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Official Name - The Independent State of Samoa
Land Area -
2,820 sq km on two main islands of Upolu and Savai’i and seven small islands
Population -
180,741 (2006 census)
Capital City - Apia
Religions -
Mostly Christian: 35% of the population affiliate to the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa, while the Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Latter-Day Saints Churches account for around 20%, 15%, and 13% of the population, respectively (2001 census)
Official Languages - Samoan, English
Currency - Samoan Tala SAT$ (or Samoan dollar) = 100 sene (cents)
Exchange rate -
SAT$1.7338 = NZ$1 (Westpac currency rates, 16 September 2009)
EEZ -
98,500 sq km
Political System -
Parliamentary democracy with a Westminster-style Cabinet government
National government -
The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) holds 37 of the 49 seats in the Fono
National legislature -
Unicameral, 49-member Fono; 47 members are elected by all Samoans aged 21 or over to represent 41 constituencies, while the remaining two are elected from the electoral rolls made up of voters with no village affiliation; the Fono sits for five-year terms.
Last election -
31 March 2006 (legislature); 15 June 2007 (Head of State)
Next election -
March 2011 (legislature); 2012 (Head of State)
Head of State - His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi; elected 18 June 2007 following the death of Malietoa Tanumafili II.
The Head of State is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (with no term limits).
Head of Government -
Prime Minister Hon Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi; elected 1998.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa is also responsible for Foreign Affairs, Immigration, and the Office of Attorney General.
Council Of Deputies -
Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa II
Key Ministers -
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour
Misa Telefoni Retzlaff
Minister of Women, Community and Social Development
Fiame Naomi Mataafa
Minister of Finance
Niko Lee Hang
Minister of Revenue
Tu’u’u Anasii Leota
Minister of Health
Gatoloaifaana Amataga Alesana Gidlow
Minister of Justice and Courts Administration
Unasa Mesi Galo
Minister of Agriculture
Taua Tavaga Kitiona Seuala
Minister of Communication and Information Technology
Safuneituuga Pa’aga Neri
Minister of Education, Sports and Culture
Toomata Alapati Poese Toomata
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment
Faumuina Tiatia Liuga
Minister of Police, Prisons and Fire Service
Toleafoa Apulu Faafisi
Key Opposition MPs - Asiata Sale’imoa Va’ai, MP, Leader of the Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP); Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, MP, Interim Chairman of the Tautua Samoa Party.
Note that there is no officially-recognised formal opposition in Parliament
Main political parties -
Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP), Tautua Samoa Party (TSP), The People’s Party (TPP).
GDP -
SAT$1.41 billion
GDP breakdown - Goods: 38.7%, Services: 61.3%
GDP per capita - SAT$7,748
Real GDP growth -
3.3% (2004), 4.1% (2005), 1.9% (2006), 6.1% (2007), -3.4% (2008)
Exports -
SAT$25.9 million
Main exports (fob 2008) -
Fish; coconut oil and cream; copra; automotive parts (re-exports, not included in exports figure above); taro; phone cards; beer
Imports -
SAT$659.18 million
Main imports (fob 2008) -
Machinery and equipment; industrial supplies; foodstuffs
Tourism - SAT$288.41 million; 20% of GDP
Remittances -
SAT$353.05 million; 25% of GDP
Current account -
Deficit SAT$92.9 million, 6.6% GDP
Inflation -
12.7% (end March 2009)
Gross external debt -
SAT$604.71 million; 42.8% of GDP
Source: Samoa Ministry of Finance April 2009 Quarterly Economic Review; to year ended December 2008
NZ Exports (FOB) -
NZ$106 million
Main Exports -
Timber; sheep and goat meat; electric generating sets and rotary converters; bulldozers and other machinery; dairy products
NZ Imports (CIF) -
NZ$6 million
Main Imports -
Prepared unrecorded media (namely, phone cards); prepared foods (namely, coconut cream); coconut, brazil and cashew nuts; scrap metal
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Overseas Trade; to year ended June 2009
Migrants from Southeast Asia and Melanesiaare believed to havearrived in the Samoan islands over 2,000 years ago and from there settled the rest of Polynesia further to the east. Samoa’s pre-European history was interwoven with chiefdoms of Fiji and the kingdom of Tonga, with archaeological records supporting native genealogies and oral tradition telling of interisland voyaging and intermarriage.
