The 5th Atoa o Samoa meeting will be held at the ASCC Multi Purpose Center tomorrow and Thursday.
There’s been no information from the Governor’s Office but media reports from Apia say that Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa ia leading a delegation of more than 20 government officials to the meeting, which includes cabinet ministers and chief executive officers.
Cabinet Ministers making the trip include Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Vaai; Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, La’auli Leuatea Schmidt; Minister of Commerce Industry and Labor, Leota Laki Lamositele; Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito Selesele; and Minister of Women Community and Social Development, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo.
Since the last meeting in Samoa in October last year, local departments have had regular exchanges with their counterparts in Samoa following up on issues that were discussed. There have also been some concrete projects undertaken such as the faisua farming project, whereby Samoa’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries provided baby faisua and conducted training for the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources.
Last October, American Samoa started the entry permit waiver program which is only for citizens of Samoa to make 7-day visits to the territory without having to go through the usual process of obtaining a local sponsor, and health and court clearances. Samoa is looking to build a warehouse for goods to be shipped over to and from Samoa at the dock, and American Samoa is constructing a government office at Moataa.
The media is only allowed to cover the opening of the talks, but not the actual discussions between the two sides.
Up to now, there’s been no outcome statement from the last Atoa o Samoa meeting that was held in Apia last October.
