External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday extended greetings to the Government and people of Samoa on their Independence Day – observed on 1 June every year. Taking to the microblogging platform X, Jaishankar further said: “Committed to strengthening our Pacific Islands partnership.”
Here are ten things to know about Samosa:
First Pacific Nation to Gain Independence: Samoa became independent in 1962, the first in the Pacific to do so.
UN Membership: Samoa joined the United Nations in 1976, embracing the Charter and advocating for Pacific voices on global platforms.
Graduation to Middle-Income Status: Samoa transitioned from a Least Developed Country to a Middle-Income Country in 2014.
Commitment to Sustainable Development: Samoa adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has submitted two Voluntary National Reviews to the UN’s High-Level Political Forum.
SAMOA Pathway Leadership: Samoa is the custodian of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) agenda, known as the SAMOA Pathway, and co-chairs the SIDS Partnership Steering Committee with Portugal.
First Female Prime Minister: Fiame Naomi Mataafa became the first female Prime Minister of Samoa, a milestone in gender equality and leadership.
Human Rights Achievements: Samoa has ratified 6 of 9 core UN human rights treaties and has the only A-status National Human Rights Institution among Pacific Island nations.
Labour Reforms and Tripartism: Samoa ratified all 8 Core ILO Conventions by 2008 and institutionalized tripartite consultation with ILO Convention 144.
CRC Session in Samoa: In 2020, Samoa hosted the 84th session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the first treaty body meeting ever held outside Geneva or New York.
High Vaccination Coverage: With help from UNICEF and WHO, Samoa achieved over 90% COVID-19 vaccination coverage, strengthening health systems and infrastructure.
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