Government appoints diplomatic envoys for New Zealand

By Lagi Keresoma

APIA, SAMOA – 13 FEBRUARY 2023: Two former Parliamentarians, Afamasaga Fa’amatala Toleafoa and Afemata Palusalue Faapo 11 have been appointed to diplomatic posts in New Zealand.

Afamasaga is Samoa’s new High Commissioner based in Wellington while Afemata will head the Consul’s office in Auckland.

Former Trade Commissioner, Vaatu’itu’i Apete Meredith has also been reappointed to the post. The appointments were announced by Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa last Friday.

Afamasaga is a career diplomat who served as Samoa’s Consul to New Zealand and later Samoa’s diplomatic representative in Europe and was active in bringing the African, Caribbean & Pacific – EC conference hosted in Samoa in 1996.

Returning home, he served one term as A’ana Alofi’s Member of Parliament.

He was later involved with a variety of projects including the Samoa Farmers Association and was appointed last year as a Commissioner of the Public Service Commission.

Prime Minister Fiame said Afamasaga brings to the post a wealth of experience and knowledge in foreign affairs.

Palusalue is a veteran politician who entered Parliament in 1996 and served as an Undersecretary for the Minister of Justice, and as a Cabinet Minister in 2001 under the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP).

He made a controversial switch of parties in 2008 when he opposed the Government’s road switch and left the party to become an Independent MP. He later co-founded the Tautua Samoa Party and served as the Opposition Leader and lost his seat in 2016.

He unsuccessfully ran in the 2021 general elections under the FAST flag and was a member of the Steering Committee that worked on the establishment of the Samoa Exports Authority that was approved by Cabinet last month.

His new post will play a major role in pushing exports and trade of Samoan made products in the New Zealand market.