The Cabinet is the executive branch of the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

of the Independent State of Samoa. Per article 31(1) of the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

, executive power is vested in the

Head of State A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

. Per article 26(1), however, "the Head of State in the performance of his functions shall act on the advice of Cabinet, the Prime Minister or the appropriate Minister, as the case may be". Article 32(1) provides that the Cabinet "shall have the general direction and control of the executive government" of Samoa. The Cabinet is composed, per article 32(2), of the

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

and "not fewer than eight nor more than twelve other Members of Parliament", appointed by the Head of State on the advice of the Prime Minister.

XVII Cabinet

This Cabinet was appointed by Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa during the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis following the April 2021 Samoan general election. The previous cabinet purported to continue in a caretaker role. On 23 July 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled that the swearing-in ceremony was constitutional and binding, and that FAST had been the government since 24 May. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster resigned on 3 June 2021 after being arrested for drink-driving. He returned to Cabinet on 20 October 2021, with the addition of the Tourism portfolio. A cabinet reshuffle in September 2023 moved Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo to the Women, Community and Social Development portfolio. She was replaced as Minister of Finance by Lautimuia Uelese Vaʻai. Leota Laki Lamositele became Minister of Commerce, Industry of Labour, with Leatinuu Wayne So'oialo retaining only the public enterprises portfolio. Laumatiamanu Ringo Purcell entered Cabinet as Minister for Sports & Recreation. In January 2025 Laʻauli Leuatea Polataivao was charged with ten criminal offences. After refusing to resign, he was sacked from Cabinet on 10 January. Three other ministers were subsequently sacked. On 15 January Titimaea Tafua, Lagaaia Tiatuau Tufuga, Mauʻu Siaosi Puʻepuʻemai, and Niuava Eti Malolo were appointed as replacements.

XVI Cabinet

This cabinet resulted from the March 2016 general election. A cabinet reshuffle in April 2019 made the following ministerial changes: * Dr Tuitama Talalelei Tuitama moves from the Minister of Health to the Minister for Women, Community and Social Development * Hon Faimalotoa Kika Stowers moves from the Minister for Women, Community and Social Development to the Minister of Health

XV Cabinet

As of March 2011. This Cabinet results from the March 2011 general election, which saw the Human Rights Protection Party retain an absolute majority of seats in Parliament. Its term corresponds to that of the Fifteenth Parliament. The minister's '' matai'' title precedes his or her name. In April 2014, Finance Minister Faumuina Tiatia Liuga resigned, after some twenty years in Cabinet, following "allegations of abuse in the performance of his ministerial duties". Prime Minister Malielegaoi took over the Finance portfolio himself.

XIV Cabinet

This Cabinet resulted from the 2006 Samoan general election.

XIII Cabinet

This Cabinet resulted from the 2001 Samoan general election. Tuu'u Anasi'i Leota was appointed Minister of Revenue and Ga'ina Tino was moved to Minister of Justice following the death of Seumanu Aita Ah Wa in January 2004.

References

{{Oceania topic, Cabinet of , title=National cabinets of Oceania Cabinet

Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and known until 1997 as Western Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited ...