Samoa’s Head of State attends the Coronation of King Charles III

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, Saturday, 6 May 2023: The Head of State, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II and, Masiofo Faamausili Leinafo Tuimalealiifano joined more than 2000 participants comprising leaders and representatives from more than 200 countries at the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the Westminster Abbey.

The Head of State and Masiofo were invited to The Kings reception for overseas representatives held at Buckingham Palace on the evening of 5th May 2023. Prior to the reception they were also invited to events organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat at Malborough House.

The Commonwealth event was for the Leaders to welcome the King as the new Head of the Commonwealth; and also to celebrate the Commonwealth and reflect on its future. Samoa is hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Governments meeting CHOGM in October 2024 where King Charles has confirmed his attendance as the Head of the Commonwealth.
Samoa’s Head of State, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of Rwanda (as past CHOGM host), joined the Commonwealth Secretary General to greet His Majesty when he came to meet with the Commonwealth Leaders.

The Government of the United Kingdom on the eve of the coronation organised a Breakfast Event for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to mark their commitment to a successful 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States in 2024.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh attended the event along with SIDS leaders and representatives and international development partners. Samoa was represented by the Head of State who delivered a statement on behalf of AOSIS. He was followed by the UK Foreign Secretary, Rt Honourable James Cleverly who highlighted the UK setting out an ambitious vision for SIDS in their development strategy; with a focus on climate and economic resilience. “The UK is prioritising international finance reform to better address developing countries’ need.” he said.

The UK sees the 2024 UN SIDS Summit as an important opportunity to get priorities right for SIDS. Samoa had outlined these SIDS priorities during the AOSIS statement and the importance of partnerships to ensure “a more targeted, robust, measurable, and new sustainable development blueprint to be adopted at the Fourth United Nations Conference for SIDS (SIDS4) in the Summer of 2024 in Antigua and Barbuda.”

Samoa’s delegation to the coronation included H.E Francella Strickland, Samoa’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; Ulugia Mareko Tulouna, Private Secretary to the Head of State, and Supt. Norman Tuafale Meni, Aide-de-Camp, Ministry of Police. The delegation also met with H.E Fatumanava Dr Paolelei Luteru Samoa’s Ambassador to the US and Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, who was in London for AOSIS related meetings.

The delegation left London on Sunday 8th May to return to Samoa.