Foreign relations of Samoa

The Samoan Government is generally conservative and pro-Western, with a strong interest in regional political and economic issues. Samoa participated in a first round of negotiations with its Pacific Island neighbors for a regional trade agreement in August 2000. In January 2009, Samoa opened embassies in China and Japan.

Diplomatic relations

Countries having diplomatic relations with Samoa:

Countries having diplomatic relations with Samoa

#	Diplomatic relations of Samoa	Date
1	New Zealand	1 January 1962
2	India	June 1970
3	United Kingdom	September 1970
4	Australia	31 March 1971
5	Canada	11 June 1971
6	United States	1971
7	Germany	18 May 1972
8	Israel	30 May 1972
9	South Korea	15 September 1972
10	Japan	27 March 1973
11	Belgium	May 1973
12	France	September 1974
13	Fiji	10 November 1974
14	China	6 November 1975
15	Thailand	15 November 1975
16	Netherlands	13 April 1976
17	Russia	2 July 1976
18	Sweden	1977
19	Chile	24 August 1978
20	Egypt	8 September 1978
21	Turkey	12 April 1979
22	Papua New Guinea	27 August 1979
23	Indonesia	17 March 1980
24	Vanuatu	30 June 1980
25	Spain	5 November 1980
26	Greece	3 April 1981
27	Philippines	1981
28	Switzerland	1 August 1981
29	Malaysia	August 1982
30	Pakistan	7 March 1983
31	Bangladesh	21 December 1893
32	Sri Lanka	1 January 1984
33	Peru	23 January 1984
34	Italy	25 May 1987
35	Colombia	1 December 1987
36	Federated States of Micronesia	19 April 1990
37	Singapore	3 September 1990
38	Marshall Islands	22 October 1990
39	Austria	18 December 1992
40	Argentina	18 May 1993
41	Maldives	2 August 1993
42	Croatia	8 March 1994
43	Vietnam	29 March 1994
–	Holy See	10 June 1994
44	South Africa	22 March 1995
45	Portugal	9 June 1995
46	Czech Republic	12 December 1995
47	Slovenia	25 November 1996
48	Finland	11 August 1999
49	Norway	1999
50	Slovakia	16 March 2000
51	Cyprus	24 March 2000
52	Republic of Ireland	26 June 2000
53	Seychelles	29 August 2000
54	Malta	22 July 2004
55	Timor-Leste	27 July 2004
56	Iceland	15 October 2004
57	Brazil	1 February 2005
58	Republic of Macedonia	18 August 2005
59	Brunei	8 February 2006
60	Romania	2 March 2006
61	Guatemala	20 September 2007
62	Cuba	11 October 2007
63	Albania	1 August 2008
64	Mexico	21 October 2008
65	Estonia	23 January 2009
66	Lithuania	19 February 2009
67	Bosnia and Herzegovina	13 March 2009
68	Luxembourg	2 June 2009
69	Georgia	12 March 2010
70	Botswana	18 March 2010
71	Monaco	4 May 2010
72	United Arab Emirates	11 May 2010
73	Cambodia	18 May 2010
74	Montenegro	28 January 2011
75	Morocco	28 January 2011
76	Paraguay	28 January 2011
77	Qatar	9 March 2011
78	Hungary	7 September 2011
79	Ecuador	20 December 2011
80	Mongolia	21 December 2011
81	Ukraine	7 May 2012
82	Moldova	14 June 2012
83	Latvia	28 June 2012
84	Suriname	2012
85	Kazakhstan	7 February 2013
86	Poland	8 March 2013
87	Nepal	28 March 2013
88	Uruguay	21 May 2013
89	Kosovo	10 March 2017
90	Azerbaijan	19 January 2018
91	Nauru	Established, date unknown
92	Tonga	Established, date unknown

