By Asenati Taugasolo Semu

The European Union has sung the praises of and congratulated the Samoan Government’s performance with the implementation of its Water for Life Sector Plan.

This is according to the EU’s Ambassador to the Pacific, Mr Andrew Jacobs, who announced the disbursement of a $16.2 million tala grant for Samoa’s Water and Sanitation Sector Budget Support Programme and continuing Millennium Development Goals initiative.

The disbursement supports the implementation of the Samoan “Water for Life Sector Plan and relates specifically to the country’s general performance in maintaining macroeconomic stability, strengthening its Public Finance Management systems as well as the implementation of the Water and Sanitation Sector Plan.

The EU Ambassador made this announcement when he met with Prime Minister, Susuga Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi today.

“I’m very pleased with Samoa’s performance,” said Mr Jacobs.

He said Samoa managed to maintain very good macroeconomic stability despite several natural disasters that impacted on the economy, such as cyclone Evan and other events.

“Public finance management is going well, we are in the third phase of its reform programme and we are very happy with that as well.

“The progress in the Water sanitation sector has made some very significant progress in the last five years and I’ve been very inspired and pleased by that, and the Samoan Government has done very well.”

Mr Jacobs said the European Union intends to continue its support of this important sector for some time.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa in his remarks acknowledged the European Union and said this grant is not only appropriate to ensure the continuity of the programme but it also  helps  to highlight the  accountability and transparency with which Samoa is implementing its projects.

“Thank you very much to the EU for the continuing support for the Water and Sanitation sector for the last twelve years, as much progress has been achieved in ensuring access to safe and quality water supply to the people of Samoa,” the Prime Minister said.

He also said the EU’s comment is very important at this time while the country is heading towards its general elections next month.

“I’m very pleased this morning to hear you telling directly to the media the reason for the continuation of the budgetary support for our water and sanitation budget because of the excellent performance in the implementation of these projects,” said the Prime Minister.

“I hope it will sink in for the people of our country, because now is a time when we are engaging in political campaigns and there’s a lot of inaccuracies leveled against what the Government is trying to do.”

Tuilaepa said these are very important guidelines about which grants are given to us by donors.

The EU project “Water & Sanitation Sector Budget Support Programme aims to support the Samoan Government’s ‘Water for Life Sector Plan 2012 -2016’ with the purpose of providing reliable, clean and affordable water and basic sanitation for all the people of Samoa to sustain public health improvements and alleviate hardship particularly for vulnerable groups.

Share This

About the author