Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Among the topics discussed at the third Atoa o Samoa meeting earlier this month in American Samoa is the progress made since the Apia meeting in 2022 and the delegates also set a date for a fourth meeting.

 According to the report, since the Apia meeting several Samoa Govt and ASG agencies have exchanged visits and also personnel, and are working towards driving priority issues forward.

Key issues discussed in the two-day meeting included updates on Health, Economy, Information and Communication Technology, Immigration, Agriculture and Fisheries, Finance, Environment, Climate, Weather & Geoscience, Transportation, and Land Swap Agreement.

PROGRESS FROM LAST ATOA O SAMOA

• The Department of Commerce, in partnership with its Samoa counterpart, the Samoa Business Hub, and the American Samoa Chamber of Commerce, hosted the first Atoa o Samoa Trade Show. In prior discussions, both Samoas agreed on the necessity of developing and promoting trade. The Atoa o Samoa Trade Show promoted locally-made goods and services between the two countries, and a platform for mutual investment and expansion.
• The American Samoa Territorial Audit Office hosted its Audit and Ethics Training conducted by the Graduate School, USA. The audit offices from Samoa and American Samoa came together to complete this three-day training session. As a result, Su’a, Pauga & Associates accounting firm can now provide accounting services in American Samoa and can register as public accountants, allowing them to sit in the US CPA for accreditation in order to become chartered accountants that can work in the private sector in American Samoa.
• A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority and the Samoa Ministry of Communications centered on increasing training capacity and reducing broadband costs for Samoa, securing redundancy, and providing an alternative route to New Zealand & Australia for Samoa via the Hawaiki Cable system.
• Discussion continues between the SROS, AS-EPA, and US EPA in information exchange on Laboratory services. The US EPA has responded positively and supports this initiative due to the logistical challenges to their regular engagement in American Samoa.
• The American Samoa Government is looking into (1) developing possible training opportunities with various academic institutions in Samoa pertaining to maritime engineering (2) offering training to the Samoa Airport Authority at its Hot Fire Training Facility.
• The Taumeasina Land Lease and the Tafuna Land Lease were finalized and signed by the respective parties.
• The delegates designated that the next Atoa o Samoa executive meeting will be held in October 2023 in Savai’I, with actual dates to be confirmed at a later date.