Her Excellency Anne Grete Riise presented her Letters of Credence to the Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, at a credentials ceremony held this morning at the Official Residence of the Head of State in Vailele. She is accredited as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Norway to Samoa, with residence in Canberra, Australia.
Samoa and Norway have maintained cordial relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1999. The relationship between the two countries is characterised by mutual respect and a shared interest in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Her Excellency Riise acknowledged Norway’s involvement in the region as a Pacific Islands Forum Dialogue Partner since 2021 and noted Norway’s role as one of the largest contributors to the Green Climate Fund. This fund supported the Integrated Flood Management to Enhance Climate Resilience of the Vaisigano River Catchment Area project in Samoa. She expressed her commitment to continuing and further strengthening bilateral relations.
Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II reaffirmed the growing collaboration between Samoa and Norway, including within the United Nations, to advance common interests. He acknowledged Norway’s humanitarian support for Samoa, particularly during the 2019 measles outbreak, when an Emergency Medical Team of 16 clinicians was deployed to assist Samoa. The Head of State expressed confidence in the appointment of Her Excellency Riise and anticipated that it would further strengthen friendly relations and expand areas of mutual cooperation between Samoa and Norway.
Ms. Anne Grete Riise joined Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 1992 and has held various positions, including Deputy Director for the High North Section and Senior Adviser/Analyst in the European Department. She has served at Norway’s diplomatic missions in Kiev, Ukraine, as Second Secretary; in Berlin, Germany, as Second Secretary; in Vienna, Austria, as First Secretary; and in Warsaw, Poland, as Minister Counsellor. From March 2020 to June 2020, she worked at the Ministry of Health in the COVID Crisis Unit as the MFA Liaison. Before her appointment as Ambassador of Norway to Australia, she was Director at the Department for Culture and Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
