Sonam Tobgay

International development policy specialist with 27 years of experience across South Asia and Southeast Asia, The Caucasus and The SIDs in the Pacific Region. Expertise in policy advisory, conservation, climate smart agriculture, trade, and sustainable resilient development. Proven leadership in advancing agriculture, trade, and economic agendas in collaboration with government, multilateral organizations and international agencies. From 2021–2023, worked with Conservation International (CI), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the University of the South Pacific (USP) on coastal marine conservation in Fiji, Kiribati, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Focus areas included climate change impacts on fish stocks and ocean currents, sustainable Fish Aggregating Devices (biodegradable, non-entangling materials), and mitigation of interactions with endangered and protected species. Has worked with governments and UN agencies in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam. Holds Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and International Development, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economics.