Dr Henry Ivarature

He has worked and travelled extensively throughout the Pacific islands for more than 28 years, conducting research and writing about development issues.

He was a researcher at the PNG National Research Institute, a senior official in the PNG Department of Prime Minister and NEC; program manager with PNG Sustainable Development Program; Regional Governance Adviser with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji; senior program officer at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in Canberra; and Senior Program Manager with Abt Associates.

Dr Ivarature has conducted fieldwork and research in Tonga for his doctorate degree. He has also conducted fieldwork and research in Palau, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. He has also observed and written on elections in Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga and Papua New Guinea, including on election management by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

Dr Ivarature’s research interests include analysing political instability in Melanesia. He has developed an extensive database on PNG ministers from 1972-2017. Other areas of interest include governance, elections, democracy, politics and regionalism in the Pacific, reproductive health, free education in PNG and more recently, regional security in the Pacific.

His current research and work is focused on the 2018 Boe Declaration of Regional Security and regional security from a Pacific Islands lens. He is also working on policy leaders to better understand the Pacific, its people and its challenges for better engagement with Pacific neighbours.