Beijing +20 National Review, Samoa

Samoa shares with its Pacific island neighbors a vulnerability to natural and economic shocks,
as well as challenges of social transformation. Over the past several decades Samoa has
weathered these storms, progressively strengthening essential service delivery while improving
the wellbeing of those facing the greatest hardship. At the Millennium, Samoa was poised to
move beyond Least Developed Country (LDC) status. The United Nations (UN) recommended
that Samoa move to developing country status in 2003, and the island nation was to officially
graduate in 2011. However, on 29 September 2009 a tsunami swept over the nation‘s coastal
regions, killing 143 people, destroying infrastructure and devastating the nation‘s vital tourism
industry. Losses were estimated at US$106 million, equal to 17 per cent of annual gross
domestic product (GDP). It was the worst natural disaster to hit Samoa since gaining
Independence in 1962.