26 July 2022 Apia Samoa. Prime Minister Hon Fiame Naomi Mataafa has today confirmed the appointment of Lefaoalii Unutoa Auelua Fonoti to lead the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) for the next three years.
The Prime Minister said Cabinet had accepted and endorsed the recommendation by the interview panel following a comprehensive Recruitment and Selection process.
Returning to Government from the Private Sector, Lefaoalii had previously served as Samoa’s Regulator – leading the Office of the Regulator (OOTR) from 2015 to 2020. Prior to her appointment as Regulator in 2015, Lefaoalii served for 8 years as Manager for Spectrum Management and Technical Services with the OOTR.
Equipped with a Bachelor of Engineering (Electronics) from RMIT University in Melbourne, a Masters of Engineering (Engineering Management) from the University of Southern Queensland, as well as extensive experience in the broadcasting, ICT and telecommunications sectors – Lefaoalii was the first Samoan and first woman to be appointed Regulator.
Lefaoalii has been instrumental in empowering women and girls to take up ICT as a career by initiating the annual celebration of Girls in ICT in Samoa.
Had it not been for the global coronavirus lockdowns, Samoa would have hosted the 10th annual ITU Girls in ICT conference as the first ever Pacific Island Country to do so.
Lefaoali’i has a reputation across the Pacific and held various regional roles during her time as Samoa’s Regulator including the Vice Chairman of the Pacific Islands Regulators Resource Centre (PIRRC) Steering Committee. Lefaoalii had also been elected as Chair of the Asia Pacific Telecommunity’s Policy and Regulations Forum for the Pacific.
The appointment is a three year term, from 2022 to 2025.
