Pakistan–Samoa relations explained

Pakistan–Samoa relations are the bilateral relations between Pakistan and Samoa. Pakistan's High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand, is concurrently accredited to Samoa.[1] Pakistan also has an honorary consul in Apia.[2] Both countries are members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

History

Relations between Pakistan and Samoa were officially established on 7 March 1983.[3] [4] Both countries emerged as independent states following a common colonial past; Pakistan was formerly a part of the British Raj (1843–1947), while Samoa was a British mandate under the Dominion of New Zealand (1914–1962).[5] The diplomatic relationship has been characterised as cordial. Both countries are member states of the United Nations (UN), Commonwealth of Nations and Group of 77, and have interacted with each other at the UN and other multilateral fora on issues of mutual interest.[6] [1] On 1 June 2000, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf felicitated Samoa's head of state Malietoa Tanumafili II and prime minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi on the occasion of Samoa's independence day:

In May 2004, Samoa was a member of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group which endorsed Pakistan's readmission into the Commonwealth.[7] [8] In September 2014, Pakistan participated in the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) hosted by Samoa. The forum sought to galvanise international support for small island nations as they transitioned to sustainable development, with a focus on climate change and renewable energy.[9]

On 18 October 2016, Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi became Pakistan's first High Commissioner to receive concurrent accreditation to Samoa.[10] [11] [12] He was welcomed in a traditional ʻava ceremony and presented his credentials to Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi during a ceremony at the head of state's residence in Apia.[13] He held the post until October 2017.[1] Hashmi underlined his government's desire to further strengthen the bilateral relationship, while Tupua noted the two sides had forged a "close and friendly association" in recent years in matters of peace, climate change and sustainable development, which were key areas for both governments.[10] [11] [13] Tupua thanked Pakistan for its support to Samoa in the SIDS conference.[13] During his visit, Hashmi held meetings with the prime minister and members of the Samoan Chamber of Commerce, where he focused on improving trade relations.[2] He also donated books covering Pakistan's history and foreign relations to the Samoa Public Library, which were accepted by the chief executive of Samoa's Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture, Karoline Afamasaga-Fuata'i.[14]

On 20 October 2016, it was announced that the president of Pakistan had appointed businessman and cricket administrator Tiumalu Geoffrey Clarke as Pakistan's first honorary consul-general in Samoa.[2] According to the High Commissioner, the appointment provided Pakistan a diplomatic presence in Apia and enabled a "balance of what we want and desire" in the context of Pakistan–Samoa relations.[2]

Abdul Malik is the current High Commissioner of Pakistan to Samoa.[6] He arrived in Apia on 3 March 2019 and presented his credentials to head of state Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II at Vailele.[6] [1] Malik said Pakistan attached "great importance" to its relations with the South Pacific region, and that it was keen to augment political, cultural and economic ties with Samoa through its honorary consulate.[1] Tuimalealiifano said the relationship was shaped by mutual respect and collaboration, and acknowledged the economic and environmental cooperation between both countries.[1]

Economic relations

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Samoa is limited, and was valued at approximately US$500,000 as of 2018. Pakistan exported $454,000 worth of goods to Samoa, comprising almost entirely seafood commodities such as frozen and fresh fish. This reflected an annual growth rate of 30.4%, increasing from $5,000 in 2001. Samoa's exports to Pakistan in the same period were valued at $42,000, and consisted mainly of gas and liquid flow measuring instruments and thermostats. This constituted an annual increase of 17.2%, from $2,820 in 2003.[15]

Samoa is reportedly one of the global tax havens where significant amounts of Pakistani capital is invested using offshore bank accounts.[16] In October 2016, it was reported that Pakistan's Federal Board of Revenue was engaging Samoa regarding the sharing of tax information.[17] Samoan authorities notified Pakistan that the details could be shared pursuant to a bilateral tax information exchange agreement, which had not yet been signed but which they were willing to start negotiations on.[18] In 2017, the process to solemnize an agreement was eventually initiated.[19]

Cultural relations

Samoa has a very small Muslim community, which includes some with Pakistani connections.[20] [21]

Sport, including cricket, is one of the areas that bind the two nations together.[2] In September 2015, a 13-member Pakistani contingent across four sporting disciplines competed in the fifth Commonwealth Youth Games held in Apia.[22] [23]

