SAUNOAGA A LE TAMAITAI PALEMIA, AFIOGA FIAMĒ NAOMI MATAAFA: SAUNIGA MO LE TATALAINA O LE FONOTAGA ATOA O SAMOA: TUTUILA (13 APERILA 2023)

O lea ua te'a i le nofoalii paia o le Atua la tatou taulaga osi i lenei taeao fou, aua la tatou faamua ma le faafetai i lo tatou Matai sili, e pei ona saunoa i ai le Taitai o le Sauniga. Tatou te molimau faatasi i ituaso faapenei, ana le seanoa le alofa tunoa o le Atua, semanū o 'ausaga lē tu 'aao, ma tua i moana lo tatou faamoemoe. Peitai o lenei taeao, o lea ua tuvaga i figota, ae pese fiafia le livaliva. Ua tau mai nuu lelei lo tatou faamoemoe.

Ou te faatulou atu i le paia maualuga o le Faigamalo a Amerika Samoa. I le afio o lau afioga i le Kovana, ma le Kovana Lutena, faapea le mamalu o lau Kapeneta ma Faauluuluga o Matagaluega. O paia aua le afifio o le Pulega Faatonu, Le Faamasino Sili ma le Ofisa o Faamasinoga, Le Fofoga Fetalai ma Sui Mamalu o Maota e lua o le Fono Aoao Faitulafono a Amerika Samoa. O le paia lava lea aua Sua ma le Vaifanua, Fofo ma Aitulagi, Sa'ole ma le Launiu Saelua, Afifio Faatui ma Tootoo, ma upu i le Manuatele.

A liliu mai i lenei itu, o loo afifio atu afioga i alii ma tamaitai Minisita o le Kapeneta. E faapea foi i Faauluuluga o Matagaluega a le Malo o Samoa. O paia aua le afio o le afioga i le Ao Mamalu o le Malo Tutoatasi o Samoa, Le Sui o le Fono a Sui Tofia, ae tainane le afifio o le tafatolu o le faigamalo a Samoa.

O le paia lava lea aua Tama ma Aiga, o Aiga ma Tama, le usoga a Tumua ma Pule, Ituau ma Alataua, Aiga i le Tai ma le Vaa o Fonoti.

E faatulou atu foi i le aufaigaluega totofi a le Atua o loo galulue punouai i so'o se tovine, aua le latou galuega i aso uma, e momoli talosaga ma olega i le Atua mo Samoa. O paia sauo'o ia o le maota tele o Samoa, ou te talitonu ua taoto i matagofie i lenei taeao fou.

Honourable Governor, this April gathering is the third round of the Atoa Samoa. Talks. The intention remains clear; we should continue to collaborate and consolidate our positions on what we see will reap mutual benefits for all our peoples.

At this juncture, let us reflect on the beginnings of our journey and what we have

achieved. At the 27-28 July inaugural meeting here in American Samoa we renamed the formerly known 'Two Samoa Talks' to 'Atoa o Samoa' by our respective new governments. The spirit of genuine partnerships; the unity of family, and the willingness to share resonated in the concept 'ua atoa Samoa'

At the 2nd Atoa o Samoa meeting in October 2022 in Apia we went further to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, to re-establish the principles of economic cooperation and commit to promote sustainable development. The two-day meeting in Apia included bilateral meetings between departments and counterparts, and the start of site visits to major development projects, a demonstration of what can be done and how we can learn from each other.

This 3rd meeting will report on progress made since Apia, I am happy that some agencies have interchanged visits and exchanged personnel and hopefully have progressed priority issues. I understand that the next session will provide an overview of progress or otherwise. I am sure that you will all agree with me that implementation of our decisions and what we have agreed to will be indicative of progress.

We are living in difficult times fraught with challenges that have impacted our way of life, wellbeing and security. Our situation as small islands states is made worse by our vulnerabilities. The Russia Ukraine war continues to preoccupy the major powers; the world's attention continues to shift away from small island states like our two countries that are also sinking under the weight of rising fuel and food prices as a result of such aggression. Our geographial isolation no longer protects us from the impacts of climate change and future pandemics but we should never stop advocating for the world to be held responsible for promises not kept thus thwarting our rights to peace security and prosperity.

Samoa's hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting next year, the signing of the SAMOA Agreement with the leaders of the European Union and the African Caribbean Pacific Group as well as chairing the Alliance of Small Islands States within the United Nations over the next 2 years reflect our commitment to stand up and be counted.

The Atoa o Samoa framework can be a unique partnership model for the benefit of our peoples and our extensive diasporas globally. We must ensure that it works well and have sustained benefits for all - if changes are deemed necessary lets not turn away from them.

Ia alofa mai le Atua i la tatou feiloaiga. Ia lautua pea faigamalo e lua i le alofa ma le fetausia'i, ma ia tumau pea lo tatou fealofani. Ia manuia le tauaofiga lona tolu o le Atoa o Samoa.

SOIFUA

April 17, 2023

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