Apia, SAMOA — (February 25, 2026) Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, touched down at Faleolo International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, leading a high-level delegation on a two-day official visit to Samoa.

The Foreign Minister was formally welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Mulipola Anarosa ‘Ale-Molio’o and Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, Hon. Will Robinson, upon arrival.

Minister Wong’s visit forms part of a wider Pacific tour, which also includes Niue. The mission is aimed at reinforcing Australia’s partnership with Samoa and reaffirming shared priorities in security, governance, climate resilience, health, education, and economic growth.

Later that evening, Minister Wong met with Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt at the Taumeasina Island Resort conference room. The meeting was attended by Cabinet members and senior government officials, reflecting the importance of the bilateral dialogue.

Both leaders acknowledged the two nations’ longstanding friendship and reaffirmed their commitment to working together on shared priorities.

Building on their longstanding friendship, the leaders signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) aimed at strengthening the partnership and to bolster shared work towards a safe and thriving Blue Pacific.

Backed by AUS $2 million over a three-year period, the agreement focuses on building Samoa’s capacity to prevent and respond to cybercrime, promoting online safety, safeguarding critical infrastructure, supporting the safe adoption of emerging technologies, and sharing information on cyber threats.

This partnership builds on years of collaboration, including the establishment of SamoaCERT and joint initiatives such as Cyber RAPID, PaCSON, PILON, and SAPP.

A development assistance program overall to the support will include, provision of new equipment and tools, technical assistance, and participation in international forums.

Also signed, were the MOU for the Pacific Policing Initiative and a related MOU on Pacific policing deployments. These give effect to decisions of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders to advance regional policing cooperation and enable practical support between Pacific countries when assistance is requested.

In her remarks, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong stated that the MOUs were fundamental in their two countries' shared commitment for the well-being of communities in Samoa, Australia and across the Blue Pacific.

She touched upon the scourge of transnational crime including drug trafficking tearing families and communities apart across the Pacific, and she emphasized the importance of countries working together to strengthen security.

"I saw this firsthand during my visit in 2024 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), with the first ever deployment of the Pacific Support Group made possible by the Pacific Policing Initiative," Minister Wong stated.

"That initiative is about stronger coordination, stronger training links across the region, supporting centers of excellence including in Samoa, and developing a multi-national regional response capability that is available to Pacific countries when needed."

Wong said she was pleased to announce that seven police officers who have successully completed training under this program were Samoan, as were two of the trainers.

The evening's program culminated in a formal dinner hosted by Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa and his Cabinet Ministers to welcome Australia’s Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong and her delegation.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa and Foreign Minister Wong attended a topping out ceremony for the Australian-funded Legislative Assembly Office. This was an opportunity to mark a key milestone in the construction of the building, which is the placement of the roof structure.

Following the conclusion of the topping out ceremony, the delegation headed to the big island of Savaii Island aboard the Nafanua III to officially open the Samoa Police Tuasivi Maritime Office.