US and Sāmoa sign Open Skies agreement during Pacific tour

The United States and Sāmoa signed a new Open Skies Air Transport Agreement to boost tourism and cargo links between the two countries, as Washington expands diplomatic and economic engagement with Pacific partners.

The agreement was signed in Apia on Monday at an official ceremony attended by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt. The US also donated protective gear to the Sāmoa Police Service’s tactical unit.

US Chargé d’Affaires Daniel Tarapacki told guests the Open Skies deal would “benefit both of our countries by expanding international air travel and creating job opportunities in the aviation sector,” while the police donation included ballistic vests and shields.

Landau says family and community ties strengthen the relationship between Sāmoa and the US, noting the large Sāmoan communities in the US and American Sāmoa. He described the connection as uniquely close and “not just diplomatic, it’s personal,” and said the bonds between the two countries were “unbreakable.”

Both leaders also highlighted American Sāmoa as a distinctive bridge between the nations. Laaulialemalietoa noted that while there is no “American Fiji” or “American Tonga,” the existence of American Sāmoa creates a special political and cultural link with the United States.

Landau added the aviation agreement sets “clear, transparent rules” for “efficient, market-based aviation” and is “a critical step towards increasing the number of direct flights between Sāmoa and the United States,” possibly including routes through American Sāmoa.

Handing over the ballistic vests and protective gear. Photo/Government of Sāmoa

The Prime Minister shared Sāmoa expects the Open Skies agreement to increase passenger and cargo flights and help the country grow. He noted that airlines will decide on routes and prices.

Besides improving connections, Landau also talked about border security and transnational crime. He says drug trafficking groups “do not respect borders” and that officers need better protection as risks grow, framing cooperation as part of protecting the “shared Pacific region.”

Regional police and international agencies, including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, have warned that Pacific island states are increasingly used as transit points for methamphetamine shipments, adding pressure to already stretched frontline police units.

Tarapacki says the US has provided support and training to the Sāmoa Police tactical unit since 2020. He says after a detective sergeant was killed in 2024, former police commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo requested US support for protective equipment.

The protective equipment handed over to Samoa included 30 ballistic vests, helmets, and tactical shields.

Laaulialemalietoa says the equipment would offer a “professional outlook” and improve officer safety during high-risk operations, including border security and transnational crime responses. The use of the equipment requires training and careful monitoring of “end-use requirements,” which require it to be returned to the US for destruction.

Watch the signing ceremony and handover of protective gear:

Sāmoa was the last stop on Landau’s Pacific trip, which started last week in Hawaiʻi at “The Pacific Agenda: Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit” at Honolulu’s East-West Center.

Before coming to Apia, Landau visited Tonga, where he signed an enhanced maritime security “shiprider” agreement to help fight illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and other cross-border crimes. A US Coast Guard vessel was in Nuku‘alofa harbour for the signing.

While in Fiji, the government said Landau signed a Compact Development Funding Agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation to begin technical work on an economic compact aimed at private-sector growth and expanded trade and investment.

The visit follows recent high-level engagement in Apia by Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, which also included security cooperation agreements and support for policing and maritime infrastructure.

In Apia, officials focused on practical results like better air links and police support. Still, the US-led Open Skies agreement allows airlines greater flexibility to set routes and prices, potentially opening the door to new services if carriers see commercial demand.