Apia, 2 June 2022 (TDI): Sāmoa celebrated 60 years of independence on the 1st of June 2022. Samoa is officially known as the independent state of Samoa. It is a Polynesian island country that comprises of two main islands; two smaller, inhabited islands; with two uninhabited islands.
The country was known as Western Samoa until 1997. It is located in the central south of the Pacific ocean among the Westernmost of the Polynesian islands. Samoa is known as the “cradle of Polynesia.”
Samoan culture is overshadowed by the Polynesian way of life and style. Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania scattered over the central and southern Pacific oceans.
The inhabited Polynesia population named Polynesian has many commonalities to share with Samoans like language, cultural practices, and relatedness to the cultural beliefs.
Historically it is confirmed that Polynesians are genetically closer to the Micronesians, Taiwanese, Aborigines, and islanders of South East Asia.
The first Polynesian ancestors were in Samoa regions which were not considered to be habitable or congenial for human survival, for the reason mentioned they developed a culture of growing plants for domestic use and patronize the animals for their existence.
Voyages were made possible by canoeing to cross the Pacific, hence the Samoans acquired a great reputation as navigators and achieve their goals of reaching as far as Hawai, Rapanui, and Aotearoa with navigational skill which they associate with reading stars, currents, clouds and bird movements.
In the 18th century, the island was discovered by the Europeans and was colonized by them. Although a segment of islands got independence after the Second World War, some portions were still under the clutches of some colonial powers.
These were the French Polynesia and Easter Island as well as the only Latin country; Chile, to establish a territory in the Polynesian region. Most of the Samoa population speaks the Polynesian dialect.
Samoa society is free of ethnic tension because of the homogeneity it fizzled out the ethnic distinctions due to a history of close inter marriages. Samoan society is based on collective participation in governance.
While a communal way of life is based on their unique socio-political culture where all the activities are enjoyed, practiced, and celebrated in a collective fashion.
After the independence, laws were enacted by the bills passed by the legislative assembly and assented to by the head of the state and published in the newspaper which is commonly an official government newspaper called Samoa Gazette known as Savali news papers.
Samoa system of government is based upon very strict and hard model formation of parliamentary democracy, both executive and legislative bodies are amalgamated.
The Samoan Constitution is a written constitution and is the supreme and ultimate law. It establishes Samoa as the Parliamentary Republic and divides the structure of the government powers under three pillars of executive, legislature and judiciary bodies.
The constitution was drafted by a pair of constitutional conventions in 1954 and 1960. Henceforth the final draft was approved by referendum in 1961 when Samoa declared independence on 1st January 1962.
The constitution was amended by a two-thirds majority of the legislative assembly and kept on amending during the period of human rights protection party dominance from 1997 to 2021.
The Samoa government is generally conservative and pro-western. A regional trade document was signed in August 2000 in order to negotiate with its neighbors in the Pacific Islands.
American Samoa became a US territory by deed of cession in 1900. Samoa and the United States maintain a cordial and warm relationship since the United States helped Samoa with a substantial peace Corp program in 1967 which promoted English literature and literacy at the primary level of schools.
Both countries sign an agreement on Shiprider on June 2, 2012, coinciding with the anniversary of Samoa Independence Day. This bilateral agreement allows the Samoan government to enforce maritime law and fisheries regulations.
Relations between Pakistan and Samoa
Relations between Pakistan and Samoa were officially established on 7th March 1983. Both countries emerged as independent states with a common colonial history. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan extended heartfelt felicitation to the Samoa government and the people of Western Samoa on the 60th anniversary.
The Ministry wished for the happiness, progress, and prosperity of the Samoan people. Moreover, it urged that Samoa and Pakistan relations are based on a long-standing partnership that has built connectivity, prosperity, and resilience to the ties between the two countries.
