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Territory seeks to be regional hub for prosperity, innovation, and design

SelectUSA Investment Summit logo
Am. Samoa exhibits in this week’s virtual investment summit
compiled by Samoa News staff

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — U.S. Territories, including American Samoa, are being showcased at the 8th annual SelectUSA Investment Summit held virtually this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Office.

A press release issued earlier this week by the local Dept. of Commerce announced American Samoa’s virtual exhibit booth where the territory is able to engage directly with potential investors and actively work to attract job-creating business investments into the territory. This is the first time American Samoa has participated and had an opportunity to promote the territory on a global scale.

Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga was quoted in a statement from the Governor’s Office saying, “I commend the American Samoa Department of Commerce Director Matila and her team in preparing American Samoa’s virtual presentation and sharing with the world what we have to offer.  Her team has ensured that all of the statistics and data are updated, transparent, and accurate. 

“We must put forward the resources needed to build up American Samoa as a compelling place that foreign investors can one day help to build up as the South Pacific’s future hub for prosperity, innovation, and design.  Additions to our Territory’s infrastructure, such as the planned Technology Park, will continue to put us in a good position to attract more investors,” he said.

Some of the biggest markets that foreign investors at this year’s SelectUSA Summit were interested in were the semiconductor manufacturing industry and electric vehicles.  As a result, the US Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the Summit is “breaking records” in the interest of foreign companies wanting to do business in the United States. 

The governor also recognized Raimondo for allowing American Samoa to be part of this historical 100% virtual exhibition of its kind.  “I thank Secretary Raimondo for inviting American Samoa to take part in this Summit.  I hope that the experience gained by our Department of Commerce delegation will include finding new ways that our economy can prosper.  We need to take advantage of future opportunities such as this investment summit and President Biden’s initiative to ‘Build Back Better,’ which lays out how US economies are rebuilding and recovering after being affected by the Pandemic,” remarked Governor Lemanu. 

The ASG Department of Commerce has stated that “the SelectUSA Summit is the highest-profile event dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States.”

 (Source: Dept. of Commerce & Governor’s Office press releases)