Tatafu Moeaki
Tatafu Toma Moeaki | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1972 |
| Nationality | Tongan |
| Occupation(s) | Civil servant, politician |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Known for | Former Minister of Finance, Minister of Revenue and Customs; Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga |
Tatafu Toma Moeaki (born in 1972) is a Tongan civil servant, former Cabinet Minister, and politician.
Beginning his career in the Tongan public sector in 1995, Moeaki served in various capacities including as head of Policy and Planning at the Ministry of Education and later as Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs. In 2011, he was appointed chief executive of the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries. Two years later, in 2013, he took on the role of chief executive at the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, a position he held until his resignation in 2016 to join the Asian Development Bank.
On 25 January 2021, following a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa, Moeaki was named Minister for Trade and Economic Development. Subsequently, he secured election to the Legislative Assembly representing Tongatapu 4 later that year. On 28 December 2021, he was appointed to Siaosi Sovaleni's Cabinet as Minister of Finance as well as Minister of Revenue and Customs.
Moeaki’s parliamentary tenure was cut short on 6 May 2022 when the Supreme Court invalidated his election due to a bribery conviction. Although the ruling was temporarily suspended pending an appeal, his appeal was ultimately rejected on 9 August 2022, leading to his official removal from Parliament on 10 August.
After losing his seat in Parliament, Moeaki was promptly rehired by the Ministry of Finance as a project manager. He was later named Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga on 20 December 2022.