The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii, on September 13 to participate in the 2022 Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PICL) convened by the East West Center Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP). She will lead a high-level U.S. interagency delegation, including representatives from the National Security Council, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of the Interior, USAID, and U.S. Coast Guard. At the PICL, the Deputy Secretary will highlight a range of ongoing areas of U.S. partnership with the Pacific Islands and meet with PICL leaders on the margins to discuss increasing U.S. engagement with these countries and with the Pacific Islands Forum. She will also meet with Pacific Islands students and professional fellows to learn about their priorities and concerns.
The Deputy Secretary’s participation follows her August travel to Samoa, Tonga and Solomon Islands and comes two weeks before President Biden will host Pacific Islands leaders at the White House for the first U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit. These engagements reflect the United States’ commitment to engage meaningfully with fellow Pacific nations in the spirit of partnership and friendship.
