NEW YEAR’S ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF SAMOA, THE HON. LA’AULIALEMALIETOA LEUATEA POLĀTA’IVAO FOSI SCHMIDT. [Thursday, 1 January 2026]

SAMOA, January 1 - Talofa lava Samoa,

As 2025 draws to a close, the new year is expected to be a time of positive change, deep reflection, and strengthened community connections. We stand at the threshold of the New Year, with thanksgiving and gratitude for God’s grace that has embraced Samoa during our hard and arduous journey in the last 12 months.

On reflection, what were achieved we achieved well. What remains incomplete, heralds the opening season for our continuing journey into the new Year along with the associated challenges that we need to overcome.

Following the general elections in August, and the subsequent commencement of Cabinet’s responsibilities as the new government, the Budget for Financial Year 2025-2026 was approved. A seamless implementation phase across all sectors of the economy has begun towards a secure and stable economy now and into the future. The Budget reflects the Government’s broader strategy of empowering communities, building resilience and inspiring growth.

Our economy continues to thrive steadily with Samoa’s Real Gross Domestic Product recording an annual average growth of 4.2 percent in FY24/25. Samoa’s external sector has remained robust with Official foreign reserves translating to 15.2 months of import cover in FY 24/25. Both tourist earnings and private remittances remained strong, contributing to stable growth in our foreign reserves.

The one million Tala project for district developments is on target with preparations to commence all operations for 51 districts on the 12th of January 2026. We have learnt from both the successes and failures that the empowerment of communities promotes innovation for more economic opportunities to reduce disparities and vulnerabilities.

We have proven since independence 63 years ago that our greatest strength lies in our unity. This has anchored our efforts to successfully traverse the challenges of our democracy. Embracing the strengths of our culture and traditions, is the lynchpin of our shared identity that transcends boundaries. Let us continue to honour the values enshrined in our heritage – values that inspire unity and solidarity, to support and care for one another, uphold communal wellbeing and ensure no one is left behind.

Samoa subscribes to an expanded definition of security by the region as inclusive of human security, climate change, humanitarian assistance, environmental security and regional cooperation to build resilience. Right now, I emphatically call for urgent, collective and concerted efforts to combat illicit drugs in our country.

The need to bolster our vigilance at our national borders is critical and crucial. A devoted workforce, trusted and timely intelligence sharing, appropriate equipment and reliable networks are important requisites we must secure. This fight is not solely a government’s responsibility but that of the whole country.

A united Samoa in the fight against drugs can be the only hope of our children and youth growing in an environment without the shackles of addiction.

My government remains steadfast in its commitment to improving health and education. Every citizen has a right to access quality healthcare and quality educational services. Investment is greatly encouraged in initiatives to empower our youth, support education at all levels including early childhood education, prioritize reforms of our healthcare systems and equipment, and continuing efforts to build human capital capacity for effective and efficient service delivery.

With the democratic processes settled and the Government carefully reviewing its national priorities it is also time for Samoa to again take up its place among the leadership of the Blue Pacific region as well as the international arena.

At this juncture I acknowledge with gratitude the ready support of; and strengthened partnerships with all our development partners who have stood with us to address our priority development needs, as well as emergency needs during times of crisis. In this regard, I greatly welcome the underpinnings of the strengths of the partnerships through the provision of budget support by our partners which Samoa embraces as a reflection of trust, respect and transparency.

Likewise, I pay tribute to the public servants and those serving in the private sector. You have continued to play your role to deliver services to our people even in the face of political disharmony.

Our Diasporas around the globe are applauded for continuing to provide the lifeline for many families throughout Samoa. Migration has not severed the familial bonds for support in various forms.

The Head of State’s Christmas message called for reaffirmation of unity through prayer and supplication to the Lord for Samoa. As a nation founded on God, our unity in prayer, is the only way to seek divine guidance in our daily walk-through life, and what the future holds for us all.

I am happy to announce that our week of prayer and fasting will begin on Sunday, 11th January until the 16th of January 2026.

I wish you all a peaceful, blessed and safe New Year Samoa.

SOIFUA.

SAUNOAGA FA’AMANUIA MO LE TAUSAGA FOU 2026 MAI LE AFIOGA I LE PALEMIA O LE MĀLŌ TUTO’ATASI O SAMOA: SUSUGA HON. LA’AULIALEMALIETOA LEUATEA POLĀTA’IVAO FOSI SCHMIDT [Aso Tofi, 1 Ianuari 2026]

O lea ua ifo i si’ufanua toega o malama o le taulaumea, ina ua silimea le seuga. Ua si’i foi foemua o vaatiu na lelepa i tai o’oo’o, ina ua magoto le igafo, ae faatili alo ma le a’e, ina ua sina le galu ma ite fanua-a-lalo, aua lenei tausaga o le a mavae atu. Ua gāfoa le ata o manū nai le Tuamasaga, ae se’e malie le papa i galagala, malie le la’i to’ivā, ae manū faaifo mai lagi le ‘ua tōtō tetele, aua ua ‘auomanū le sā folau o Samoa.

