Australia and Samoa signed the Samoa–Australia Partnership for Development at the Niue Leaders Meeting on 20 August 2008. It establishes a shared vision to work together to meet common challenges and to raise the standard of living for the people of Samoa.

The Partnership aims to advance progress by 2015 to Samoa's development vision of 'improved quality of life for all' as articulated in the Strategy for the Development of Samoa (2008-2012) (SDS). This includes making progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Samoa's Pacific Plan targets.

The Partnership for Development commits Australia and Samoa to four priority outcomes, each of which links to the Strategy for the Development of Samoa. The current Partnership priority outcomes are:

• improve economic stability and governance by supporting private sector led economic growth, providing support directly to vulnerable groups through civil society, improving public financial management and the reform and privatization of state owned enterprises.
• improve health by supporting reduction of non-communicable diseases and workforce development in the health sector
• improve education by supporting equitable access to and quality of education including disability services.
• strengthen law and justice by supporting law and justice sector reform and an integrated approach to policing

Formal Partnership talks take place between senior officials of the Australian and Samoan Governments annually. At the talks officials review progress towards the objectives of the Partnership. Australia has also committed to reporting on development effectiveness through the Australian aid program's Annual Program Performance Report (APPR) process. The Annual Partnership talks also determine new priorities, other commitments and financing arrangements for the Partnership.

Further information

• Samoa–Australia Partnership for Development [PDF 1mb]
• Implementation strategies (uploaded as completed):
  • Priority Outcome: Health
  • Priority Outcome: Education
  • Priority Outcome: Law and Justice
  • Priority Outcome: Economic Stability and Governance
• Port Moresby Declaration