Leaders of Samoa and Tonga have appealed for international assistance, warning that soaring global oil prices driven by the Middle East conflict threaten to create fuel shortages and economic hardship in the import-dependent Pacific.
Oil prices have surged to nearly $110 per barrel following attacks on energy infrastructure in Iran and Gulf states, a crisis now affecting nations thousands of miles away. Both Samoa and Tonga rely almost entirely on imported diesel for electricity generation, with approximately two-thirds of Samoa’s power and 80% of Tonga’s coming from foreign petroleum.
Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, after meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, requested support to secure alternative fuel supplies. “We don’t know what’s going to happen next,” he stated, asking New Zealand to help “cover us in case something happened.” Samoa sources its fuel from Singapore and other markets.
In Tonga, Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua confirmed that New Zealand and Australia are sharing intelligence to help prepare for potential disruptions. “The restrictions are beyond our control,” he said, noting efforts to manage public concerns. “What we can do is prepare as best we can.” Tonga previously faced severe supply issues last year due to maintenance delays and a stranded vessel, highlighting its vulnerability.
The economic risk extends beyond power. Tourism contributes 25% of Samoa’s GDP and 11% of Tonga’s, making airline fuel costs a critical concern. Fisheries, vital for food security, are also threatened, as communities depend on fuel for fishing boats.
Both leaders stressed the need for a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict. Lord Fakafanua reiterated Tonga’s stance: “We don’t advocate for violence. Our foreign policy remains friend to all, enemy to no one.”
The situation underscores how geopolitical conflicts in energy-producing regions can rapidly destabilize small island economies with no domestic fossil fuel resources, leaving them exposed to price volatility and supply chain shocks.
