Samoa–United Kingdom relations

Samoa–United Kingdom relations

Samoa
United Kingdom
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Samoa, BrusselsHigh Commission of the United Kingdom, Apia

Samoa–United Kingdom relations encompass the diplomatic, economic, and historical interactions between the Independent State of Samoa and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Following Samoa's independence, the two countries established diplomatic relations in September 1970.[1]

Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement.[2]

History

On 24 October 2024, Starmer became the first incumbent British Prime Minister to visit Samoa for the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.[3]

Economic relations

From 28 July 2014 until 30 December 2020, trade between Samoa and the UK was governed by the Pacific States–European Union Interim Partnership Agreement, while the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union.[4][5]

Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the UK and the Pacific States (initially Fiji and Papua New Guinea) signed the Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement on 14 March 2019. The Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement is a continuity trade agreement, based on the EU free trade agreement, which entered into force on 1 January 2021.[6][2] Samoa signed the agreement on 11 January 2021.[7] Trade between Samoa and the United Kingdom became covered by the agreement from 31 March 2022, when the accession of Samoa entered into force.[8] Trade value between the Pacific States and the United Kingdom was worth £286 million in 2022.[9]

Diplomatic missions

See also

References

  1. ^ "Countries with Established Diplomatic Relations with Samoa". Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b Partington, Richard (14 March 2019). "UK signs post-Brexit trade deal with Fiji and Papua New Guinea". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  3. ^ Starmer, Keir (24 October 2024). "Historic visit by UK Prime Minister paves way for closer economic ties for the Commonwealth". GOV.UK (Press release). Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Interim Partnership Agreement between the European Community, of the one part, and the Pacific States, of the other part". Council of the European Union. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  5. ^ "EU - Pacific States". World Trade Organization. Archived from the original on 24 June 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  6. ^ Department for International Trade (14 March 2019). "UK and Pacific Islands sign trade continuity agreement". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ Rheeney, Alexander (11 January 2022). "Samoa signs trade agreement with U.K." Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  8. ^ "United Kingdom-Pacific States Interim Economic Partnership (Pacific States interim)". Asia Regional Integration Center. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  9. ^ Department for International Trade (3 November 2022). "UK trade agreements in effect". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Overseas Missions". Samoa Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Archived from the original on 10 August 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
  11. ^ "British High Commission Apia". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 10 September 2025. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.