NEW PERMANENT OBSERVER OF PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM PRESENTS LETTER OF NOMINATION TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA

Merewalesi Falemaka, the new Permanent Observer of the Pacific Islands Forum to the United Nations Office at Geneva, today presented her letter of nomination to Michael Møller, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Falemaka had been serving as Permanent Representative of the Pacific Islands Forum to the World Trade Organization in Geneva and Deputy Representative of Vanuatu to the World Trade Organization since September 2013. She served as Director of Trade and Investment at the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 2009 to 2013. She was a Trade Consultant for Pacific States on the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations with the European Union at the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat in Fiji from 2007 to 2009, and Commonwealth Trade Consultant for Pacific States on the Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji from 2006 to 2007.

Ms. Falemaka served as Trade Policy Adviser on World Trade Organization issues at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji from 2000 to 2006. She worked at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade of Fiji in various capacities from 1986 to 1999, including as Chief Economist.

Ms. Falemaka holds a Master of Economic Studies from the University of Queensland, Australia (1996) and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Geography from the University of the South Pacific in Fiji (1982).


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CR18.021E