President Biden’s Public Schedule for Thursday, September 29th 2022:
| 8:30 AM | The President receives the President’s Daily Briefing |
| 11:00 AM | In-Town Pool Call Time |
| 11:35 AM | The President departs the White House |
| 12:00 PM | The President receives a briefing on impacts from Hurricane Ian and ongoing Federal response efforts |
| 1:15 PM | The President arrives at the White House |
| 2:40 PM | The President departs the White House |
| 3:00 PM | The President hosts the U.S.- Pacific Island Country Summit to demonstrate the United States’ deep and enduring partnership with Pacific Island countries |
| 5:20 PM | The President arrives at the White House |
| 6:40 PM | The President welcomes the Pacific Island Leaders to the White House and the Leaders take a family photo |
| 6:45 PM | The President hosts a dinner for the Pacific Island Leaders |
The White House posted the following fact-sheet: Roadmap for a 21st-Century U.S.-Pacific Island Partnership
The first-ever United States-Pacific Island Country Summit marks a new milestone in U.S.-Pacific cooperation. It builds on a long history, forged in sacrifice in World War II and reinforced by strong people-to-people ties. As an outcome of the Summit, the President and Pacific leaders issued the Declaration on U.S.-Pacific Partnership, a forward-looking vision statement reflecting our shared commitment to expand and deepen our cooperation in the years ahead. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to implementing this vision; to that end, President Biden announced a slate of ambitious initiatives to meet Pacific priorities.
The United States has directly provided over $1.5 billion to support the Pacific Islands over the past decade and today has announced over $810 million in additional expanded programs. These initiatives seek to improve the lives and wellbeing of all Pacific Islanders by expanding diplomatic engagement, including through the historic announcement that the United States will recognize Cook Islands and Niue, following appropriate consultations; combatting the climate crisis; launching a new Trade and Investment Dialogue; providing development assistance; enhancing maritime security; expanding educational opportunities; enhancing security, health, and digital capacity; and addressing painful legacies of war. These new initiatives include the 10-year $600 million Economic Assistance Agreement request to Congress, which is associated with the South Pacific Tuna Treaty. Additionally, the Administration’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment aims to deliver game-changing projects in the region.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration we will:
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
I. STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT U.S.-PACIFIC ISLANDS PARTNERSHIP
The foundation of the U.S. approach in the Pacific is strong and productive partnership with the Pacific Islands.
- First-ever National U.S. Strategy for the Pacific Islands: The Biden-Harris Administration has launched the first-ever U.S. Pacific Partnership Strategy for the Pacific Islands. This strategy is an addendum to the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States and will align with the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
- Recognition of Cook Islands and Niue: The United States will recognize the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states, following appropriate consultations.
- Executive Education for Rising Pacific Leaders: The United States will encourage and support opportunities for rising leaders in public service across the Pacific Islands. As an example, Johns Hopkins SAIS is establishing a first-of-its-kind executive-leadership program in Washington, D.C. for such leaders.
- Supporting the Tuna Treaty: The United States has pledged to request a ten-year, $600 million Economic Assistance Agreement associated with the South-Pacific Tuna Treaty. This assistance will support fisheries economic development, collaboration on climate resilience, blue economy and maritime security. State Department has already committed $10 million to support broader cooperation under the treaty.
- Resilience and Adaptation Fellowship Program for Rising Leaders: The Administration will work with Congress to commit $5M to establish a fellowship program in partnership with the University of the South Pacific and premier universities in the United States, such as the University of Hawaii and University of California Santa Barbara. The program will offer rising leaders in the Pacific Islands the opportunity to gain expertise in natural resource economics and management, climate resilience, sustainable food systems, renewable energy development, water security and waste management.
- Compacts of Free Association: Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau have formed a bedrock of U.S.-Pacific cooperation for nearly four decades. In light of the critical nature of these complex negotiations, President Biden appointed Ambassador Joseph Yun as Special Presidential Envoy for Compact Negotiations in March. Since then, Yun has led an interagency team that includes senior officials from the Departments of State, Interior, Defense, Energy, and the White House in multiple rounds of negotiations. We expect the negotiations for all three Compact agreements to conclude by the end of this year; current agreements expire in September 2023 for the FSM and RMI, and one year later for Palau. At the Summit, leaders of FSM, RMI, and Palau expressed appreciation at the progress in the negotiations and expressed a strong desire to conclude the negotiations by the end of this year.
