CARSON CITY – Nevada National Guard, U.S. Embassy in Samoa and Government
of Samoa officials are ecstatic to announce the official collaboration between
the Nevada National Guard and the Government of Samoa under the auspice of the
National Guard’s State Partnership Program was signed and finalized on July The collaboration promises to fortify the bonds between Samoa and the United
States and represents a significant milestone in diplomacy and cooperation
between the two nations. Coincidently this month, the National Guard’s State
Partnership Program is marking 30 years of mutually beneficial missions,
exchanges and exercises in every corner of the globe since the program’s
inception in 1993.
The State
Partnership Program is a Department of Defense program that pairs National
Guard states with foreign countries. The program aims to facilitate mutual
support, cooperation, and development across various sectors, including
defense, emergency management, and humanitarian assistance. The Government of Samoa
is the Nevada Guard’s third partner; it has also teamed with the Kingdom of
Tonga since 2014 and the Republic of Fiji since 2018. According to the National
Guard Bureau, there are now 100 security
cooperation agreements between the National Guard states, territories and the
District of Columbia and countries around the world: According to the National
Guard, about 45 percent of the world’s 195 sovereign recognized nations
participate in the State Partnership Program.
Samoa is
composed of numerous islands in the South Pacific Ocean and lies about halfway
between Hawaii and New Zealand. The county has a population of about 207,000
and about 75 percent live on the island of Upolu. Its total land mass is just
slightly smaller than Rhode Island at 2,831 square kilometers.
The
signing ceremony was held July 6 in Apia, Samoa, at the U.S. Embassy residence
and included Nevada National Guard Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry and Samoa’s Minister
of Police, Prisons and Corrections Services, the Honorable Faualo Harry
Schuster.
“The
signing between Samoa and the state of Nevada is a big step forward in our
bilateral partnership. The State Partnership program will enable new
possibilities in disaster response, humanitarian assistance, cultural exchange,
and much more,” said U.S.
Ambassador to Samoa Tom Udall.
Officials
said the newly formed State Partnership Program team will leverage the unique
defense capabilities, skills, and resources of the Nevada National Guard and contribute
to the long-term development and growth of Samoa's defense forces, emergency
management, and national security sectors.
The
State Partnership Program agreement creates a platform for representatives from
Samoa and Nevada Guard to engage in cultural exchanges, economic collaboration and
educational opportunities. As ties deepen, the program promises to build shared
understanding, promote cultural appreciation, and develop lasting friendships
between Samoans and Nevadans.