Acting Director-General of the MSG Secretariat George Hoa’au seeks to clarify that the process of appointment of the new Director-General has been agreed to and adopted by the MSG Leaders during the 20th Leader’s Summit in Honiara, Solomon Islands on 26 June, 2015.

This process further expands and clarifies the powers of the MSG Leaders as stipulated in Articles 8 and 14 of the Agreement Establishing the MSG (MSG Agreement).

“Since the vacancy in the Office of the MSG Secretariat Director-General was announced, the Secretariat have since invoked the recruitment process beginning with the advertisement of the position which closed last month” Acting DG Hoa’au said.

“Following that a troika of MSG members from the Senior Officials Meeting will then meet to go through the shortlisted candidates and begin the formal process of
interviews. The troika will then submit their recommendations to the MSG Leaders for their consideration
and decision,” he further added.

Article 14 of the MSG Agreement states that, “The Director-General shall be appointed by the Leaders’ Summit under such terms and conditions as the Leaders may decide.” The emphasis has always been that the process agreed to by the Leaders is to ensure the recruitment of Director-General must be based
on merit.

“So once a recruitment is finalised by the Panel, it will be submitted to the MSG Governing Body Process of which the Chair of the MSG will then announce the next Director General. We are excited and anticipate the announcement,” ADG Hoa’au emphasised.

Prime Minister James Marape is currently the chair of the MSG Leaders and will be handing over the chairmanship of the MSG region to Prime Minister Bob Loughman when the MSG Special Biennium Summit is convened next.

Mr Hoa’au said that the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat continues to work towards the fulfillment of our corporate plan despite the COVID 19 outbreak and the restrictions of movement across the region. Among the key priorities of the Secretariat is ensuring that work continues through digital
platforms and through bilateral engagements with Members. Also high on the MSG’s agenda is the recruitment of the Director-General of the MSG Secretariat.