Barak Sopé
Encyclopedia
Barak Tame Sopé Mautamata (born 1955) is a politician from Vanuatu
. He is the leader of the Melanesian Progressive Party
and was, until 2008, a member of the ni-Vanuatu parliament from the island of Efate
. He was the Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 1999 until 2001, when he was deposed by Parliament in a no confidence vote.
Sopé was elected Prime Minister in a parliamentary vote on 25 November 1999, receiving 28 votes against 24 for Edward Natapei
. Shortly after he was deposed on 13 April 2001, he was convicted on 2 charges of forging several million US dollars' worth of Vanuatu Government Guarantees and was sentenced in July 2002 to 3 years on each charge (to be served concurrently), but was pardoned in 2003 despite heavy opposition from Australia and New Zealand. When the coalition government of Serge Vohor
was sworn in on 29 July 2004, Sopé became Minister of Foreign Affairs
. He lost that position in November 2004 after he spoke out against Vanuatu's attempts to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan
, reputedly due to his own dealings with the Chinese. He returned to the cabinet in December 2004 when the government of Ham Lini
took office, taking up the post of Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
In the September 2008 general election
, Sopé lost his seat in Parliament.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
. He is the leader of the Melanesian Progressive Party
Melanesian Progressive Party
The Melanesian Progressive Party is a political party in Vanuatu. At the last legislative elections, 6 July 2004, the party won 4 out of 52 seats, an increase of 2 seats. Despite its small number of seats it has been important in setting up coalition governments since the 1990s. Its most prominent...
and was, until 2008, a member of the ni-Vanuatu parliament from the island of Efate
Éfaté
Efate is an island in the Agean Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in The Republic of Maliki. It is also known as Île Vate. It is the most populous island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanuatu's third largest island. Most inhabitants of Efate live in Port Vila, the national...
. He was the Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 1999 until 2001, when he was deposed by Parliament in a no confidence vote.
Sopé was elected Prime Minister in a parliamentary vote on 25 November 1999, receiving 28 votes against 24 for Edward Natapei
Edward Natapei
Edward Nipake Natapei Tuta Fanua`araki is a politician from Vanuatu. He was elected Prime Minister of Vanuatu on two separate terms, and was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs briefly in 1991, the acting President of Vanuatu from 2 March 1999 to 24 March 1999 , and Deputy Prime Minister...
. Shortly after he was deposed on 13 April 2001, he was convicted on 2 charges of forging several million US dollars' worth of Vanuatu Government Guarantees and was sentenced in July 2002 to 3 years on each charge (to be served concurrently), but was pardoned in 2003 despite heavy opposition from Australia and New Zealand. When the coalition government of Serge Vohor
Serge Vohor
Rialuth Serge Vohor is a politician from Vanuatu. He hails from the largest island of Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, from Port Olry.He is a member of the Union of Moderate Parties, a conservative, Francophone political party. When his party came to power in 1991, Vohor became foreign minister of Vanuatu...
was sworn in on 29 July 2004, Sopé became Minister of Foreign Affairs
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
. He lost that position in November 2004 after he spoke out against Vanuatu's attempts to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, reputedly due to his own dealings with the Chinese. He returned to the cabinet in December 2004 when the government of Ham Lini
Ham Lini
Ham Lini Vanuaroroa is a politician from Vanuatu. He is an MP from Pentecost Island in PENAMA Province. He was Prime Minister of Vanuatu from 11 December 2004 until 22 September 2008. Lini is the brother of Walter Lini, one of the founders of the modern Republic of Vanuatu...
took office, taking up the post of Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
In the September 2008 general election
Vanuatuan general election, 2008
Parliamentary elections were held in Vanuatu on September 2, 2008. In July, the Melanesian Progressive Party requested that they be postponed, contesting the constitutionality of the Peoples Representation Act No. 33 of 2007, which allegedly enabled voters in certain constituencies to vote in two...
, Sopé lost his seat in Parliament.