Constitutional Court deputy president Pius Langa was on Friday appointed by the Commonwealth as special envoy to the Fiji Islands to act as facilitator to restore democracy and promote national unity in that country.
In a statement on its website, the Commonwealth said a ministerial action group had asked the body's secretary-general Don McKinnon in September to appoint an envoy.
This followed Fiji's suspension from the councils of the Commonwealth after an attempted coup on May 19 this year and the displacement of the country's democratically elected government.
Justice Langa will visit Fiji Islands next week to meet the principal parties, including the interim administration and members of the former coalition government.
McKinnon said: "I continue to be concerned over the situation in Fiji.
"I hope that Justice Langa will be able to apply his considerable experience to communicate with all parties effectively in order to restore democracy and unity in that country.
"Justice Langa brings to his task a distinguished record in jurisprudence as well as considerable experience in the politics of pluralism and national reconciliation."
He will be assisted by two senior officials of the Commonwealth Secretariat - Judith Pestaina and Michele Law. - Sapa