Network to take first official business trip to Samoa.

Samoa Business Network Inc. has confirmed the timing of its First Official Business Trip to Samoa.

The official announcement of the Business Trip was made by Afamasaga Jackie Curry, SBN Samoa Chairwoman at the SBN & NZSTIC Independence Day Event held last month. At the event, Afamasaga had shared a reflection on the importance of working together as Samoans based overseas to give back to our country Samoa, “E lele le toloa ae maau lava i le vai”, wherever Samoans venture in the world, they will always return home. This is the spirit of Samoa Business Network, to give back to our country through facilitating new business opportunities and tapping into the professional expertise and experience of our global Samoan business and professional community.

Laura Keil-Hall, SBN NZ Chairwoman says the SBN Business Trip has been in the pipeline since the beginning of this year after numerous discussions with the former Samoa Trade Commissioner Fonoti Dr. Lafitai Fuatai. Months before Fonoti left for Samoa and also just before he left his post in March, he prompted the Network to look into taking a business trip to Samoa this year and he really encouraged the Network to do so.

Laura says they knew it was a huge ask because they have a few events and initiatives already planned for the year. Like facilitating business workshops in May, the Independence Day Business Event that was held last month, a business trip to Sydney also last month, the Digital Marketing Workshop & Networking Event in Samoa next month and the inaugural SBN Business Awards in Auckland in September. Not only that they also have their own full time jobs and families to consider. "No pressure!" she says as she laughs. "I just hope people appreciate and value the work that we do because we do all of this at our own time on a voluntary basis with almost next to nothing for a budget." she continues with a serious expression.

Since Fonoti's departure, Magele Mauiliu Magele has taken up the post of Samoa Trade Commissioner in New Zealand. The Network continues to engage and have built a good working relationship with Magele who fully supports the Business Trip to Samoa.

"It has truly been a blessing for us to have great leaders who see the value in the work that we are doing and the vision that we are trying to achieve." Keil-Hall says referring to Fonoti and Magele. "We are also very grateful that Magele will be leading us on this trip." she says.

Through Fonoti and Magele, the Network managed to gain support of the Samoa government.

Keil-Hall explains that the focus of the business trip would be connecting the Samoan SME businesses from NZ with Samoan based SME businesses. Not only that but facilitating bringing a variety of initiatives and best practices to share with SMEs in Samoa. It is also an opportunity for Samoan SME businesses in NZ to come and experience what Samoa has to offer in terms of business investment and opportunities as some of the Samoan businesses here in NZ have expressed interest in setting up in Samoa.

Basically our objective is simply to foster SME to SME connections and scope business opportunities in Samoa. It is also an opportunity for SBN NZ Members and NZ SME businesses to meet SBN Samoa Members, build business relationships through B2B meetings, making connections with Samoa SME businesses, Government and Stakeholders, she continues.

SBN is now accepting 'expressions of interest' from its members, NZ businesses and now extending it to overseas businesses, who are interested in making business connections in Samoa - REGISTER INTEREST HERE

Expressions of Interest close 15 August, 2018.

The travel programme starts 14 November and ends 16 November 2018.
For more information, please contact [email protected] or 021659072