Reform Renewed A private sector assessment for Samoa
In June 2008, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) published a private sector assessment (PSA) for Samoa, titled Samoa: Consolidating Reform for Faster Economic Growth, which concluded that the far-reaching reforms undertaken by the Government of Samoa in the 1990s had resulted in impressive growth during the decade leading up to 2006. Samoa was recognized as a leading policy reformer in the Pacific region. From 2007, however, the pace of reform slowed sharply. Partly as a result of this—and compounded by the global financial crisis, two significant natural disasters, and increases in fuel and food prices—economic growth decreased markedly, lasting until 2011.
This private sector assessment describes how Samoa can further improve its competitiveness through reforms supporting private sector growth. While not a comprehensive description of all issues facing the Samoan economy, the document analyzes reforms that will most significantly benefit the private sector and growth, and focuses on primary constraints to investment and entrepreneurship.