The first major European settlements occurred in the 1830s for missionary work and trade, and in 1899 Samoa became a German colony. New Zealand assumed control of Samoa following the outbreak of World War One and the islands became a mandated territory of New Zealand under the auspices of the League of Nations. Between the Wars there was considerable agitation for the removal of foreign control over Samoan affairs. After World War Two, Samoa was administered by New Zealand as a United Nations trust territory and measures were gradually introduced to prepare for self-government. In 1962 Samoa became the first Pacific Island country to gain independence. With effect from 4 July 1997, a constitutional amendment changed the name of the country to the Independent State of Samoa (or just Samoa). Previously it had been known as Western Samoa.
In June 2007, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi was appointed Head of State for a five-year term. This followed the death a month earlier of His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, who had been appointed Head of State for life under the 1962 Constitution.
The government is a parliamentary democracy with a parliamentary term of five years. The Prime Minister, who is chosen by Parliament and appointed by the Head of State, leads a Cabinet of twelve members. The governing Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) is dominant in Samoan politics. It came to office in 1982, at that time led by the late Hon Tofilau Eti Alesana. It was re-elected in 1991, 1996, 2001 and most recently on 31 March 2006, when it was returned to power with an increased majority. It now holds 37 of the 49 parliamentary seats Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi was appointed Prime Minister in November 1998 after Tofilau resigned due to failing health.
Tofilau’s period in office was associated with significant constitutional reform. Universal suffrage was introduced with the 1991 elections. Before that, only matai (chiefs) could vote for all but two of the seats. (The two other members were elected on the basis of universal suffrage by citizens with no village affiliation). Apart from the two “Individual Voters” seats, candidates for election to Parliament must still hold matai titles. Tuilaepa continued with the reforms of the public service, which involved the merging of some ministries and the creation of a new body – the Planning for Urban Management Agency (PUMA).
Samoa’s parliament does not have a formal opposition. The main opposition party was the Samoa Democratic United Party (SDUP), but parliament withdrew that recognition after SDUP in-fighting in late 2006 amongst opposition MPs resulted in a split, leaving the party without the minimum number of MPs necessary to be recognised as a party under the standing orders.
In April 2008, two HRPP members resigned from the party and became independents. They banded together with other independents (former SDUP members) to form a new political party, the Tautua Samoa Party (TSP). The party's founders describe their aim as providing parliamentary opposition to the ruling HRPP and targeting the next general election in 2011.
Under the Samoan Electoral Act, registering as members of a new party would have required TSP’s members to contest a by-election for their parliamentary seats. To avoid this, its members remained listed as independents. In January 2009, the Speaker of Parliament ordered the TSP to provide formal notice of its existence and membership. The party formally identified itself, and nine MPs identified themselves as members. The Speaker consequently threw the nine MPs associated with TSP out of Parliament in May 2009 and called for by-elections in their constituencies on the grounds that joining a party after being elected breached the provisions of the Electoral Act and the parliamentary standing orders. Their expulsion from Parliament would prompt by-elections. The MPs concerned took legal action; and the Chief Justice ruled in their favour, resulting in their reinstatement.
