Samoa Agreement

The pact was initialed in April 2021 but remains unratified, 20 months after negotiations concluded between the European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States.

PACNEWS reports the special relation that the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) share with the European Union, governed by Cotonou Partnership Agreement to be soon replaced with the new SAMOA Agreement.

This is despite the airline announcing a reduction in short haul flight frequency following a series of losses.

Transport Minister Papalii Niko Lee Hang said the agreement between the two countries would continue to allow the Australian-based airline to fly to Samoa.

The Samoa Observer newspaper reported the agreement allowed Virgin and Samoa Airways to operate international commercial flights in and out of the two countries.

Relations between Virgin and Samoa had been strained since a joint venture was hastily scrapped in 2017.