O le taeao ma le afiafi o le aso lea. A o aso uma e foaiina mai i lo tatou ola, tatou te tau atu ai le alofa tunoa ofoofogia o le Atua i le taeao, ma lona faamaoni e le faatuaoia i le afiafi.

Tulouna lea o le Atua Soifua o loo faavae papa iai Samoa atoa.

Le Atua le Tamā

Le Atua le Alo

Le Atua le Agaga Sa

O lau faatufanaga ua liutua ai afa e avea ma manu ae taoto ai ia te oe le peau vasa.

O lou alofa tunoa ua matou sapi ai pea i le Fale o Punaoa ia viia pea oe le Atua e faavavau faavavau lava.

Tulouna Taitai uma o Ekalesia Kerisiano i Samoa nei ma atunuu mamao.

Tulouna ia le Aufaigaluega Totofi a le Atua o loo tala faauto i Samoa nei ma atunuu ese, o palepaleina le vai o le ola ma le upu faaleagaga e soifua ai e faavavau tagata ola uma o e e talitonu i le ola e faavavau.

Ou te faatulou atu i le afio o lau Afioga i le Ao Mamalu o le Malo ma lau Masiofo, Afifio Sui o le Fono a Sui Tofia, Afifio Sui Palemia ma Minisita o le Kapeneta. Faapea Minisita Lagolago. Afio lau Afioga i le Faamasino Sili ma Alii ma Tamaitai o le Faamasinoga, Afio lau Afioga i le Fofoga Fetalai ma Sui Mamalu o le Fono Aoao Faitulafono. O le paia maualuga aua Aiga o Tupu, Aiga o Nofo, Aiga o Papa ma Aiga na Tafaifa. O le paia lava lea i Aiga ma a latou Tama, O Tama ma o latou Aiga, Le usoga a Tumua ma Pule, Ituau ma Alataua, Aiga i le Tai ma le Vaa o Fonoti.

Ou te faatulou atu foi i le tapuaiga a Tutuila ma Manu’a. I le afio o le Kovana ma le Lutena Kovana ma le Faigamalo i le Pulega Faatonu, le afio o le afioga i le Peresetene o le Maota Maualuga o le Senate, Le afio o le Fofoga Fetalai o le Maota o Sui, Le afio o lau afioga i le Faamasino Sili ma le Faamasinoga a le Malo o Tutuila ma Manu’a.

O le paia lava lea aua le afifio o Faasuaga ma Tama Matua ma le Nofo-a-Maopu. O paia aua Sua ma le Vaifanua, Fofo ma Atiulagi, Ituau ma Alataua, Saole, ma le Launiu na Saelua.

O paia i le Motusā aua le afio o le Laau na amotasi, Afifio Faatui, Alalatai tootoo o le Faleula, ma Upu i le Manuatele.

Ou te faatalofa atu i Sui o Malo ma tatou paaga mai Fafo, Faauluuluga o Matagaluega a le Malo, ma pisinisi tumaoti i le atunuu.

Ae matua le tu’u i le paia o Taitai o Ekalesia aemaise le aufaigaluega totofi a le Atua i le nofo a Ekalesia Kerisiano i Samoa. O Tamasa o le Talalelei, na ite ai le malama i Saua, ma to ai manu o malo mo Samoa ma lona Malo Tutoatasi.

Ua faafofoga le atunuu i le malelega a lana afioga i le Ao Mamalu o le Malo mo le Kerisimasi. O le feau o le Talalelei, o le Atua ua afio mai e mau faatasi ma ona tagata – o ia o le Emanuelu, le Atua ua liutino tagata, ua o tatou saofaga ai i lo tatou Nu’u moni, le ola e faavavau.

E faamaugagana le tatou faafetai i le saafi a le faatuatua ‘Le Atua e, ana leai ou vavega ma lou Aao malosi, semanu ua lofitūina i matou i fatia o atuvasa souā ma aso faigata. Ua taumasuasua lou alofa tunoa i a Samoa ma ona tagata. Ua e faamalie o matou mana’o i mea lelei uma, ma e apepeleina si o matou atunuu i lou alofa tunoa.

I le maea ai o le faiga filifiliga a le atunuu e ala i le faigapalota ia Aukuso o lenei tausaga, ma faatautoina ai le faigamalo a le Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua tasi i le Aso 16 o Setema, o le mau faavae a le tatou Malo, ia tatou mulumuluaufoe, folau faatasi, ma tatou oloolo pitova’a i le atinaeina o si o tatou atunuu. Aua o Samoa, o le aiga, e fesootai ona gafa, ma ona aiga. E tiu i lana aganuu ma lana faaaloalo, ae lautua i lo tatou talitonuga faakerisiano, e pei ona taoto i lo tatou Faavae.

