The Samoan economy has bounced back strongly over the last two years, supported by a recovery in tourism. Fiscal surpluses, in part due to high grant flows, have helped the country emerge from the pandemic with enhanced buffers. At the same time, several longstanding and emerging...

This 2023 Article IV Consultation highlights that the Samoan economy has begun recovering after a three-year recession driven by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A rebound in economic activity has followed the lifting of domestic COVID-19restrictions in July and the pickup in...

Major risk factors for NCDs in Samoa include poor nutrition, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity. Addressing all of these risk behaviors requires multisectoral, multilevel action, including efforts to change the currently unhealthy food environment. The food...

Samoa is highly exposed to natural hazards such as tropical cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, and floods. These damage economic growth and impact debt sustainability adversely. Increasing frequency and intensity of coastal storms are likely to amplify damage to infrastructure and...

Samoa is one of the first countries in the Pacific to introduce taxation measures to address Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). The predicted probability of dying from NCDs between the ages of 30 and 70 years is more than double in Samoa compared to high-income nations in the Pacific region. Over...

Samoa has shown resilience to past economic shocks, underpinned by the authorities' strong commitment to support the economy and financial assistance provided by the international community. Samoa was among the first countries in the world to secure its border to protect its citizens from...

This departmental paper provides an in-depth overview of access to climate finance for Pacific Island Countries, evaluating successes and challenges faced by countries and proposes a way forward to unlock access to climate funds

The re-opening of Samoa’s borders in late-2022 kickstarted the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This offers an opportunity to rebuild sustainably its tourism, maritime transport, and fisheries sectors. Samoa’s ocean resources can also augment its resilience to future shocks...

This paper discusses Samoa's Request for Disbursement Under the Rapid Credit Facility. Samoa has shown resilience to multiple past economic shocks, underpinned by the authorities' strong commitment to support the economy, and financial assistance provided by the international community. The...

Trade is widely recognized to be an engine of growth that creates jobs, reduces poverty, and increases economic opportunity. Trade facilitation measures are non-discriminatory and apply to all traders in their design; however, these measures may not necessarily impact or benefit all traders in...

This report discusses the report of technical assistance mission to support the Central Bank of Samoa (CBS) in further strengthening external sector statistics compilation and dissemination. The mission recommended that ESS compilers convert to using the International Merchandise Trade...

This 2019 Article IV Consultation discusses that Samoa faces several economic challenges but continues to show resilience and a high level of engagement with IMF. Growth is expected to rebound after reaching a five-year low. Price pressures driven by temporary factors are receding and inflation...

“Trade Policy Reviews” analyse the trade policies and practices of each member of the WTO. The reviews consist of three parts: an independent report by the WTO Secretariat, a report by the government, and the concluding remarks by the Chair of the WTO’s Trade Policy Review Body. The...

This dataset contains tax revenue collected by Samoa. It provides a unique set of detailed and internationally comparable tax and non-tax revenue data including taxes on: income, profits and capital gains; social security contributions; property; goods and services. Tax revenue data is available...

This 2018 Article IV Consultation highlights that Samoa's economy has shown resilience and continues to perform well. Growth remained robust at 2.5 percent in 2016/17, driven by commerce, services and agriculture. Inflation picked up to 1.3 percent in 2016/17, compared with close to zero in the...

This case study explores whether the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be used as a shared framework for results by development co-operation actors in Samoa. The study offers an introduction to Samoa’s progress in mainstreaming the SDGs in national policy making, as well as in...

This dataset contains tax revenue collected by Samoa. It provides a unique set of detailed and internationally comparable tax and non-tax revenue data including taxes on: income, profits and capital gains; social security contributions; property; goods and services. Tax revenue data is available...

This 2017 Article IV Consultation highlights Samoa's continued good economic performance. Economic activity picked up during 2015/16 driven by tourism arrivals, lower fuel prices, and new fish processing facilities, further boosted by two major sporting events and infrastructure projects....

This paper provides an assessment of real exchange rate measures and their impact on trade performance with special reference to two Pacific island countries, Fiji and Samoa. The analysis shows that the commonly used CPI-based real effective exchange rate (REER) measure provides a useful...

This paper provides an assessment of real exchange rate measures and their impact on trade performance with special reference to two Pacific island countries, Fiji and Samoa. The analysis shows that the commonly used CPI-based real effective exchange rate (REER) measure provides a useful...

Private household insurance has been relatively uncommon among households in Samoa to date. Meanwhile, numerous other adaptation interventions are also being implemented, including community-based adaptation (CBA) projects which draw on the skills of the community to address the climate...

The South Pacific countries of Vanuatu, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea have ascended rapidly up the development spectrum in recent years, refining an independent and post-colonial economic and political identity that enhances their recognition on the world stage. All three countries have overcome...

Growth has been sluggish in Pacific island countries (PICs). High cost of credit is likely one of the reasons. While the small scale, geographic dispersion, and vulnerability to shocks increase the cost and risk of credit in this country group, there is considerable variability in interest rate...

KEY ISSUES Outlook and risks. Growth is recovering gradually from natural disasters and inflation remains subdued. The current account deficit is expected to narrow on lower international oil prices and a planned fiscal consolidation. The main external risk is the occurrence of another natural...

This Technical Note discusses the key findings and recommendations of assessment of Banking Supervision and Regulation for Samoa. Little progress has been achieved toward implementing the recommendations of the 2007 Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision assessment. Initiatives...

In 2012 Tropical Cyclone (TC) Evan offered a distressing reminder of Samoa s exposure to natural hazards. TC Evan came only three years after the earthquake and tsunami of 2009, which affected 2.5 percent of the country s population, causing 143 fatalities and associated economic losses...