'Every man and his dog is coming': Samoan PM warns of growing geopolitical interest in Pacific

RNZ News

21-05-2025

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa at the 99th USP Council Meeting in Auckland. 21 May 2025
Photo:
RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa says it is a tough time for the Pacific region as leaders navigate a dynamic geopolitical arena, with various countries seeking more involvement and influence.
Speaking to RNZ Pacific on the sidelines of the University of the Pacific Council meeting in Auckland this week, she confirmed that the Review of the Regional Architecture (RRA), led by the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), is in its final stage.
The RRA process aims to ensure regional governance mechanisms are fit-for-purpose, effective, and responsive to the evolving needs of Pacific Island countries.
It is the Forum leaders' response to increasing interest from a growing number of PIF dialogue partners wanting a seat at the regional decision-making table.
Fiame said with "every man and his dog coming into the Pacific", it is difficult for small Pacific Island administrations to navigate evolving geopolitical interests.
"The geopolitical situation [in the] Pacific is becoming very contested. It is becoming very congested."
She said the first two phases for the RRA - a situation analysis and drawing recommendations from the result of that analysis - have been completed.
"Now, the third phase, which has been undertaken by a team of three...essentially making the rounds, taking the recommendations, having sit-downs with leaders in the region to go through the recommendations," she said.
"But their basic question is: Is Pacific unity still there? Do we still want it? If we do, what do we want it to look like?"
Asked if Pacific unity was still there, she said: "We say it is. But in practice, I personally think that there is fragmentation.
"There is always that conflict between the collective and national interests and so forth. We really do have to be thinking about what is it, in regionalism, that we want to make sure stays?"
Fiame said the United States would be a "significant element" of the regional reforms.
However, she noted most of America's aid goes to Micronesian nations.
"For us in Samoa, we have American Samoa as a territory of the US. I think that's something we need to pay some attention to - how any decisions made by any administration of America filtering through to American Samoa because [of] the vicinity of our closeness," she said.
"We've also been building, other than the kinship ties, the government-to-government relations with American Samoa. They're an important market to us."
She said their concerns included pronouncements related to ocean assets.
"That's a regional concern for all of us - the protection of our marine environment, which actors are going to be there? How will it impact on the interests of the Pacific countries?"
"I think that particular issue, especially hand-in-hand with seabed mining."
Meanwhile, Fiame said she has yet to decideher political affiliation she will support in the next election.
Samoa's parliament has had its
share of turmoil
this year, with party sackings and motions of no confidence.
"Our focus at the moment is completing the term and that has always been an issue," she said.
"We had two motions of no confidence. I have always said that parliament would determine whether we remain in government as a minority government, and it would appear that that is still the status quo."
She said the budget is coming out next week, which is another usual parliamentary issue that determines confidence.
"My reading is no one really wants to go to an early election. There are a few technical issues that would make it difficult. The main one being that we are doing a complete re-registration of the voters, and I think we are not yet at 60 percent.
"What we've said in our cabinet is that we all need to pay attention to our individual constituencies - whether we want to run again or not.
Fiame has also ruled out representing the FAST party in future elections.
"There's some real credibility issues around the party now with the split [and] also the personalities.
"I think if we do go forward, it will either be under a completely different umbrella or independent. We still have to make that decision."