Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
CF
ایاز سید خیوم
33rd Attorney-General of Fiji
In office
6 October 2014 – 24 December 2022
PresidentRatu Epeli Nailatikau
George Konrote
Wiliame Katonivere
Prime MinisterFrank Bainimarama
Preceded byFaiyaz Koya
Succeeded bySiromi Turaga
In office
8 January 2007 – 24 September 2014
PresidentRatu Josefa Iloilo
Epeli Nailatikau
Prime MinisterFrank Bainimarama
Preceded byQoriniasi Bale
Succeeded byFaiyaz Koya
Minister for Economy
In office
6 October 2014 – 24 December 2022
PresidentEpeli Nailatikau
George Konrote
Prime MinisterFrank Bainimarama
Preceded byFrank Bainimarama (as Minister of Finance)
Succeeded byBiman Prasad (as Minister of Finance)
Minister for Communications and Public Enterprise
In office
6 October 2014 – 24 December 2022
Minister for Civil Service
In office
6 October 2014 – 24 December 2022
Minister for Justice, Elections and Anti-Corruption
In office
6 December 2006 – 24 December 2022
PresidentRatu Josefa Iloilo
Ratu Epeli Nailatikau
George Konrote
Prime MinisterFrank Bainimarama
Personal details
Born (1965-09-24) 24 September 1965 (age 59)
Suva, Fiji
Political partyFijiFirst (2014–2024)
SpouseEla Gavoka (m. 2011)
RelationsViliame Gavoka (father-in-law)
ChildrenTwo sons, one daughter
Alma materANU (BA)
UNSW (LLB)
University of Hong Kong (LLM)
University of Wollongong (GDLP)
ProfessionLawyer

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum CF (born 24 September 1965[1]) is a Fijian politician and a former cabinet minister. He was the Fijian Attorney-General and the Minister for Economy, Civil Service and Communications, and also served as the Minister responsible for Climate Change under the FijiFirst government.[2] He is the third-highest polling candidate from the Fijian general elections of 2014,[3] 2018[4] and 2022.[5]

Prior to his appointment as a cabinet minister following FijiFirst's general election victory in September 2014, Sayed-Khaiyum was the Fijian Attorney-General and the Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Communications, Civil Aviation, and the Minister responsible for Elections under the Bainimarama Government.

According to The Economist, the daily functioning of the Fijian government was run by Sayed-Khaiyum. The South China Morning Post describes Sayed-Khaiyum as one of the South Pacific's most powerful men.[6]

Sayed-Khaiyum is the former General Secretary of the FijiFirst party. He also served as the Fijian Governor in the Asian Development Bank, was the ADB Chair of the Board of Governors in 2018.[7] In 2019 he was the Chair of the Boards of Governors and Governor of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund.

Following Frank Bainimarama's recovery from heart surgery in January 2022, Sayed-Khaiyum was named Acting Prime Minister.[8][9]

  1. ^ Sayed-Khaiyum, Aiyaz (23 September 2015). "AG celebrated his birthday today with team members. Happy Birthday AG!pic.twitter.com/gKY3BzUHRS".
  2. ^ "Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum" (PDF). Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  3. ^ "2014 General Elections Results – Fijian Elections Office". Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  4. ^ "2018 Results - FEO". Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Declaration of Results – The Electoral Commission Fiji". 28 December 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  6. ^ "In Fiji, bomb attack claims against Indo-Fijian attorney-general stoke racial tensions". SCMP. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum". Bloomberg L.P. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  8. ^ Noble, Phil (12 February 2022). "Fiji Leader Bainimarama A No-show For Visit By Top US Diplomat". Barrons. AFP-Agence France Presse. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  9. ^ Anthony, Kelvin (7 February 2022). "Fiji's PM needs 'time to recuperate' says govt". RNZ. Retrieved 14 February 2022.