9 September 2021, Apia, Samoa – Mr Sefanaia Nawadra is the new Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Announced at the 30th SPREP Meeting of Officials which concluded this afternoon, Mr Nawadra, a national of Fiji, will take over at the helm of the Pacific’s premiere organisation for the conservation of the environment from his predecessor, Mr Kosi Latu, who has served as Director General since 2016.
Mr Nawadra is currently the Head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Pacific Office based at the SPREP Campus in Vailima, Samoa. He is no stranger to SPREP, having worked for the Secretariat in previous years in many different roles, with his last role being the Director of the Environmental Monitoring and Governance programme before he took up his current position with UNEP.
The Secretariat’s Members – comprised of 21 Pacific island and 5 Metropolitan countries and territories, confirmed Mr Nawadra’s appointment from a pool of high calibre applications who underwent a rigorous selection process.
“SPREP Members would like to congratulate Mr Nawadra on his appointment as the new Director General, and we look forward to working with him at the helm of SPREP. We have every faith that he will continue the work of the great leaders who came before him in ensuring that we foster a resilient Pacific environment that will sustain our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures, for present and future generations,” said Mr Mika Perez of Tokelau, Chair of the 30th SPREP Meeting of Officials.
Mr Nawadra will officially begin his duties on 4 April 2022. Mr Kosi Latu, has had his contract extended to 3 April 2022, and will continue to serve as the Director General until Mr Nawadra assumes his new role.
For more information, please contact Ms Simeamativa Leota-Vaai, Human Resources Director, at [email protected].
The 30th SPREP Meeting of Officials is being held virtually for participants from around the Pacific and face-to-face for participants in Samoa.
The Meeting brings together SPREP's 21 Pacific Island Member countries and 5 Metropolitan Members to discuss strategic issues pertaining to the organisation, and to approve the 2022-2023 work plan. The Environment Ministers' High-Level Talanoa will be held on Friday 10 September 2021.
The 21 Pacific Island Member countries and territories of SPREP are: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.
The five Metropolitan members of SPREP are: Australia, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The 30th SPREP Meeting of Officials follows on from the Second Executive Board Meeting which was held in 2020.