I had the honor to serve Ambassador deBrum as his Personal Adviser during his time as Ambassador of the Republic of Marshall Islands in Washington, DC, USA.
His Excellency Ambassador Banny deBrum served as the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ Ambassador to the United States from 1995 to 2011 (except for a brief interval between 2008 and 2009). He also held the post of Ambassador to Canada from 1999 to 2008 and acted as the Marshall Islands’ representative to the United Nations in the absence of a permanent envoy.
In 1994–1995, Ambassador deBrum chaired the Washington Pacific Committee, representing Pacific Embassies, including the three Freely Associated States—the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia. The committee advocated for regional, political, and cultural interests in Washington, DC.
Ambassador deBrum was a visionary statesman and a dedicated public servant. He played a key role in the Compact of Free Association negotiations between the Marshall Islands and the United States, contributing to regional cooperation and sovereign development.
Born in Majuro, Marshall Islands, Ambassador deBrum earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Regis University, a Jesuit institution in Denver, Colorado, in 1981.
He is survived by his wife, Honor deBrum, and their four children.
