INTERGOVERNMENTAL organisation Oceania Customs Organisation has appointed Laisiana Tugaga as its head of Secretariat.
Mrs Tugaga’s appointment has been described as a significant milestone for the organisation – becoming the first Fijian national to hold that position, and only the second woman to lead the OCO secretariat, succeeding her predecessor Nancy Oraka from Papua New Guinea.
Her appointment follows a rigorous and competitive recruitment process led by the OCO Steering Committee; and evaluated alongside a strong field of highly qualified candidates.
According to the OCO, Mrs Tugaga was a selected for her blend of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and deep familiarity with Pacific Customs priorities.
She also brings with her a distinguished career spanning more than 15 years in trade and Customs at national and regional levels across the Pacific.
Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) and OCO Steering Committee chair Udit Singh said the committee was confident that Mrs Tugaga possessed the exact vision and strategic acumen the organisation needed at this pivotal time.
“Her track record across the region speaks for itself, and we look forward to the leadership she will bring to OCO,” Mr Singh said in a statement from the OCO.
The OCO stated Mrs Tugaga was well known to the Pacific Customs community, having previously served at the OCO Secretariat as Trade and Revenue Management Advisor and most recently completed her term as Operations manager at the PACER Plus Implementation Unit in Samoa.
Her expertise spans trade policy, Customs compliance, revenue systems, and policy alignment for Pacific Island countries.
Mrs Tugaga’s appointment is a significant milestone for the organisation. She is the first Fijian national to hold the position of Head of Secretariat, and only the second woman to lead the OCO Secretariat succeeding her predecessor, Mrs Nancy Oraka, from Papua New Guinea.
She will be formally introduced to OCO members at the upcoming OCO annual conference in Nadi on June 1.
