Mon Mar 10 00:40:00 UTC 2025: ## France Opens First Embassy in Samoa, Strengthening Pacific Ties
**Apia, Samoa –** France has officially opened its first embassy in Apia, Samoa, marking a significant expansion of its diplomatic presence in the Pacific region. The embassy, which will be headed by Ambassador Guillaume Lemoine, strengthens ties between France and its territories in Polynesia (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Wallis and Futuna) and Samoa.
Ambassador Lemoine, previously head of mission in Papua New Guinea, presented his credentials to Samoan Head of State Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II on February 4th. He and a small team are currently establishing the embassy’s operations.
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted the shared commitment of France and Samoa to peace, security, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity protection. The new embassy will also facilitate France’s engagement with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), based in Apia.
Previously, Samoan affairs were handled by the French Ambassador in Wellington, New Zealand. This new embassy adds to France’s existing five embassies in the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu). The opening comes amidst the rebuilding efforts following the destruction of the French embassy in Vanuatu by a December 2024 earthquake. France also maintains a regional diplomatic presence through its Ambassador to the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, based in New Caledonia.
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