AGP Executive Report

Marine Protection Survey: National Geographic Pristine Seas is launching a Samoa expedition to survey biodiversity across the country’s new marine protected areas, using SCUBA surveys, deep-sea cameras, seabird counts, environmental DNA, and submersible dives to build a baseline for protecting 30% of Samoa’s ocean. Fisheries Governance: Samoa is hosting delegates for the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Scientific Committee session, with member countries expected to share data on stock assessments, harvest strategies, and the regional observer programme to support science-based management of highly migratory fish. Deep-Sea Mining Debate: A new look at the Clarion-Clipperton Zone highlights the push for polymetallic nodules—and the major risk of destroying deep-sea habitat that takes millions of years to form. Ocean Connectivity: The Manatua submarine cable fault has degraded internet services, with repairs requiring a specialist cable vessel and contingency plans activated mainly for Niue and the Cook Islands. Green Finance Push: Samoa’s banks are exploring more green financing, especially solar for homes and businesses, while discussing capacity, awareness, and how to manage climate-related financial risks. Child & Community Wellbeing: Samoa has launched a Child Well-Being Benefit Program to support eligible children from birth, aiming to strengthen health and safety outcomes through direct assistance. Digital Safety for Kids: Samoa’s Ombudsman flags unregulated social media access and risky online platforms as a growing human rights concern for children.

Marine Protection in Samoa: National Geographic Pristine Seas is set to survey marine life across Samoa’s newly protected ocean areas, including reef, mid-ocean and deepwater sites, to build a scientific baseline for managing 30% of the country’s waters. Green Finance Push: Samoa’s banks are exploring more solar and other renewable-energy lending through a Green Banking and Sustainable Finance workshop led by the Central Bank of Samoa with UNDP, while also tackling capacity and climate-risk management gaps. Digital Infrastructure Disruption: The Manatua submarine cable fault off Samoa is degrading internet services for Niue and the Cook Islands, with repairs needing a specialist cable ship. Child Safety Online: Samoa’s new Ombudsman flags unregulated social media and risky platforms as a growing threat to children’s rights and wellbeing, linking it to broader concerns like climate and pollution. Regional Environment Skills: GIS and environmental professionals from across the Pacific, including Samoa, trained in better data management to respond to biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution.

Marine Protection Science: National Geographic Pristine Seas is surveying marine life across Samoa’s newly protected areas, aiming to build a biodiversity baseline for the push to protect 30% of Samoa’s ocean. Green Finance Push: Samoa’s banks and partners are exploring more solar and other green investments, with the Central Bank of Samoa and UNDP backing a workshop on sustainable finance and managing climate risks. Digital & Child Safety: Samoa’s new Ombudsman flags children’s unregulated social media access and risky online platforms as a growing rights concern. Youth Framework for 2027–2036: Youth leaders in Apia endorsed a regional Pacific Youth Development Framework focused on governance, youth leadership, and measurable delivery. Drug-Free Samoa Gets Structure: Samoa’s national drug-free working group has moved from planning into an agreed direction for prevention and support for children and families. Ocean Connectivity Disruption: The Manatua submarine cable fault near Samoa is degrading internet services, with Niue and the Cook Islands hit hardest while repairs are arranged. Climate Coal/Gas Concern: Samoa’s PM says Australia should avoid new coal and gas projects ahead of COP31, warning climate change remains a major threat. Child Well-Being Benefit: Samoa has launched a new benefit program for eligible children from birth to 35 months, linking payments to health and support needs.

Marine Protection in Samoa: National Geographic Pristine Seas is surveying marine life across Samoa’s newly protected ocean areas, aiming to build a scientific baseline for managing 30% of Samoa’s waters and tracking biodiversity from reefs to deepwater. Green Finance Push: Samoa’s Central Bank convened commercial banks and development partners to expand green financing, with solar for homes and businesses a key focus, alongside better handling of climate-related financial risks. Child Well-Being Benefit Launched: Samoa has rolled out a new Child Well-Being Benefit Program for eligible children from birth to 35 months, with payments starting at birth and continuing monthly to support health and development. Drug-Free Samoa Gets National Action Plan: Samoa moved from planning to action with a new national working group to coordinate prevention of drug-related harm among children and adolescents, bringing together health, justice, education, and police. Internet Disruption from Manatua Cable Fault: A technical fault on the Manatua submarine cable is degrading internet services, mainly affecting Niue and the Cook Islands, while partners seek a specialist repair vessel. Youth Framework Endorsed: Pacific youth ministry leaders backed a regional youth development framework for 2027–2036, with Samoa playing a central chair role in turning commitments into measurable change. Online Safety for Children: Samoa’s Ombudsman flagged unregulated social media and risky online platforms as a major child protection concern, linking it to broader rights including a healthy environment.

