Economic Development

Economic development plans for the Manu’a Island group in American Samoa will be included in the territory’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, a project of the Department of Commerce working with the Territorial Planning Commission.

A contractor for the project, Lewis Wolman has for the last four months, interviewed private and public sector leaders and other community members for their input on the blue print for the territory’s economic development over the next decade.

A review of American Samoa’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy will include recommendations on possible business ventures for Manu’a, not only to create jobs but attract Manuans back to the islands.

Businessman Lewis Wolman is contracted with economist Malcolm McPhee to update the Strategy.

Mr Wolman says tourism, fishing, agriculture and the broadband link, called BLAST, all hold promise of greater economic activity in Manu’a.

Summary of American Samoa's Economic assets and competitive advantages, as well as basic information about the island.

Excerpt from initiative announcement:

An overview of BusinessUSA, a cross-agency initiative to make it easier for American Businesses to access the services they need to grow and hire.

Excerpt from the report:

American Samoa's post tsunami disaster economic recovery strategies, developed under the leadership of ASG Government Authorized Representative (GAR) and Human Resource director Vaitautolu Evelyn Langford, have captured the attention of several development organizations for their innovative approach to island development and their sensitivity to island culture - they have been featured in economic development forums from L.A. to Washington DC to Juneau, Alaska.

The Department of Human Resources is hoping for the first session of call center training to get underway at the start of the new year, while the second class for the School of Culinary Arts began two months ago.

American Samoa wants to train about 1,500 participants under the Call Center Training Facility project, which was awarded in July this year to California-based American Pacific Resources Inc. for $1.59 million, but the following month it was challenged by Honolulu-based American Samoa Services Associates Corporation (ASSAC), whose bid was $5 million...

Presentation of American Samoa Recovery Strategy to the Southeast Alaska Economic Development Summit

Briefing paper originally prepared in 2004, updated in 2007, summarizing business and development opportunities in American Samoa.