Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa’s application for Associate Membership in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is receiving support and endorsement from numerous governments north of the equator. Submitted by Governor Lemanu P.S Mauga in December of last year, the application garnered a bit of attention at last month’s meeting of the Micronesian Islands Forum (MIF). The MIF meeting produced several resolutions including MIF Resolution 26-05. Under Resolution 26-05, the MIF membership indicated that it “fully supports and endorses the application of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam for Associate Membership in the Pacific Islands Forum.”

The Leaders of Guam, Federated States of Micronesia, the State Governments of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap, along with CNMI, Guam, Palau, Nauru and Republic of Marshall Islands signed the resolution following the 26th MIF Annual Meeting held in Guam on June 3-5, 2024.

The meeting was attended by Lt. Governor La'apui Talauega E. V. Ale. The resolution came just as American Samoa was preparing for last week’s engagement with a delegation from PIF to assess its compatibility with membership criteria.

American Samoa will continue its advocacy at PIF’s Foreign Officials Committee meeting next month with the aim to have the application considered by PIF Leaders at their meeting in Tonga at the end of August.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata welcomed notice of $135,000 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic and Sex Violence.

The grant is for health services in American Samoa through the program titled Rape Prevention and Education: Enhancing Capacity for Sexual Violence Prevention Across State and Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions. The project grant application is Enhancing Capacity in American Samoa for Rape Prevention Through a Cultural Approach.

“Thank you especially to Fuatino Jennifer Tofaeono for her dedicated work on this grant and her ongoing leadership of the American Samoa Alliance’s efforts,” said Aumua Amata. “Through these efforts, this federal support will bolster our community’s work for prevention and assistance to survivors, building a safer environment for everyone in American Samoa.”

The purpose of the program is to prevent sexual violence and victimization by increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors through a public health approach that implements comprehensive strategies.

This new discretionary grant is through the HHS National Center for Injury Prevention & Control, an office of the CDC. The goal of the grant program nationally is for communities to employ more techniques and initiatives aimed at preventing sexual violence.