1. Thomas Esang Remengesau Jr.
Thomas Esang “Tommy” Remengesau Jr. is a Palauan politician who has been the ninth President of Palau since 2013. He originally served as the seventh president from 2001 to 2009.
He also served as a Senator in the Palau National Congress between his two administrations.
He was elected as Vice-President of Palau in 1992 and 1996, then as President in 2000, 2004, 2012, and 2016.
Wishing to make Palau less dependent upon United States aid, he promoted the expansion and growth of the tourist industry through his policy and slogan of Preserve the Best and Improve the Rest.
The “best” refers to Palau’s especially gifted and diverse underwater resource in the Micronesian region, and its reputation of being considered among the top in underwater attractions of the world. In Palau’s foreign affairs, Remengesau had been active in maintaining Palau’s presence in the United Nations.
During his administration Palau elevated to become known as an unheralded leader amongst the international community through environmental initiatives, such as the Micronesian Challenge and its cooperation with South Pacific Nations in advocating awareness of global warming and its effects in the South Pacific Region.
