Tuiloma Neroni Slade
Encyclopedia
Tuiloma Neroni Slade is the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat
. He was elected to the position for three years on 20 August 2008. Slade was reappointed to a second term by the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum on 8 September 2011.
on 8 April 1941. He graduated with a LL.B. from Victoria University of Wellington
in New Zealand
.
n lawyer
, serving as the senior prosecutor
for the Attorney General
and the Parliamentary Counsel
to the Samoan government. He became the Attorney General of Samoa in 1976 and remained in office until 1982.
Slade became the Samoa
n Ambassador
to the United States
and permanent representative
to the United Nations
and a judge of the International Criminal Court
. He was elected to the International Criminal Court
in 2003 for a three-year term, and served as Presiding Judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II.
Before beginning a diplomatic career in 1993, Slade became the assistant director
of the legal office for the Commonwealth Secretariat
, based in London
.
Slade served as a Samoan diplomat
from 1993 until his appointment to the International Criminal Court in 2003. He was appointed as Samoa's permanent representative
to the United Nations
in New York City
. Slade concurrently served as both the Samoan Ambassador to the United States and the High Commissioner
to Canada
.
He has also served as chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States
(AOSIS) from 1997 to 2003.
. During his tenure, Slade served as a Presiding Judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II at the International Criminal Court
in The Hague
, the Netherlands
. He practiced law as an international legal consultant from 2007 to 2008 after leaving the court.
on 9 August 2008. He succeeded acting Secretary General Feleti Teo
, who also sought appointment to a full term.
He announced his intention to seek reappointment to a second term in 2011. Slade's reappointment was openly opposed by the government Frank Bainimarama
of Fiji
, which has been suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum since 2009. Bainimarama put forth another candidate for nomination, former Fijian foreign minister
Kaliopate Tavola
, with the initial support of the members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group
. Fiji released statements touting the opposition of the Pacific Islands Forum's Melanesia
n members to Slade's reappointment.
Despite Tavola's nomination, the leaders of the Pacific Island Forum unanimously reappointed Slade for a second term on 8 September 2011, following a leaders' retreat on Waiheke Island
in Auckland
, New Zealand
. He received full support from all members, including the Melanesian Spearhead Group
. It is unknown if any Melanesian members put forth Tavola's nomination during the retreat. Slade thanked leaders for his renomination in a statement, "I sincerely thank the Forum Leaders for having confidence in me to lead their Secretariat for a second term. I will of course work to the best of my abilities to serve the Forum membership in pursuit of aspirations in the Leaders' Vision for a region of peace, harmony, security and economic prosperity, so that all our people can lead free and worthwhile lives."
and the Global Oceans Leadership Award, both in 2003 for his work on behalf of the oceans and developing, small island states. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of Samoa ù Poloaiga Sili a Samoa.
Pacific Islands Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum...
. He was elected to the position for three years on 20 August 2008. Slade was reappointed to a second term by the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum on 8 September 2011.
Biography
Tuiloma Neroni Slade was born in SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
on 8 April 1941. He graduated with a LL.B. from Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Career
Slade began is career as a SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
n lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, serving as the senior prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
for the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
and the Parliamentary Counsel
Parliamentary Counsel
Parliamentary counsel are lawyers who prepare legislation that it is proposed to pass into law. The term Parliamentary draftsman is also widely used. These terms are used in relation to the United Kingdom parliament, and other parliaments on the Westminster system...
to the Samoan government. He became the Attorney General of Samoa in 1976 and remained in office until 1982.
Slade became the Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
n Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and permanent representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and a judge of the International Criminal Court
Judges of the International Criminal Court
The eighteen judges of the International Criminal Court are elected for nine-year terms by the member-countries of the court. Candidates must be nationals of those countries and they must "possess the qualifications required in their respective States for appointment to the highest judicial...
. He was elected to the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
in 2003 for a three-year term, and served as Presiding Judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II.
Before beginning a diplomatic career in 1993, Slade became the assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
of the legal office for the Commonwealth Secretariat
Commonwealth Secretariat
The Commonwealth Secretariat is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is responsible for facilitating cooperation between members; organising meetings, including the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings ; assisting and advising on policy...
