Most people in Samoa were taken by surprise when pictures of Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa attending an Independence celebration in Auckland, New Zealand, started appearing on social media over the weekend.
There has been no public announcement of her leaving the country or why.
Samoan media in New Zealand, reported on the visit with some saying that the Prime Minister stopped to attend the official celebration, in Auckland, by the Samoan diaspora in New Zealand.
The event was held at the Maota Samoa at Mangere, which also houses the Samoa Consulate, complete with a formal flag raising and the ceremonial march past.
Many organizations including former students of Samoa College, Avele College, St Mary’s, and Vaipouli Colleges and other Samoan organizations, attended and participated earlier in the year, in March.
Samoa Observer reports this morning, that Fiame was accompanied by Minister of Public Enterprises, Leatinu’u Wayne So’oialo, Chief Executive Officer of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi and CEO of the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Agafili Shem Leo.
Overseas media reports say that she is on her way to attend the Pacific Forum meeting in Suva, Fiji and open the Samoan High Commission in Suva.
She will then return to New Zealand for official talks with Prime Minister Jacinda Adern.
Speaking at the celebration, Fiame reminded that on top of Samoa’s independence celebration, this year also marks 60 years of the partnership between New Zealand and Samoa through the Treaty of Friendship.
She told the gathering that the Head of State, during his Independence speech last week, had thanked and acknowledged the support of the Samoan diaspora to their families in Samoa.
The Samoa PM is due to attend the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda from June 20-26.
