Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will travel to Tonga, Vanuatu, and New Zealand from August 28 to 31.
Deputy Secretary Campbell will begin his trip in Nuku'alofa, Tonga August 28 to lead the U.S. delegation to the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, hosted by the Kingdom of Tonga and 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.
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 represents 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.
