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Henry Puna, the former prime minister of Cook Islands was voted in as the new secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum after hours of talks between regional leaders failed to reach consensus.
Mr Puna, who resigned as prime minister last year to be eligible for the post defeated his closest rival Gabriel Zackios of the Marshall Islands by nine votes to eight at a special virtual Forum Leaders Retreat.
The lead up to the meeting was contentious with Micronesian leaders insisting that convention be followed and the secretary general post rotated to Micronesia.
While their candidate Marshall Islands ambassador to the US Gerald Zackios had the backing of five Micronesian countries he couldn t get the support of the 17 Pacific leaders at the retreat.