Polish Ambassador welcome one of last official duties for Head of State

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 19 July 2017, 12:00AM

The Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, performed one of his last official acts as the holder of the position yesterday.

At his residence at Tuaefu, His Highness welcomed the Ambassador of Poland to Samoa, Zbigniew Gniatkowski.

Mr. Gniatkowski arrived in Apia on Sunday and he presented his letter of credence to the Head of State.

His Highness welcomed the Ambassador to Samoa.

“Since the inception of diplomatic relations between our two countries in 2012, Samoa and Poland have grown closer in friendship and cooperation through shared values and interests in different areas important to the development of our two countries,” His Highness Tui Atua said. 

“Samoa is thankful for the assistance from Poland to the people of Samoa through its contribution in the European Development Fund for the Pacific region."

“Through this assistance Samoa has benefitted through the implementation of various projects in the different sectors of development for the economy."

“Samoa is always a nation that advances in sports, especially in boxing and rugby. It is in this regard Samoa hopes to further ties with Poland with the development of football in Samoa through the youth communities.”

The Head of State added that the countries share a common interest in the areas of international peace, security as well as climate change.

“Under the Paris Agreement our countries share the responsibility of trying to assist our peoples in the fight against the effects of climate change,” he said.

“In this connection we are pleased to see Poland hosting COP24 in 2018. 

“I am confident that during your tenure, your office will continue to push the warm relations that our two countries enjoy to new heights and in promoting areas for further cooperation between our governments.”

Mr. Gniatkowski shared the Head of State’s positivity about the relationship between the two countries.

“Let me say that Poland and Samoa share the same values of freedom and democracy. And we have common interests on the world stage,” he said. 

“As we know the Paris Agreement entered into force recently. Now it is the right time to develop the new climate regime. And Poland will make every effort to make it possible on time during COP24, which we will host next year. The Polish Presidency of COP24 is a clear proof of our unique engagement in the improvement of the global climate change policy. 

“As an important EU member State and increasingly bigger contributor, we are becoming significant partner within the European Development Fund, also in the Pacific region. We are committed to do more once Poland assumes the seat of a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council next year (term 2018-2019).”

The Ambassador graduated from the Catholic University of Lublin in 1996 and the National School of Public Administration in 2001.

In 1994, he began his career in media as a TV and radio journalist for the KRL/Radio plus Lublin and in Polish Television Lublin from 1994.

Later, he started his diplomatic career where he held several posts: Senior Expert at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2001-2004, a Press Counselor at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Poland to the European Union in Brussels from 2004-2008; Deputy Head of Representation and Head of Press and Media at the European Commission Representation in Warsaw from 2008-2014.

In August 2014, Mr. Gniatkowski was appointed as the Ambassador of Poland to New Zealand and also appointed in October 2015 as the Foreign Minister’s Special Envoy to Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu.

By Deidre Tautua-Fanene 19 July 2017, 12:00AM
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