Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Honourable Afioga
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
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Mataʻafa in 2024
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| 7th Prime Minister of Samoa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 24 May 2021 |
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| O le Ao o le Malo | Tuimalealiʻifano Vaʻaletoʻa Sualauvi II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | [[Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi#Leadership|Leader of Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi]] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 March 2021 – 15 January 2025 |
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| Deputy | Laʻauli Leuatea Polataivao | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Laʻauli Leuatea Polataivao | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Laʻauli Leuatea Polataivao | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 19 March 2016 – 11 September 2020 |
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| Prime Minister | Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio (2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 17th Commonwealth Chair-in-Office | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 25 October 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Paul Kagame | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Samoan Parliament for Lotofaga |
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| Assumed office 22 February 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Asiasiau Sausoo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
Naomi Mataʻafa
29 April 1957 Apia, Western Samoa Trust Territory (now Samoa) |
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| Political party | [[Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi]] (since 2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations |
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| Parents | [[Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II]] (father) [[Laulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa]] (mother) |
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| Education | Victoria University of Wellington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Afioga Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa (born April 29, 1957) is a Samoan politician and a respected High Chief. She has been the Prime Minister of Samoa since 2021.
Fiamē is the daughter of Samoa's first Prime Minister, Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II. She is the first woman to lead Samoa's government. She is also the first Prime Minister since 1982 who is not from the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). Fiamē was a member of the HRPP until 2020. She was also the first woman ever appointed to Samoa's Cabinet.
She served as Minister of Education from 1991 to 2006. Later, she was Minister of Women from 2006 to 2011 and Minister of Justice from 2011 to 2016. From 2016 to 2020, Fiamē was Samoa's first female Deputy Prime Minister. She resigned in 2020 because she disagreed with a new law about land and titles. In 2021, she joined the new FAST party and became its leader.
Fiamē's party won the 2021 election. However, the former Prime Minister refused to leave office. This led to a difficult time for Samoa's government. The crisis ended when Samoa's Court of Appeal decided that Fiamē had been the Prime Minister since May 24, 2021.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa was born on April 29, 1957, in Apia, Samoa. Her father, Fiamē Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II, was a high chief and later Samoa's first Prime Minister. Her mother was Laulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa. Fiamē was born five years before Samoa became an independent country.
She grew up in Apia until she was 11. Then, she went to Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in Wellington, New Zealand.
In 1976, Fiamē started studying at Victoria University of Wellington. Her father had passed away the year before. In 1977, she returned to Samoa to claim her father's important chief title, Fiamē. Many relatives also wanted the title. Fiamē officially received the Fiamē title in 1978. It was unusual for a young, single woman like her (she was 20) to hold such a high chief title.
She went back to New Zealand to continue her studies. But a month later, she had to return to Samoa. She needed to defend her title from relatives who said she was an "absentee chief." Fiamē continued her university education in 1979.
Political Journey
Fiamē joined the HRPP party in 1985. She was first elected to parliament that same year. She represented the area of Lotofaga, which her mother had previously represented. She has been re-elected in every election since then. This makes her one of the longest-serving members of Parliament.
On May 15, 1991, she became the Minister of Education. This made her Samoa's first female Cabinet Minister. She held this role until 2006. After that, she was appointed Minister of Women, Community & Social Development. From 2011 to 2016, she served as Minister of Justice.
Fiamē has also represented Samoa on the executive board of UNESCO. From 2006 to 2012, she was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairperson of the University of the South Pacific. She is currently the president of the Samoa National Council of Women.
Becoming Deputy Prime Minister
In March 2016, Fiamē was chosen as the deputy leader of the Human Rights Protection Party. On March 19, 2016, she was sworn in as Samoa's first female Deputy Prime Minister. She also became the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
In 2018, she started the Women in Climate Change Initiative (WiCC). She is the main supporter of this program.
On September 10, 2020, Fiamē announced she would vote against some new laws. These laws were about the Constitution, Land and Titles, and the courts. She said she would follow the wishes of the people in her area. The Prime Minister then publicly criticized her. On September 11, 2020, she resigned from her Cabinet position.
After she resigned, the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party asked her to become their leader. She said no at first, wanting to finish her term in parliament. On January 13, 2021, Fiamē announced she would join FAST after parliament ended for the election. In March 2021, Fiamē was elected to lead FAST.
The 2021 Election and Government Dispute
During the 2021 general election on April 9, 2021, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa was re-elected without anyone running against her in her Lotofaga area. After the election, it looked like the FAST party and the HRPP party had tied for seats. An independent member of parliament held the deciding vote.
The Samoan Electoral Commission then said that not enough women had been elected to parliament. They added an extra seat, which went to the HRPP. This meant both FAST and HRPP were still tied. FAST decided to challenge this decision in court.
On May 17, the Supreme Court of Samoa ruled that adding the extra seat was against the law. This gave FAST a majority of seats in parliament. The court also said that the call for a new election had no legal power. They ordered parliament to meet within 45 days. This meant FAST could form a new government, and Fiamē would become Prime Minister.
However, from May 24 to July 23, 2021, her position as Prime Minister was challenged. The former Prime Minister refused to give up power. He even prevented Fiamē and her party's members from entering the parliament building. Fiamē's party called this a "coup." In a tent outside the parliament, Fiamē was sworn in as Samoa's first female Prime Minister.
On July 23, 2021, the Court of Appeal ruled that the swearing-in ceremony was legal. They said that FAST had been the government since May 24. Three days later, the former Prime Minister accepted defeat. This ended the government dispute.
Prime Minister (2021–Present)
The FAST government moved into the government offices on July 26, 2021. Fiamē is Samoa's first female Prime Minister. She is also the first leader of Samoa not from the HRPP since 1982. She is the second woman to lead a Pacific island country. She also took on the roles of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Natural Resources and Environment.