Green Finance Push: Samoa’s banks and the Development Bank of Samoa are exploring more financing for renewable energy, with a Central Bank of Samoa workshop (with UNDP) spotlighting solar for homes and businesses, plus the need to boost public awareness and manage climate-related financial risks. Ocean Protection Science: National Geographic Pristine Seas is set to survey marine life across Samoa’s newly protected ocean areas, aiming to build a biodiversity baseline and strengthen the evidence behind the country’s plan to protect 30% of its waters. Digital Connectivity Disruption: The Manatua submarine cable fault near Samoa is degrading internet services, with Niue and the Cook Islands hit hardest while partners line up a specialist repair vessel. Online Safety for Children: Samoa’s new Ombudsman flags unregulated social media and risky online platforms as a growing human rights concern for children, linking it to broader duties around health, sustainability, and protection from climate and pollution harms. Youth Development Framework: Pacific youth ministry leaders backed a regional framework for 2027–2036, with Samoa playing a key chair role in turning commitments into measurable change for young people. Climate Coal/Gas Concern: Samoa’s PM says Australia should avoid new coal and gas projects ahead of COP31, warning that ongoing fossil expansion would undermine climate goals. GIS for the Environment: Pacific geospatial professionals, including Samoa’s, trained in GIS and environmental data management to tackle the region’s “triple planetary crisis” of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution.

Marine Protection & Science: National Geographic Pristine Seas is surveying marine life in Samoa’s newly protected areas, aiming to build a biodiversity baseline for the country’s push to sustainably manage 30% of its ocean. Digital Resilience: The Manatua submarine cable fault has degraded internet services, with Niue and the Cook Islands hit hardest while partners line up a specialist repair vessel. Climate Action Pressure: Samoa’s PM says Australia should ban new coal and gas projects ahead of its COP31 bid, warning fresh fossil projects would be a major threat. Children & Community Support: Samoa launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program for eligible children from birth to 35 months, with payments designed to protect health and development. Online Safety for Kids: Samoa’s new Ombudsman flags unregulated social media and risky platforms as a growing human rights concern for children. Youth Development (Regional): Pacific youth ministry leaders backed a 2027–2036 framework to turn youth commitments into measurable change across the region.

Marine Protection: National Geographic Pristine Seas is surveying marine life across Samoa’s newly protected areas, supporting the push to protect 30% of the ocean and build a scientific baseline for better ocean management. Digital Resilience: The Manatua submarine cable fault has degraded internet services, with repairs needing a specialist vessel and mainly affecting Niue and the Cook Islands. Youth & Community: Samoa’s Drug-Free Samoa initiative moves from planning to action with a national working group meeting, backed by UNICEF and key ministries. Children’s Support: Samoa has launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program, starting payments for eligible children from birth to 35 months. Online Safety: Samoa’s new Ombudsman flags unregulated social media and risky platforms as a growing threat to children’s rights and wellbeing. Climate Pressure: Samoa’s PM warns Australia’s coal and gas plans could undermine climate goals ahead of COP31, while new figures show a high level of climate travel spending by Australia’s minister. Regional Youth Framework: Pacific youth ministry leaders endorsed a 2027–2036 framework, with Samoa chairing the process in Apia. Governance & Funding: Samoa Agreement implementation updates continue across Pacific ACP officials’ meetings, including ratification progress and resourcing.

Marine Protection in Action: National Geographic Pristine Seas is set to survey marine life in Samoa’s newly protected areas, supporting the push to protect 30% of the ocean and build a scientific baseline for better ocean management. Digital Connectivity & Resilience: The Manatua submarine cable fault has degraded internet services, with Niue and the Cook Islands hit hardest while partners line up a specialist repair vessel. Youth Development Framework: Pacific youth ministry leaders endorsed a 2027–2036 regional framework, with Samoa driving the chairmanship push to turn commitments into measurable change. Climate Leadership Pressure: Samoa’s PM raised concerns about Australia’s plans for new coal and gas projects ahead of COP31, warning climate action must match higher targets. Drug-Free Samoa Gets Governance: Samoa launched the National Working Group for a Drug-Free Samoa, moving from planning into national action with UNICEF support and partners across health, justice, education and police. Child Well-Being Benefit Program: Samoa officially launched a new child benefit for eligible children from birth to 35 months, aiming to support health, safety and development with regular payments. GIS Skills for the Environment: GIS and spatial professionals across the Pacific gathered to strengthen environmental data management to tackle biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution.

