Pastor Bernie Mulitalo,
Distinguished Guests, Members of the Samoa IT Association and Fellow Tech
Enthusiasts,

It gives me great pleasure to join you today to officially open this remarkable
Technology Expo event hosted by our Samoa IT Association (SITA) and
powered by Vodafone with the theme of “Meaningful Connectivity for
an Inclusive Digital Samoa”. One of the mandates for SITA is to develop
and provide lectures, meetings, conferences and to promote research in
information processing and computer technology. This event helps achieve
that mandate and it is the premier technology event for Samoa. It brings
together a diverse range of experts from government, private sector and
community especially people living with disabilities to showcase the latest
technology and its application for Samoa. Since the last EXPO in October
2022, there has been a global explosion of applications and interest in Digital
Services and therefore this year’s event has included experts in this field from
both local and international.

Over the next 2 days, other topics that the public have expressed interest to
learn and understand have been included such as Cyber Security, Online

Payments, Online learning, Samoa National ID, Ethics and Privacy in
Connected World, Virtual Reality, Drone Technology and many more. The
event is delivered in a hybrid format which means we are here face-to-face
but we also have experts joining us from around the world.

Today we also showcase the digital transformation movement that hybrid,
edge and Artificial Intelligence powered to drive us towards a more
connected and inclusive Samoa. The world around us is evolving so we have
to evolve and get involved to harness the potential of technology to bridge
the gaps that divide us and unlock new opportunities.

Meaningful connectivity is not solely about providing internet access to every
corner of our islands. It is about building a digital ecosystem that fosters
innovation, education and economic growth. As we are here today, we
acknowledge and applaud some individuals, businesses and communities
that have leveraged technology to their advancement.

To achieve meaningful connectivity, we must address the digital divide that
exists within our society. We must bridge the gap between urban and rural
areas, between the young and the elderly, between the able and disabled
(tulou) our communities and between different socioeconomic backgrounds.
This requires a multi-faceted approach that combines infrastructure
development, digital literacy programs and affordable access to
technology.

Investing in digital infrastructure is crucial. We must work towards providing
reliable and affordable internet connectivity to even the most remote areas
of Samoa. I was told that we will activate the Universal Access Funds which

I hope it will give us nation wide mobile broadband coverage and meaningful
internet. We are progressing with building a smart island initiative in Samoa.
This will open up a world of possibilities, enabling access to information,
education, healthcare services postal services and e-commerce
opportunities.

However, critical infrastructure alone is not enough. We must equip our
people with the necessary skills to navigate the digital landscape. Digital
literacy programs should be developed and implemented at all levels of
education. We should also create a pool of ICT Experts to deal with all our
ICT Issues as I have seen done by SITA.

Furthermore, we should create spaces where startups and tech
entrepreneurs can thrive, providing them with the necessary support,
mentorship and resources. By nurturing a culture of innovation, we can
unlock the potential of our youth, who are the driving force behind our
future.

Ladies and gentlemen, information technology enables meaningful
connectivity for an inclusive digital Samoa. We must strive for a connected
Samoa where every citizen, regardless of their background or circumstances,
can benefit and thrive.

I would like to congratulate and thank the Samoa IT Association (SITA) for
its vision and foresight in providing this hybrid platform to showcase the
latest technologies available in Samoa, the progress of digital transformation
in different disciplines and engage our renowned speakers to share their

insights in these 2 days. I urge your executive to work together with the
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in partnership to
improve our Digital Transformation Journey so that the people in our
communities, rural areas will get the same service we getting in the urban
areas.

Thank you and may this SITA Tech Expo powered by Vodafone be a stepping
stone towards a brighter future to bridge the digital gap and connect the
unconnected in a cyber safety Samoa inclusively. I now like to officially Open
the SITA Tech Expo 2023

Soifua ma ia Manuia