An agricultural researcher with the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS) arrived home safely from Israel on Saturday, June 28, after navigating a complex repatriation route amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East.

Polino Falevaai, 25, from Tufuiopa village, had been in Israel for nearly 10 months participating in intensive agricultural research and innovation training through a program aimed at strengthening sustainable crop production in Samoa. 

Her training was conducted at the Arava International Centre for Agriculture Training (AICAT), where she focused on techniques in irrigation and crop management tailored to Pacific climates.

As tensions between Israel and Iran intensified in mid-June, heightened missile exchanges disrupted airspace and triggered concerted efforts to evacuate foreign nationals. 

Falevaai’s scheduled flight home was cancelled, compelling her to remain in Israel under stretchered-unrest conditions. She described the situation as “scary,” recalling nights spent in bomb shelters as missile alerts sounded.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) engaged with the New Zealand and Australian High Commissions in Tel Aviv to coordinate evacuation efforts. 

Initial plans to move Falevaai through Jordan into the United Arab Emirates faced operational challenges due to rapid regional developments. Recognising the need for an alternative, diplomatic staff arranged for her safe passage via Cairo.

In the early hours of Wednesday, Falevaai flew from Tel Aviv to Cairo. From Cairo, she boarded a commercial flight to Dubai alongside fellow Pacific Island students. Later that day, she travelled to Sydney, Australia, before reaching Nadi, Fiji, on Friday afternoon.

While in Fiji, officials from the Samoa High Commission in Suva provided overnight accommodation, airport transfers and meals, ensuring her safe layover ahead of her final leg home. 

On Saturday at noon (Apia time), she boarded a flight from Nadi and touched down in Apia later that afternoon, where her family greeted her with quiet relief. MFAT confirmed that they were kept informed throughout and expressed gratitude at her safe return.

In an official statement, MFAT acknowledged the “kind assistance and coordinated efforts” of the New Zealand and Australian governments, as well as the pivotal role played by Vincent Schmidt in Israel. 

Serving as a daily point of contact for Falevaai, Schmidt liaised with Samoa’s Embassy in Belgium and MFAT to facilitate logistics. The Ministry also noted that the cabinet had approved its request to engage international partners, enabling swift evacuation interventions.

Falevaai’s ordeal underscores the vulnerability of Pacific nationals in volatile regions and highlights Samoa’s reliance on diplomatic networks. 

The networks include long-standing technical cooperation with Israel, dating back to 1977, that support training and aid initiatives in agriculture, health and education. 

Recent projects have included workshops on agricultural extension and irrigation, benefiting multiple Samoan officials and SROS personnel.

Falevaai is expected to take leave to reunite with her family before resuming duties at SROS. Colleagues have said she will leverage her new expertise in sustainable farming and irrigation to support national initiatives aimed at food security and climate resilience.

Her return also reflects a regional precedent: in October 2023, 13 Samoan pilgrims underwent coordinated evacuation when conflict broke out in Israel, a precedent that helped streamline procedures in this recent case.

Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa praised the mission, stating, “This operation demonstrates regional solidarity and reveals the commitment of our diplomatic partnerships to ensure the safety of Samoan citizens abroad.”

MFAT said it would continue to refine emergency protocols for citizens overseas, particularly in conflict-prone areas, through strengthened collaboration with Pacific and global partners.