Biden promises ‘substantial’ funding for Pacific as leaders meet at White House

US President Joe Biden is set to pledge “substantial” funding to Pacific nations this week. historic white house summit.

But attempts to get leaders to sign the US Pacific Declaration may already be running into trouble, reports say. solomon islands Disputed a planned document that Biden and Pacific leaders are expected to negotiate.

Since Biden took office, the United States has taken a renewed interest in the Pacific region.

Beijing’s Security Agreement with the Solomon Islands Attempts to sign a region-wide security pact earlier this year and later prompted a US diplomatic campaign in the region.

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Pacific leaders, who are already in the United States for last week’s UN conference, will host a two-day summit at the White House on Thursday, ending with a gala dinner. , has never been invited to the White House before.

A senior Biden administration official spoke to reporters in the background by phone on Wednesday afternoon, saying the planned US-Pacific joint statement had “a tremendous amount of enthusiastic support,” but said the leaders had met. “There is still work to be done,” he said. in the next few days.

“We’ve never done anything like this. This is unprecedented,” said the source.

Biden and Secretary of State Antony Brinken are set to unveil a new US Pacific Islands strategy that includes “substantial” funding for a number of projects in the Pacific involving the US Peace Corps, USAid and the Coast Guard. did.

“Our goal over the next few days is basically to meet the Pacific Islanders where they live,” said an administrative official.

“They want us as partners on issues such as helping the economic recovery from Covid, addressing some of the tyranny of distance, and the biggest issues they see as existential climate change. You made it clear to us, it’s been very difficult in many ways across the Pacific.”

The demands of the Pacific have never been “louder and clearer,” and the Biden administration was confident there would be bipartisan support within the United States to commit to the region.

He said Pacific leaders have expressed concern over the US’s consistent support across the administration at every meeting. Previously, similar projects were started only to “wither”.

“There is no denying that this is not a concern…the only way we can dispel it is through action, not talk.”

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manase Sogavale – who brought his country closer to Beijing this year – was in Washington, D.C., and was expected to attend the summit.

Wednesday morning Australian Broadcasting Corporation report The Solomon Islands sent a diplomatic note to the other Pacific island nations attending the White House Summit saying it would not sign the declaration because no agreement had been reached.

Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said New Zealand’s ambassador to the United States, Bede Collie, will attend the summit as an “observer”.

She said Pacific nations are aware that the United States and China are increasing their interest in the region and are “very closely watching those who are ready to listen to what the Pacific has to say.” Stated.

“At the end of the day, what New Zealand is saying is not building new buildings, but engaging the Pacific through the Pacific Islands Forum and what the Pacific’s views are in relation to its most pressing issues. It is important that the United States hear whether there are any concerns.”

New Zealand has signed on to the US ‘Blue Pacific Partners’ initiative. This includes the US’ “traditional” allies Australia, Japan and the UK. Many of the Pacific nations who attended the White House summit also attended the partnership group’s meeting in the United States last week.

Asked about the Solomon Islands’ alleged objection to the US joint statement, Mahta said: A view of the Pacific Ocean”.

A Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson confirmed New Zealand was not a party to the US Pacific Declaration, but “supports increased US engagement in the Pacific”.