Ioane Naivalurua
Fijian politician
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Major General Ioane Naivalurua (also known as Iowane Naivalurua) is a Fijian politician, police officer, civil servant, and the current Minister for Police.
Ioane Naivalurua | |
|---|---|
Naivalurua in 2025 | |
| Minister of Police and Communication. | |
| Assumed office 10 January 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Sitiveni Rabuka |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Member of the Fijian Parliament for the Republic of Fiji | |
| Assumed office 14 December 2022 | |
| Personal details | |
| Party | FijiFirst (2014–2024) Independent |
Naivalurua is from Suva and was educated at Marist Brothers Primary School, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and the Australian Defence College.[1]
Naivalurua has previously served as Land Force Commander in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.[2] In February 2005 he promised that the army would never allow another coup in Fiji.[3]
Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he was appointed Commissioner of Prisons by the military regime.[4] In July 2007 he was promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General.[5] Later that month, following a purge of SOE chairs, he was appointed as chairman of Post Fiji Limited.[6] In 2010 he was appointed Commissioner of police.[7] In January 2011 he was reappointed as police commissioner for a three-year term.[8] His term expired in September 2013.[9]
In January 2014 he was appointed ambassador-at-large,[10] and allowed to visit New Zealand, despite official sanctions against members of the military regime.[11][12] In March 2014 he was promoted to Major General.[13] In March 2015 he was appointed ambassador to China, replacing Esala Teleni.[14]
In September 2017 he was appointed permanent secretary of foreign affairs.[15] He resigned as permanent secretary and retired from public service in September 2019.[16]
Naivalurua stood as a FijiFirst candidate in the 2022 Fijian general election,[1][17] and was elected to the Parliament of Fiji.[18]
Following the collapse of FijiFirst he remained in Parliament as an independent MP as the leader of the opposition Group of 9 Bloc.[19] On 10 January 2025, he was sworn as Minister of Police under Rabuka's government.[20]
Naivalurua is president of Basketball Fiji. In August 2023 he was awarded the FIBA President's Award for 2023.[21]