THE Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO) has appointed Laisiana Tugaga as Head of Secretariat.
The organisation said Tugaga had more than 15 years of experience in trade and Customs at national and regional levels across the Pacific.
She previously worked at the OCO Secretariat as Trade and Revenue Management Advisor and most recently served as Operations Manager at the PACER Plus Implementation Unit in Samoa.
“The Steering Committee is confident that Mrs Tugaga possesses exactly the vision and strategic acumen our organisation needs at this pivotal time,” said Udit Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and chairperson of the OCO Steering Committee.
“Her track record across the region speaks for itself, and we look forward to the leadership she will bring to OCO.”
OCO said Tugaga was selected after a “rigorous and competitive recruitment process” and that she stood out for her technical expertise, strategic leadership and familiarity with Pacific Customs priorities.
Her appointment is notable because she is the first Fijian national to hold the role and only the second woman to lead the OCO Secretariat, following predecessor Nancy Oraka of Papua New Guinea.
Tugaga is due to be formally introduced to OCO members at the organisation’s annual conference in Nadi, Fiji, which starts today.
The Oceania Customs Organisation was established in 1998 and now represents 24 countries and territories across the Pacific.
