Mr Samson Vilvil Fare – Director-General, Vanuatu Ministry of Fisheries, Oceans and Maritime Affairs | Former High Commissioner to Australia | Cultural Advisor

Mr Samson Vilvil Fare is a distinguished Indigenous ni-Vanuatu diplomat, biodiversity scientist and climate change specialist with over 17 years of international leadership.

He currently serves as the inaugural Director-General of Vanuatu’s Ministry of Fisheries, Oceans and Maritime Affairs, leading national priorities in sustainable fisheries, ocean governance, maritime development, biodiversity protection and the blue economy.

As Vanuatu’s former High Commissioner to Australia, he strengthened bilateral diplomacy, Pacific labour mobility and protections for ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers.

A valued supporter of Australian South Sea Islanders Port Jackson (ASSIPJ), Mr Fare has championed cultural recognition, shared ancestral heritage and people-to-people relationships connecting Australian South Sea Islander descendants with their Vanuatu homelands. His engagement has strengthened grassroots cultural diplomacy and community partnerships.

Holding two master’s degrees, he has served with UNESCO, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and European Union-supported programmes, advancing climate resilience, biodiversity science and Indigenous traditional knowledge.
Awarded Vanuatu’s National Medal of Merit in 2025, Mr Fare has recently been appointed Cultural Advisor, bringing distinguished diplomatic leadership and cultural knowledge to ASSIPJ’s continuing advocacy for historical recognition, intergenerational connections and stronger Australia–Vanuatu, Pacific relations.