Kalafi Moala
One of the most esteemed woman in Tongan society, Fekita Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, 62, has been appointed by Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, and approved by the King, to become the new Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as Minister for Tourism.
She is the only woman in Tonga’s new Parliament for 2002-2005. And also the only Minister appointed from outside Parliament.
Ms. ‘Utoikamanu is more than just another popular appointment to the new Cabinet, she is Tonga’s most notable expert in Foreign Affairs, and has the training and experience to show for it.
Since May 2017, she was appointed as the Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, as High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. She was the first Tongan ever to be appointed to such a high position in the UN.
Prior to taking up her position with the United Nations, she was the CEO of the Ministry of Tourism in Tonga.
Fekita, as she is commonly known, comes into the new Government with a wealth of national, regional and international experience at various senior leadership levels.
She is a graduate of the University of Auckland. She received her Bachelor of Commerce in Economics degree in 1980, and her Master of Commerce in Economics in 1983.
She worked in Tonga’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 1991 to 2002, then as Secretary of Foreign Affairs from 2002 to 2005.
She was previously Acting Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Council of the University of the South Pacific (USP – 2015), Deputy Pro-Chancellor and Deputy Chair of the Council of USP (2009-2016), Deputy Director General and Director of Education, Training and Human Development of the Secretariat of Pacific Community (2009-2015); Permanent Representative and Ambassador of the Government of Tonga to the United Nations, USA, Cuba and Venezuela, and High Commissioner to Canada (2005-2009), and Secretary for Foreign Affairs and European Commission’s National Authorizing Officer for Tonga (2002-2005).
Fekita is married to Josh ‘Utoikamanu (a former Minister of Finance in Tonga) and they have three children.
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