(PRESS SECRETARIAT); Two of Israeli’s finest will be in Samoa next October to share their wealth of experience and intelligence in water and agricultural technology.
The experts from the Israeli’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, tagged by the Israeli Government as MASHAV will partner with the USP Alafua Campus to facilitate a two week course for locals and internationals interested in learning the secrets behind the Jewish Nation’s world revered success in the agriculture and water sectors.
It’s one of the achievements cemented so far by the Wellington (New Zealand) based Israeli’s Ambassador to Samoa Dr Itzhak Gerber who is in the country for a week to facilitate the inaugural exercise by his country on local soils and to set a range of activities to profile Israel as the true democracy state in the Middle East.
For the Ambassador he is praising the Samoa Government for accepting the initiative by his country as this is not the first time that the Israeli’s have offered to share their ingenuity in food and agricultural technology with Samoa.
“The credit goes to your Prime Minister who did not have any reservation in endorsing the training during our meeting earlier this week,” said Dr. Itzhak.
In the meantime, the USP Alafua Campus brainstorming is designed for locals to listen and learn from the Israeli experts with the final week dedicated to international participants.
After meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Lopao’o Natanielu Mua, the Ambassador is confident that the sharing of experiences with Samoa will benefit Samoa.
“The target is to improve production as well as provide Israeli’s food technologies for sustainability,” he said. And with Israel achieving her 100% food security from its range of food technology ingenuities, Samoa stands to gain.
As for the Water Sector, the Ambassador travelling with his wife Mrs Shifra Gerberg is confident that Israel has a lot to offer.
After meeting with the Samoa Water Authority Chief Executive, the plan is for the two Israeli’s experts to conduct a survey in Samoa to identify the country’s water needs and weaknesses.
“I feel confident that Israel can assist in a lot of ways to alleviate some of the water problems,” he said.
And Dr. Gerberg is not boasting when it comes to the experts from the Israeli’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, tagged by the Israeli Government as MASHAV who will be conducting the training.
Since its establishment in 1957, MASHAV has trained close to 270,000 course participants from approximately 132 countries in Israel and abroad and has developed dozens of demonstration projects worldwide.
And today it is a shining example and a worldwide pride of Israeli’s genius.
PLANNING AHEAD
But that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Dr. Gerberg is planning to stage in Samoa for the first time, a National Day to commemorate Israel’s 71st Independence Celebrations in 2019.
“I won’t make any promises but it will be an event to be remembered since it will be the first time that Israel will commemorate its Independence in Samoa. Ironically, Samoa is the first Pacific Island to gain independence,” he said.
And there is also the possibility for the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi to travel to Jerusalem on his first state visit to Israel.
“I have personally invited the Prime Minister and I pray that he will have the time to visit my country,” added the Ambassador who has served his country as a Diplomat with distinction for over 30 years since 1984.
So expect regular visits by the Israeli’s Ambassador as his ultimate goal is to improve his country’s profile and visibility in Samoa.
