A Samoan agricultural researcher with the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS) arrived home safely from Israel last Saturday, June 28, after navigating a complex repatriation trip amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
Twenty-five year old Poling Falevaai had been in Israel for nearly 10 months participating in intensive agricultural research and innovation training through a program aimed at strengthening sustainable crop production in Samoa.
Her scheduled flight home was cancelled as tensions between Iran and Israel intensified mid June compelling her to remain in Israel under “scary” nights spent in bomb shelters as missile alerts sounded.
The Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) enlisted help from the New Zealand and Australian High Commissions in Tel Aviv to coordinate evacuation efforts.
The Samoa Observer reports that in the early hours of Wednesday, Falevaai flew from Tel Aviv to Cairo where she boarded a commercial flight to Dubai with fellow Pacific Island students and on to Sydney, Australia, before reaching Nadi, Fiji, on Friday afternoon.
Her return was also helped by lessons learned from October 2023 when 13 Samoan pilgrims underwent coordinated evacuation when conflict broke out in Israel.
Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa praised the mission, stating, “This operation demonstrates regional solidarity and reveals the commitment of our diplomatic partnerships to ensure the safety of Samoan citizens abroad.”