In July 2008 another new party called The People’s Party (TPP) was also established on the back of the People Against Switching Sides (PASS) lobby group. No sitting MPs are members of TPP. The PASS group formed in opposition to the government’s controversial decision that the country would switch from driving on the right hand side of the road to the left. After several protests and petitions, PASS also filed a legal challenge alleging, inter alia, that the switch was a breach of the right to life (enshrined in Article 5 of the Constitution). This was rejected by the Supreme Court. A last-minute plea from PASS to postpone the switch was rejected by Cabinet, and as of 7 September cars drive on the left in Samoa.Samoa underwent significant economic turmoil in the early 1990s due to poor economic management and successive natural disasters. However, a determined programme of economic reforms initiated during the 1990s earned Samoa the reputation as the Pacific’s model economy, and placed Samoa amongst the fastest-growing of the Pacific Island economies. The Government embarked on a campaign to increase the efficiency of the public sector and is fostering private sector development, including through reductions in tariffs and other costs which impact negatively on business. In March 2006 the UN reviewed Samoa’s Least Developed Country (LDC) status and in December 2007 recommended graduation to Developing Country status in 2010. Samoa, however, is seeking to revisit this in light of the global economic crisis.
Samoa is a small, fairly liberalised economy, with a GDP of around NZ$867 million (to the end of 2008). It is reliant on foreign imports and has a large trade deficit. The economy is largely driven by tourism (20-25% of GDP), remittances (25% of GDP), and foreign aid. Samoa is one of the highest recipients of remittances in the world as a proportion of GDP. This is a by-product of large overseas Samoan communities in New Zealand, American Samoa, the United States and Australia. Fisheries, construction and, to a lesser extent, agriculture and small-scale manufacturing also contribute to GDP. Its exports consist mainly of fish, coconut products, automotive parts (as re-exports from the Yazaki wire harness factory), and taro.
Only around 12% of Samoa’s total population is engaged in formal paid employment. Two-thirds of the potential labour force is absorbed by subsistence village agriculture, a dominant sector in the Samoan economy. Private sector growth is constrained by a narrow resource base, limited infrastructure, and isolation, dependence on fuel imports, a lack of skilled labour, and a small domestic market.
Samoa’s economy remains highly vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters. For example, cyclones in 1990 and 1991, combined with the onset of taro blight caused severe economic setbacks. Increased dependence on tourism and Samoa’s largely coastal infrastructure could cause even more significant cyclone-related setbacks in the future. In such circumstances Samoa would become heavily dependent on overseas development assistance.
Samoa experienced uneven but moderately fast economic growth over the 5 years to December 2007, at an average rate of 3.2%. A particularly strong economic performance in the 12 months to December 2007 lifted GDP to 6.1% – the highest growth rate in the past decade. This spike in GDP was largely driven by a construction boom, funded by the state and donors, in preparation for the South Pacific Games (SPG), which were hosted by Samoa in August 2007.
Despite this positive indicator, Samoa has recently been feeling the impact of the global economic crisis, with growth dropping to -3.4% in 2008. GDP growth in the current financial year is estimated to drop as low as -4.9% with significant impacts on the manufacturing sector. Tourism earnings and remittances continue to hold firm, however rising unemployment and diminishing tourist numbers resulting from the global economic crisis and possible impacts of the H1N1 influenza pandemic may reverse some of these gains.
The local employment market has been affected by a downturn in the manufacturing sector and the associated curtailment of the operations of Samoa’s single largest private employer, Yazaki (a Japanese firm which produces wire harnesses for motor vehicles for export to Australia). Yazaki currently employs 600-800 employees, down from a high of 2000 due to reduced orders from overseas customers.
The unemployment situation may also be exacerbated by the scaling down of the operations of the fish canneries in American Samoa, following the gradual implementation of the US Federal minimum wage conditions in American Samoa from 2007. A large percentage of the 4,000 employees of the fish canneries are from (Western) Samoa. The possibility of reduced remittances from the Samoan diaspora struggling in source countries is also a looming spectre. As Samoa’s single largest source of foreign exchange, remittances are key to ensuring that Samoa’s current account deficit remains sustainable.
Increases in the prices of fuel and some basic commodities, such as wheat, rice, sugar, and dairy products, have created new challenges for Samoa, with inflation at an annual average of 10.9% in December 2008 (an increase of 4.8% from December 2007), surging to over 14% in the first half of 2009. Interest rates remain high and although budget expenditure pressures arising from the need to construct infrastructure for the SPG have eased, construction activity has slumped, leading to growing urban unemployment.
