Apia, Samoa – The Government of Samoa, in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Attorney General’s Department of Australia has convened a national maritime boundary workshop in Apia to advance the country’s ongoing efforts to finalise its maritime boundaries.
This workshop aimed to strengthen Samoa’s legal and technical capacity in maritime boundaries, while reviewing outstanding tasks and identifying practical pathways towards the conclusion of maritime boundary treaties with neighbouring States.
The workshop brought together twenty-five officials from key government agencies including the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Police, Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure and Office of the Attorney Generals.
The event was officially opened by the Co-Chair for National Maritime Boundaries Committee and Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms Peseta Noumea Simi who highlighted the importance and urgency of finalising Samoa’s maritime jurisdiction under international law.
“We represent different ministries and carry distinct mandates and bring unique professional strengths to this room. Yet we are united by one goal: to define, secure, and finalise Samoa’s maritime boundaries. The delimitation of our maritime boundaries is a significant issue and remains a national priority area, as it affects the livelihoods of future generations who largely depend on the ocean and its resources.”
Samoa has already taken significant steps under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including the deposit of its territorial sea baselines, territorial sea limits, and contiguous zone limits. The country shares maritime boundaries with Kingdom of Tonga, France (Wallis and Futuna), New Zealand (Tokelau), and the United States (American Samoa).
The workshop covered UNCLOS fundamentals (UNCLOS 101), Maritime boundary delimitation and treaty negotiation, Treaty processes including entry into force, deposit, and publication, Geospatial applications and S-121 standards.
Maritime boundaries define the limits of a country’s ocean jurisdiction and are essential for safeguarding national sovereignty, managing marine resources, and supporting sustainable ocean governance.
Speaking on behalf of SPC and the Consortium of Partners, Mr Tony Kabasi, Team Leader for Ocean Management and Literacy, highlighted the strategic importance of the workshop:
“Samoa is a priority country under the Pacific Maritime Boundaries Programme, and this workshop is particularly important as there remains outstanding maritime boundary delimitation work with neighbouring States. The focus now is on progressing remaining steps towards finalisation and legal certainty.”
This initiative supports Samoa’s commitment to the peaceful and cooperative settlement of maritime boundaries and the long-term stewardship of its ocean space for sustainable development.
The National Maritime Boundaries Workshop is supported through the Pacific Maritime Boundaries Programme, a multi-year initiative coordinated by SPC and funded by the Government of Australia, the United Kingdom and the European Union, in collaboration with a Consortium of Partners.
