PNG: Woman chosen as Forum head

Pacific leaders have for the first time chosen a woman to head the region’s premier representative group.

Papua New Guinea’s Dame Meg Taylor, a senior World Bank official, will become the next Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat.

In nominating her for the role in May, PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said Dame Meg had “a wealth of experience and knowledge that spanned 20 years in active service to the Government of Papua New Guinea”.

Born in 1951 and the daughter of Australian explorer Jim Taylor, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2002

Dame Meg Taylor was PNG’s ambassador to the United States, Mexico and Canada from 1989 to 1994.