title: 2019 in Oceania
text: # 2019 in Oceania
  
  Events in Oceania, during 2019.
  
  ## Events
  
  ### April
  
  * April 3
     * General elections were held in the Solomon Islands. They were the first general elections since the RAMSI mission concluded in 2017. On 24 April 2019, Manasseh Sogavare was elected by the 11th National Parliament as Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.
  
  ### August
  
  * August 13
     * Samoan police confirmed they had foiled an assassination plot against Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
  * August 24
     * Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru. President Baron Waqa lost his seat in Boe Constituency, making him ineligible for a third term. Following the elections, Lionel Aingimea was elected president, winning a parliamentary vote 12–6 against David Adeang.
  
  ### September
  
  * September 9
     * General elections were held in Tuvalu. Enele Sopoaga, the caretaker prime minister was re-elected to parliament. However, the members of parliament elected Kausea Natano as prime minister.
  
  ### November
  
  * November 23 – 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum.
  * 81 deaths from measles outbreak from lack of vaccination in Samoa
  
  ### December
  
  * 5 December
     * The deadly measles epidemic in Samoa has led to the United Nations' World Health Organization to deploy 128 medical teams to assist in vaccination efforts. The UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $2.7 million to support the response.
  * December 7 A non-binding independence referendum was held in Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea, between 23 November and 7 December 2019.
  * December 11 - The results of the referendum are announced. Over 98% of the votes are in favour of independence.
  