Domestic Policies
Fiamē and her government immediately started working on a new budget. The budget of 982 million tālā (Samoan currency) was approved by parliament on September 23, 2021.
On September 2, 2021, Fiamē announced that the Attorney General would be dismissed. She said this was because the Attorney General did not defend the courts from attacks after the election. Fiamē then suggested a new Attorney General.
On September 3, 2021, the government approved Fiamē's request to create a new 'Chief of Staff' position. On September 20, the government announced that Samoa would no longer use daylight savings time.
In December 2021, Fiamē said that the swearing-in of a new deputy president for the Land and Titles Court (LTC) was illegal. She felt the law about appointments in the LTC was not clear.
Political Changes in 2025
In January 2025, there were some disagreements within the FAST party. Several ministers were removed from their positions due to political differences. Fiamē and other ministers were also removed from the FAST party by its chairman. However, Fiamē and the others said their removal was not legal. They stated they were still members of FAST.
Foreign Policy
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Relations with Australia
Fiamē has focused a lot on climate change in Samoa's relationship with Australia. She had warned that Australia's slow action on climate change could harm relations. When a new Australian government came into power in 2022, Fiamē welcomed them. She was happy about their promise to do more about climate change.
In June 2022, the Australian foreign minister visited Samoa. Fiamē signed a new agreement called "Tautua – Human Development for All." This agreement aims to improve human development and reduce social inequality in Samoa. Australia also promised to replace Samoa's patrol boat, the Nafanua II. Fiamē said this would make Samoa's ocean security stronger.
Relations with China
Fiamē has been more careful about relations with China than the previous government. Before she officially became Prime Minister, Fiamē said she would cancel plans for a new Chinese-funded port. She felt Samoa did not need it and it would increase the country's debt. Samoa's debt to China was a large part of its economy in 2021. She confirmed this decision after taking office.
However, Fiamē still wants to have good relations with China. In May 2022, the Chinese foreign minister visited Samoa. They signed agreements on economic and cultural matters. The Chinese minister also suggested a larger economic and security deal for Pacific Island countries. Fiamē did not agree to this proposal. She said that Pacific Islands Forum countries should meet first to discuss it.
Relations with New Zealand
In June 2022, Fiamē visited New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Wellington. The two leaders confirmed their friendly relationship. They also agreed to work together on climate change, COVID-19, and regional cooperation. Fiamē assured New Zealand that Samoa was not seeking military cooperation with China.
In August, Fiamē hosted a New Zealand group led by Prime Minister Ardern. They talked about climate change, economic strength, and health. Ardern confirmed that New Zealand would give NZ$15 million to help Samoa with climate change. They would also give NZ$12 million to rebuild a historical market in Apia.
Pacific Islands Forum
Fiamē has worked to bring unity to the Pacific Islands Forum. She believes that small island countries must work together to be heard globally. She also sees it as a way to protect them from the plans of larger countries.
In April 2022, Fiamē announced efforts to bring Micronesia back to the Pacific Islands Forum. Some Micronesian countries had decided to leave because they felt excluded. Fiamē described the situation as "unfortunate." She said that the other leaders understood that the North Pacific countries felt left out. Fiamē helped with the final talks where the Micronesian countries agreed to rejoin. She called this a success.
COVID-19 Pandemic
On October 9, 2021, Fiamē announced that the government would bring back Samoan students from Fiji. Fiji was seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Lockdowns in Samoa
On January 20, 2022, ten people on a flight from Australia to Samoa tested positive for COVID-19. Fiamē then announced a 48-hour national lockdown for Samoa. With more cases reported, she extended the lockdown.
On January 28, Fiamē's government announced that the country would exit lockdown. However, for two weeks, only small gatherings of up to 30 people were allowed. On February 11, Fiamē declared that the remaining restrictions would be lifted. This included reopening schools, restaurants, and nightclubs.
On March 18, Fiamē announced another lockdown after the first case of COVID-19 spread within the community. During this second lockdown, cases increased a lot. Fiamē then increased support for vaccination efforts. She announced that restrictions would start to ease on April 5. The next month, Fiamē allowed Samoan citizens to return home. She said that Samoa's international borders would fully reopen in August 2022.
Awards and Recognition
In 2017, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa received the Stars of Oceania Individual's Award. In December 2018, the University of the South Pacific gave her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. As Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, she received the Ocean Stewardship Award in 2017. This was for her work in creating Samoa's Ocean Strategy.
In December 2021, the BBC included her on their list of 100 Women for 2021.
Family Background
Fiamē is the daughter of [[Fiame Mataʻafa Faumuina Mulinuʻu II]]. He was a very important chief and Samoa's first Prime Minister. Her mother, [[Laulu Fetauimalemau Mataʻafa]], was a diplomat, teacher, and politician. Her grandfather, Le Mamea Matatumua Ata, helped write the Samoan constitution.
After her father passed away in 1975, her extended family (ʻaiga) asked her to take on one of his chief titles, Fiamē. This title comes from the village of Lotofaga.
Her mother, Laulu Fetaui, entered parliament in 1975 after her husband's death. When her mother retired from politics, Fiamē Naomi ran for the same seat and was elected.
Fiamē Mataʻafa is a member of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa in Lotofaga.
As the holder of the Fiamē title, she is the highest chief of Lotofaga. She is also the head of Sā Levalasi, one of Samoa's important political families. This family also looks after the Mataʻafa title, which is one of the four most important chief titles in Samoa.
She is not married and does not have any children.
Images for kids
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Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa speaking at a workshop in Samoa, 2014
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Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa (far left) with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 2008
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Fiamē with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in 2022
See Also
In Spanish: Naomi Mata'afa para niños
