General News

23 September, 2015, Apia, Samoa, 26SM - Mr. Kosi Latu is the new Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), he will resume his new role in January next year.

Announced at the 26th SPREP Meeting of Officials currently underway in Apia this week by the Chair of the Selection Advisory Committee Mr. Albon Ishoda, there was a high caliber of applicants resulting in a rigorous selection process.

"SPREP members would like to congratulate him on this achievement and look forward to working with him at the helm of SPREP," said Mr. Ishoda.

Mr. Kosi Latu is currently the Deputy-Director General of SPREP and has been since 2008. Prior to this he was Manager of a UNOPS Financial Compliance Programme based at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat from 2006 – 2008.

Kosi DG PicMr David Sheppard and Mr Kosi Latu

"I'm deeply honoured and humbled to be selected as the new Director-General of SPREP by its membership, it gives me confidence as I prepare to take up my new role in January, 2016. I am fully committed to supporting SPREP members in their aspirations and efforts to manage their environment effectively in a sustainable manner," said Mr. Latu.

"I'd also like to pay tribute to the current Director-General Mr David Sheppard for his great leadership of SPREP in the last six years and for making SPREP a strong and effective organisation in the region."

Mr. Latu also worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK for 11 years where he was employed as a Deputy Director for the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division from 1995 to 2001 and then as Special Legal Adviser and Head of the Legal and Economic Division from 2001 until 2006. He started his career as a state prosecutor with the Attorney General's Office in Samoa from 1990 until 1995. Mr. Latu's area of expertise and experience are international environmental law, law of the sea and financial compliance.

Mr David Sheppard, the current Director General of SPREP since October, 2009 completes his term at the end of this year.

The 26th SPREP Meeting of Officials is held at Tanoa Tusitala Hotel in Apia, Samoa from 22 - 24 September, 2015.

The 21 Pacific island countries and territories that are members of SPREP are: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.

The 5 Metropolitan members of SPREP are: Australia, France, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.