Tonga - Head of Government

The Hon Dr Feleti Vaka’uta Sevele was appointed as the 14th Prime Minister of Tonga on 30 March 2006 by the late HM King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, becoming the first commoner to assume the post.

Dr Sevele had earlier been appointed Acting Prime Minister on 11 February 2006 following the resignation of HRH Prince 'Ulukalala Lavaka Ata.

Dr Sevele held the post of Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industries before taking office as prime minister. He was elected as a People’s Representative to the Parliament of Tonga in 1999, and re-elected in 2002 and 2005.

He was also director of Tonga Oil Mill, director of Tonga Pacific Navigation Company and a member of the Tongan National Scholarship Committee. Dr Sevele had also served as Secretary-General of the Tonga Amateur Sports Association and the National Olympic Committee. Prior to that, he was chairperson of the Tongan Amateur Sports Association and the Tonga Rugby Union.

Dr Sevele was formerly an Asian Development Bank consultant to the
Central Planning Department, Government of Tonga; a resident consultant and adviser to the ANZ Bank; chief economist for the South Pacific Commission; chief executive and director of the Commodities Board of Tonga; and a member of the Council of the University of the South Pacific.

Dr Sevele obtained his Doctorate in Development Economics from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, under a Commonwealth scholarship. Dr Sevele also has a Master’s degree, and Bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Economic Geography from the same university.

Dr Sevele was born on 7 July 1944 in Ma’ufanga, Nuku’alofa.