Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Solomon Islands, and Kiribati from August 31 to September 11. In Palau, the Deputy Secretary will participate in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting with Forum Dialogue Partners to strengthen ties between the United States and Pacific Islands governments. In FSM and Solomon Islands, he will meet with government representatives and business leaders to further advance our shared economic and security priorities. In Kiribati, he will attend the Kiribati Development Partners Forum and meet with government representatives.
The Deputy Secretary will be joined on the trip to Palau, Federated States of Micronesia and Solomon Islands by U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday, in recognition of the key role the Coast Guard plays in advancing regional maritime security. He will also be joined in Palau at the PIF by other U.S. interagency partners, including U.S. Pacific Command Deputy Commander Lieutenant General George Rowell and U.S. Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary Bill Hague.
The Pacific region remains an enduring foreign policy priority for the United States. The United States has deep and long-standing ties to the countries in the Pacific, who are not only our neighbors but also our friends. The United States is committed to engaging our Pacific Island partners to preserve an open, secure, and prosperous Pacific region.
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