SAMOA REPRESENTED AT THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL SESSION FOR INDO-PACIFIC (SIIP 2025), IN PARIS, FRANCE

SAMOA, November 20 - [PRESS RELEASE] – A delegation from the Ministry of Customs and Revenue (MCR) is in Paris, France, to attend the 5th International Session for the Indopacific (SIIP) from the 17 to the 21st November 2025. The delegation is led by the Minister of Customs, Hon. Masinalupe Leatuavao Makesi Pisi, and accompanied by the CEO of MCR, Fonoti Talaitupu Lia Taefu.

The sessions, jointly hosted by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Institute for Higher National Defence Studies (IHEDN), bring together seventy (70) high- level participants from the region, including representation from regional organizations. The program spread over a period of five days, on the theme ‘Seeking shared responses for strengthening strategic autonomy to promote regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.’

The focus of the program is on topics ranging from the role of France as a regional power in the Indo-Pacific region, the role and interactions of multilateral agencies in the region, to operational issues and challenges of climate change on security, the challenges we face in the maritime security front and that of organized crimes in the region.

The program also featured a visit to the Brest region and had the opportunity to witness naval aviation and the Rafael Marine base. The opportunity also extended to learning more about the footprint and important work of the French naval in the region and their important role in securing the region from threats in the maritime domain.

The program and topics discussed echoed on the need for the Ministry to reassess and revisit the drive on its mission to protect the borders of Samoa effectively.

We are vulnerable to climate change and the national security of the people from the impacts of climate change cannot be undermined. Moreso, the challenges we face in the maritime lenses of our work are real and the need for the Ministry to be vigilant in their line of work in this space is of utmost importance. Although we may think that severe challenges in terms of piracy and theft at high seas, as experienced by authorities in the Indian Ocean and Guinean Gulf, have yet to reach our blue Pacific, we still have a serious challenge related to smuggling and illegal fishing that we need to deal with. A key message echoed in the program reiterates the fact that we can never deal with these challenges alone, but through regional cooperation and collaboration.

Building networks and seeking development opportunities for staff of our Ministry is an area that we focused on, as this is the first time the Ministry was represented in this forum. A number of training programs and opportunities for cooperative partnerships are available in the Indo-Pacific region.

This knowledge gives the assurance that Samoa can and will benefit from available programs, as well as the planned expansion of the La Loyale exercises to this part of the Pacific region. On this point, the Ministry is grateful to the Government of France, through its Embassy in Samoa, for making it possible for the Ministry and Samoa to be represented at this important program.

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Ministry of Customs & Revenue Samoa