PM attends Pacific leaders’ summit in US

PRIME Minister James Marape is in Washington for the first leaders’ summit between the United States and the Pacific island countries at the White House.
The meeting will discuss people-centered developments in the Pacific, economic and trade ties, climate change action, climate resilience and clean energy transformation, challenges in the maritime domain, fishing and maritime law enforcement.
Marape is also expected to meet House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Capitol building. US President Biden will host the Pacific leaders at the White House for a dinner.
The leaders are expected to sign a declaration on the US-Pacific partnership – a commitment by the leaders to strengthen the US-Pacific partnership, bolster regionalism, address climate change together, and ensure the partnership supports the advancement of economic growth and sustainable development in the Pacific.
The declaration will also address support for each other during natural disasters, support for the Blue Pacific and laws that govern it and peace and security.
Marape will return tomorrow, ending almost two weeks of overseas engagements.
He is being accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko, wife Rachael Marape, Goilala MP Casmiro Aia, North Waghi MP Benjamin Mul, East New Britain Governor Michael Marum, Foreign Affairs secretary Elias Wohengu.