For the first time since 2011, France has had the pleasure of opening a new embassy in its network, in Samoa in February 2025.
This new embassy increases France's sizeable diplomatic network in the region, alongside our five existing bilateral embassies in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu and the action carried out by Véronique Roger-Lacan, the regional ambassador, Permanent Secretary for the Pacific.
Above all, this is our first embassy in the Polynesia area and thus strengthens the ties between Samoa and the French territories of French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna. Thanks to the local authorities' support, a small team is working on the ground to set up this new diplomatic post. Ambassador Guillaume Lemoine presented his letters of credence to the Samoan Head of State, Afioga Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, when he arrived in Apia on 4 February 2025.
Over more than 50 years of diplomatic relations, France and Samoa have built an excellent bilateral relationship. Our two countries are guided by the same desire to develop and strengthen their ties of friendship and cooperation, among other things to promote peace, security, the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity in the Pacific and worldwide. The opening of our new embassy will also facilitate France's commitment to the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (PREP), based in Apia.
This extension of the network allows France to work more on promoting a free, open Pacific, with due regard for everyone's sovereignty.