II. BUILD U.S. CAPACITY IN THE PACIFIC
The United States is investing in diplomacy across the Pacific by expanding the number of facilities, officers and programs active in the region. By expanding our own capacity, we will better meet the needs of our Pacific partners. In addition to the establishment of U.S. Embassies in Solomon Islands, Tonga and Kiribati, the United States is announcing:
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
- First-Ever Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum: The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to Pacific regionalism, with the Pacific Islands Forum at the center, as a vital part of the Indo-Pacific regional architecture. To that end, President Biden designated former Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Nauru, and Tonga Ambassador Frankie Reed as the first-ever U.S. Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum. In this new capacity, the Ambassador will expand U.S. ties and coordination with the Pacific Islands Forum and its members.
- Elevate USAID Presence in the Pacific: Working with Congress, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will open a Pacific regional mission in Suva, Fiji by September 2023, and elevate its presence in Papua New Guinea through a country representative office.
- Return and Expansion of the Peace Corps: Peace Corps volunteers will return to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu to support communities on education, health, community economic development, and climate action. Additionally, the Peace Corps is finalizing its assessment of Solomon Islands and exploring options for returning to other Pacific countries.
III. COORDINATE WITH ALLIES AND PARTNERS
The United States will amplify its efforts to support the Pacific in close partnership with its allies and partners, including through the new Partners in the Blue Pacific initiative.
Partners in the Blue Pacific: The Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP), launched in 2022, is a new effort from the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to make our partnership, individually and collectively, with the Pacific more efficient and effective. The Partners welcome the intent of Canada and Germany to join, as well as the engagement of France, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, and India; the PBP invites further cooperation with all those that share its values, objectives, and approach – principally that of consultation and partnership with the Pacific. The PBP will focus on six prospective lines of effort:
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
- Climate Change Resilience, Adaptation, and Disasters
- Secure and Resilient Technology and Connectivity
- Protection of the Ocean and Environment
- People Centered Development
- Resources and Economic Development
- Political Leadership and Regionalism
IV. TAKE URGENT ACTION ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS, CLEAN ENERGY, AND SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
The United States will continue to play a leading role in accelerating global efforts to combat the climate crisis in this decisive decade, recognizing the existential threats this crisis presents to the Pacific Islands. The United States will address climate challenges in the Pacific with an investment of over $130 million in substantial resourcing, support, and partnerships, and leverage an additional $400 million in private financing.
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
- Support for Climate Forecasting and Research: The Biden-Harris Administration will provide new funding, subject to Congressional notification and domestic procedures, to help forecast climate and extreme weather events in the Pacific Islands. The Administration intends to:
- Provide $15 million to help Pacific Islands adapt and build resilience to climate change and extreme weather events by enhancing their ability to identify, anticipate, and prepare for climate impacts on public health and safety, food security, water resources, coastal and ecosystem management, and overall sustainable development.
- Provide $7 million to expand Pacific Island weather and ocean data collection that will provide more accurate and reliable information on ocean conditions that are critical to sea-state forecasts and formulating advisories and warnings to ensure public safety.
- Ocean Mapping Support: The United States is partnering with Palau and other Pacific Island countries to advance ocean mapping projects that will be used to make informed decisions about how to use ocean resources sustainably.
- Resilient Pacific Blue Economy Program: The Administration is working with Congress to provide $4.8 million to establish a Resilient Blue Economies program. The program will help the Pacific Islands climate-proof their “blue” economies. The program will strengthen the capacity of the Pacific Community to combine climate science, marine spatial planning, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture governance, and marine conservation to promote resilient Pacific economies across the region.
- Climate-Smart Infrastructure: Under its Global Partnership for Climate Smart Infrastructure, the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will help mobilize more than $400 million in financing for climate projects that advance Pacific Island countries’ net-zero goals. These activities will also facilitate the deployment of U.S. private-sector solutions in renewable energy and grid modernization to Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga, while helping these countries meet their clean energy, energy security and decarbonization goals.
- Cooperation to Combat Wildlife Trafficking: The Biden-Harris Administration will provide $3.25 million in capacity-building to Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu to combat wildlife trafficking and support implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- Sea-Level Rise: The United States is adopting a new policy on sea-level rise and maritime zones. This policy recognizes that new trends are developing in the practices and views of States on the need for stable maritime zones in the face of sea-level rise, is mindful of the Pacific Island Forum’s Declaration Preserving Maritime Zones in the Face of Climate Change-related Sea-Level Rise, commits to working with Pacific Island States and other countries toward the goal of lawfully establishing and maintaining baselines and maritime zone limits, and encourages other countries to do the same.
- Natural Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Assistance: Together with its Partners in the Blue Pacific, the United States will provide $5 million, pending Congressional notification and domestic procedures, to bolster the Pacific Islands’ ability to detect and respond to devastating natural disasters. In addition, in 2022, USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance is providing over $14 million to Pacific Islands countries in both humanitarian response and early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience programming in the region.
