Samoa's Acting Prime Minister, Misa Telefoni, has praised the work of the late Director General of the World Health Organisation, Dr Lee Jong-wook.
This follows the sudden death of the WHO leader following surgery for a blood-clot in the brain on Monday.
From his time as Samoa's Health Minister in the early nineties, The Acting Prime Minister says he has fond memories of Dr Lee due to his service in both American Samoa and Samoa.
This was when Dr Lee was working in the territory as a public health service doctor before joining the WHO.
Misa has sent a letter of condolences to the Acting Director General of WHO.
He says the world has lost a great leader in public health, a man who had demonstrated and advocated during his career as WHO Chief since 2003.
Samoa's new Minister of Health and chief executive of the ministry are in Geneva for the organisation 's annual general assembly.
