By Xinhua,
Wellington : New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Foreign Minister Winston Peters on Monday sent condolence to the family of the former Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Greg Urwin, who has passed away at his home in Apia, Samoa.
“Greg Urwin worked tirelessly for the Pacific throughout his career. News of his passing will be greeted with great sadness across the region,” Clark said in a statement.
“Even before taking on his role as Forum Secretary General, Greg enjoyed a distinguished career focused on service to the Pacific.
“It was fitting that Greg should end his career as head of the Forum Secretariat. The South Pacific was where Greg made his home. His enthusiasm and love of our region was very evident in the way he went about his work,” he said.
“I appreciated Greg’s immense personal commitment in taking this work forward, as well as his handling of the sensitive political issues which Forum leaders tasked him with advancing, such as the region’s response to the Fiji coup, and the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands,” Clark said.
“Greg was a strong advocate for the Pacific and his passing is a great loss. His significant service to the Pacific Islands Forum region will be remembered by all who had the privilege of working with him,” Peters said.
Clark and Peters said they expected the Leaders’ meeting at the39th Pacific Islands Forum in Niue next week would wish to take time to recall Greg’s contribution to the region.