New Permanent Representative of Tuvalu Presents Credentials

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

The new Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the United Nations, Tapugao Falefou, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Falefou served since 2020 as Secretary to the Government of Tuvalu, with job functions ranging from Principal Adviser to the Prime Minister to Principal Adviser to the Cabinet, to Head of Tuvalu’s Public Service.

From 2019 to 2021, he was Principal Adviser to the Prime Minister in his capacity as Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.  From March 2020 to August 2021, he served as Chair of COVID-19 Regional Task Force, and he also co-chaired — alongside Tuvalu’s Prime Minister — the country’s national COVID-19 Task Force.

Among other functions performed during that period, Mr. Falefou was Chair of all meetings of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, from 2019 to 2021.  He was also Chair of the Projects Review Committee, Chair of the Lands Management Committee and Chair of the National Disaster Committee.  In addition, he oversaw the country’s entire civil service and was responsible for assessing the performance of all Chief Executive Officers and Heads of Ministries.

From August 2019 to March 2020, Mr. Falefou served as Tuvalu’s Permanent Secretary for Justice, Communication and Foreign Affairs.  From August 2017 to July 2019, he was its Permanent Secretary for Communication and Transport.  From January 2011 to January 2014, he was the country’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Trade, Tourism, Environment and Labour, and from September 2006 to December 2008, he was its Permanent Secretary for Communication, Transport and Tourism.

Born in 1968, Mr. Falefou holds a doctoral degree from the University of Waikato in New Zealand, a master’s degree in diplomacy and international public policy from the Australian National University and a bachelor’s degree in public administration and management from the University of the South Pacific in Vanuatu, among other certifications.