His Excellency Alon Roth-Snir presented his Letter of Credence to the Head of State of Samoa, Afioqa Tuimaleali‘ifano Va‘aletoa Sualauvi II, at a Credentials Ceremony held this afternoon at the Official Residence of the Head of State at Vailele, accrediting His Excellency as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to Samoa with residence in Wellington, New Zealand.
Samoa and Israel have enjoyed cordial relations since the establishment of formal ties on 30 May 1977. Our two countries are united through shared membership in the United Nations and other multilateral fora, where we collaborate on matters of mutual interests including sustainable development, climate change, poverty eradication, human rights, peace and security. Ambassador Roth-Snir reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to further strengthen the existing partnership between our two countries and to advance existing dialogue and cooperation based on the solid foundation established by his predecessors.
Afioqa Tuimaleali‘ifano Va‘aletoa Sualauvi II welcomed the Ambassador and acknowledged the growing partnership between Samoa and Israel. He expressed appreciation for Israel’s longstanding support to Samoa’s development, particularly in the areas of health, agriculture, food security and renewable energy, including assistance provided during the 2019 measles crisis and cooperation under the Israel–Pacific Food Security Alliance. The Head of State noted that the partnership continues to strengthen through multilateral engagement and practical development initiatives that directly benefit the Samoan people. He further highlighted the Government of Samoa’s decision to establish a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem later this year as a significant step in deepening bilateral engagement and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
His Excellency Alon Roth-Snir is a career diplomat with extensive experience in the area of foreign affairs and security. Since joining Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1986, he has held senior roles including Deputy Chief of Mission in Brussels, Amman and London, and as Ambassador to Norway from 2018 to 2022. He has also served as Deputy Director General and Head of the Strategic Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Special Coordinator for Kidnapped Persons in 2023. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geodesy and Cartography from Tel Aviv University, a Master’s in Business Administration from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a Master’s in Security Studies from the University of Haifa, graduating with honours. He is fluent in Hebrew, English and French.
This is a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), Government of Samoa, on 19 February 2026.
