Prime Minister wants Atoa O Samoa Talks Sooner

Apia, Samoa – 19 September 2025: Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt hopes for the Atoa o Samoa Talks with American Samoan government to be held sooner.

This followed a meeting with the American Samoa Governor, Pulalii Tuiteleleapaga Iuli Nikolao Pula in Apia this week.

The Governor led the territory’s delegation to the swearing in ceremony of Samoa’s 18th Parliament and the Prime Minister and his Cabinet on Tuesday this week.

The delegation included the President of the American Samoa Senate, Hon. Tuaolo Manaia E. Fruean and the Speaker of the House of Representatives – Hon Savali Talavou Ale.

It is the first time such a high-level delegation from American Samoa has attended the swearing in of Samoa’s parliament. It is also the very first time, the Governor and President of the Senate have met a Samoan Prime Minister in the Cabinet Room.

The gesture places great importance on the two Samoa’s relations and what the hope to achieve through the issues and areas identified in the annual Atoa o Samoa Talks.

“I do not want to put it off any longer as there are many issues raised that need to be addressed,” said Laauli.

The Prime Minister meeting in Cabinet, the President of the American Samoa Senate, Hon. Tuaolo Manaia E. Fruean and the Speaker of the House of Representatives – Hon Savali Talavou Ale.

Potential for Agricultural Products
The Prime Minister said there are many important issues discussed in previous Atoa o Samoa Talks that he wants to pursue such as agriculture and trade.

He said American Samoa remains a lucrative market for Samoa’s agricultural products and taro from Samoa are being used to make the popular Moana taro chips now selling well at the Hawaiian market.

“There is potential for the raw products to come from here and packaged in American Samoa to meet FAD standards to enter the American market,” he explained.

“The American dollar used in New York has the same value as the American dollar used in Fagatogo,” he said. “So there’s a lot of economic potential for us if we work together with American Samoa.”

He also clarified the cattle farm which he has been accused of offering to American Samoa.

“The initiative was for our local meat to be exported into American Samoa in a partnership between our Ministry of Agriculture and the American Samoa MAF,” said Laauli.

He said that was the reason why Samoa donated 5 cattle, 5 sheep and over 500 oysters to start a pilot project in American Samoa.

Land exchange needs to be utilised
Through the Samoa Talks, Samoa secured an acre of land at Tafuna in 2012.

Thirteen years later, the land stands empty while the Samoa Consulate rents office space at the Methodist Building at Fagatogo.

Laauli believes the land should be utilised not only for the consulate office, but to provide affordable accommodations to cater for Samoans working in American Samoa.

“We have people working at the Starkist who live with relatives and have faced many problems due to that arrangement,” he said.

“The solution is to provide affordable accommodation at the available government land.”

Last year, Samoa has secured prime land at Taumeasina for the American Samoa government to build their offices.

Despite the different political systems, Laauli emphasized that American Samoa and Samoa are one people who are part of one family with the same genealogy and history that cannot be ignored.