Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa will visit New Zealand next week, making it her first official bilateral overseas visit since taking office.
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern said Mataʻafa will arrive on June 14.
"This is a significant year for Samoa as it celebrates 60 years of independence on 1 June, and 60 years since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand on 1 August," Ardern said.
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa will head to NZ for her first bilateral overseas visit since taking office. (Source: 1News)
"The Treaty underpins our relationship and pledges that both countries work together to promote the welfare of the people of Samoa and was, in fact, signed by Naomi Mataʻafa’s father and Samoa's first Prime Minister, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II.
"The Prime Minister and I have already spoken on three occasions and I look forward to further discussing the key issues affecting our region, development cooperation and our ongoing respective Covid-19 responses," Ardern said.
It also comes amid tensions in the Pacific over China's involvement in the region, with stability in the region a key point during Ardern's meeting with US President Joe Biden.
Mataʻafa will meet with Ardern and other Ministers and will go to Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland.
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