Nauru officially changes name to Naoero 'after thoughtful deliberation', bypassing referendum
The Nauruan government says the decision not to pursue a referendum was made "after thoughtful deliberation that Naoero is not a new name seeking acceptance by the people".
On Wednesday night, the Micronesian island nation of Nauru officially adopted a new name - Naoero. The decision, announced by the government, bypassed a proposed referendum. President David Adeang initially proposed the name change in January, proposing it would more accurately reflect Nauru's heritage and identity. The Nauruan parliament passed a constitutional amendment in May to implement the name change, which was unanimously approved by members of parliament after a 90-day period.
Despite the world's recognition of Nauru since its independence, the government believed the change was long overdue to better honor the nation's roots. Nauru, the smallest independent republic in the world, with a population of around 12,000 people, will now be officially known as Naoero. This includes changes to national records, symbols, and its international identity, including the abbreviation NRO at the United Nations.
The decision was made following careful deliberation, with Adeang delivering his opening message to parliament on July 20th. The new name, already part of the national coat of arms and spoken in the community, signifies a renewed sense of national pride and a commitment to unity, responsibility, patriotism, improved health, education, and sustainable development. The United Nations was informed of the name change on June 26th.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Pacific's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
