New High Commissioner to Western Samoa

Career diplomat Peter Hamilton is to be New Zealands next High Commissioner to Western Samoa, Foreign Minister Don McKinnon announced today.

There are few other countries with which we have such a close and abiding relationship. We have our only Treaty of Friendship with Western Samoa, Mr McKinnon said.

The special relationship with Western Samoa is founded not only on the historical ties going back many years but also on substantial family ties. Nearly 100,000 Samoans live in New Zealand. At the senior political level we also have an excellent working relationship.

Mr McKinnon noted that Mr Hamilton is taking up his appointment at a time when Western Samoa was starting to reap the rewards of a wide ranging economic reform programme.

A strong Western Samoan economy is good news all round and I am convinced there is great potential for trade and economic links to expand even further between our two countries, Mr McKinnon said.

Mr Hamilton joined the Ministry in 1977 and has served in Suva, Ottawa and Geneva. During his time in Wellington Mr Hamilton has worked in the Ministrys European, Pacific, Economic, United Nations, Multilateral Trade and South East Asia Divisions.

Inquiries: Suse Reynolds, Press Secretary; ph (04) 471 9811

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