The Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, and his Masiofo, Her Highness Filifilia Tamasese, welcomed Australia’s new High Commissioner to Samoa, Susan Kim Langford, yesterday.
The welcome was extended when Ms. Langford presented her credentials to their Highnesses at Tuaefu, where she was welcomed during an ava ceremony.
“It is an honour and a privilege to take up the role of Australian High Commissioner in Samoa,” she said during the brief meeting. “Australia is a true friend of Samoa and our countries enjoy a constructive and a broad ranging partnership.”
Ms. Lanford noted that Samoa and Australia share a “proud history of our mutual cooperation and people links.”
“It is a partnership, too, of international and regional dimensions. “The impressive example set by Samoa as the Regional Leader in Economic Reform, along with Samoa’s willingness to contribute to the security and prosperity of the wider region, is much admired in Australia.”
The new High Commissioner said Australia stands ready to support Samoa in hosting the 2014 Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (S.I.D.S) in September.
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“I am confident that the bilateral relationship between our countries will continue to flourish and deepen in the years to come and, as Australian High Commissioner, I welcome the opportunity to reinforce our already excellent bilateral relations and our fruitful cooperation in multilateral forums.
“The coming years promise so much for the growth and strengthening of relations between our two countries.”
His Highness Tui Atua agrees. “Our people share close family ties, and we have mutually contributed in many ways, to the development of our two countries,” he said.
“This relationship and these linkages remain strong to this day.
“Australia is one of Samoa’s main traditional development partners. I take this opportunity to convey, through you, to the Government of Australia, our sincere appreciation for the immense contribution and assistance Australia has made towards the development objectives and inspirations of our country.
“As a small Island Developing State, challenges nevertheless remain.
“These include climate change and the consequential challenges of adaption, environmental degradation, our vulnerability to natural disasters and other external shocks, sustainable development and issues relating to regional security, to name a few. Samoa’s economic vulnerability certainly is not spared from all these challenges.”
Ms. Langford is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and had worked as a Director in the International Security Division. Prior to this she was seconded to the Australian Federal Police as Senior Adviser, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (2010-2011).
Ms Langford has also served overseas as Deputy Head of Mission, Australian High Commission in Port Vila (2007-2010) and as First Secretary at the Australian High Commission in Honiara (2000-2002). She has also undertaken a short term mission to the Office of the Special Coordinator, Regional Assistance Mission in Solomon Islands (2003-2004) and was a member of the Peace Monitoring Group, Bougainville (Feb-April 1998) Ms. Langford holds Masters Degree in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University and a Bachelor of Art (Honors) in History from the Australian National University.
She takes over from Dr. Stephen Henningham.
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