Is Sāmoa ready for CHOGM amid Manawanui crisis?

Newsmakers in the Pacific have welcomed Sāmoa's decision to lift media restrictions ahead of next week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia.

The move comes amid concerns over Sāmoa's ability to host the meeting while faced with a possible maritime disaster after the sinking of a New Zealand Navy vessel over a week ago.

The HMNZS Manawanui hit a reef during a survey on 5 October and caught fire before listing. More than 70 crew members were safely rescued and have since returned home.

With recovery teams focussed on removing oil seeping from the stricken ship amid a 'no-fish' warning, frustrated residents want the vessel removed as soon as possible.

Sāmoa says it is ready to host the Commonwealth heads of government. Photo/newslinesamoa.com

Sāmoa is the first Small Island Developing State from the Pacific to host CHOGM.

Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa says the country is ready to host visitors to their shores.

She told local media it's a "great opportunity" that will benefit the country.

Businesses have been stockpiling supplies amid a huge community effort to get the capital ready to host visitors. Residents have been busy sprucing up the capital against the backdrop of the Teuila Festival which was celebrated last month.

CHOGM also comes off the back of the Lotu Tamaiti White Sunday which saw families celebrating the public holiday on Monday.

Leaders from 56 nations will gather in the Pacific Island nation including King Charles III and Queen Camilla who will attend the meeting as part of a state visit to Sāmoa.

The Autumn Tour, from 18-26 October, will include a visit to Australia - Charles' first as head of the Commonwealth.

Held every two years, the last CHOGM was held in Rwanda.

Sāmoa's opposition Human Rights Political Party (HRPP) has lent its support to the government.

Party leader and former prime minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, says they must trust the government's preparations for CHOGM.

Sāmoa has lifted media restrictions ahead of CHOGM. Photo/SamoaObserver

There have been mixed reports, particularly on the role of journalists at CHOGM, given the Sāmoan government announced media restrictions last month.

The stringent rules, endorsed by Cabinet, prevented photographers and videographers from taking pictures, restricted journalists from covering side events unless accredited to a specific pool, and stopped reporters from approaching delegates for interviews.

Two state-owned media outlets, in partnership with New Zealand-based company MMG Communications, were awarded exclusive rights to cover the event in film and video while all other media, including foreign press, would have to request access to pooled photos and footage.

Pacific media groups called the restrictions "incongruous" with international practices, adding that they set a dangerous precedent for future events.

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF) wrote to the Sāmoan government seeking Fiamē's understanding and consideration to withdraw the restrictions.

PINA president Kalafi Moala told Pacific Mornings' William Terite that they wanted Sāmoa to recognise the importance of the Pacific media fraternity in telling their stories “the way our people understand it”.

Watch Pacific Islands News Association President, Kalafi Moala's, full interview below.

In response, Fiamē announced there would be no restrictions placed on local and international media covering CHOGM.

Fiamē says they have taken every available measure to deliver a system allowing journalists to gather content, including through pools at the of closed sessions and in fixed positions at the meeting.

While PINA welcomed the move, Moala said this was not the first time Pacific media faced restrictions at such events.

"Not only with CHOGM, it's been with the Pacific Islands Forum, in Cook Islands last year and then in Tonga this year. And the difference between the two was just remarkable.

"We had restrictions in the Cook Islands to certain things. But here in Tonga, it was absolutely open. One of the restrictions that was announced, for example, in Apia was that you cannot approach certain officials for interviews or for questioning.

"Now that they have lifted restrictions, I think we will have a very good time in CHOGM."

Moala blamed the restrictions on the growing geopolitical tensions in the region.

"I believe that the geopolitical pull that's happening between China and the West is creating a kind of a new atmosphere where the powers that be are beginning to worry about what goes out through media, the kind of information in the news that may be broadcast. That could be a real reason behind the restrictions."

CHOGM is the Commonwealth’s primary political meeting, where leaders discuss global economic, environmental, and security challenges and how to work together to overcome them.

Security is key, and officers from Sāmoa Police underwent specialist tactical group training with their Australian counterparts in Canberra last month.

Sāmoa is continuing to ramp up its operational readiness ahead of CHOGM. Its Police Tactical Operations Section (TOS) worked closely with members of the Australian Federal Police’s Tactical Response Team (TRT) on specialist first response training to address operational risks and to build capacity and capability.

Security is expected to be tight during CHOGM. Photo/Samoa CHOGM 2024

AFP Detective Superintendent Daniel Evans said the training provided by the AFP’s Tactical Response Team would support the interoperability and capability of the Samoa Police ahead of CHOGM.

The Cook Islands will not be attending the meeting because it has not been invited, the government announced.

Prime Minister Mark Brown told journalists efforts to gain membership are ongoing.

He said the Cook Islands would not be attending the meeting, which is being held in the Pacific for the first time, because the country was not invited, and efforts to gain membership were ongoing.

CHOGM will be held from 21-26 October. The theme is 'One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth'.