Hon. Minister Leota Laki Lamositele’s Opening Remarks at the Pacific Women in Export Leadership Workshop

Tanoa Tusitala Hotel - 9.30am (Monday 22 January 2024)

Le paia o sui usufono i ona tulaga fa'alupe ua tatou poto i lenei taeao.

E muamua ona ave pea le viiga ma le fa'afetai i le Atua, ona o lona alofa ma lona agalelei ua mafua ai ona tatou potopoto i lenei taeao. Ae o le aso, e leai se isi e fia fagota i le tai papa'u, ae o le a alofa'i i le tai galu, ona e faigata le taufai mapu'e o le mataali ma le ofeloa. Ua tuamata le la male masina i tua o Tumua nei, aua e faigata le afio o tupu ma ee aemaise le paia o tatou malo valaaulia.

Ae oute fa'atalofa atu i le paia ma le mamalu ua aofaga potopoto mai i lenei taeao, Tulou tulou lava.

Taalolo laia o le paia o le tatou mafutaga, o lena ua maea ona paepae fanua le tatou aso ma o le a le oo iai se leo. Ae tau ina ia fa'aoo atu pea se fa'afetai fa'aopoopo i le sa fai tatalo i lenei taeao. Ia foai atu pea e le Atua le malosi ma tomai i lau susuga aua le tauaveina o tiute ua valaauina ai oe.

Oute manatu, sa iai lava le agaga tatou te faasoa i le tatou gagana i le soalaupulega o manatu taua o lenei fonotaga. Sa iai ma le naunautaiga, e momoli atu se faamatalaga i le auga o aute o lenei fa'amoemoe aemaise o se upu fa'amalosiau e lagolago ai le manulauti o le nei fa'atasiga i le gagana e malamalama ai i latou o loo faatautaia le polokalame. O lona uiga e fua le tetele o outou alauni i le lelei o sa'u fa'amatalaga. O le mea lea ia tapuai maia ae sei ou taumafai atu i le gagana e ono fa'asafua mai ai se tou manuia ma fa'asoa mai ai foi sina mea ma le failauga.

Your Excellency - Gareth Hoar the British High Commissioner to Samoa

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Talofa and Welcome to Samoa

It is an honor and privilege, to acknowledge the contribution of our women entrepreneurs undertaking initiatives in the global market of today.

I understand that the purpose of today's workshop is to inspire our business women leaders to initiate efforts and advocate for the export of quality products to become highly competitive in the international market place. I would like to embrace the term women entrepreneur as it signifies the characteristics that make women successful in whatever they do especially a business undertaking. It also differentiates the unique business acumen of women from men.

Entrepreneurs are hard to find as they are a unique type of people with commitment, creativeness, and drive that are risk takers with the intention of harvesting high returns on their investment Women entrepreneurs in my humble view are more focused, can be aggressive at times but generally calm and reserve such that they have a more consistent track record of success than men of course. We only have to refer to many success stories of women entrepreneurs in our Samoa, our region and in the world that encourages inspiration for other women to follow. This workshop could be the start of a new direction for your participants, as it will provide a new pathway that will empower you as you embark on your journey.

It will be a long way from Samoa to London, LA or Tokyo, difficult and challenging but you can overcome.

God through this workshop, will provide that help and encouragement so that you are well equipped with the necessary, skills, knowledge and wisdom to meet the challenges to manage those risks overcome threats and initiate new opportunities so that you can achieve your goal.

This forum will provide an opportunity to share success stories, identify new innovation, build networks and embrace new approaches that will contribute to empowering your good selves to become leaders in the global export market.

The Government of Samoa has embarked on strengthening partnerships with the community, the wider private sector and its development partners in strengthening business development as a priority objective being part of its strategy in the pathway for the development of Samoa. Particular focus is given to the development of women in business and SMEs and this has been reflected in some of the programs already undertaken, ongoing and to be held in the near future. Examples of such programs include Catalysing Women Entrepreneurship'. Supported by the UN ESCAP, and Market For Change, supported by UNDP. The women in business Samoa and SAME have in partnership with the Government of Samoa for a long time and have accredited many women entrepreneurs especially in the ever popular le Samoa fine mat project, handicrafts, virgin coconut oil, koko Samoa, ava and other organic produce to mention a few. These are significant indicators of potential products for high quality export marketing.

This workshop will definitely identify more opportunities and hoping that in our next workshop you will be discussing new areas such as how you can smartly manage the volume of your exports, or to improve marketing strategies, to meet the ever growing demand for your products and the list goes on.

I would like to thank the International Trade Centre for organizing this workshop through the framework for the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships Programme in the Pacific, in close collaboration with the British High Commission and our Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters, and for choosing Samoa as your host.

I would also like to acknowledge the participation of members invited to this workshop especially business interest groups and organizations with vested interested in export marketing.

Last but not least, I would like to thank the organizers for inviting me as your last minute guest to this forum, because the topic is quite dear to me having been involved in the area of business development specifically SME and Women in Business for many years, being a former director of the Small Business Enterprise Centre of Samoa now called Small Business Hub. I can assure you I will do my best to help advocate for this sector as this is where the real engine of growth begins. Enjoy learning, sharing and exchanging and most of all for those visiting our shores, enjoy our beautiful Samoa while you can. If you are from our local community, make new entrepreneurial friends and introduce them to our community circle, especially to influence new business ideas with the aim of strengthening the women in leadership pyramid for a more resilient Samoa. Your advocacy with my support starts now. God bless you all….. I now declare this workshop officially open.

Faafetai

[Link] January 22, 2024

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