Marine Protection Push: National Geographic Pristine Seas is launching a four-week survey in Samoa’s newly protected marine areas, aiming to map biodiversity across reef, mid-ocean and deepwater sites and build the science base for managing 30% of Samoa’s ocean. Regional Connectivity & Resilience: The Manatua submarine cable fault is degrading internet services, with repairs needing a specialist cable vessel and affecting connectivity mainly for Niue and the Cook Islands. Climate Policy Pressure: Samoa’s Prime Minister says Australia should ban new coal and gas projects ahead of COP31, warning new fossil projects would undermine climate action. Waste & Pollution Work: SPREP reports progress under SWAP2, a regional push to improve waste management and cut pollution, including beach surveys and audits of marine litter across multiple Pacific countries. Local Environment Capacity: GIS and spatial professionals from across the Pacific gathered in Fiji for training to strengthen environmental data handling and decision-making for biodiversity, climate and pollution challenges. Health & Environment Link: Samoa’s Child Well-Being Benefit Program has launched, targeting support from birth to 35 months—an important foundation for healthier communities as environmental pressures mount.

Submarine Connectivity: The Manatua fibre-optic cable fault about 144km offshore from Samoa is degrading internet services, with repairs needing a specialist cable vessel and contingency plans already activated in Niue and the Cook Islands. Climate & Energy Diplomacy: Samoa’s PM Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa says Australia should ban new coal and gas projects ahead of COP31, warning ongoing expansion would be a major climate threat. Youth for the Future: Samoa helped endorse a Pacific Youth Development Framework for 2027–2036, aiming to turn commitments into measurable change for young people across the region. Waste & Pollution Action: SPREP’s SWAP2 project is pushing cleaner waste management, with Samoa among nine countries reviewing progress and using beach surveys plus marine-litter audits to target pollution hotspots. Child Well-Being Support: Samoa has launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program for eligible children from birth to 35 months, moving policy into direct family payments. Health & Risk: CDC updated dengue travel notices, keeping Samoa on the list of destinations with year-round dengue risk. Environment Skills: GIS and spatial practitioners from across the Pacific gathered in Fiji to strengthen environmental data management for biodiversity, climate and pollution action.

Drug-Free Samoa: Samoa’s National Working Group for a Drug-Free Samoa held its inaugural meeting, mapping a coordinated national response to prevent drug-related harm among children and adolescents, with UNICEF support and partners including Health, Education, and Samoa Police. Child Well-Being: Samoa launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program, moving from policy to implementation with payments for eligible children from birth to 35 months to support health, safety, and development. Pacific Environment Action: GIS and spatial professionals from across the Pacific (including Samoa) gathered in Nadi for training to strengthen environmental data management for biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Cleaner Seas & Waste: SPREP reviewed progress under SWAP2 in Apia, backing cleaner waste management and pollution reduction across nine Pacific countries, including Samoa, with beach surveys and marine-litter audits guiding next steps. Marine Protection: Solomon Islands joined the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR), a transboundary network of marine protected areas aimed at protecting biodiversity—while stressing the need for real management and enforcement. Health Travel Notice: The CDC updated its dengue destination list, which now includes Samoa, reminding travellers that risk can be year-round even as lists change. Economy Watch: The IMF says Samoa’s post-pandemic recovery has slowed sharply, with weaker demand and higher energy prices weighing on growth and inflation.

Waste & Pollution Action: Samoa is part of SWAP2, a regional push to cut waste and pollution, with SPREP reporting 108 beach surveys and audits of 106,000+ marine-litter items to pinpoint hotspots and guide policy. Marine Protection: Solomon Islands has joined the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR), a transboundary marine protected area aimed at protecting biodiversity across Melanesia—though experts warn it can’t become “paper parks” without real management. GIS for the Environment: GIS and spatial practitioners from across the Pacific (including Samoa) met in Nadi for training to better manage environmental data and support action on biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Child Well-Being: Samoa launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program, giving eligible children support from birth to 35 months, including an initial payment at birth and monthly payments tied to eligibility. Health Travel Alerts: The CDC updated its dengue destination list, which still includes Samoa, while chikungunya notices also shifted. Samoa Economy Watch: An IMF update says Samoa’s post-pandemic recovery is slowing, with weaker demand and higher energy prices weighing on growth.

