Tonga Consulate General

Ambassador Sonatane Tu’akinamolahi Taumoepeau-Tupou
invested with Life Peerage

His Majesty The King has been pleased to elevate Ambassador Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi Taumoepeau-Tupou to the Life Peerage with the Noble title of Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu.

Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou presently serves as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, and Venezuela, and High Commissioner to Canada.

His Lordship previously held this post of Permanent Representative to the UN and Ambassador to the United States of America, from 1999 to 2004 when he was recalled to take up the ministerial appointment of Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was also appointed Acting Minister for Defence and Acting Governor of Vava'u in 2005.

Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou was appointed Secretary for Foreign Affairs in 1979. He served as High Commissioner to the Court of St James's in 1983, with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the then Soviet Union; the United States of America and the European Commission. He returned to the Foreign Ministry in 1986 and served as Secretary for Foreign Affairs until his posting to set up the UN Mission in New York in 1999.

He joined the Civil Service in 1969 as an Assistant Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.

Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou and the late Lady Amelia Latuniua Taumoepeau-Tupou had four children: Lady Kalaniualu-Fotofili (Marcella Margaret Tupoumoheofo), Miss Odette Inez Tupou ‘Ahome’e, Captain Christian David Fahaivalu Tupou and Latasi Toutoupau'u Tupou.

ENDS

 Issued by the:  Office of the Lord Chamberlain, The Palace Office, Nuku'alofa, 2011.