Honorable Minister of Finance, Lautimuia Uelese Vaai, on behalf of the Government of Samoa, and High Commissioner His Excellency Dr. Trevor Matheson, representing the Government of Aotearoa New Zealand, signed the NZ$15 million grant for the Samoa Climate Finance Partnership Arrangement on Friday, 15 December 2023, in Apia.
The purpose of the partnership arrangement is to pursue a long-term, collaborative, and principle-based partnership to assist Samoa in addressing challenges from extreme weather events, as well as tackling even more fundamental issues of security, culture, and well-being from the long-term impacts of climate change.
The arrangement outlines how the climate finance assistance will support the Government of Samoa in delivering its priorities and actions to build a more resilient Samoa.
Minister Lautimuia acknowledged with appreciation the continuous partnership and assistance from Aotearoa New Zealand in supporting Samoa’s priorities in combating the impacts of climate change.
This support reaffirmed the commitment made by former Prime Minister Ardern during her visit to Apia in August 2022, further solidifying and celebrating the long-standing friendship between Samoa and New Zealand.
Minister Lautimuia also conveyed heartfelt appreciation and acknowledgment of H.E. Matheson’s assistance and contribution to Samoa during his tenure as High Commissioner for New Zealand, especially during the multiple crises including the measles outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic, Samoa’s recovery efforts, and preparation for hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2024.