O le maopoopoga o lo tatou lotoifale, e faalagolago i le malu o le tafatolu. O le Ekalesia, o le Pulega Mamalu a Alii ma Faipule, ma le tatou Malo. O lo tatou maluaga lea, ‘e malu ai i fale, ma malu ai i fafo’.

O lea ua faagasolo galuega a le tatou Malo i le maea ai ona faamaonia le Tala Faatatau o le Tupe mo le Tausaga Faaletupe 2025-2026 ia Novema. O loo malu le lufilufiina o le tatou tamaoaiga e faavae i aiaiga o Tulafono ma Faiga Faavae a le Malo o loo faafoefoe ai.

E faapea foi i le tatou poloketi o le miliona Tala, lea ua faagasolo galuega. Ua i ai le faamoemoe o le tatou Malo, e tatala uma Ofisa o Fono Faavae i le aso 12 Ianuari 2026, ma faatino ai galuega a Itumalo uma e 51 i le atunuu.

Ua le masino le taaviliiga o lu’itau ua fetuleni mai i si o tatou atunuu. O fualaau faasaina ua faateteleina le ofi mai. O faigata ia ua aliali mai, ua lofia ai le soifua o le toatele ma ua aafia ai nai a tatou fanau pele. E le toe faatāgego ma taumua ‘alo le tatou Malo i le sailia uma o vaega o loo ofi mai ai fualaau faasaina i le atunuu. Ua galulue le Matagaluega o Leoleo, o le Tiute ma isi Itutino o le Malo e saga matimati le mata’alia e sailia uma o nei faiga faasolitulafono.

Peitai, e moomia e le tatou Malo le fesoasoani a le Ekalesia, i le paia o le aufaigaluega totofi a le Atua i soo se fatafaitaulaga Kerisiano i le atunuu, ina ia tatou lalago faatasi e momoli le mau, ma apo le tatou galuega e ala i le feau o le Talalelei.

E faapea foi i le Pule Mamalu a Alii ma Faipule. O le malu lea o Afioaga ma Alalafaga. O loo faatonufolau e le tatou aganuu ma le agaifanua, ae lautua i le soifua tapuai i le Atua.

O taumafaiga uma a le tatou Malo, e pei ona iai le tatou poloketi o le miliona Tala, e mo le atinaeina o tatou Itumalo i afioaga ma alalafaga. E talitonu le tatou Malo, afai e malu le fa i le puipuiga o afioaga ma alalafaga, ona faigofie lea ona tausoa le tatou avega, e galulue faatasi ai ma le tatou Malo.

E faapea foi i taumafaiga uma a le Malo ua amata faatino nei mo le faaleleia o le soifua maloloina ma aoaoga i le atunuu. Ua silafia e le atunuu le ogaoga o aafiaga o faamai lē pipisi ua o tatou iai nei. E le itiiti ifo i le 6 gasegase o loo auina atu i fafo e le tatou Malo mo sailiiga togafiti i vaiaso uma. O gasegase nei e le mafai ona faatino i Samoa togafitiga. Peitai, o nei fa’ama’i, e mafai ona tuuitiitia pe tafiesea ma le atunuu, pe afai tatou te amatamea mai o tatou aiga ma Nu’u. O le upu moni, o taumafa o loo tausasami ai le atunuu, o le afuaaga lea o le tele o gasegase lē pipisi ua o tatou aafia ai. O lona uiga o le fofō ma le tali atu i faamai le pipisi, o loo i ai tatou lava.

O luitau i le soifua aoaoina o le atunuu, e le itiiti. A o le poutu lea e faalagolago iai le atinae ma le mafai ona faaauau pea a tatou taumafaiga uma i le lumanai; o tupulaga ia aoaoina lelei. O le ute lea sa naunau ai nei ma le Kapeneta ina ia soa le pule ma Pule Aoga, Asiasi Aoga, ma Faiaoga i le vaiaso na tea nei, ina ia ao manogi, ma saili vaifofo i a i latou o loo feagai ma le aoaoina o le poto salalau mo fanau, ina ia mapo le tatou galuega.

O loo faaauau pea le fesootaiga vavalalata ma Malo o le lalolagi ma tatou paaga o loo tatou vaavaalua i le atinae o le atunuu. O loo laualuga pea i le faasoa a Taitai o atunuu le tali atu i suiga ma aafiaga ogaoga o le tau, siitia o le saogalemu, fefaatauaiga, siitia o puipuiga faalesoifua maloloina ma aoaoga, atoa ai ma le lava tapena o tulaga i taumafa e tali atu ai i luitau ua feagai nei ma le lalolagi atoa.

