50th Anniversary

Members will receive a payment of 5 per cent interest in cash for 2022 valued at $41.64 million Tala.

Three per cent to be paid in cash is available via the online portal only from today.

The last date to redeem the three per cent payment is 27 May.

Any unredeemed funds will be credited to member contribution accounts.

The other two per cent will be paid to members in December.

Senior citizens registered with the Senior Citizens Benefit Fund will receive a special one-off gift of $50 Tala per person.

Samoa established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1971, just nine years after Samoa became the first Pacific islands territory to gain independence from New Zealand.

In her speech, Australia’s High Commissioner, Emily Luck said, "In 1971 Samoa was nine years into independence having led the way for the Pacific in 1962.”

"The people of Australia and the Pacific value their mobility, we are explorers. Over 75,000 Australians identify as having Samoan ancestry and many continue to maintain a strong connection with their families in Samoa.”

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will be joined by the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum at the virtual meeting based on the theme, “Security and Prosperity in Unity: 50 Years of the Pacific Islands Forum.”

The meeting recognises the remarkable 50 years of achievements of the Forum while providing an opportunity for the Pacific Leaders to engage in discussions on shared interests and priorities of the Region.

Michael Collins, 88, visited Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday. He marked the precise time - 9.32am - when their rocket took off.

Mr Collins had stayed in lunar orbit while his colleagues Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon.

Tuesday's meeting kicked off a series of commemorative events across the US.

Mr Collins was the only original member of the three-person crew at the event. Mr Aldrin, 89, did not attend, while Mr Armstrong, who was their commander, died in 2012.