Prime Minister of Samoa to visit New Zealand on 14th of June

Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern announced on Wednesday that Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mataafa will visit New Zealand on the 14th of June to mark 60 years of close diplomatic relationship with New Zealand.

According to a statement issued by the New Zealand Government on Tuesday, Fiame will officially be welcomed on 14 June in a visit which marks 60 years of close diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Samoa, and Samoa’s 60th Independence anniversary.

She will attend a series of community and official engagements, including meetings with Prime Minister Ardern and other Ministers.

According to the statement, Fiame will also attend a number of other engagements in Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland, which will include a community gathering with Regional Season Employment workers and a lunch with the Pacific Parliamentary Caucus.

Prime Minister Ardern said on Tuesday that New Zealand is a Pacific nation and they value the strength of their relationship with their Pacific family.

“I am delighted that Prime Minister of Samoa’s first official bilateral overseas visit will be to New Zealand,” Prime Minister Ardern said in the statement.

Prime Minister Ardern said that this is a significant year for Samoa as it celebrates 60 years of independence on 1 June, and 60 years since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand on 1 August.

“The Treaty underpins our relationship and pledges that both countries work together to promote the welfare of the people of Samoa and was, in fact, signed by Naomi Mataʻafa’s father and Samoa's first Prime Minister, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II,” Prime Minister Ardern said.

“The Prime Minister and I have already spoken on three occasions and I look forward to further discussing the key issues affecting our region, development cooperation and our ongoing respective COVID-19 responses.”