Samoa–Spain relations

Spain maintains relations with Samoa since 1980 and the Embassy in New Zealand is accredited to Samoa.[4]

The European Union has been attending Samoa since 1975 and has originally focused on aid for renewable energy. More recently, and as signatory parties to the Cotonou Agreement, the orientation towards the provision of drinking water and sanitary facilities and the management of water resources in rural areas has changed.[5]

In turn, the European Investment Bank has granted loans to the Samoa Development Bank who channels them in transport and energy projects as well as in micro-projects of communities in health, agriculture, education and tourism.[5]

On March 29 of 2012 the World Bank approved an assistance plan called “Country Partnership Strategy” which provides US$100 million in preferential financing and donations over the next 5 years. In February 2013 the European Union approved the disbursement of €1.8 million as humanitarian aid for communities affected by tropical cyclone Evan that hit the islands between December 13 and 17, 2012 causing deaths and the destruction of more than 7,600 households.[5]

In 2012, an EU communiqué was announced announcing the renewal of the Partnership for Development in the Pacific, which improved the procedures for making international aid effective by focusing more precisely on humanitarian shipments. For the 2009-2013 period, the EU aid budget, financed by the EIB, amounted to 37 million euros, but in the general cooperation guidelines for the 2014-2020 period, although a program was planned of much more complex cooperation, the budget was reduced to 20 million (although a second provision of amount to be determined to cover unforeseen events is still reserved).[5]

Most of the aid, up to 86% (€17,200,000), is dedicated to the support of the Samoan government program “Water for Life 2012-2016”, which is part of the “National Strategy for the Development of Samoa” in collaboration with civil society. This strategy is mainly aimed at improving the provision of water throughout the country, hoping to reduce the level of poverty and diseases caused by water pollution.[5]

Currently, the Samoa government guarantees access to water to all its citizens, but sometimes it barely meets the sanitary conditions and is not treated against typhoid fever that is endemic to the island state. This problem has been increased by natural disasters such as the September 2009 tsunami or Cyclone Evans or the global crisis. However, European support is, of course, subject to the conditions of reforms that the Samoan government has to undertake in the sector: an institutional reform in the Samoan Water Authority to include the private sector; changes in administration with the creation of a Water Sector Coordination Unit; as well as exercising strict control over the implementation.[5]

The remaining 10% - there is a 4% implementation cost - (€2,000,000), is aimed at building a solid civil society in the country that acts as a controller of government action. The European Union recognizes the presence of a growing civil society in Samoa, but wants to provide it with more resources to carry out this task, also favoring gender issues.[5]

In order to receive support from the EU, Samoa, since the end of 2008, has been implementing deep economic reforms included in a Public Finance Management (PIF) Reform Plan, which were updated in February 2011. In February 2013, a report on Union follow-up confirmed that this country had made "reasonable progress."[5]

In addition to development cooperation in the field of public health, Samoa and the European Union have collaborated in another program specifically aimed at Assistance to Civil Society (3 million euros) and in the Media for Democracy and Rights Program Humans (€193,334) implemented by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights. Likewise, advantages have been established to trade (Everything But Arms, compensations ...)[5]

• Foreign relations of Samoa
• Foreign relations of Spain