Editing Foreign relations of Samoa (section)

==Regional integration==

Samoan Prime Minister [[Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi]] has pushed through a variety of legislation to increase links between Samoa and the Pacific regional powers of Australia and New Zealand. Under his leadership the country switched to driving on the left, decided to shift westwards across the [[International Date Line]] and adopted [[daylight saving time]], and proposed the introduction of a common Pacific currency.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/samoas-dateline-jump-passes-into-law/story-e6frf7jx-1226083970021 |title=Samoa's dateline jump passes into law |last=McLean |first=Tamara |newspaper=Herald Sun |date=29 June 2011 |access-date=27 November 2011}}</ref>

In late 2011, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi initiated a meeting of Polynesian leaders which led, in November, to the formal launching of the [[Polynesian Leaders Group]], a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment. The Group was in part a response to the [[Melanesian Spearhead Group]].<ref name="scoop">{{cite news|last1=Andrews|first1=John|title=NZ may be invited to join proposed 'Polynesian Triangle' ginger group|url=http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2011/09/nz-may-be-invited-to-join-proposed-polynesian-triangle-ginger-group/|access-date=20 November 2011|agency=Pacific Scoop News|publisher=Scoop News|date=19 September 2011}}</ref><ref name="RNZI">{{cite news|title=New Polynesian Leaders Group formed in Samoa|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/200981/new-polynesian-leaders-group-formed-in-samoa|access-date=20 November 2011|agency=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=19 November 2011}}</ref><ref name="Savali">{{cite news |title=American Samoa joins Polynesian Leaders Group, MOU signed |url=https://www.samoanews.com/american-samoa-joins-poly-leaders-group-mou-signed |access-date=24 November 2020 |work=Samoa News |agency=Savalii |date=20 November 2011}}</ref>