Notes and References

  1. News: New face of Pakistan in Samoa. Samoa Observer. 5 March 2019. 17 September 2020. Adel. Fruean. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917153014/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/37990. 17 September 2020. live.
  2. News: A first for Samoa and Pakistan. Samoa Observer. 21 October 2016. 17 September 2020. Vatapuia. Maiava. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917153449/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/article/37429. 17 September 2020. live.
  3. News: Samoa and Pakistan continue to strengthen diplomatic relations. Talamua. 3 May 2019. 17 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200908035528/https://theworldnews.net/ws-news/samoa-and-pakistan-continue-to-strengthen-diplomatic-relations. 8 September 2020. live. Faye. Seiuli.
  4. Web site: Countries with Established Diplomatic Relations with Samoa. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Samoa). https://web.archive.org/web/20151124070856/http://www.mfat.gov.ws/embassies/countries-with-established-diplomatic-relations-with-samoa/. 24 November 2015. Pakistan – 7 March 1983.
  5. Book: James Stuart Olson. Historical Dictionary of European Imperialism. 1991. Greenwood Publishing Group. 978-0-313-26257-9. 84–.
  6. News: High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Samoa Presents Credentials. Samoa Global News. 17 September 2020. 5 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917153854/https://samoaglobalnews.com/presentation-of-credentials-of-the-high-commissioner-of-islamic-republic-of-pakistan-to-samoa/. 17 September 2020. live.
  7. News: Pakistan may be cleared for return to C'wealth. Dawn. 20 March 2004. 17 September 2020. He expects the April meeting of the foreign ministers of...Samoa and the Bahamas in London to look at Pakistan more favourably.. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917154305/https://www.dawn.com/news/354301/pakistan-may-be-cleared-for-return-to-cwealth. 17 September 2020. live.
  8. News: Pakistan rejoins Commonwealth fold. 23 May 2004. 17 September 2020. ABC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20161027201731/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-05-23/pakistan-rejoins-commonwealth-fold/1980046. 27 October 2016. live. ...the decision to allow Pakistan back into the Commonwealth of nations, made by a committee of representatives from...Samoa and Sri Lanka..
  9. Web site: UNODC warns of Small Island States vulnerability to corruption during global meeting in Samoa. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. 1 September 2014. 6 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20190910142418/https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2014/August/unodc-warns-of-small-island-states-vulnerability-to-corruption-during-global-meeting-in-samoa.html. 10 September 2019. live. The meeting, which has drawn 3,000 participants from SIDS and elsewhere, is taking place in Samoa from 1-4 September..
  10. News: Samoa, Pakistan To Improve Diplomatic Ties. Pacific Islands Report. 20 October 2016. 17 September 2020. Enender. Kaiono. https://web.archive.org/web/20161022164216/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2016/10/20/samoa-pakistan-improve-diplomatic-ties. 22 October 2016. live.
  11. News: Head of State receives envoys. Government of Samoa. 21 October 2016. 17 September 2020. Funefe'ai Dikaiosune Atoa. Tamaalii. I echo your sentiments on the close and friendly association between Samoa and Pakistan over the years.... https://web.archive.org/web/20191030035803/https://www.samoagovt.ws/2016/10/head-of-state-receives-envoys/. 30 October 2019. live.
  12. News: Samoa Welcomes High Commissioner of Pakistan. Samoa News. 11 February 2016. 17 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917171259/https://www.samoanews.com/regional/samoa-briefs-3. 17 September 2020. live.
  13. News: Samoa and Pakistan strengthen relations. Samoa Observer. 19 October 2016. 17 September 2020. Sarafina. Sanerivi. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917154043/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/36693. 17 September 2020. live.
  14. News: Building understanding through books. Samoa Observer. Vatapuia. Maiava. 22 October 2016. 17 September 2020. Mr. Hashmi also explained that the books will help Samoa develop further understanding of Pakistan.... https://web.archive.org/web/20200917173853/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/article/1029. 17 September 2020. live.
  15. Web site: Pakistan and Samoa Trade. The Observatory of Economic Complexity. 17 September 2020. 2020.
  16. News: Dealing with offshore assets. Bilal. Hassan. Dawn. 27 August 2019. 17 September 2020. ...flow from Pakistan to other countries through offshore companies located in tax havens such as...Samoa. https://web.archive.org/web/20200114050937/https://www.dawn.com/news/1501615. 14 January 2020. live.
  17. News: Pakistan to seek offshore companies information from nine tax havens. The News International. 23 October 2016. 17 September 2020. Mehtab. Haider. The nine major tax havens where Pakistanis had also invested...included...Samoa. https://web.archive.org/web/20180826030826/https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/159307-Pakistan-to-seek-offshore-companies-information-from-nine-tax-havens. 26 August 2018. live.
  18. News: Positive response received from one tax haven so far. Business Recorder. 14 April 2017. 17 September 2020. Authorities of Samoa have also invited an official request from Pakistan through Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start negotiations on the said agreement.... https://web.archive.org/web/20200917174202/https://fp.brecorder.com/2017/04/20170414168302/. 17 September 2020. live.
  19. News: JIT can’t use OECD channel to probe Sharif family assets. Dawn. 23 February 2017. 17 September 2020. Mubarak Zeb. Khan. FBR had initiated the process to solemnise a bilateral treaty on avoidance of double taxation with Samoa.... https://web.archive.org/web/20190719033951/https://www.dawn.com/news/1328666. 19 July 2019. live.
  20. News: History of Islam in Samoa. Samoa Observer. 22 May 2016. 17 September 2020. Moshe. Terdiman. ...discussions in Our Centre is geared so our Muslim community understand the existence of Pakistani and Bangladeshi connections here in Samoa.. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917174858/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/article/21695. 17 September 2020. live.
  21. Book: R. G. Crocombe. Asia in the Pacific Islands: Replacing the West. 2007. University of South Pacific. 978-982-02-0388-4. 376. The Ahmaddiya Movement, a protestant breakaway of Islam with its headquarters in Pakistan, is not included in the above figures. Nevertheless, they are a significant minority among Muslims in several Islands countries. Those in Tonga and Samoa were converted by Pakistanis based in Fiji....
  22. News: Pakistan contingent leaves for Samoa. The Express Tribune. 3 September 2015. 17 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20160810184641/http://tribune.com.pk/story/949619/pakistan-contingent-leaves-for-samoa/. 10 August 2016. live.
  23. News: Pakistan hopeful ahead of Commonwealth Youth Games. Gulf News. 4 September 2015. 17 September 2020. Nation sends nine athletes to compete in four disciplines in Samoa.. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917180456/https://gulfnews.com/sport/pakistan-hopeful-ahead-of-commonwealth-youth-games-1.1578400. 17 September 2020. live.

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