14 June 2022: Prime Minister Ardern was honoured to welcome Hon. Fiame Naomi
Mata’afa, Prime Minister of Samoa and long-time friend of Aotearoa New Zealand, in
Wellington on 14 June 2022 for her first official bilateral visit since becoming
Prime Minister.
The year 2022 is a significant year, recognising the whanaungatanga between Aotearoa
New Zealand and Samoa as we celebrate 60 years of Samoa’s independence under the
theme of “Folau ma le Fa’atuatua” (Sail with Faith); and 60 years of formal diplomatic
relations between our two countries. In addition, on 1 August 2022, we will also mark
the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between our two
governments; a unique agreement underpinned by “friendship, confidence, and a
mutual endeavour to obtain for our peoples fuller opportunities for social progress”.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of signing the Treaty of Friendship, the Prime
Ministers announced a special fellowship in the name of the Honourable Fiame Naomi
Mata’afa for deepening cultural leadership between Samoa and Aotearoa New Zealand.
In doing so Prime Ministers Ardern and Fiame also recalled the contribution made by
the Honourable Fiame Mata’afa FM II CBE, father of the current Prime Minister and
Samoa’s first Prime Minister.
In their first face-to-face engagement as leaders, Prime Ministers Ardern and Fiame
shared a wide-ranging and frank discussion on issues of mutual interest across
bilateral, regional and multilateral agendas. Working together to address the challenges
posed by climate change; effectively navigating post-pandemic economic headwinds;
and advancing Blue Pacific priorities through established regional practices and regional
institutions remain top priorities. To this end, leaders committed to renewing, in 2023,
their bilateral Statement of Partnership, first signed in 2019.
Prime Ministers reflected on the close cooperation of Health and Foreign Ministries
throughout the pandemic and reiterated their continued commitment to ensuring
Samoa has the necessary resources to manage COVID-19. The two Governments have
shared their approaches to managing the pandemic and borders, and Aotearoa New
Zealand has provided vaccines, health supplies and laboratory assistance, as well as
economic support. The Prime Ministers appreciated the mutual support and
understanding shown throughout the pandemic while borders remained closed to all
but essential travel.
The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their support for the Kainaki II Declaration for Urgent
Climate Change Action Now. Aotearoa New Zealand looks forward to supporting Samoa
to deliver on its climate change priorities by providing climate finance towards Samoa’s
Nationally Determined Contribution, National Adaptation Plan of Action, and other

government efforts to address climate change, including adaptation and mitigation
efforts.
Labour mobility is an important driver of economic well-being in Samoa and Samoan
workers are highly valued participants in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal
Employer (RSE) scheme. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of Pacific
labour mobility to both economies. They also reaffirmed their commitment to exploring
new labour mobility opportunities as signatories to the Labour Mobility Arrangement
signed alongside PACER Plus.
The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the strong alignment between Samoa’s national
development plan, The Pathway for the Development of Samoa, and the Aotearoa
New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation programme, which focuses on
health, economic and institutional resilience, education and scholarships, tourism and
private sector growth. Leaders agreed to continue streamlining the development
cooperation programme to achieve maximum impact and ownership by Samoa. They
also noted the support available for public service strengthening through the Pacific
Public Service Fale and for other important sectors through a number of other Pacific
regional development programmes.
Prime Minister Ardern welcomed Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship recipients from
Samoa whose study had been disrupted by COVID-19 to begin their studies in Aotearoa
New Zealand from Semester 2 2022 or Semester 1 2023.
Aotearoa New Zealand and Samoa confirmed their mutual dedication to a peaceful,
secure, prosperous and resilient region. The Pacific Islands Forum is the preeminent
forum in the region for discussing and building consensus on issues of regional and
global importance. Pacific regional unity is critical in the face of climate change,
geostrategic competition, COVID-19 recovery and other shared challenges. The Prime
Ministers reaffirmed commitment to working together as a region to meet our security
needs, as set out in the Biketawa and Boe Declarations, and in light of our shared
aspirations, to care for and protect Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, the Blue Pacific Continent.
Prime Minister Ardern reiterated Aotearoa New Zealand’s support for Pacific partners
on both domestic and transnational security issues. Noting existing programmes in
place which allow for a broad range of police and law enforcement training and
capability building, Prime Ministers agreed to investigate further opportunities to
collaborate.
As borders reopen the Prime Ministers looked forward to our people being able to
reconnect through sports. Prime Minister Ardern announced a Sports Leaderships
Awards programme for emerging sports leaders from Samoa. The programme will
harness the skills and attributes of sports trainers and leaders by leveraging the
sporting excellence and training capabilities of Sport New Zealand to enhance and
influence female emerging sports leaders in Samoa.

Prime Ministers Ardern and Fiame recognise that the world has changed significantly
since the establishment of our diplomatic relations in 1962. Yet Samoa and Aotearoa
New Zealand continue to conduct bilateral affairs in the spirit in which our diplomatic
relationship was established: guided by the principles of trust, mutual respect,
collective ambition, partnership and shared aspiration for the prosperity for our
peoples.
As close friends in our region, our futures are woven together, underpinned by
manaakitanga and mutual respect. The theme of our Treaty of Friendship
commemorations is “Uō Mamae | Lifelong Friends” – symbolic of our enduring, warm
and close relationship.