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ENG – Sāmoa Marks Successful Conclusion of Pacific Partnership 2025 with France and Allies

by | Nov 3, 2025 | Sāmoa

France hosted the closing ceremony of the Pacific Partnership 2025 in Apia’s port, in the presence of Acting Prime Minister Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo and Cabinet Ministers.

The French Embassy hosted the Pacific Partnership 2025 closing ceremony aboard the French patrol vessel Auguste Bénébig docked at Apia’s port on October 31, in the presence of Acting Prime Minister Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo and many Cabinet Ministers, as well as Admiral Steve Koehler, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Pacific Partnership — a collaboration between the United States, France, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and the Government of Samoa — is the Pacific region’s largest annual multinational humanitarian and civic assistance mission. This year also included stakeholders from Canada and Germany.

The closing ceremony marked the successful completion of two weeks of joint activities promoting regional resilience, security, and friendship that commenced in Samoa on October 21 with the arrival of the USS John L. Canley (ESB 6), a Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base.

This year’s mission emphasized teamwork between U.S., French, Australian, New Zealand, U.K., and Samoan professionals. Key mission activities included:

  • Engineering projects jointly completed by U.S. Navy and French engineers, such as the construction of new facilities and water systems at Magiagi Primary School and repairs to health infrastructure at Faleolo District Hospital.
  • Medical exchanges and outreach with the Ministry of Health focusing on optometry, dentistry, infectious disease prevention, neonatal care, and rural patient services.
  • Disaster management training, including a mass rescue and oil spill response exercise with Samoa’s Disaster Management Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the Samoa Police Service.
  • Community outreach, featuring a Community Health Event, concerts by the Pacific Partnership Band, school visits, and collaborations with local NGOs and universities.

Now in its 21st year, Pacific Partnership continues to strengthen regional cooperation and community resilience while fostering long-standing relationships among partner nations throughout the Pacific.

In their remarks, French Ambassador Guillaume Lemoine and Admiral Steve Koehler acknowledged the great commitment of the Government of Samoa and its agencies that worked together to make this success possible — hosting and undertaking this major partnership and bringing together national, regional, and international stakeholders.

Acting Prime Minister Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo thanked all stakeholders for their commitment to the benefit of Samoa and the region, emphasizing the necessity and benefits of international cooperation.

The FNS Auguste Bénébig is one of the eight vessels of the French Navy in the Pacific stationed in Nouméa and Papeete. Commissioned in 2023, it was named after a famous French soldier, born and died in New Caledonia, who behaved heroically during the battles of Northern Africa in World War II.

With these assets and its presence, France works together alongside its allies and friends in the region, for a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure, and prosperous Pacific.

ENDS

ATA: Supplied. French Embassy Samoa.