Fiji’s longest serving female diplomat Litia Mawi will be remembered for her dedicated service to the nation and the Pacific.

Affectionately known to many as ‘Nau Pani’, the late Mrs Mawi is known for her extensive mentoring of younger civil service staff in her many years working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says the Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Yogesh Karan.

The Mawi family sadly announced the passing away of Mrs Mawi last week and condolence messages flooded Mrs Mawi’s social media Facebook page from all around the Pacific and Government Diplomats she worked with.

On behalf of the Fijian Government, heads of missions from around the world and all who worked with the late Mrs Mawi in her last role as the Roving Ambassador for Fiji, Mr Karan offered his condolences to Mrs Mawi’s family.

“Her dedicated service to the nation is one that we will always remember and the Ministry greatly appreciates her efforts in building the regional framework and relations with all our Pacific Island neighbours,” Mr Karan said.

He said Mrs Mawi was instrumental in many folds and forums, representing Fiji at the Pacific Island Forum, the Pacific Community (SPC) and other regional institutions.

“She has mentored many staff, new recruits that had joined the ministry over the years and leadership she provided and was fantastic support to the former Permanent Secretaries of Foreign Affairs including myself,” he said.

According to the University of the South Pacific Alumni page, the late Mrs Mawi attained a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Economics and Public Administration from USP in 1987 as she was already a Public Servant and worked in the Ministry of Finance Budget Division.

Mrs Mawi’s other academic achievements include: 

• graduating from the Australian National University with a Graduate Diploma in Development Administration in 1989.
• Attending the Royal Institute of Public Administration in London in 1995 and the European Institute of Public Administration in 2005.
• She joined the Civil Service in 1972 as an Executive Cadet in the Public Service Commission and served in various capacities in a number of Ministries and Departments including Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Education, Foreign Affairs, Health, Posts and Telecommunications, State Law Office and the longest for 15 years in the External Aid Unit and Budget Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
• She served as Director of Management Improvement at the Public Service Commission, as Counselor at the Fiji Embassy in Tokyo and as Director of Poverty Monitoring in the Ministry of Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation.
• She also served as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade and as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Women, Social Welfare and in the Ministry of Local Government, Urban Development, Housing and Environment.
• She retired from Government in 2010 and joined the United Nations to serve for 12 months as a UN International Volunteer in the Planning and Budget Department of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in the Government of Tuvalu, based in Funafuti.
• She rejoined Government in 2011 as Fiji’s first Roving Ambassador until her retirement.

Details regarding her funeral will be released later by her family with COVID-19 safety measures expected to be followed.

Edited by Losirene Lacanivalu

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