American Samoa delegation meets with senior federal officials on sidelines of Pacific Islands Forum
An American Samoa delegation participated in a private dinner and strategic roundtable with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on the sidelines of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Koror, Palau, initiating talks on federal Pacific engagement, territorial economic development, critical infrastructure, and regional security.
The Pacific Islands Forum is the region’s premier intergovernmental organization, bringing together 18 member countries and territories across the Pacific. American Samoa holds associate member status in the forum, a reflection of its position as a United States territory rather than an independent nation—a distinction that shapes how the territory engages with regional bodies and how federal policy affects its participation in Pacific diplomacy.
The roundtable brought together Governor of Guam Lou Leon Guerrero (D), American Samoa Head of Delegation Folasaitu Sorepa Fata Thomas, Assistant Director of Port Administration Michael McDonald, United States Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin E. Lundy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular, International and Ocean Affairs Bill W. Hague, senior leadership from United States Indo-Pacific Command, and officials from the United States Department of State and the United States Department of Energy. In a separate concurrent engagement, Special Envoy High Chief Salanoa Ricky Salanoa attended an official dinner hosted by the Palau Minister of Foreign Affairs for Pacific Islands Forum leaders.
Folasaitu emphasized during the roundtable that American Samoa’s advocacy for federal assistance centers on addressing acute local cash flow constraints and securing non-debt grant financing for modern infrastructure. The territory, he said, cannot afford to service additional loans, making sustainable economic development and locally generated revenue the foundation of any viable path forward. The delegation outlined the value of pursuing elevated participation in the Pacific Islands Forum to engage directly in regional technical dialogues covering vocational training, workforce development, subsea telecommunications connectivity, law enforcement cooperation, and programs for women and children.
The delegation also reaffirmed that while bilateral foreign agreements remain under federal jurisdiction—requiring coordination between the Department of State and the Department of the Interior—federal Pacific strategies benefit from viewing American Samoa as a strategic southern hub in the region. Aligning federal foreign aid with territorial capital development, the delegation argued, allows the United States to leverage American Samoa’s geographic proximity to Pacific nations while protecting its indigenous status and traditional governance structures.
One concrete outcome of the discussions was the assignment of Matt Murray, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, to work directly with the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority CEO and the United States Ambassador on questions of regional digital resilience. Follow-on discussions will revisit the SAS-2 subsea fiber cable route to explore connecting the Kingdom of Tonga, with technical planning emphasizing national security and seabed safeguards. Further details on existing subsea cable routes and related foreign policy matters remain classified.
Interagency dialogue with Hague and Lundy focused on future coordinated steps to reinforce maritime domain safety and coastal security. Operational details concerning counter-narcotics enforcement will remain confidential. McDonald and the delegation also raised the structural deterioration of the Port of Pago Pago, initiating conversations about federal funding for a facility that serves as both a vital commercial supply lifeline for the territory and a dual-use operational base supporting Coast Guard operations and regional readiness. American Samoa imports the vast majority of its goods, making the port’s condition a direct factor in the cost of living and food security across the islands.
Upon returning from Palau, the delegation is expected to provide a comprehensive briefing to the governor, which will guide upcoming consultations with the Attorney General, the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, and federal counterparts as initial discussions evolve into interagency working groups and formal planning sessions.
