The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has announced the appointment of Mr. Peter Thomson as Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Mr. Thomson will assume his duties in New York later this month.
Mr. Thomson has called on the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, at Government House and the Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, in preparation for his diplomatic posting.
Mr Peter Thomson was born in Suva in 1948, the second son of Sir Ian and Lady Nancy Thomson. He was educated at Suva Grammar School and Natabua High School, later attending Auckland University (B.A Political Studies) and Cambridge University (Post Grad Diploma in Development Studies).
He spent sixteen years as a civil servant in the Government of Fiji, working in the fields of rural development and foreign affairs. His civil service career began in 1972 as District Officer Navua after which he went on to serve as the District Officer in Macuata and Taveuni.
In 1978 he joined the Ministry of Foreign of Affairs in Suva and was seconded to the Forum Secretariat in 1979. He was then posted to Tokyo as charge’d’affaires with the responsibility of opening the Fiji Embassy in Japan in 1980. He remained in Tokyo thereafter as First Secretary (Aid/Trade/Tourism) until in 1984, when he was appointed Fiji Consul-General in Sydney.
In 1986 he returned to Fiji to become Permanent Secretary of Information. During that time he served on the boards of the Fiji Visitors Bureau, Fiji TV and the Fiji Broadcasting Commission. In May 1987 he was appointed Permanent Secretary to the Governor-General, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, a position he held until his resignation from the civil service at the end of 1987.
Since 1988 Peter Thomson has operated as an investment and management consultant on Pacific Island affairs with clients ranging from government agencies, to regional organisations, universities and investment corporations. He is a founder member of the executive committees of the Australia-Fiji Business Council and the New Zealand-Fiji Business Council, and has recently been made a life member of the latter council.