The current framework for economic and social development is the Strategy for the Development of Samoa (SDS) 2008-2012. The SDS identifies seven key development priorities: sustained macroeconomic stability; private sector-led economic growth and employment creation; improved education outcomes; improved health outcomes; community development including improved village governance; improved public sector governance; and environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction.
Samoa is an active member of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), which is based in Samoa. Pacific regional offices for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educations, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are located in Apia. Samoa is a member of the Commonwealth.
Samoa’s membership of other international organisations includes the Africa Caribbean and Pacific group (ACP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Group of 77 (G-77), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (Sparteca), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Bank (WB), and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Samoa is also currently in the process of accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Samoa has supplied a small group of police for the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) since the inception of the mission in July 2003. It also has police deployed on peacekeeping operations in East Timor, Liberia and Sudan.
The special relationship between New Zealand and Samoa is underpinned by the 1962 Treaty of Friendship, concluded when Samoa became independent after a period of New Zealand trusteeship from 1919 to 1962. The relationship is a rich and multi-stranded one, with close linkages between New Zealand and Samoa, underpinned by the large number of New Zealanders of Samoan descent or origin living in New Zealand. An estimated 131,100 Samoans now live in New Zealand, making up around 50% of this country’s Pacific Island population (2006 census). The arts and culture of Samoan New Zealanders have become a distinctive voice and contributor to New Zealand society.
Transport links are of vital importance to Samoa's continued economic development. In light of this, the New Zealand Government agreed to underwrite Samoa’s losses up to NZ$1million on the Air New Zealand “mid-Pacific” service to Los Angeles for 12 months from April 2009.
New Zealand-Samoa air services are governed by the Multilateral Agreement on the Liberalisation of International Air Transportation (MALIAT), of which Samoa became the first non-APEC member in November 2002.
In 2005 Polynesian Blue (a joint venture between Pacific Blue and the international arm of the Samoan government owned, Polynesian Airlines) was formed. To date the venture has adjusted well to the new competitive environment. Samoa’s decision to enter the joint venture arrangement for international air services was a bold decision by the Samoan government to reform its national carrier in the interests of growing inbound tourism and avoiding future calls on the public purse. Some of the gains in the tourism sector can reasonably be attributed to the new joint venture airline.
Samoa has no standing army, with responsibility for security residing with Police. New Zealand’s relationship with Samoa in this area remains close. Visits by Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal New Zealand Navy assets are common, with the participation of RNZAF No. 5 Squadron and the crew of HMNZS Canterbury in Samoa’s Independence Day celebrations on 1 June 2009 being warmly welcomed. The New Zealand Army and RNZAF have both carried out training exercises in Samoa in the past. A major undertaking was the RNZAF’s Exercise Tropic Astra, which took place in Samoa in August 2009 and brought benefits to Samoa through a variety of civic assistance activities, capturing valuable aerial imagery of the country for use by Samoan officials, and participation in an emergency evacuation scenario.
Through NZDF’s Mutual Assistance Programme (MAP), New Zealand has provided training for the Samoan Police, including in preparation for deployments of Samoan civilian police officers to the United Nations in East Timor. Other defence cooperation includes maritime surveillance flights by RNZAF aircraft over Samoa’s EEZ (with Samoan officials on board). The last Mutual Assistance talks were held in April 2009. A small number of NZDF personnel participated in the US-led Pacific Partnership 09 civilian assistance mission to a number of Pacific Island countries including Samoa.
Samoa’s education system comprises an eight-year primary and five-year secondary programme. Education is not compulsory for children older than 14. Literacy rates are high compared to other developing countries, and figures show a 65% participation rate for 15 to 19 year olds at secondary school. Pre-school education is on an informal basis and is largely organised at a village level. Samoa Polytechnic and the National University of Samoa offer tertiary studies. The University of the South Pacific’s School of Agriculture is located in Apia. NZAID provides substantial assistance (US$8.6 million over five years) to support basic education in Samoa and provides 45 tertiary scholarships per year for study in NZ and the region. Vocational and workforce training is also supported through the Short Term Training Awards (for study in NZ) and the Samoa In Country Training Programme).
