PM IN NZ: Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs failed to notify the NZ Government

Lance Polu/

Apia, Samoa – 05 November 2025 – Samoa’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), failed to notify the New Zealand government of Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi being in New Zealand in what was his first visit there as Samoa’s Prime Minister.

Laaulialemalietoa was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 September and left for medical treatment in New Zealand six days later.

However, Talamua has learnt that MFAT failed to inform the New Zealand government as is protocol and the expectation that his counterpart greets and welcomes him especially it was his first visit to New Zealand as Samoa’s newly elected Prime Minister.

After his operation, the Prime Minister met with New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters on 19 October and the Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sharren Miriam Haskel-Harpaz, on 23 October at the Samoan Consulate in Mangere, New Zealand.

Following those meetings, the Samoa Observer newspaper reported an official advice from MFAT for the Prime Minister not to engage in official meetings while on medical leave.

The newspaper also reported a meeting between the CEO of MFAT, Peseta Noumea Simi and the CEO of the Ministry of the Prime Minister (MPMC) Agafili Shem Leo and the Acting Prime Minister Toelupe Moaiautele Poumulinuku Onesemo last Thursday.

The meeting was supposedly on the reported MFAT advice for the Prime Minister not to engage in official meetings while on medical leave.

However, the CEO of MPMC quickly issued a statement last Friday denying such a meeting (now described a ‘phantom’ meeting) ever took place.

In an interview with a Samoan Radio station last week, the Prime Minister said that while he listens to advice from officials, it is he who instructs Foreign Affairs and not the other way around.

The series of ensuing newspaper reports on the issue are seen as targeted efforts to discredit the Prime Minister and his government that took power when they were sworn in on 16 September after decisively winning the 29 August general election.

The Prime Minister remains in Auckland under medical observation following an operation to his ankle and is expected to return home in mid-November.

He is scheduled to meet with his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon in Auckland on Thursday this week and will be an opportunity as the first Head of a Government to meet with Laaulialemalietoa since being elected Prime Minister.

The meeting is also seen as a way to make good on the earlier failure of the Samoan government to inform the New Zealand Government officially when the Prime Minister first entered New Zealand for medical treatment on 21 September.