Samoa Included In $1.9 Billion Pacific Commitment

"Australia is dedicated to collaborating with Prime Minister Fiame and the Samoan Government to support the development objectives of Samoa"

Photo: Government of Samoa

The 2023/2024 fiscal year will see an increase in Australia's development assistance to Samoa of around AUD $53.5 million.

"Australia is dedicated to collaborating with Prime Minister Fiame and the Samoan Government to support the development objectives of Samoa" stated Australian High Commissioner Emily Luck.

"This commitment is guided by the Pathway for the Development of Samoa and supported by our bilateral partnership agreement. Together, we can make Samoa and the Blue Pacific safer, more affluent, and more secure." she further added.

The Australian Government is committing $1.9 Billion over five years to the Pacific in response to the goals expressed directly by the region, particularly Samoa. 

Taking advantage of Samoa's long-standing dedication to the stability of the area, Australia is fostering closer ties between Samoan citizens and enhancing cooperation in fields like employment mobility, maritime security, cyber security, policing, responding to and preparing for humanitarian crises, media, and sport.

To maximize its economic contributions to the economies of Samoa and the Pacific, Australia is improving the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) program. This includes coordinating the program with the Government of Samoa's policy frameworks improving working conditions and providing better support for employees; - enabling access to Medicare for the first 200 families participating in the government's family accompaniment pilot program from across the Pacific; - embedding skill development through training  and assisting employees in accessing superannuation savings upon their return home.