New initiatives have been announced to strengthen the relationship between New Zealand and Samoa under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship.
The announcement by New Zealand's minister foreign minister, Phil Goff, follows today's release of the government's response to the select committee report on the petition to parliament.
The petition of 100-thousand signatures demanded the re-instatement of visa-free entry for Samoans to New Zealand.
Mr Goff says as expected the government supports the select committee's recommendation that repealing the Act would be inappropriate.
He says the government also upholds the recommendation that the Treaty of Friendship between the two countries should be renewed and strengthened.
There has been agreement between the two countries to develop a range of initiatives in education, culture, sports and inter-governmental co-operation.