The Samoa Export Awards (S.E.A.) for 2020 were launched on Thursday with the aim of recognising excellence among Samoan exporters. 

The 2020 event seeks to build upon the inaugural S.E.A., hosted in June 2018, with a view to increasing the contribution exports make to the national economy. 

The event is an initiative of the Samoa Association of Manufacturers & Exporters (S.A.M.E.) and is supported by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.).

The awards are being held to support S.A.M.E.’s Samoa Export Plan 2016-2020, which was launched by the Finance Minister and with a range of public and private sector support. 

They seek to improve the export sector in a range of ways including strengthening export growth, narrow the trade deficit, increase foreign exchange reserves and increase employment and economic benefit in rural areas. 

The Chief Executive Officer of M.C.I.L., Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling, said the awards help shine a light on successful initiatives and “add value” to export businesses. 

“Increasing earnings from exports is critical in offsetting the costs of imported goods that we need and cannot produce in our country,” he said. 

“We are happy to continue our role as the secretariat for the S.E.A. as was done in the inaugural awards in 2018.

“Samoa’s future prosperity, employment creation and economic growth are therefore largely dependent on the success of products and services that our private sectors and businesses produce and export to overseas markets.

“It is also to encourage and stimulate export activities to build greater understanding of what is required to succeed.”

The President of S.A.M.E.,Tagaloa Eddie Wilson, said that the plan aims to raise the value of Samoa’s export sector to SAT$100 million by 2020. 

There has been substantial progress made in achieving that goal since 2018, Tagaloa said, as domestic exports currently exceed $90 million annually, Tagaloa said. 

Pulotu said there will be nine award categories including: Best Agriculture and Fisheries Export; Best Creative Industry Exporter; Best Emerging Exporter; Best Export Support Services; Best Female Exporter; Best in Innovation; Best Value Added; the Excellence in Export Marketing; and the Overall Exporter of the Year.

The C.E.O. said that the Awards will help to build partnerships between the Government and the private sector to support new export innovation. 

The Samoa Export Award 2020 Event evening will be held on Friday 26th June 2020 at the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum at Vailima. 

Pacific Forum Line will be the event’s major sponsor. 

Application forms for the Samoa Export Awards 2020 are now available at both the S.A.M.E. and M.C.I.L. offices and will be due by 20th March 2020 at 4:30pm. 

S.A.M.E. will provide assistance on completion of application forms, when required and has assured all potential applicants that information will be handled in confidence. 

All exporters in Samoa are encouraged to apply and completed applications are to be addressed to the C.E.O. of MCIL and submitted directly to the M.C.I.L.’s Office, 4th Floor ACB Building at Matafele.