Canada-Samoa relations
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Bilateral relations
Canada enjoys pleasant bilateral relations with Samoa. Canada and Samoa share membership in several international organizations, such as the Commonwealth, the United Nations and the World Health Organization.
Canada and Samoa share interests with respect to fisheries management and are both parties to the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement. Canada is also a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum to which Samoa belongs.
In Samoa, Canada is represented by the High Commission of Canada in New Zealand. Samoa is represented in Canada by the Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations in New York. About 120 people who live in Canada are born in Samoa according to the 2021 Canadian census. Citizens of Samoa do not need a visa to visit Canada.
Trade relations
Canada’s trade relations with Samoa are managed by the Trade Commissioner Service, New Zealand. Canada has limited trade relations with Samoa. In 2022, two-way trade totalled $801,705. Canadian merchandise exports amounted to $320,690, comprising mainly machinery parts, while imports amounted to $481,015 and were mostly of machinery and electrical.
Development
Canada supports small and community-focused projects in Samoa through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). Canada has contributed over $768,000 to organizations implementing CFLI in Samoa since 2012. In 2022-2023 Canada funded $21,100 towards a health, education and women’s empowerment project, and $41,100 for an educationally-focused project, for a total value of $61,200.
Samoa has also been a beneficiary of the following projects in the Pacific Islands region:
The Kiwa Initiative (2020 to 2026) is a $79 million multi-donor Pan-Pacific regional initiative funded by Canada, France, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Since March 2020, Canada has contributed a total of $16 million to the Kiwa initiative through a Contribution Arrangement with the Agence française de développement (AFD). The Kiwa initiative strengthens capacities of local and national authorities and civil society organizations to design and implement small to large-scale biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation projects at local, national and regional levels through granting/funding facilities.
The Catalyzing Women’s Entrepreneurship Project (2019 to 2024) is a $13.9 million project that supports women entrepreneurs. It aims to address the particular challenges that women-owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises face in growing their businesses, including access to finance and new technologies.
The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI) (2018 to 2023) is a project implemented by the World Bank, and to which Canada contributed $1.5 million. The PCRAFI seeks to provide the Pacific island countries with disaster risk assessment and financing tools, including sovereign insurance, for enhanced disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.
Between 2015 and 2025, Canada contributes $20 million to the Asia Pacific Project Preparation Facility (AP3F) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). AP3F is a multi-donor trust fund that provides additional financial resources and technical support for the preparation of infrastructure projects in developing member countries in order to increase infrastructure development and enhance the quality of infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific.
The Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) (2021 to 2023) is a project implemented by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and to which Canada contributed $9.5 million. It aims to support Pacific Small Island Developing States and others in securing and structuring finance for priority climate projects by cultivating a network of highly trained, embedded climate finance advisors.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s (WCPFC) Special Requirements Fund has received contributions of $68,000 to $100,000 from Canada in recent years. It aims to support capacity-building among the members of the Commission such as Samoa.
Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Samoa work closely in multilateral fora, such as:
- Commonwealth
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
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