All about Samoa, the small island nation EAM Jaishankar greeted on its Independence Day

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.