- Pacific American Fund: In 2022, USAID awarded eight new sub-grants under the Pacific American Fund with a total value of $4.9 million that benefit eight Pacific Island countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu). Subject to availability of funds, USAID intends to award a new round of grants under the Pacific American Fund in 2023 with a value of up to $6 million. These grants seek to bolster communities’ resilience to disasters and climate risks; enhance livelihoods; improve food security, access to water, health and education; support governance; and encourage sustainable natural resources management and biodiversity conservation.
- Climate Adaptation and Other Foreign Assistance: The State Department and USAID intend to support $27 million in programs and technical assistance with the Pacific Islands that invest in adaptation and energy resilience and advance good governance. For example, these programs may support the region’s transition to low emission development by promoting sustainable forest management and improving the sustainability of clean energy investments.
- Addressing Pacific Regional Challenges: The FY 2023 President’s Budget includes $51 million for the State Department and USAID Pacific Islands Regional programming. Programming will address transnational challenges including transborder natural resource issues and biodiversity, regional connectivity and energy security, climate change, and health security.
V. FORGE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC RECOVERY
The United States will target more than $50 million in direct support for Pacific Island recovery to enable strong growth for years to come.
- Trade and Investment Dialogue: The United States will establish a Trade and Investment Dialogue with the Pacific Islands to promote trade and address market access barriers. We will work with Pacific partners to establish this dialogue by the end of 2022, to credibly target economic, investment, and market-access needs in 2023.
- Memorandum of Commercial Cooperation with Pacific Island countries: The United States will develop a tailored Memorandum of Commercial Cooperation to facilitate U.S. private-sector engagement in Pacific Island countries on priority projects in infrastructure, climate and energy security, digital connectivity, gender equality and equity, and health and health security.
- Support for Infrastructure in the Pacific Islands: The Biden-Harris Administration will invest in infrastructure across the Pacific, including climate-smart infrastructure. It will:
- Deploy, through the Pacific Island Strategic Infrastructure Initiative, $3 million in technical assistance from USTDA to support feasibility studies, environmental-impact studies, and other project preparation assistance required to help unlock financing for public infrastructure projects, pending Congressional notification and domestic procedures.
- Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST): The United States is committing $500,000 to expanding GIST into the Pacific to help island countries increase environmental and economic resilience by kick-starting businesses that focus on technology solutions to resiliency challenges, pending Congressional notification and domestic procedures.
- Transportation Partnership with the Pacific Islands: The Administration will provide $7 million in new funding through USTDA and the Department of Transportation, pending Congressional notification and domestic procedures, to support technical assistance on sustainable transportation infrastructure and accelerate decarbonization of the transportation sector. The Partnership will promote the implementation and integration of emerging technologies to make transportation systems in the region safer, cleaner, smarter and more resilient to the effects of climate change.
- Expanding Electrification Partnership: The Biden-Harris Administration announced an additional $18 million, subject to Congressional notification and domestic procedures, to expand USAID’s Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership (PEP) throughout the Pacific Islands. USAID’s PEP activity supports a multilateral partnership with Australia, Japan, and New Zealand that seeks to expand energy access in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and provide a framework for expanding this partnership throughout the Pacific Islands. Through an investment of $18 million, USAID intends to increase the region’s access to affordable and clean energy, improve the performance of energy utilities, promote transparent private sector investments in the energy sector, and expand off-grid clean energy systems in the region.
- Port and Aviation Connectivity: USTDA will deploy over $1 million in partnership-building activities that will connect the Pacific Islands with U.S. private sector solutions that can meet their transportation infrastructure needs. USTDA will support an Airport Checkpoint Design Reverse Trade Mission that will bring aviation security representatives from Fiji, Kiribati and Samoa to the United States.
- Indo-Pacific Opportunities Program: USAID will invest $1 million to strengthen Pacific Islands’ abilities to manage domestic financial resources to respond to economic shocks, improving capacity to better plan for, finance, implement, and manage infrastructure investments.
- Tourism in Solomon Islands: The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) will launch a new partnership with the Solomon Islands Ministry of Culture and Tourism aiming to spur tourism investments and jobs in the Solomon Islands. The United States and Solomon Islands signed a $20 million threshold program grant agreement to reduce poverty by addressing constraints to economic growth in the tourism and forestry sectors.
VI. BOLSTER SECURITY COOPERATION AND MARITIME PROTECTION
Geography links the United States’ security to the Pacific Islands. In addition to its existing capacities in the region, the United States will focus on investing in the Pacific Islands security capacity, including coast guards, law enforcement, and disaster response.
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
- Maritime Security and Marine Protection: The State Department is partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard to provide over $3 million to enhance U.S. Coast Guard training and capacity-building in the Pacific Islands for maritime security and marine protection.