Pacific Environment Action: GIS and spatial practitioners from across the Pacific (including Samoa) met in Nadi for training to better manage environmental data and tackle the region’s “triple planetary crisis” of biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution. Waste & Pollution Cleanup: SPREP’s SWAP2 project reviewed progress in Apia, highlighting beach surveys and marine-litter audits that help governments target pollution hotspots and strengthen waste systems. Marine Protection Push: Solomon Islands has joined the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR), a transboundary marine protected area effort aimed at protecting biodiversity—while stressing the need for real management so it doesn’t become “paper parks.” Samoa Child Support: Samoa launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program, offering payments from birth to 35 months to support health, safety, and family needs. Samoa Economy Watch: The IMF says Samoa’s post-pandemic recovery has slowed sharply, with weaker demand and higher energy prices weighing on growth and inflation. Health & Research: A Samoa-hosted precision medicine symposium is urging Pacific Indigenous communities to be actively included in genomics research. Rugby & Governance (Local): World Rugby denies reports of an ultimatum over Samoa’s rugby union issues, saying it’s mediating for a positive resolution.

Nuclear waste fight echoes across the Pacific: A new look back at Guam’s 1980 opposition to Japan’s radioactive dumping plan highlights how Pacific governments—including Samoa—pushed back against shifting dangerous waste problems onto island communities with little say. Cleaner seas push forward: SPREP’s SWAP2 project says Pacific countries are stepping up waste and pollution work, including beach surveys and marine-litter audits, to target hotspots and support plastics treaty talks. Marine protection plans grow: Solomon Islands has joined the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR), a transboundary marine protected area aimed at protecting biodiversity—though the report warns enforcement must avoid “paper parks.” Samoa backs child support: Samoa launched its Child Well-Being Benefit Program, offering payments from birth to 35 months to support health, safety, and early development. Education data gets a boost: Samoa rolled out the SEMIS system to give officials real-time student and school information, helping planning and resilience to disruptions. Health research inclusion: Samoa hosted a Polynesian Precision Medicine Symposium calling for Indigenous participation so Pacific communities aren’t left out of genomics-led care. Economy slows: The IMF warns Samoa’s post-pandemic recovery is losing momentum as growth drops and energy prices and structural issues weigh on the outlook.

Marine Protection & Waste: SPREP reports progress under SWAP2, a regional push to cut waste and pollution, including 108 beach surveys and audits of 106,000 marine-litter items across Samoa and other Pacific partners. Ocean Conservation: Melanesian nations are moving toward a massive transboundary marine protected area corridor (MOCOR), aiming to protect biodiversity across territorial waters—though details on enforcement and community input remain thin. Climate & Resilience: An IMF update says Samoa’s post-pandemic recovery has slowed sharply to 0.4% growth, with weak demand, high global energy prices, and structural constraints clouding the outlook. Biosecurity: Samoa’s MAF warns illegal honey and bee products sold online could introduce destructive pests, threatening pollination, agriculture, biodiversity, and food security. Education Data for Adaptation: Samoa launched SEMIS, a new education management system meant to improve planning and decision-making, including for climate-related disruption. Youth Voice: UN youth consultations in Samoa called for stronger youth inclusion in decisions, citing jobs, education barriers, mental health, climate impacts, and digital access gaps.

Child Protection & Poverty: Samoa Police move to enforce the Education Act 2009 against school-aged child vendors in Apia, after a National University of Samoa rapid assessment found a 27% rise in child vendors over 14 months, including very young sellers—raising fresh pressure for real, long-term solutions beyond enforcement. Macroeconomy & Resilience: The IMF says Samoa’s post-pandemic recovery has slowed sharply, with FY2025/26 growth at 0.4% (down from 4.2%), as weak domestic demand, higher global energy prices, and structural constraints weigh on households, tourism, and investment. Waste & Marine Pollution: SPREP reports progress under SWAP2, including 108 beach surveys and audits of over 106,000 marine-litter items across Samoa and other Pacific partners—aimed at cleaner waste systems and better regional action. Biodiversity & Biosecurity: Samoa’s MAF warns that illegal honey and bee products sold online could introduce destructive bee pests and diseases, threatening pollination, agriculture, biodiversity, and food security. Ocean Conservation: Melanesian nations push ahead with the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves (MOCOR), a massive transboundary marine protected area—now joined by Solomon Islands—though strong management and enforcement remain key to avoiding “paper parks.” Education Data for Planning: Samoa launches SEMIS, an education management system to give officials real-time data on students, teachers, and schools, helping planning and decision-making amid teacher shortages and climate disruption. Youth Voice: A UN youth consultation in Apia highlights climate impacts, mental health, barriers to education and jobs, and demands for stronger youth participation in decisions shaping Samoa’s future.