Major General Ioane Naivalurua (also known as Iowane Naivalurua) is a Fijian soldier, police officer, civil servant, and politician.

Ioane Naivalurua
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for FijiFirst List
Assumed office
14 December 2022
Personal details
Political partyFijiFirst
Independent

Naivalurua is from Suva and was educated at Marist Brothers Primary School, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and the Australian Defence College.[1]

Naivalurua has previously served as Land Force Commander in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.[2] In February 2005 he promised that the army would never allow another coup in Fiji.[3]

Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he was appointed Commissioner of Prisons by the military regime.[4] In July 2007 he was promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General.[5] Later that month, following a purge of SOE chairs, he was appointed as chairman of Post Fiji Limited.[6] In 2010 he was appointed Commissioner of police.[7] In January 2011 he was reappointed as police commissioner for a three-year term.[8] His term expired in September 2013.[9]

In January 2014 he was appointed ambassador-at-large,[10] and allowed to visit New Zealand, despite official sanctions against members of the military regime.[11][12] In March 2014 he was promoted to Major General.[13] In March 2015 he was appointed ambassador to China, replacing Esala Teleni.[14]

In September 2017 he was appointed permanent secretary of foreign affairs.[15] He resigned as permanent secretary and retired from public service in September 2019.[16]

Naivalurua stood as a FijiFirst candidate in the 2022 Fijian general election,[1][17] and was elected to the Parliament of Fiji.[18]

Following the collapse of FijiFirst he remained in Parliament as an independent MP as the leader of the opposition Group of 9 Bloc.[19]

Naivalurua is president of Basketball Fiji. In August 2023 he was awarded the FIBA President's Award for 2023.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b "FijiFirst's Naivalurua recalls humble beginnings in Basagau, Toorak". Fiji Sun. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2024 – via PressReader.
  2. ^ "Fiji army deploys more troops to Iraq and to Solomon Islands". RNZ. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  3. ^ "No more coups, says Fiji military's land forces commander". RNZ. 15 February 2005. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Fiji coup leader assumes executive control". RNZ. 6 December 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Fiji military commander announces promotions". RNZ. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Two new SOE chairpersons in Fiji sacked". RNZ. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Fiji President appoints Naivalurua as new police commissioner". RNZ. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  8. ^ "New Fiji police commissioner get three-year contract". RNZ. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Term of Fiji's Commissioner of Police expires". RNZ. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Former Fiji police commissioner picked as top diplomat". RNZ. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Fiji top envoy due in New Zealand". RNZ. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  12. ^ "NZ sanctions remain despite top Fiji general's visit". RNZ. 28 January 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  13. ^ "New top rank awarded to Fiji's former Police Commissioner". RNZ. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Naivalurua Is Fiji's New Ambassador To China". Fiji Sun. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  15. ^ Nemani Delaibatiki (9 September 2017). "Appointment: Naivalurua, Naqali Named Permanent Secretaries". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Iowane Naivalurua Resign As PS Foreign Affairs, Retires From Public Service". Fiji Sun. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  17. ^ Wati Talebula-Nuku (7 October 2022). "First 20". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Fiji's general election: All the latest results". RNZ. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  19. ^ Navitalai Naivalurua (5 August 2024). "Opposition splits in 2 - One led by Seruiratu, the other will be led by Naivalurua". Fiji Village. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Naivalurua Gets FIBA Award". Fiji Sun. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2024.