Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, has left for a one-week state visit in Australia where he will be meeting his counterpart, Australia's Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and other government officials.
Tuilaepa says bilateral issues and other areas of common interests will be the focus of discussions as well as matters relating to this September's Pacific Leaders Forum Meeting in New Zealand.
The situation in Fiji will be one key issue in the discussions.
The prime minister will be visiting Queensland, New South Wales and Canberra and the Samoan communities in Australia.
His delegation includes the Minister of Women affairs, Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua, and the associate minister of the Ministry of Police and Prisons, Lafaitele Patrick Fepulea'i.
