Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice-President Scott Morris joined Samoa’s Finance Minister and ADB Governor Lautimuia Afoa Uelese Vaai today to open the new premises for ADB’s Samoa Pacific Country Office (PCO) in Samoa’s Central Bank.
“For almost 60 years, ADB has been assisting Samoa to achieve its development goals,” said Mr. Morris. “The new office will boost ADB’s responsiveness to the development needs of the country and will bolster our already strong working relationship with the government.”
“The Samoa PCO deepens our partnership with ADB and allows us to be more responsive to the development needs of the Samoan people,” said Mr. Lautimuia. “We look forward to continuing support from ADB, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, land and maritime transport, health, and disaster resilience.”
ADB’s work with Samoa focuses on infrastructure development and policy reforms, as well as strengthening climate resilience and support for private enterprises. ADB’s Samoa PCO plays an integral role in this work.
Samoa is a founding member of ADB in 1966 and to date, the bank has committed 147 public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance, totaling more than $484 million, to Samoa. Cumulative loan and grant disbursements to Samoa amount to more than $320 million, financed by concessional ordinary capital resources, the Asian Development Fund, and other special funds.
Maria Melei is the Senior Country Officer of ADB’s Samoa PCO.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
