Amata’s IGIA remarks highlight American Samoa’s opposition to seabed mining, and key priorities
Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata gave remarks Tuesday for the Interagency Group on Insular Affairs (IGIA) held virtually with the Department of the Interior (DOI) and other federal agencies, stating opposition to seabed mining.
“At this time, the biggest concern for the people of American Samoa is the administration’s rush to deep sea mine in American Samoa’s waters,” she stated. “We, the Samoan people, are the stewards of the ocean, not its owner nor master; and we have the responsibility and duty to future generations to protect our heritage. I remain steadfast in my opposition to the exploitation of our waters by unchecked AI drones – over the past weeks we’ve seen AI agents go rogue and hack into secure government sites – how can we trust an autonomous system from not going rogue and destroying our ocean? I ask this Department to listen to our indigenous voices and reject deep sea mining in Samoan waters.”
As the start of her remarks, she pointed out that this IGIA…