KEYNOTE ADDRESS AFIOGA FIAME DR. NAOMI MATAAFA THE PRIME MINISTER AT THE ANZAC DAY DAWN SERVICE – Town Clock Monument (25 April 2024 @ 5:30 AM)
Reverend Elder Palemia Reupena,
Lau afioga i le Ao Mamalu o le Malo ma le Masiofo,
The Honourable Governor of American Samoa,
Member of the Council of Deputies,
Deputy Prime Minister and President of the RSA and Cabinet Ministers,
The Chief Justice,
The Speaker and Members of Parliament,
Members of the Returned Services Association,
Their Excellencies, High Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand and Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On this momentous occasion, as we appropriately commemorate every year, we honour and remember the lives of men and women who devoted and sacrificed so much to defend our freedom and way of life we enjoy.
It is also a precious moment to remember that even now in many parts of the world, people continue to wake up to daunting realities of war torn zones, and loss of loved ones due to wars and localised conflicts. Our global security landscape has become diverse and complex due to rapidly changing dynamics and competing ideologies.
For us in Samoa, we are blessed to live in a peaceful country. But it would be a grave mistake to lose focus on our commitment to strongly advocate for peace and security in our country, the region and beyond.
We do not have to look very far within our own region for examples on what can conceivably happen if we become complacent. We must therefore continue to heed lessons from conflict zones and play our part in the collective world effort to try and bring peace to communities that have suffered long the ravages of war.
The countries represented in today’s service all contribute and participate in efforts either under the flag of the United Nations or through regionally supported deployments to resolve conflicts and maintain peace around the world. Samoa’s own police officers have served for several years in peace keeping missions to different parts of the world including the Pacific region.
Our planet has suffered two devastating World Wars and it goes without saying, that it is the duty of every nation to ensure that the world would never again plunge into world war, and the terrible depths of desolation and grief it would work.
The generations of past men and women who have served to defend freedom and bring peace, those who now carry this massive responsibility, and those to come, would always deserve to be honoured and to be remembered for the sacrifices they have made, and will continue to make for the sake of human-kind and our world.
On behalf of the Government of Samoa, I wish to express our sincere appreciation to the President of the RSA and the representatives of the governments of Australia and New Zealand for the arrangements to commemorate this year’s ANZAC Day.
I wish you success with the remainder of the activities of this year’s commemoration.
SOIFUA