Pacific Islands

The official also cautioned against potential data vulnerabilities stemming from China.

Last year, the United States committed to co-finance two undersea cables, spearheaded by Google, linking Guam to key hubs in Fiji and French Polynesia, with extensions reaching across various remote Pacific Islands.

The recent 'Second China-Pacific Island Countries Workshop on Climate Change' and the 'High-level Pacific Island Countries Climate Action Dialogue' marked pivotal moments in the joint commitment to combat climate challenges in the Pacific region.

Representatives from Pacific Island Countries engaged in discussions focusing on climate governance, regional responses, terrestrial ecosystems, marine ecology, and ocean governance during the two-week events held in Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, China.

Chief Migration Officer Stanis Hulahau, made the official announcement today, emphasizing the aim to strengthen relations with Pacific Island States and the Pacific Forum countries.

Effective immediately, this expansion encompasses passport holders from Micronesian and Polynesian States and Territories, making all Pacific Island States in Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia eligible for VOA at authorized ports of entry, including Jacksons International Airport and Wutung land border post.

Members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) gathered for the second year in a row at the White House, where President Joe Biden urged leaders to "recommit to each other".

"Because with the past as our proof, we're stronger and the world is safer when we stand together," he said.

As the world moves beyond the half-way mark toward the internationally declared deadline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the road leading to that 2030 destination seems increasingly out of reach, if not completely out of sight.

We all know the world is well off-track to meet those 17 universally agreed goals. From ending hunger and malnutrition in all their forms, to reversing or at least taming global warming to no more than 1.5 C, to ending poverty and inequality – we, as a human race, are failing. Badly.

The US is also in support of expanding people-to-people connections, advocating for climate action, clean energy, and sustainable infrastructure, and efforts for economic partnership and recovery

“We are strengthening our cooperation with Pacific Islands countries on improving maritime domain awareness, combatting illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and countering transnational criminal activity.”

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The Declaration laid out an affirmative vision of cooperation and partnership to address shared challenges, bolster Pacific regionalism, advance economic growth and sustainable development, maintain peace and security in the Blue Pacific continent, and expand opportunities for our peoples.

In a statement from the Office of the Spokesperson, U.S. department of State, says, “We are also leveraging connections with academia, sports, and the private sector to build connections between our peoples.

The meet had renewed and celebrated solidarity as a Forum Family.

 Also in attendance were Heads of State, Government, and Territories from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. French Polynesia, New Zealand and Australia was represented at the Ministerial level.

Key Outcomes of the Retreat included:

Key points: