Your Highness the Head of State of Samoa:
I have the great honour today to present to Your Highness the Letter of Credence by which the Honourable President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind appoints me the High Commissioner of the Republic of India to the Independent State of Samoa. Please allow me to convey to Your Highness the cordial greetings of the President of India and extend, through Your Highness, sentiments of goodwill and best wishes of the Government and people of India to the Government and people of Samoa.
Our both countries enjoy warm and longstanding relationship founded on commonwealth heritage, shared values and developmental aspirations. It is my particular privilege to be presenting my credentials in the 50th year of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between India and Samoa. The fact that India was the second country to establish diplomatic relations with Samoa in June 1970 is a testament to the importance India has attached to this relationship from the beginning.
India also attaches great importance to the Pacific region and has created a robust platform of engagement with the Pacific Islands countries under the aegis of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation, which has met twice since 2014. As we are preparing for the 3rd Forum sometime this year, we would like to engage with Samoa and understand its developmental priorities. Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi hosted India-Pacific Small Islands Developing States meeting in New York in September 2020 during which he announced a concessional Line of credit of US $ 150 million and US $ 1 mn to each Pacific Islands country towards implementation of a high-impact development project of its choice.
India has been extending support to Samoa to meet its developmental objectives by capacity building through ITEC scholarships and through projects for socio-economic development. Samoan diplomats are availing of professional courses conducted by Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi. Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative Project was launched with a grant of US $ 1 million by India under the aegis of India-UN Development Partnership Fund.
I am pleased to note that the India-Samoa Centre for Excellence in Information Technology at National University of Samoa has become operational since November 2019.
These are interesting and may I say, challenging times to be High Commissioner of India in the Indo-Pacific region with the threat of climate change, disasters and epidemics staring at us. India would like to extend helping hand to Samoa towards recovery from the recent measles epidemic that took the toll of more than 80 innocent lives. We appreciate Samoa for joining the International Solar Alliance, an initiative for harnessing solar energy for combating climate change.
Your Highness, I assure you that under my stewardship, High Commission of India will exert all efforts to further the cooperation between our two countries and the friendship between our two peoples. To take this relationship forward, both sides are engaged in the establishment of Honorary Consulates. We are examining the proposal of Samoan side for the appointment of an Honorary Consul in New Delhi. We are also desirous of doing the same in Samoa this year for which I seek the support of the Government of Samoa.
I again thank, Your Highness, for accepting my credentials as High Commissioner of India to Samoa.
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