Samoa e, o le sa o Samoa e fautele. O le naunaugataiga lena ia te au nei ma le Faigamalo. E le soona si’i se matā lalaga fou, pe faumau pito tasi se fuafuaga, pe faapito manu i a tasi i ni faamanuiaga e faasafua atu e le tatou Malo mo le atunuu. E taua le sao o tagata uma, ma e amanaia le tuualalo, aua o le tele o sulu e maua ai figota.

O lea ua api le uli ma afu lelea le tausaga. Ua faataumua ava le sa folau o le atunuu e faafeiloai le 2026, o uluai malama o le tausaga fou. O le agaga faafetai e molimoli atu i le paia maualuga o si tatou atunuu.

E afua mai le Pule mamalu o Alii ma Faipule ma itutino uma o faiganuu. Ou te faafetai atu i lo outou fatuaiga tausi, ma lo outou taitaiga ma galuega uma e vaavaalua ma lo tatou Malo mo le atinae manuia o le atunuu.

Le paia e o Samoa o loo afifio ma papa aao i soo se tafa o le lalolagi, faafetai mo lo outou sao i si o tatou atunuu, aemaise le atinaeina o aiga ma Nu’u. Faamalo i faiva ma lavasiga o lenei tausaga ua mavae i so’o se auaunaga. O le tatalo ia uluulumatafolau pea so’o se taumafaiga o loo outou galulue ai.

Ou te faafetaia le sao o tatou paaga mai fafo. Ua autausagā o folau faatasi pea Samoa ma ana paaga mai fafo. Faafetai tele mo lo outou sao i le atinaeina o Samoa i so’o se vala o lona tamaoaiga. Ou te naunau pea e faaauau la tatou galuega, i lo tatou soifua fetausia’i ma le feoeoea’i. Ia saga faamanuia le Atua i afioga i Sui o Malo mai Fafo o lo o nopia’i i Samoa nei, aua lo outou valaauina.

Ou te faafetai atu i le aufaigaluega a le Malo i ona itutino eseese, faapea Kamupani ma Faalapotopotoga Tumaoti uma i le atunuu. Faafetai tele le galulue ma le faitaulaga mo Samoa. O outou na aoaoina i poto ma tomai eseese, o taleni ma meaalofa mai le Atua e tautua ai si o tatou atunuu. Ia apo pea o outou faiva tautua matavela, e lautua i le faaaloalo ma le alofa, ma vaatele i le Atua galuega uma, e manuia ai a tatou taumafaiga uma.

Le paia o Taitai o Ekalesia, ma le aufaigaluega totofi a le Atua i Samoa nei ma atunuu e mamao, e le mavae le agaga faafetai i lo outou faiva o le tatalo mo si o tatou atunuu. E ui ina tailigia la tatou savaliga ona o luitau o le ola nei, ou te taofi o lo outou tulivae i luma o le Atua, o loo to’afilemu ai le atunuu. E faamuamua pea lo tatou talitonuga i le Atua o Aperaamo, Isaako ma Iakopo, o le maluapapa lena o Samoa ma lana Faigamalo.

O le ala lea o le faaauau pea o le faatauaina e le Malo o le vaiaso o tatalo ma anapogi i le atunuu atoa, e galulue faatasi ai ma le Fono a Ekalesia Soofaatasi, tatou te aufaatasi ai e momoli talosaga ma anapopogi i luma o le Atua, ina ia puipui mai ma apepele le atunuu i ona aao alofa.

Ua atofaina ai le Aso Sa, 11 o Ianuari e faamauina ai le vaiaso o talosaga ma anapogi i le atunuu, seia oo atu i le Aso Faraile, 16 o Ianuari 2026. O le a faaauau foi talosaga ma anapogi i Aso Lulu uma o vaiaso taitasi e Matagaluega ma Faalapotopotoga uma a le Malo mo le tausaga atoa. E amata i le anapogi i le taeao, ae faaiu i fonotatalo i le afiafi i le Maota Tatalo o le Malo i Vaea.

O le a faapea foi ona taofia nisi o galuega i le Aso Sa. O ia galuega e aofia ai le fausia o fale ma isi galuega e le tatau ona faatinoina. Tatou ave le faaaloalo i le Atua ma amanaia le Aso Sa tatou te tapuai faatasi ai i le Atua.

Samoa e, ia ta’ita’i pea e le Atua lo outou soifua laulelei ma so matou ola i lenei Tausaga Fou, e ala i lona alofa tunoa ofoofogia ma lona filemu.

Ia manuia le Tausaga Fou.

Soifua.

January 12, 2026