Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is expected to arrive in Tonga next week to join the Pacific Island Forum leaders’ meeting.
Mr Campbell will join United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is making his first visit to the Pacific in five years, visiting Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga, and East Timor.
Deputy Secretary Campbell will lead the U.S. delegation to the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which will be chaired by the Prime Minister of Tonga, the Hon. Hu’akavemeiliku Siaosi Sovaleni.
He will also engage Pacific Island leaders on the margins to promote the goals and achievements of the U.S. Pacific Partnership Strategy.
Mr. Campbell’s visit was part of his tour, which included Vanuatu and New Zealand, from August 28 to 31.
The Deputy Secretary will then visit Vanuatu to dedicate Embassy Port Vila, the United States’ newest overseas mission.
His visit will also highlight a Peace Corps contribution to Port Vila Central Hospital and a repatriation of Vanuatu cultural artifacts made possible by interagency coordination between the State Department, FBI, U.S. Coast Guard and FedEx.
Finally, on August 30 in Auckland, the Deputy Secretary will co-chair the U.S.-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue, meet with senior government officials, and launch the inaugural High-Level Technology Dialogue.
These engagements in Tonga, Vanuatu, and New Zealand represent the latest in a series of high-level visits to the region by senior U.S. officials.
These visits have deepened U.S. engagement with the Pacific Islands, building on the momentum and goodwill established during the September 2023 U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Summit in Washington, D.C, as well as the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC) hosted by Hawai‘i in June 2024.
