The Pacific Islands Forum has announced the appointment of Desna Solofa as the Deputy Secretary General – Governance, effective 24 June 2024.
Solofa joins the Forum from the Government of Samoa, where she was the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Relations Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
She has previously served at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat as Political Issues Adviser (2009-2011) and Director, Political Governance (2012-2015).
Welcoming the appointment, Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa said Deputy SG Solofa brings a wealth of experience to her role which will involve working closely with Forum members, CROP agencies, regional and multilateral agencies, and development partners.
He noted that Solofa’s career and senior executive position at the national level, combined with her prior regional experience, “is an excellent fit for the 2050 implementation and related priorities set by our Leaders. Her expertise is well recognised within and outside the Pacific and underscored by her extensive understanding of the Secretariat’s technical advice to high-level political leaders across all areas of regional political development, governance, and security.”
As the incoming DSG leading Governance, Deputy Solofa will work closely with fellow Deputy SG Esala Nayasi, who leads Strategic Policy and Programmes, and with Directors and their teams across Corporate, Programmes and Initiatives, Governance and Engagement, and Policy divisions.
The new position aligns with the implementation of the Suva Agreement and returns the Pacific Islands Forum to a two-deputy executive led by Secretary-General Baron Waqa.