Samoa has become the 75th WTO Member and the first small island Pacific member to ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Samoa deposited its instrument of acceptance with the WTO Secretariat on 21 April.

Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement has the potential to increase global merchandise exports by up to $1 trillion per annum, according to the WTO’s flagship World Trade Report 2015. The Report also found that developing countries will benefit significantly from the TFA, capturing more than half of the available gains.