MDG Profile:
The MDGs – focus of a new country strategy
In March 2003, a national partnership programme for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was developed with the United Nations system, to promote awareness of the MDGs, identify the status of their achievement in Samoa, and integrate the Goals into the Samoa Development Strategy.
In 2003, a national MDG task force consisting of government and non-government organization (NGO) officials was established to coordinate the Samoa National MDG Programme. With United Nations support, the Government delegated implementation of the national programme to the NGOs, including the preparation of a National MDG NGO Shadow Report. This was used to finalize the 2004 Samoa National MDG Report.
Since the last MDG report, Samoa has focused its attention on the few Goals and targets that might not be realised by 2015. These efforts are reflected in the new national Strategic Plan (SDS) 2008-2012 with new emphasis given to sustainable development and enhanced community development. A fiscal strategy issued for the time aligns the budgetary process to national planning. Health and education continue to receive increased and the highest resource levels. There has also been significant progress in the development of sector plans with medium term expenditure frameworks out of which sector programs have been developed for funding and implementation. The adoption of a sector wide approach ensures that there is an interconnectedness of all stakeholders under a commonly identified policy framework and priorities with assured funding commitments. The SDS has successfully integrated the MDGs in the strategies adopted over the medium term and reflected in the acceptance of many of its indicators as performance measures for the SDS.
Since 2004, the biggest investments have been in the areas of the MDGs, such as the ST90 million water sector programme to improve access to safe and clean water, and subsequently improve public health standards; the ST70 million education sector programme that addresses equity, quality, relevancy, efficiency and sustainability; and the ST56 million health sector programme with a focus on health promotion and prevention, efficient and quality service delivery and improved management and regulatory functions. Under sector wide programming significant donor contributions have been delivered through pooled financing arrangements, which are harmonized with government systems and coordinated by the government premised on the principles of the Paris Declaration.
Analysis of data of a recently completed Household Income Expenditure Survey is underway. A Demographic Health Survey is under planning and is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. These instruments will yield results for further review of progress in the achievement of the MDGs and would be presented in the second MDG report for Samoa.
New opportunities to promote the MDGs have been implemented such as promotion through sports and national youth events. This feature was a highlight of the largest sports gathering in the country during the South Pacific games in September 2007. As a result there is growing awareness of the MDGs reflected in references being made to them in parliamentary debates on related issues, as well as integration in sector plans, policy frameworks and as focal discussion areas in media articles.
Last updated September 2008
View Data Map of MDG Indicator
for this Location
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Total population
(millions): |
0.2 |
Surface area
(sq. km): |
2,831 |
GDP per capita
(PPP US$): |
6,476 |
GDP growth
(annual %): |
2.3
|
Human Development Index
(Rank 1 - 177): |
75 |
Life expectancy at birth
(years): |
70.0 |
Population below PPP $1 per day
(%): |
N/A |
Net enrolment ratio in primary education
(% both sexes): |
99.1 |
Carbon dioxide emissions per capita
(metric tons): |
0.8236 |
Unemployment, total
(% of total labor force): |
N/A |
NOTE: The MDG data presented here is the latest available from the United Nations Statistics Division. The World Bank has recently released new poverty estimates, which reflect improvements in internationally comparable price data. The new data estimates set a new poverty line of US$1.25 a day and offer a much more accurate picture of the cost of living in developing countries. They are based on the results of the 2005 International Comparison Program (ICP), released in first half of 2008. Country-specific poverty estimates will be released by the World Bank in late 2008
