Election 2006 |date = 2006|url= https://www.academia.edu/4352305/The_Tuvalu_General_Election_2006| access-date=11 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="TL15">{{cite book|last1= Lansford|first1=Tom|title= Political Handbook of the World 2015|year= 2015 |publisher= CQ Press}}</ref>
Samuelu Teo was again elected to represent Niutao in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.<ref name="FNS0415">{{cite web | last =Pua Pedro & Semi Malaki | work =Fenui News | title =One female candidate make it through the National General Election | date =1 April 2015 | url =http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53089893e4b09a0716b753ae/t/551ba1e8e4b0c16e3f9ce4d3/1427874280147/Fenui+Special+Bulletin+April+1.pdf | access-date =1 April 2015 | archive-date =17 January 2023 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20230117012023/http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53089893e4b09a0716b753ae/t/551ba1e8e4b0c16e3f9ce4d3/1427874280147/Fenui+Special+Bulletin+April+1.pdf | url-status =dead }}</ref><ref name="RNZ020415">{{cite web| work= Radio New Zealand |title= Election looks set to return Sopoaga as Tuvalu's PM|date =2 April 2015|url= http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/270287/election-looks-set-to-return-sopoaga-as-tuvalu's-pm| access-date=2 April 2015}}</ref><ref name="FN010415">{{cite web| work= Fenui News|title=Tuvalu National Election 2015 Results (Niutao)|date =1 April 2015|url= https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=423610027800178&id=333658940128621| access-date=1 April 2015}}</ref> The 2015 election was strongly contested with six candidates including the two incumbent MPs (Vete Sakaio and Fauoa Maani) and three former MPs (Tomu Sione, Tavau Teii and Teo).<ref name="RNZ020415"/>
Following the 2019 Tuvaluan general election, on 19 September 2019, the members of parliament elected Kausea Natano from Funafuti as prime minister;<ref name=FB19>{{cite web|title= Tuvalu has elected a new Prime Minister - Hon. Kausea Natano |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.facebook.com/fenuinews/|access-date=19 September 2019}}</ref><ref name=ABC0919>{{cite web|last= Evan Wasuka & Alan Weedon|title= Pacific climate change champion Enele Sopoaga is no longer Tuvalu's PM — so who's next in? |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-19/tuvalu-ousts-enele-sopoaga-as-pm-and-installs-kausea-natano/11528694|access-date=19 September 2019}}</ref><ref name=R0919>{{cite web|last= Colin Packham & Jonathan Barrett|title= Tuvalu changes PM, adds to concerns over backing for Taiwan in Pacific |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-taiwan-diplomacy-tuvalu/tuvalu-changes-pm-adds-to-concerns-over-backing-for-taiwan-in-pacific-idUSKBN1W400A|access-date=19 September 2019}}</ref> and Teo was elected as Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu.<ref name=RNZ0919>{{cite web|title=Kausea Natano new PM of Tuvalu; Sopoaga ousted |date=19 September 2019|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/399106/kausea-natano-new-pm-of-tuvalu-sopoaga-ousted |access-date=19 September 2019}}</ref>
He was not re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.<ref name="RNZ-24-1-27">{{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}}</ref><ref name="PDV-24-1-30">{{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=30 January 2024 |work=PolicyDevBlog|date=30 January 2024}}</ref>
His brother Feleti Penitala Teo<ref>{{cite web| first= Samisoni|last= Pareti |url= http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/11th-session-of-the-wcpfc-apia/6415/tuvalu-son-secures-top-wcpfc-job/ |title= Tuvalu 'son' secures top WCPFC job | date =3 December 2014|publisher=Island Business |accessdate= 7 February 2015}}</ref><ref name="RO2020">{{cite news|author1=|author2=|title=Rulers Index|url=https://rulers.org/indext1.html|publisher=Rulers Org.|date= 2020 |access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> was elected to represent Niutao in the 2024 general election,<ref name="RNZ-24-1-27"/> and was elected as prime minister.<ref name=R24-2-26>{{cite web |first=Kirsty |last=Needham |title=Taiwan ally Tuvalu names Feleti Teo as new prime minister |work=Reuters |date= 26 February 2024|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tuvalu-name-new-prime-minister-monday-2024-02-25/ |access-date=26 February 2024}}</ref><ref name=G24-2-26>{{cite web|first= |last=Agence France-Presse|title=Tuvalu names Feleti Teo prime minister after pro-Taiwan leader Kausea Natano ousted |work=The Guardian|date=26 February 2024|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/26/tuvalu-election-feleti-teo-named-pm-prime-minister-kausea-natano |access-date=26 February 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}{{Commons}}{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Mrs. Teniku Talesi Honolulu<br>{{small|Acting}}}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor General of Tuvalu<br>Acting|years=2021}} {{s-aft|after= Tofiga Vaevalu Falani}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teo, Samuelu Penitala}} Category:Governors-general of Tuvalu Category:Members of the Parliament of Tuvalu Category:People from Niutao Category:1957 births Category:2024 deaths Category:Speakers of the Parliament of Tuvalu