Fiji thanks MSG for secondment of director general to COP23 Secretariat

By Makereta Komai, PACNEWS Editor in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Fiji has conveyed its appreciation to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) for the secondment of its Director General, Ambassador Amena Yauvoli to the COP23 Secretariat in Suva. 

Ambassador Yauvoli was appointed Pacific Special Representative for COP23 to engage and prepare Pacific countries for the global climate change negotiations in Bonn, Germany last year, under Fiji’s presidency.

Briefing MSG Senior Officials in Port Moresby, Fiji’s deputy secretary for foreign affairs. Esala Nayasi particularly thanked MSG countries for their active engagement and participation at COP23 preparatory meetings in the Pacific, New York and Bonn.

“Even though we had less than a year to prepare, we are grateful for the support from MSG countries in helping Fiji advance critical issues of the negotiations that led to the success of this global climate change meeting.

“Ambassador Yauvoli was instrumental in consolidating the positions of Pacific countries, allowing them to be part of the COP23 process. His contribution helped Fiji achieve its overall COP23 goals.

Solomon Islands foreign affairs secretary, Peter Kenilorea congratulated Fiji’s leadership of COP23.

“As President of COP23, Fiji was not only flying the Pacific flag, it was also flying the Melanesian flag, said Kenilorea.

Given the capacity constraints of many MSG countries, it was a wise move to make available the MSG director general to Fiji to assist Pacific countries consolidate their positions at COP23. This is a good move to support Fiji’s Presidency, said the PNG’s head of delegation, Magdalene Mo-hie.

Prior to his appointment as Director General, Ambassador Yauvoli served as Fiji’s Ambassador for Climate Change.

An experienced diplomat, he has also previously served as the interim Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF). Prior to that, Ambassador Yauvoli was Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Apart from other senior Fijian Government appointments, he has also served as Senior Policy Adviser for Sustainable Development with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), from January 2004 to December 2005 and Manager/Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community North Pacific Regional Office in Federated States of Micronesia from February 2008 to December 2012.


SOURCE: PACNEWS