Our Scans · Samoa · Weekly Summary

• [New] Some tourism-driven economies, such as the Cook Islands and Samoa, will benefit from the lifting of pandemic travel restrictions along with increased public investment spending. Asian Development Bank
• A narrow majority of respondents in Samoa identified climate change as either an urgent problem that needs to be addressed (42.6%) or an issue that is not yet an urgent problem but will be addressed in the future (10.1%). SpringerLink
• The Commonwealth Youth Programme has supported member countries with youth development work for over 50 years and young people will continue to be a focus leading up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa later in 2024. Commonwealth
• The newly formed Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) anticipates holding three offshore lease sales during fiscal years 2026 and 2027, including in waters off American Samoa in August, the Northern Mariana Islands in November, and Alaska in December. IADC.org
• NOAA Ocean Exploration will lead a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and mapping expedition on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to explore deep waters in and around American Samoa. NOAA Ocean Exploration
• Fifth, Tonga and Samoa have announced the outcomes of their labour mobility reviews, and we can expect Vanuatu to follow suit in 2024. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
• Officials in Samoa, Cook Islands and Fiji have warned citizens against panic buying and hoarding. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
• The Hawaiki Nui cable project - which will connect parts of the US (Los Angeles, Hawaii and American Samoa), French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia and Singapore - has been provided an AIFFP grant for the funding of branching units that will benefit other PICs along the cable route. The Strategist
• For Kiribati and Samoa, which face growing risks from coastal flooding, extreme wave events and changing ocean conditions, the new buoys will help fill critical gaps in ocean observations. Islands Business
• Several countries and territories recorded cause-specific YLLs that were substantially lower than expected, such as preterm birth complications in Papua New Guinea; road injuries in Sri Lanka and Samoa; and self-harm in Malaysia and China. PubMed Central (PMC)
• Only 1 in 5 tech executives will successfully navigate digital transformation, making strong team dynamics more crucial than ever. / Samoa Nucamp
• Supporting Law Enforcement in Samoa: The U.S. Department of State provided $138,000 in custom-fitted ballistic vests and helmets that will protect Samoan law enforcement officers as they defend against transnational criminals. United States Department of State
• Using Technology to Deter Maritime Crimes: The U.S. Department of State announced that, working with Congress, the United States plans to provide $540,000 to support automatic identification systems (AIS) for Tonga and Samoa. United States Department of State

Last updated: 19 June 2026