After years of negotiations, the third iteration of the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) between the United States and the countries of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), are nearing completion. “Compact III” was signed into law in the United States on March 9, shortly after … Read more
The protracted Compacts of Free Association saga may imminently conclude, if the U.S. Senate passes the omnibus bill designed to avert yet another government shutdown by the deadline of midnight, March 8. Tucked away in section G, under “other matters,” is the legislation approving the third round funding renewal for the 20-year agreements that bind … Read more
Washington’s rancorous and “chaotic” politics of the past week have reverberated far and wide. Bipartisan legislation addressing the pressing domestic issue of the southern border crisis, bundled together with foreign policy flashpoints of funding for Ukraine and Israel, was torpedoed by Republicans who had previously been clamoring for a border resolution. Also bundled in the … Read more
Months ago, negotiations concluded between the United States and the three U.S. Freely Associated States (FAS) – Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FMS) and the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) – on the terms of the renewals of key components of the Compacts of Free Association (COFA). Those components cover primarily financial and service … Read more
David Panuelo, the former president of the Federated States of Micronesia, came to Washington last week to warn that, without U.S. support, his country is becoming increasingly vulnerable to Beijing’s influence efforts. During a public event at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies on December 1, Panuelo urged the U.S. Congress to quickly approving the … Read more
Advertisement As with the inaugural summit last year, the second U.S.-Pacific Islands summit in Washington, D.C., featured a raft of initiatives with attached dollar signs and U.S. government involvement from President Joe Biden down. The message of this summit, in line with Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s message to the Pacific Islands Forum leaders in … Read more
Advertisement The United States has signed a new agreement with Palau, which gives American ships the authorization to unilaterally enforce maritime regulations in the tiny Pacific island nation’s exclusive economic zone, the U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday. The agreement comes as both the U.S. and China are seeking to expand their influence in the Pacific, … Read more
Advertisement In the spring of 2022, news leaked that Solomon Islands was about to sign a new security pact with China. That served as a harsh awakening for the United States that Beijing’s influence in the Pacific Islands region was growing. Since then, Washington has majorly stepped up its engagement with the regional countries, highlighted … Read more
Advertisement The Pacific island nation of Palau needs U.S. help to deter China’s “unwanted activities” around its coasts, its leader said Thursday and repeated his government’s determination to maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. told a news conference in Tokyo that three Chinese boats have made “uninvited” entries into his country’s … Read more
Advertisement While disappointment lingered over U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel his trip to Papua New Guinea, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended meetings in Port Moresby in his stead. While the symbolism of the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to the Pacific Islands was deeply missed, the trip still marked … Read more