Government
PM Gives First Media Briefing on CHOGM Preparations
By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 03 September 2024 – Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa today called the first ever press conference to update on the Government’s preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM) in six weeks’ time.
Also present at the press conference were heads of the 12 CHOGM Sub-Committees to respond to the media queries.
Fiamē said today’s meeting is also the beginning of regular awareness and updates leading up to CHOGM.
Forums and main meeting
Leading up to CHOGM’s main meetings is a Pre-CHOGM event on the 18 and 19 October 2024.
From the 21st to 24th October, four main forums will take place which include
- Peoples Forum –Tanoa Tusitala Hotel
- Business Forum – Sheraton Hotel, Vaisigano
- Youth Forum – EFKS Hall, Mulinu’u
- Women’s Forum – Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (TATTE) Conference Complex.
There are 37 side events related to CHOGM that will also take place at the same time and three land based sites at the Ministry of Justice for other events.
25 October is the official opening of CHOGM at the Tuanaimato complex followed by heads of 56 member country leaders meeting at Parliament Building, Mulinu’u.
26 October will be the Leaders Retreat at the Sheraton Resort at Mulifanua.
Official Delegations expected
The Prime Minister confirmed that 3 monarchs will attend including King Charles as head of the Commonwealth, the King of Brunei and the King of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
The 56 member who are former territories of the British Empire, spread across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, Caribbean and the Pacific will all be represented in Samoa.
Two thousand delegates have booked into hotels and private homes with 1000 booked on the cruise ship that will berth at the Matautu wharf as of 19 October.
The Samoa Tourism Chief Executive Officer, Toleafoa Pativaine Tevita said there are enough accommodations to cater for expected delegates.
Media Centre
The media centre will be based at the national Radio 2AP, Mulinu’u.
“The reason for having the media centre at its allocated location is to be close to Parliament house where the leaders will be meeting,” said Agafili Shem Leo, Head of the Media Sub-committee.
Currently, 149 media personals from around the world have registered and the media will also have a space at the leaders retreat session at the Sheraton Resort.
There will be fully equipped with 3 main media booths available for leaders to be interviewed.
He urged the media to register in order to have access to the media centre and the meetings’ side events.
With time going by fast, the sub-committees will have regular updates with the media starting next week.
CHOGM is the biggest meeting to come Samoa’s way and it is not the first time CHOGM will be hosted in the Pacific.
Australia and New Zealand previously hosted the meeting and Vanuatu was supposed to host in 2017 but could not due to devastation by Cyclone Pam.
Samoa is the first Pacific Island to host it.
Fiamē acknowledged the hard work put in so far by the village councils, the women and youth to beautify the country and prepare for the meeting.
She urged Samoa to work together to make CHOGM a success.
