New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Samoa and Tonga later this week for what Wellington describes as its first comprehensive engagements with the two Pacific nations’ newly installed prime ministers.
Luxon is due to depart Auckland on Sunday and return on Wednesday with a multi-sector delegation that includes business leaders, community representatives, opposition MPs, the police minister and the minister for Pacific peoples. The New Zealand side will be led by Savae Sir Michael Jones and Rachel Afeaki. The visit is being presented by the government as a reaffirmation of ties with two "closest members of the Pacific family."
Speaking ahead of the trip, Luxon said the visit was an opportunity to “reinforce New Zealand’s commitment” to Samoa and Tonga and to meet the new leaders and their cabinets. He highlighted the deep personal connections across the communities, noting more than 300,000 Samoan and Tongan New Zealanders and the trust built through longstanding ties. Luxon also said he expected discussions to cover shared priorities including prosperity and confronting security threats such as illicit drugs.
The engagements will be the first formal, wide-ranging visits by the current New Zealand government to both capitals since leadership changes in the two countries. Samoa’s new prime minister is La’aulialemalietoa (La’auli) Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt, who emerged from last August’s election after taking control of the FAST party following the expulsion of former prime minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. Fiamē continued as leader of a minority government prior to calling the snap election; Luxon previously made a courtesy visit to La’auli in November. In Tonga, Lord Fatafehi Fakafānua has been prime minister since December, having earlier served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
The timing of the trip follows a separate New Zealand government announcement to temporarily reduce visitor visa fees for Pacific travellers, lowering the charge from NZ$216 (US$127) to NZ$161 (US$95). Wellington said the fee adjustment was intended to make travel easier for people in the region; officials have framed it as part of broader moves to strengthen mobility and community links across the Pacific.
Officials have given limited detail on the specific agenda for each capital, but the mix of business and community representatives alongside ministers indicates a programme that will aim to cover economic, social and security cooperation. The inclusion of opposition MPs in the delegation was highlighted as a signal of cross-party interest in maintaining close Pacific relationships.
The visit will be watched closely by Pacific communities in New Zealand and by regional partners, as it represents the first opportunity for the Luxon government to set the tone of bilateral engagement with both La’auli in Apia and Lord Fatafehi in Nukuʻalofa. Delegation leaders Savae Sir Michael Jones and Rachel Afeaki will be responsible for coordinating the civil society and business elements of the trip alongside the official ministerial engagements.
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