HANDOVER CEREMONY – HYUNDAI MIGHTY ELECTRIC FLATBED TRUCK FOR OXYGEN TANK TRANSPORT

SAMOA, April 10 - SPEECH: UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Aliona Niculita [10 April 2025]

Lau susuga I le ta’ita’i o le sauniga, Levao Tanielu

Lau Afioga i le Minisita o le Matagaluega o Galuega Tetele a le Mālō, Olo Fiti Afoa Vaai

Your Excellency, Ambassador of Japan to Samoa, Ryotaro Suzuki

Lau Afioga i le Fofoga o le Aso ma le Ofisa Sili Lagolago o le Matagaluega o le Soifua Maloloina, Sina Georgina Fa’ai’uga

Le pa’ia ma le mamalu ua sasao nei

Taeao manuia. Fa’afetai ua tatou feiloa’i I le alofa ma le agalelei o le Atua I lenei aso.

It has been a busy week – we started with the launch of the Transport Sector Decarbonization Strategy and Sustainable Land Use and Mobility Plan by the honourable Prime Minister of Samoa, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, on Tuesday.

Yesterday we celebrated the successful completion of the first Training of Trainers course in Electric Vehicle Automotive Professional Continuing Training.

Today we mark another meaningful achievement under the Climate Action Pathways for Island Transport (CAP-IT) project, with the official handover of this Electric flatbed truck and charger. Modified in Australia specifically for the safe and efficient transport of oxygen tanks for Samoa’s health system; this is another first in the world for EVs.

This represents the power of innovation with purpose — where clean energy technology meets frontline service delivery. But more importantly, it responds to the health sector’s 2019 Measles Recovery Plan and 2020 COVID19 infrastructure essential needs.

This electric vehicle will bring practical relief to the workers who move heavy oxygen tanks daily, offering a safer, cleaner, and more reliable means of transport.

It is a great example of how climate action and public service can go hand in hand, ina ia maoa’e le tautua, mo se lelei a taeao.

In total, the full package — including the electric truck, the EV charging station, and its installation — represents an investment of approximately $350,000 Tālā including the 3-year warranty.

This intervention was made possible through generous funding from the Government of Japan under the CAP-IT project – which promotes decarbonisation and clean transport.

Dear Ambassador, Your Excellency Suzuki, we are deeply grateful to the Government of Japan for its generous support of the Pacific Green Transformation Project, and in particular, the Samoa component — CAP-IT.

We appreciate the strong collaboration with national partners, namely the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Health, whose staff and leadership have been central to this effort, and to the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, our key implementing partner, for their continued support in realizing Samoa’s transition to clean transport.

Fa’afetai tele lava to local EV distributors for your collaboration in the delivery and modification of the vehicle, to suit health standards and be clinically compliant.

We are grateful to Vaganā Electrical Consultants for their expertise and dedication in installing the charging station for this electric truck at the new Oxygen Plant facility.

The combined efforts and teamwork ensured that the truck is ready to begin its service, contributing to a greener and more efficient health system.

What we’re witnessing today is a practical example of how Samoa’s transition to low-emissions transport is not only about reducing carbon, but also about enhancing lives, supporting workers, and improving essential services.

UNDP remains committed to working closely with all our partners as we continue to scale up this transformation across Samoa’s land and maritime transport sectors.

Soifua ma ia manuia.

April 25, 2025