Samoa and New Zealand Sign Historical MOU to Combat Illegal Drugs

2026-03-16 - 09:56

Samoa and New Zealand Strengthen Partnership with MOU to Against Illegal Drugs. Today marks an important milestone in the partnership between Samoa and New Zealand with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that aims to deepen cooperation in law enforcement and border security. The agreement reflects a shared commitment grounded in the spirit of friendship between the two countries. Prime Minister of Samoa emphasized the significance of the collaboration, noting that the arrangements go beyond just formal agreements. “Two arrangements between Samoa customs and New Zealand customs services and between the New Zealand police and Samoa police services reflect more than cooperation. It provides a practical framework to strengthen our law enforcement and border agencies,” he said. He further highlighted the shared goal of protecting communities and combating the growing threat of illegal drug trafficking. “We recognize that border risks are evolving quickly, and the problem of illegal drugs crossing our borders is on the rise. Strengthening the health, safety, and well-being of our people, particularly our vulnerable youth, requires enhanced cooperation, intelligence sharing, coordinated operations, and specialist training.” The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the MOU will improve joint operations between Samoan and New Zealand police. “Our respective customs officers will be positioned to disrupt drug supply chains, dismantle organized criminal activity, and protect our communities. We value this partnership and look forward to continued collaboration with our New Zealand counterparts.” Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon Prime Minister of New Zealand, also spoke about the importance of teamwork between the two nations. “It’s really encouraging to see our customs and police teams working so seamlessly together. We face a scourge of illegal drugs across the Pacific, and the fact that our people have been working so closely together over even the last six months has been outstanding.” He added, “A problem in New Zealand is a problem in the Pacific and vice versa. The fact that we can work seamlessly in this way is very important and very special. Thank you, Prime Minister, for supporting this initiative and the strong partnership between our countries.” The MOU represents a shared commitment to strengthening enforcement, improving capabilities, and ensuring safer communities for both Samoa and New Zealand, as well as the wider Pacific region.