Immigration is an important element of the bilateral relationship. Under the 1982 Protocol to the Treaty of Friendship, New Zealand has a specific obligation to consult Samoa on immigration (and citizenship) matters affecting Samoa. A special immigration quota introduced in 1970 by the New Zealand Government allows up to 1,100 Samoans annually to be granted New Zealand permanent residence, in addition to those entering New Zealand under normal immigration arrangements.
Samoa was one of the first five Pacific Island countries to receive facilitated support for its participation in the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme. The RSE allows workers to come to New Zealand for up to seven months to work in the horticulture and viticulture sectors. All Forum Island countries, apart from Fiji, are eligible under the scheme, but New Zealand has worked intensively with five to help kick start the policy. In the 12 months to 31 March 2009, 1234 Samoans had been to New Zealand under the RSE scheme.
The New Zealand Police and Samoa Police Service have shared a long and close association. There is active cooperation between the two services in both the bilateral and regional contexts. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by Police Commissioners in the margins of the inaugural Joint Ministerial Consultations in Apia on 18 March 2005. One of the outcomes of that MOU is to develop a joint plan of action covering collaborative activities between the two services over a one to two year period. NZ Police currently support Samoa’s Domestic Violence Unit and have recently provided public order training. In 2009 further training is planned in the areas of prosecutions and Samoa has asked NZ Police for assistance with Community policing. NZ Police also support Samoa’s canine unit.
Agriculture remains an important, mainly subsistence, activity in Samoa, particularly in the villages, but contributes only minimally to foreign exchange receipts. Copra, cocoa, kava, and nonu are exported. (By far the largest commodity export earner, however, is fish at around 70% of total exports by value.) The appointment of a dedicated Pacific plant products advisor in MAF Biosecurity is proving effective in assisting Pacific island countries to meet New Zealand’s phytosanitary requirements.
Samoa’s progress in improving human development since the early 1980s is reflected in increases to life expectancy, a rising adult literacy rate, increased enrolment in schools, growth in average incomes and a reduction in the child mortality rate.
While there has been a rise in the levels of human development, inequities of income distribution, hardship amongst vulnerable groups, lack of formal employment and income generating activities, reliance on remittances, limitations in access to quality education and health and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases are limiting the gains made to date. Addressing these issues has become the core focus of Samoa’s development objectives.
A number of donors are active in Samoa including Australia, EU, China and New Zealand with development assistance constituting 15% of GDP. The multi-donor environment is well coordinated by the Samoan Aid Coordination Unit, in the Ministry of Finance. This has resulted in a number of multi-donor, multi-year sector wide programmes (SWAPs) of which New Zealand has committed to support Health and Education.
New Zealand’s bilateral ODA programme is aligned with Samoa’s national development priorities (SDS 2008-2012) and focuses on Economic and Private Sector Development, Improving Social and Public Sector Delivery, Human Resource and Community Development.
NZ development assistance will increase from $10.5 million in 2008/09 to NZ$14 million in 2009/10, with further increases to $15 million in 2010/11 and $17 million in 2011/12. It will focus in particular on addressing the challenges in the health and education sectors, as well as to support private sector development. New Zealand and Australia have also committed to a school fee subsidy programme which will ensure that all children have access to education even in times of hardship. The scheme will target families most in need of help.
Tourism, although highly vulnerable to any cyclone, has developed into Samoa’s top foreign exchange earner (excluding remittances) – and not without justification. Samoa’s natural advantages of sun, scenery, and culture have drawn unprecedented numbers of tourists (with New Zealanders comprising 42.2% of all arrivals in 2008) making the most of cheaper flights offered by both Polynesian Blue and Air New Zealand. For the moment, tourism earnings continue to hold firm despite the global economic crisis.
There are regular Ministerial visits in both directions.
The Safe Travel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to Samoa [external link].
