South Pacific Commission meets with ASG to advance territory’s regional engagement plan

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — ASG is partnering and collaborating with the South Pacific Commission (SPC) to promote sustainable development, resilience and collaboration with other Pacific nations as part of the Lemanu- Talauega Administration’s move to direct attention to American Samoa's distinctive position and the potential it holds for contributing to global security endeavors.

On August 30, 2023, director for SPC’s Polynesia regional office, Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago met with Chief of Staff Loa Tuimavave Tauapa’i Laupola and several department leaders at the Governor’s Office Conference room to discuss American Samoa’s path of moving forward with aligning with the broader objectives of sustainable development and resilience.

A press release from the Governor’s Office said the meeting discussion centered around the identified priority areas, including food security, policy support, climate resilience, biodiversity, access to climate finance, statistics for development, applying people-centered approaches, and fostering effective institutions. Director Leituala presented SPC’s Key Focus Areas (KFAs) designed to support member countries, including American Samoa, across diverse domains such as climate resilience, natural resources, food systems, equity, education, sustainable economies, and planetary health. Leituala also reviewed the current status, envisioned pathways, and future states for each KFA.

The representatives from the ASG Department of Agriculture, Department of Youth and Women Affairs, Department of Commerce’s Statistics & Analysis team, Department of Treasury, Office of Procurement, Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management, American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency and the Resilience Office met with Director Leituala this week to collaborate in the creation of the Statement of Intent (SOI) and the Country Engagement Framework (CEF).

Director Leituala shared the timelines and key milestones in this collaborative journey including:

●  Development of SOI and CEF: Expected completion by September 15, 2023, following 
feedback from August 2023. 


●  Finalization of SOI and CEF: Planned for October 1, 2023, for printing before 
CRGA/Conference week (October 24, 2023). 


●  Signing of SOI and CEF: Scheduled for the week of October 24, 2023. 


●  Consultations on Theory of Change: Led by SPC's Strategy, Performance, and Learning 
(SPL) team from October 30 to November 10, 2023.

●  Finalization of Country Engagement Strategy: Targeted for December 2023. 
The goal for this collaboration is to have the SOI and CEF signed at the upcoming CRGA conference. An implementation plan is set to be crafted by November 2023, detailing the Theory of Change, Results Matrix, and Activities, for finalization by December 2023. 


The meeting discussion also acknowledged the uniqueness of American Samoa’s circumstances and challenge with the lack of data. It was also noted that SPC provides guidelines, but federal government directives must be followed. The overarching objective is to tailor guidelines to strengthen American Samoa’s priorities.

The ASG’s engagement with SPC emphasizes Governor Lemamu’s commitment to promoting American Samoa's active participation in all relevant regional organizations. By actively engaging in discussions and advocating for issues that have a direct impact on our residents, ASG aims to strengthen their influence and make a meaningful difference in the region, the press release said.