Hon. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is Fiji’s Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Civil Service, Communications, Housing and Community Development and also serves the Minister responsible for climate change. As the Minister for Communications, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum has overseen a massive expansion in access to mobile services, extending coverage to 95 per cent of the country. Fiji has also experienced a boom in access to high speed internet services and Free-to-Air digital television, which is now available all throughout the geographically-remote nation.
Chief amongst the Attorney-General’s reforms of the communications sector – which have garnered international acclaim – has been the establishment of community “telecentres,” an initiative that has already exceeded expectations, providing free Internet access to more than 800,000 Fijians, including 8,000 schoolchildren.
To position Fiji as the IT leader in the region and as a preferred hub for data processing services, the Attorney-General is overseeing the digitalisation of Government services. Fiji has already made remarkable progress over the past five years to improve its telecommunications and ICT regulatory environment, resulting in Fiji receiving the ICTs in Sustainable Development Award from the International Telecommunications Union. Under his leadership, Fiji was also named Chair of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.
He completed his Masters in Law (LLM) degree at the University of Hong Kong, and his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree at the University of New South Wales (Sydney), Australia.
He attained his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, majoring in political science and development studies.
He lives in Suva with his wife, Ela, and their three children –– Ibrahim, Idris, and Imaan.