The Cabinet has approved the appointment of Unasa Viane Faifuaina Toala as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Samoa’s newly established District Development Authority.
Mr Toala has been appointed for a four-year term and brings extensive public service experience to the role.
He previously led the implementation and oversight of the Government’s Million Project, which now falls under the mandate of the District Development Authority.
The Government said his appointment reflects Cabinet’s confidence in his leadership, professional expertise and commitment to advancing district and village development priorities.
Mr Toala holds a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture, a Bachelor of Agriculture and a Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture from the University of the South Pacific.
He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Executive Leadership from the National University of Samoa.
The 42-year-old will be responsible for leading the new Authority as it oversees government initiatives supporting development across Samoa’s districts and villages.
The appointment was confirmed in a Cabinet release issued on Wednesday, 29 July 2026.
This article is based on information released by the Government of Samoa’s Office of the Press Secretariat.
