PAGO PAGO (Pacnews) — American Samoa’s Congressman Faleomavaega Eni has announced that American Samoa has been invited for the first time to speak at the World Tuna Trade Conference, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on May 30.
“This is the first time in our 49-year history with the tuna industry that American Samoa will have a voice in a global discussion about the future of the industry,” Faleomavaega said in a statement. “It is also the first time the organizers of the World Tuna Trade Conference have invited a member of Congress to speak. This has come about as a result of American Samoa’s involvement in the Andean Trade debate,” he said.
“The people of American Samoa united in an effort to protect the future of our economy and industry leaders around the world took notice. These leaders are now realizing the important role our territory plays in the global tuna industry,” he said.
The congressman was instrumental in opposing the Andean Trade Preference Act that would have given Andean countries the same preferential tuna export conditions enjoyed by American Samoa. The act was designed as part of the U.S. government’s attempt to destroy the illegal drug trade by encouraging the development of legitimate industries in drug producing countries.
The U.S. Senate late last week approved the bill, but voted to maintain quotas on Andean countries, a decision Faleomavaega hailed as a triumph for American Samoa, which relies heavily for its economic survival on its tuna canneries.
“The multi-billion dollar world tuna industry is a vital component of our economy,” he said. “Any fluctuation in the world market affects the long-term stability of American Samoa’s economy, which is more than 80 percent dependent, either directly or indirectly, on the U.S. tuna and fishing processing industries,” he added.
“As has been repeatedly stated, the only market for canned tuna from American Samoa is the United States. If other countries are given duty-free access to the U.S. market, then American Samoa’s economy will be adversely affected. American Samoa is not alone. Thailand, the Philippines and the other (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries also argue that if the Andean countries are given duty free access, their economies will be adversely affected. In fact, the ASEAN countries recently informed the U.S. Congress that if the U.S. provides duty free treatment to canned tuna from the Andean countries, it could result in job losses of up to 1 million in the ASEAN tuna processing industry,” he said.
