The head of the Commonwealth King Charles III and Queen Camilla departed Samoa last Saturday after a busy three-day state visit.
“I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world, and hope that I survive long enough to come back again and see you all,” he said.
And the heavy downpour, as they ascended onto their aircraft, did nothing to dampen Samoan spirits as the royals and delegates heaped praises on the Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and her people for being excellent hosts.
“We shall take away with us, I promise you the most special memories of our time here,” said King Charles.
Earlier in his host village of Siumu, the king was honored with the bestowal of a second matai title in as many days.
Toaiga o Tumua, the chief title gifted by Siumu, added to King Charles’s first one from the village of Moata’a as Tui Taumeasina.
The outgoing Secretary General Patricia Scotland joined international leaders in thanking the government for a job well done.
Scotland, the first woman to serve as the Commonwealth Secretary-General has been replaced by Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who currently serves as Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa attributed the successful hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, achievement to a collective effort.
She told the Samoa Observer, “We’ve done a Samoan thing; we called everyone in, and everyone has their job to do.”
Photos: Samoa CHOGM 2024
