OPENING OF THE SAMOA INFRASTRUCTURE WORKSHOP [27 November 2025]

SAMOA, November 26 - KEYNOTE ADDRESS by the Hon Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo

Lau susuga Pastor Vui Sebastian,

Heads and representatives of Government Ministries,

The Private Sector,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Talofa lava and warm greetings

On behalf of the Government of Samoa, it is my great privilege, to welcome you to this Infrastructure Workshop hosted by the Samoa Chamber of Commerce and its partners. Today, we gather not just to discuss roads, bridges, and dams, but to focus on what truly matters – the people these investments serve.

Infrastructure is more than concrete and steel. It is the backbone of opportunity, the enabler of livelihoods, and the foundation for resilience. Every project must answer one question:

How does it improve the lives of our people?

The Pathway for the Development of Samoa (or PDS) sets clear outcomes: empowered people, sustainable economy, climate resilience and structured public works.

Infrastructure is central to achieving these.

Samoa’s geography and vulnerability to natural disasters make this conversation urgent. Our families need safe roads to access schools and hospitals. Our businesses depend on reliable ports and airports to connect with markets. Our villages need clean water and resilient energy systems to thrive. These are everyday realities for our people, not abstract goals.

The Transport and Infrastructure Sector Plan (2023–2028) reflects this people-first approach. Its pillars—connectivity, accessibility, and resilience—ensure no community is left behind, and every Samoan can benefit from economic growth.

One transformative initiative is the Alaoa Multipurpose Dam Project. This is more than engineering – it is a promise of safety for families living along the Vaisigano River, a guarantee of water security during droughts, and a step toward clean energy to reduce costs for households and businesses. Through community consultations and environmental safeguards, we are ensuring that this project respects the land and empowers local capacity.

Yet, challenges remain:

• Climate risks that threaten homes and shorten infrastructure lifespans;

• Limited access to technology and financing for local businesses;

• Shortages in technical expertise;

• Maintenance barriers in harsh conditions.

To address these, the Government is investing in climate-resilient standards, digital connectivity, and renewable energy, while promoting Public-Private and District Partnerships to unlock innovation and capital. These measures are not just technical—they are about creating jobs, building skills, and strengthening communities.

Our commitment to Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles and the Samoa Infrastructure Asset Management Strategy ensure that every tala spent delivers long-term value. These frameworks prioritize projects that improve lives today and safeguard our tomorrow.

Infrastructure is the backbone of our economy, the safeguard of our communities, and the silent partner in every social and economic opportunity we seek to unlock.

Ona o lenei talitonuga, oute manatu ai e lē ‘alo i le ata o le la’au. O se tasi o mau lauiloa fa’apea, E lē o le fale, ae o le ‘anofale. Ae a tu’u mai i le tatou mafutaga – O le fale ma lona ‘anofale.

Some of the key observations related to infrastructure include the conditions of the main hospital at Moto’otua, the courthouse at Mulinu’u, the delayed works at Cross Island Road and the continuous absence of local project managers.

O so’o se taimi e lulu ai se mafui’e e pei o le aoauli ananafi, e muamua lava tau lo’u mafaufau i tagata matutua ma tagata e i ai a’afiaga tumau o le tino ma fofoga, pe fa’afefea ona sulufa’i mai se fale maualuga e pei o le NPF ma Fale tetele o le Malo.

O se a’oa’oga lenā o lenei alaga’upu mo tatou uma; O le fale – o tina ma tama matutua, o fanau iti, o tagata e iai a’afiaga tumau o le soifua, ma lona si’osi’omaga atoa.

And so, I challenge us all to aim higher through quality, resilience and maintenance.

First: Let us raise the bar on quality.

Samoa cannot afford infrastructure that fails prematurely or demands costly repairs. Every compromised road edge, every leaking pipeline, every poorly supervised project, becomes a burden on our national budget and on our villages. Quality must be non-negotiable—from planning to procurement, from supervision, to final handover. We must demand excellence from ourselves, and from those we contract.

Second: Let us embed true resilience in our systems.

We live in a region where cyclones, heavy rainfall, earthquakes and sea-level rise are not distant threats—they are lived realities. Our infrastructure must be stronger, smarter, and climate-ready. This means designing for future risks, not just today’s conditions. It means investing in drainage, coastal protection, energy reliability, and water security that can resist the pressures of climate change. Resilience is not an extra cost—it is a saving, and a commitment to protect our families and communities.

Third: Let us take maintenance seriously—once and for all.

Too often in Samoa, our buildings, roads, and utilities deteriorate not because they were poorly designed, but because maintenance was delayed, ignored, or overlooked. Maintenance is the difference between a 10-year asset and a 40-year asset. It preserves the millions that our Government and partners invest, and it honours the service that infrastructure is meant to provide. Let us normalise preventive maintenance, structured asset management, and realistic budgeting—before things break, not after.

These three principles—quality, resilience, and maintenance—are not separate objectives. They form a unified standard for the Samoa we aspire to build – safe, prepared, and forward-looking.

So I ask each of you—our engineers, policymakers, surveyors, contractors, investors, and regulators – What legacy will we leave? Will we continue with business as usual, or will we choose to aim higher—together?

Let this be the moment we commit to infrastructure that stands the test of time, protects our people, and strengthens our economy – worthy of the next generation.

I acknowledge the invaluable support of our development partners and the private sector. Your collaboration is critical—not only for financing and expertise, but for shaping solutions that work and are inclusive of our people.

As we begin this workshop, let us keep our People at the center of every discussion. Infrastructure is not an end—it is a means to empower families, connect communities, and create a Samoa where prosperity is shared.

Soifua ma ia manuia.

November 28, 2025