Australia’s Foreign Minister Warmly Welcomed to Beautiful Samoa

Apia, SAMOA – 24 Feb 2026 – Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt, together with Samoan Cabinet Ministers, hosted a formal dinner at Taumeasina Island Resort this evening to welcome Australia’s Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, and her delegation to Beautiful Samoa.

Both leaders acknowledged the two nations’ longstanding friendship and reaffirmed their commitment to working together on shared priorities.

In that spirit, three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) were signed to strengthen the partnership and to bolster shared work towards a safe and thriving Blue Pacific.

Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Pacific Policing Initiative and a related MOU on Pacific policing deployments. These give effect to decisions of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders to advance regional policing cooperation and enable practical support between Pacific countries when assistance is requested.

Australia’s Foreign Minister, the Hon Senator Penny Wong Penny Wong having signed the Policing, and Cyber MOUS with Samoa’s Prime Minister, Susuga Laʻaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt at Taumeasina Resort, Samoa on Tuesday 24 February 2026.

Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa also signed a Cyber MOU with Foreign Minister Wong, which reinforces bilateral collaboration and shared work to strengthen digital resilience and cybersecurity.

Tomorrow, Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa and Foreign Minister Wong will attend a topping out ceremony for the Australian-funded Legislative Assembly Office. This is an opportunity to mark a key milestone in the construction of the building, which is the placement of the roof structure.

Following the conclusion of the topping out ceremony, the delegation will head to Savaii Island aboard the Nafanua III to open the Samoa Police Tuasivi Maritime Office.

On arrival at the Faleolo Airport, the Foreign Minister, the Hon Senator Penny Wong Penny Wong is greeted by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo on Tuesday 24 February 2026.