, based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Slade served as a Samoan diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
from 1993 until his appointment to the International Criminal Court in 2003. He was appointed as Samoa's permanent representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Slade concurrently served as both the Samoan Ambassador to the United States and the High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
He has also served as chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States
Alliance of Small Island States
Alliance of Small Island States is an intergovernmental organization of low-lying coastal and small Island countries. Established in 1990, the main purpose of the alliance is to consolidate the voices of Small Island Developing States to address global warming...
(AOSIS) from 1997 to 2003.
International Criminal Court
In 2003, Slade was elected to a three-year term as a justice of the International Criminal CourtJudges of the International Criminal Court
The eighteen judges of the International Criminal Court are elected for nine-year terms by the member-countries of the court. Candidates must be nationals of those countries and they must "possess the qualifications required in their respective States for appointment to the highest judicial...
. During his tenure, Slade served as a Presiding Judge of Pre-Trial Chamber II at the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He practiced law as an international legal consultant from 2007 to 2008 after leaving the court.
Secretary General
Tuiloma Neroni Slade was appointed Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat on 20 August 2008 for a three year term and took office on 13 October 2008. He was elected following the death of Secretary General Greg UrwinGreg Urwin
Gregory Lawrence Urwin PSM CSI was an Australian career diplomat and top Pacific specialist. Urwin held the post of Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, an important inter-governmental regional organisation from 2004 until 2 May 2008. Urwin had been the longest serving Australian...
on 9 August 2008. He succeeded acting Secretary General Feleti Teo
Feleti Teo
Feleti Penitala Teo , also spelled Feleti Te'o, is a Tuvaluan former Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum.-Education:...
, who also sought appointment to a full term.
He announced his intention to seek reappointment to a second term in 2011. Slade's reappointment was openly opposed by the government Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, which has been suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum since 2009. Bainimarama put forth another candidate for nomination, former Fijian foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Kaliopate Tavola
Kaliopate Tavola
Kaliopate Tavola is a Fijian economist, diplomat, and politician, who was his country's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2006...
, with the initial support of the members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group
Melanesian Spearhead Group
The Melanesian Spearhead Group is an intergovernmental organization, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as well as the FLNKS of New Caledonia. It was founded as a political gathering in 1983...
. Fiji released statements touting the opposition of the Pacific Islands Forum's Melanesia
Melanesia
Melanesia is a subregion of Oceania extending from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea, and eastward to Fiji. The region comprises most of the islands immediately north and northeast of Australia...
n members to Slade's reappointment.
Despite Tavola's nomination, the leaders of the Pacific Island Forum unanimously reappointed Slade for a second term on 8 September 2011, following a leaders' retreat on Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about from Auckland.The island is the second-largest in the Hauraki Gulf after Great Barrier Island. It is the most populated, with nearly 8,000 permanent residents plus another estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He received full support from all members, including the Melanesian Spearhead Group
Melanesian Spearhead Group
The Melanesian Spearhead Group is an intergovernmental organization, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as well as the FLNKS of New Caledonia. It was founded as a political gathering in 1983...
. It is unknown if any Melanesian members put forth Tavola's nomination during the retreat. Slade thanked leaders for his renomination in a statement, "I sincerely thank the Forum Leaders for having confidence in me to lead their Secretariat for a second term. I will of course work to the best of my abilities to serve the Forum membership in pursuit of aspirations in the Leaders' Vision for a region of peace, harmony, security and economic prosperity, so that all our people can lead free and worthwhile lives."
Awards and recognitions
Slade received the Elizabeth Haub Award for Environmental Diplomacy in 2001. He was the recipient of the Elisabeth Mann Borgese MedalElisabeth Mann-Borgese
Elisabeth Mann Borgese, CM was the youngest daughter of Thomas Mann and his wife Katia Pringsheim, sister to Klaus, Erika, Golo, Monika and Michael Mann, sister-in-law to W. H. Auden, and niece of the novelist Heinrich Mann.Elisabeth was born in Munich, Germany...
and the Global Oceans Leadership Award, both in 2003 for his work on behalf of the oceans and developing, small island states. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of Samoa ù Poloaiga Sili a Samoa.