Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF FIJI PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

 

(Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

The new Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations, Berenado Vunibobo, today presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Prior to his appointment, since 1999, Mr. Vunibobo had served as a Senator of his country and on its Constitution Review Commission.  During that time, he was also Special Envoy to numerous States in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.  He was also a member of the Committee to Review Fijian Administration and was Chairman of the Fijian Education Advisory Group.  He held several key positions in areas related to development and land issues, and was also a Special Envoy of Pope John Paul II.

From 1994 to 1999, Mr. Vunibobo served as Minister for his country in its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (1997-1999), Finance and Economic Development (1994-1997), and Home Affairs and Immigration (1994).  He also served as Chairman on the Board of Directors of Fiji Post and Telecommunications Ltd and on the Defense Review Committee from 1992 to 1994, and held the post of Minister for Trade and Commerce from 1988 to 1992.

Mr. Vunibobo served as Resident Representative and Resident Coordinator for the United Nations System for Development in Pakistan (1986-1987) after serving in the same capacity in the Republic of Korea (1981-1986).  He was the Secretary for Transport and Tourism in his country from 1980 to 1981, while also serving as Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority and on the Boards of regional airlines and the Fiji Ports Authority. 

While serving as the Permanent Representative in his country’s Mission to the United Nations (1926-1980), he held concurrent accreditations with the United States and Canada and, during that period, he negotiated his country’s participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in 1978.  Mr. Vunibobo began his career in 1951 with a series of posts in agriculture related fields and holds degrees from Queensland University and Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (University College of West Indies).

He has been awarded the CBE Award for Meritorious Service and is a Gold Medallist of Queensland Agricultural College.

Born on 24 September 1932, he is a widower with five children.

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For information media • not an official record