Cabinet endorse Committee to review Treaty of Friendship with New Zealand

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 20 March 2026: Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt has confirmed Cabinet has endorsement the establishment of a special committee to review the 64-year-old Treaty of Friendship with New Zealand.

Samoa is the only country in the world with such a Treaty of Friendship with New Zealand which was signed on 1 August 1962 by the first Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Mataafa Faumuina Mulinu’u 11 and then New Zealand High Commissioner J.B.Wright.

Despite New Zealand assisting Samoa in the development of education, health and other areas as a development partner, the issue that is upper most to Samoa is easy travel to New Zealand which many believe should have been made easier under the Treaty of Friendship.

However, applying for an entry visa for Samoans to enter New Zealand remains a challenge.

The last time the Treaty was amended was in 1982 when a protocol was signed between the two governments where the New Zealand Parliament passed the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 that revoked New Zealand citizenship for thousands of Samoans born in Western Samoa between 13 May 1924 and 1 January 1949 when the country was under New Zealand colonial rule.

The 1982 protocol also gave Samoans 1100 places to apply for New Zealand citizenship every year and picked through a draw, but the difficulties in securing job offers leave the quota far from being fulfilled every year.

When asked what can change New Zealand’s stance to ensure the Treaty is recognised as far as free visa travel is concerned, Prime Minister Laauli said the Treaty should have been reviewed every 10 years, and times have changed and the need for the treaty to reflect those changes.

He confirmed that the issue was part of list of other priority areas during their bilateral talks with the New Zealand Prime Minister, Tui-Sinave-Ma-Ulumotootua Christopher Luxon and includes a review of the Treaty.

Negotiation teams from both sides will start the discussions in reviewing the Treaty of Friendship.

Free Visas not an easy decision for NZ
Laauli said New Zealand’s decision over free visa travel for Samoans specifically under the Treaty, is not easy especially when it involves all other Pacific islands.

Added to the challenge are overstayers with Samoa ranking third among other Pacific and other countries overstaying in New Zealand.

He referred to the past where Samoa could apply for a visa and quickly granted for 14 days and there was also a time Samoa was granted with a multiple visa for two years.

“I believe we want what we had back then, easy entry to New Zealand for family faalavelave such as reunions, weddings, funerals and other matters but that comes with responsibility from our side,” he said.

The New Zealand Prime Minister said that the challenge they face is ensuring that Samoans got legal migration and a good risk management systems.

He said his Government is trying to liberalise the rules for easy movement around the Pacific, and they need to look at what New Zealand can do.