Bilateral relations

Country	Formal Relations Began	Notes
Australia	31 March 1971	Australia has a high commission in Apia. Samoa has a high commission in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
Canada	11 June 1971	Canada is accredited to Samoa from its high commission in Wellington, New Zealand. Samoa is accredited to Canada from its mission in New York City.
China	6 November 1975	See China–Samoa relations The Independent State of Samoa and the People's Republic of China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations in 1976. The two countries currently maintain cordial relations; China provides economic aid to Samoa. The current Ambassador of China in Samoa is Ma Chongren. Samoa has not yet appointed resident diplomatic personnel in China, but has announced its intention to do so.
Cuba	11 October 2007	Samoa participated in the first Cuba-Pacific Islands ministerial meeting in Havana in September 2008, aimed at "strengthening cooperation" between Cuba and Samoa, notably in coping with the impact of climate change.
France	September 1974	The Samoan Government was an outspoken critic of the French decision to resume nuclear weapons testing in the South Pacific Ocean in 1995. An indefinite ban was placed on visits to Samoa by French warships and aircraft. Large-scale street demonstrations were held in Apia. The French tests concluded in early 1996.
Japan	1973	Diplomatic relations between Japan and Samoa were established in 1973. Ministerial level visits are frequent between the two countries. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko made a state visit to Samoa in 2003 when the Emperor was still Crown Prince. Japan opened an embassy in Apia on 1 January 2013.
Kosovo		In September 2008, Samoa became the 46th country to officially recognise the independence of Kosovo.
Mexico	22 October 2008	Mexico is accredited to Samoa from its embassy in Wellington, New Zealand and maintains an honorary consulate in Apia. Samoa does not have an accreditation to Mexico.
New Zealand	1 January 1962	See New Zealand–Samoa relations At independence in 1962, Samoa signed a Treaty of Friendship with New Zealand. This treaty confirms the special relationship between the two countries and provides a framework for their interaction. Under the terms of the treaty, Samoa can request that New Zealand act as a channel of communication to governments and international organizations outside the immediate area of the Pacific islands. Samoa can also request defense assistance which New Zealand is required to consider, as Samoa does not maintain a formal military. Overall, Samoa has strong links with New Zealand, where many Samoans now live and many others were educated. New Zealand is the closest stopping ground for travel to Samoa. New Zealand has a high commission in Apia. Samoa has a high commission in Wellington and a consulate-general in Auckland.
Tonga		See Samoa–Tonga relations Both nations are Pacific Islands countries and members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Pacific Islands Forum.
United States	1971	See Samoa–United States relations The two countries share cordial relations. Since 1967, the United States has supported a substantial Peace Corps program in Samoa. Over 1,700 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Samoa over that time, with 51 Volunteers currently in-country. Peace Corps programs emphasize village-based development and capacity building. Other forms of U.S. assistance to Samoa are limited. The U.S. Embassy, staffed by a single officer, is the smallest Embassy in Samoa and one of the few one-officer U.S. Embassies in the world. Samoa is accredited to the United States from its mission in New York City and has a consulate-general in Pago Pago, American Samoa. United States has an embassy in Apia.

Samoa and the Commonwealth of Nations

Western Samoa became independent on 1 January 1962, but did not formally join the Commonwealth of Nations until 1970. Between 1962 and 1970, Western Samoa was treated as though it was a Commonwealth member state. Since 2007, Samoa has been classed as a Commonwealth republic.

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, SOPAC, SPREP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO.

Regional integration

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has pushed through a variety of legislation to increase links between Samoa and the Pacific regional powers of Australia and New Zealand. Under his leadership the country switched to driving on the left, decided to shift westwards across the international date line and adopted daylight saving time, and proposed the introduction of a common Pacific currency.

In late 2011, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi initiated a meeting of Polynesian leaders which led, in November, to the formal launching of the Polynesian Leaders Group, a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment. The Group was in part a response to the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

See also

• List of diplomatic missions in Samoa
• List of diplomatic missions of Samoa