UNAIDS is deeply saddened by the passing of His Excellency Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, a steadfast champion of dignity, inclusion, and the HIV response across the Pacific.

“Ratu Epeli Nailatikau played an important role in shaping the HIV response in the Pacific. His efforts to address stigma and promote community-led approaches have left a lasting impact on the region’s journey toward ending AIDS.” – Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS

As UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador for the Pacific, and across his distinguished service as Speaker of Parliament and former President of Fiji, Ratu Epeli demonstrated a rare combination of leadership and humility, using his influence not for recognition, but in service of others, particularly the most vulnerable.

His commitment to HIV was deeply personal and unwavering. He stood publicly and consistently with communities affected by HIV, at a time when stigma and silence often prevailed. He used his voice to normalize open dialogue, challenge discrimination, and advocate for responses grounded in dignity and human rights.

Ratu Epeli’s contributions to the HIV response in Fiji and the Pacific were both visible and transformative. He played a pioneering role in convening regional leadership, including chairing a landmark meeting of Pacific Parliamentarians on HIV in 2004 in Fiji, helping to elevate political ownership of the response at an early stage. He championed legal and policy reforms that strengthened the enabling environment for HIV, including his leadership during the enactment of Fiji’s HIV/AIDS Act in 2011, which embedded a human rights-based approach to the national response. He also supported the removal of HIV-related travel restrictions, positioning Fiji as a leader in reducing discrimination and advancing equitable access to services.

Beyond policy, he was deeply engaged at the community level. He travelled across Fiji, including visiting schools, to speak directly with young people about HIV prevention, awareness, and responsibility, helping to shape a generation with greater understanding and openness. He also engaged directly with people living with HIV and key populations, lending his presence and voice to efforts aimed at breaking down stigma and strengthening community-led responses.

Ratu Epeli worked closely with UNAIDS over many years, not as a symbolic figure, but as an active and trusted partner. From global platforms, including addressing the United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS, to national and community engagements, he consistently called for bold action to end stigma and advance equitable access to prevention, treatment, and care.

He was more than an ambassador in title. He was a bridge between leadership and community, between policy and lived experience. His advocacy helped shape a more open, inclusive, and people-centred HIV response in Fiji and across the Pacific. Like the spirit of rugby he often invoked, he reminded us that ending AIDS requires teamwork, discipline, and collective responsibility, no one wins unless we move forward together.

UNAIDS extends its heartfelt condolences to his family, the people of Fiji, and communities across the Pacific whose lives he touched through his leadership and compassion.

His voice will be deeply missed, but his legacy will endure in the continued effort to end HIV and ensure that no one is left behind.