17 January, 2026, 6:16 pm Central - 26°C Rain
UN

Samarasinha on administrative leave
His term is coming to an end and a successor has been selected

Samarasinha on administrative leave

His term is coming to an end and a successor has been selected

By Vijay Narayan
18/05/2023
UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Sanaka Samarasinha

The UN Resident Coordinator to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, Sanaka Samarasinha, is on administrative leave with full pay, and the organization says that they received complaints of possible alleged unsatisfactory conduct implicating Samarasinha.

In the official response, the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator says this matter is currently under consideration and being taken very seriously.

It also says administrative leave is an administrative measure, and is not a disciplinary measure.

They say all due process rights will be respected.

Given confidentiality requirements, no other information on the process can be provided.

The Office also says that Samarasinha was coming to the end of his assignment, and his successor had already been selected.

The proposed candidate will be presented to the Fiji Government shortly for the host country agreement.

In the meantime, Heike Alefsen, Regional Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Pacific, has been appointed as Resident Coordinator ad interim.

Samarasinha could not be reached for comments.

FEATURE NEWS
Yaro Chiefs crowned Coral Coast 7s Champions in historic debut after defeating Ravuka Sharks 28–12
The Yaro Chiefs have made history by winning the McDonald’s Coral Coast 7s men’s title on their first-ever appearance at the tournament, defeating...
6 minutes ago
LATEST NEWS
Father urges parents to view Back-to-School spending as investment in children despite rising cost of living
With only two weeks remaining before schools reopen on January 26, parents and guardians across Fiji are busy preparing for the new academic year, ...
10 minutes ago

I could imagine them crying at home – Toribau
I stared at the wall for almost three hours after my parents left, I could imagine them crying at home. Those were the words of Aisea Toribau, who ...
1 hour ago

Kolinisau eyes Coral Coast 7s standouts for national squad selection
Fiji Airways National Men’s 7s head coach Osea Kolinisau says several standout performers in the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s could be in line ...
1 hour ago

Moala Island eyed as game fishing tourism hub in Lau development push
Moala Island could soon become a game fishing hotspot under the government’s plans to develop a distinct tourism identity for the Lau Group.Deputy ...
2 hours ago

Concerns raised over rising hit-and-run cases, police call for driver responsibility
Concerns are being raised over the increasing number of hit-and-run cases, with Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Aporosa Lutunauga urging the public ...
6 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Electricity tariff increase for users consuming more than 100 units
There is an increase in the electricity tariff rate for consumers using more than 100 units from 1 January next year.Fijian Competition and Consumer ...
15 days ago

Fiji needs to act on human trafficking indicators associated with Grace Road Group
The United States remains deeply concerned about indicators of trans-national organised crime and human trafficking in Fiji associated with the Grace ...
26 days ago

Cheap seed oils are not good for our health - O'Neill
With over 80 percent of deaths in Fiji caused by cardiovascular disease based on the 2011 report, naturopath and nutritionist Barbara O’Neill is ...
26 days ago

TOP