Mr Jonathan Lee Yoo
Deputy Chief of Mission
Cabinet Ministers
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am pleased to join you all in the celebration of the 244th anniversary of the United States of America and to use this opportunity to officially welcome to Samoa Mr Lee Yoo and his family who had arrived in the middle of the current lockdown.
We would also like to offer our sincere congratulations to the US Government for the achievement of yet another milestone year of independence though fraught with the uncertainties and challenges of the global pandemic and its tragic impacts on the lives of the American people.
It is our hope that we will all be able to soon see the light at the end of the tunnel in our shared journey through COVID 19 over the coming months and perhaps years.
Over the years the United States and Samoa have enjoyed a close friendship based on trust and mutual interest, strengthened by people-to-people ties between the two countries, particularly among Americans of Samoan descent.
In regional and international forums the United States and Samoa work together to mitigate disaster risk, manage fishery resources, promote sustainable economic development in the Pacific region, and strengthen the tenets of democracy and human rights.
Through its embassy, the United States also engages with the Samoan Government on bilateral and multilateral issues including regional security and international law enforcement.
Through a signed a Mutual Law Enforcement Agreement Samoan maritime officials have been allowed to utilize U.S. Coast Guard and Navy vessels to provide maritime policing in Samoan waters.
For over 50 years, a dynamic and active Peace Corps mission has formed the foundation of U.S. assistance to Samoa. With their focus on people-to-people engagement and practical solutions to developmental challenges, U.S. Peace Corps volunteers have provided significant assistance to Samoa’s educational and economic development and have earned the respect of many throughout Samoa.
We have benefited from the Fulbright programs such as the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship opened to us annually on a competitive basis. In fact COVID 19 has prevented the immediate return of a Samoan Fullbright scholar who has completed studies successfully this year.
The United States also provides significant additional assistance to Samoa, to provide capacity building and training for various stakeholders in government as well as NGO, media, and private sector individuals. USAID has several projects in Samoa focusing on climate change, food security, and disaster preparedness.
The U.S. Embassy also provides grants to civil society and private sector organizations to address issues of economic development, women’s empowerment, health, disaster risk mitigation, and education. The United States has constructed the Faleolo hospital opposite the international airport, as well as renovated or rebuilt several schools around the country.
Remittances from Samoans living in the United States, including American Samoa, contribute substantially to Samoa’s economy, and a significant number of Samoans are employed in American Samoa. As well we are committed to complying with the return of deportees from the United States.
Ladies and gentlemen I hope you will all enjoy the Independence anniversary of the United States of America.
