Samoa Association of Manufacturers & Exporters (SAME) met with the high level delegation from the government and private sector of Thailand to discuss issues of trade between Samoa and Thailand.
SAME was led by President Tautaituasivi Tagaloa Eddie Wilson & a Delegation of 12 members who also focused on private sector cooperation on investment and agricultural and private sector development.
His Excellency Leasi Tommy Scanland, Samoan Ambassador to New Zealand introduced the Thailand delegation during the meeting.
The Thailand government hosted six SAME member companies in Thailand last year in September to visit various manufacturing and export enterprises.
According to the SAME President Tautaituasivi Eddie Wilson, one of the initiatives that SAME launched following the visit to Thailand was the development of the SAME-Samoa Export Plan 2016-2020 which was launched in December 2016.
The Export Plan highlighted key areas the Samoa exporters will be targeting like fisheries, agriculture export value added items and export Services.
The Thailand delegation requested from SAME Champion products and companies that Thailand can assist through Technical assistance.
SAME President pointed to the Samoa Export plan- as the connection between Samoan Exporters and 80% of the Samoan population which by and large depend on the land & sea for their livelihoods.
The meeting also discussed trade and investment initiatives between the Thailand Private Sector and the Samoan Private sector from Samoa and the Pacific.
The Samoa Association of Manufacturers & Exporters membership have an increasing interest in learning from trade and private sector developments in Thailand especially in the areas of trade, export development, agro-tourism and investment.
Opportunities to link exporters to other countries in the Pacific to grow their markets and attract interest from Asian Investors were also discussed.
A leading Thailand manufacturer and export of biodegradable plastics also made presentation to the Samoan exporters- and gain significant interest in the use of biodegradable packaging for all locally manufactured products going into the future.