- Law-Enforcement Training: The State Department is partnering with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to provide $2.8 million for FBI-led law enforcement training to Pacific Island countries. Launched to enhance the capacity of the law-enforcement community in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau, this program will expand in 2022 to include Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands.
- Bilateral Security Negotiations: The United States is currently engaged in bilateral security negotiations with Fiji for a new Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) and will soon begin negotiations with Papua New Guinea on a Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA). The United States will pursue other opportunities to negotiate agreements that support Pacific objectives to respond to humanitarian disasters and protect their maritime domains.
- Global Defense Reform Program: The State Department will deliver $2 million in new assistance to improve security-sector governance and institutional capacity of select U.S. partners through advisory support efforts.
VII. IMPROVE DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY AND CYBER SECURITY
The United States will invest in work with the Pacific Islands to improve the region’s connectivity, bandwidth, and cybersecurity.
- Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Partnership: The Digital Connectivity and Cybersecurity Program will support up to $3.5 million over five years to support the digital transformation of Pacific Islands countries. It aims to foster an open, interoperable, reliable, and secure digital ecosystem in the Pacific Islands. Its priorities are to improve broadband access, strengthen digital policy and regulations, advance digital platforms and solutions for the delivery of public services, and enhance digital skills and literacy.
- Capacity to Fight Cybercrime: The State Department will provide $1.6 million for capacity-building in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu to detect, disrupt, and successfully prosecute cybercrimes.
VIII. COMBAT COVID-19 AND SUPPORT HEALTH SECURITY
COVID-19 has wrought devastation on the world, including in the Pacific; the United States will provide further assistance to the Pacific, including additional vaccines and economic assistance.
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
- COVID-19 Vaccines: To date, the US has provided over 1 million life-saving doses of Pfizer vaccine to countries in the Pacific Island countries and continues important efforts to get “shots in arms”. We are proud to have delivered over 620 million doses to over 116 countries. We continue to stand ready to offer vaccine doses to countries who need them through our partnership with COVAX to AMC eligible countries in the pacific rim region and around the world.
- Global Health Security Expansion to Pacific: Building on the $57 million in COVID assistance USAID has provided to the region since 2020, USAID plans to invest $5 million in Global Health Security (GHS) funds, to strengthen prevention, detection, and response capacities in PICs to minimize threats posed by emerging infectious diseases.
- Diminishing Dengue with Climate Services: The State Department intends to provide an additional $500,000 to develop dengue early warning and response systems in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, to advance regional health security and climate resilience.
The United States is committed to addressing the scars of war across the Pacific region.
- Addressing Unexploded Ordnance: Throughout the Pacific, the United States directly assists nations to expand safe land use for agriculture, infrastructure, development, and tourism projects through remediating unexploded ordnance (UXO). In Palau, the United States just provided $1.1 million to continue its support to a sustainable national UXO clearance program through the National UXO Safety Office. In the Solomon Islands, the United States is initiating a $1 million project to assist the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force to survey and remove UXO. The United States is also exploring UXO assistance options for Kiribati and the Marshall Islands in late 2022 and maintains a Quick Reaction Force to support UXO engagements across the Pacific at the request of host nation partners.
They also posted the following fact-sheet; President Biden Unveils First-Ever Pacific Partnership Strategy
The Pacific Islands region – an “ocean continent” spanning nearly 15 percent of the Earth’s surface – is a vital sub-region of the Indo-Pacific. It holds opportunities and challenges, from the climate crisis to an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. The United States recognizes that geography links the Pacific’s future to our own: U.S. prosperity and security depend on the Pacific region remaining free and open.
To that end, the Biden-Harris Administration is elevating broader and deeper engagement with the Pacific Islands as a priority of its foreign policy. This national strategy, the first-ever from the U.S. government dedicated to the Pacific Islands, both reflects and advances that commitment. It supports the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States and is aligned with the goals of the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Strategy.
As part of its Pacific strategy, the United States will pursue four objectives:
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
I. A STRONG U.S.-PACIFIC ISLANDS PARTNERSHIP
The foundation of our engagement in the Pacific Islands must be strong ties between the United States and the Pacific Islands, individually and collectively. We will:
- Fulfill and Increase U.S. Commitments to the Pacific: We will fulfill our historical commitments and strengthen our enduring relationships with the full Pacific Islands region, including by:
- Successfully completing negotiations on the Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia
- Successfully concluding negotiations on the South Pacific Tuna Treaty Annex amendments and associated Economic Assistance Agreement for 2023 and beyond
- Build U.S. Capacity to Support the Pacific: The United States will demonstrate the level of diplomatic attention the Pacific deserves and position ourselves to best meet the needs of Pacific Island countries, including by:
- Expanding U.S. diplomatic missions from six to nine across the Pacific
- Deploying additional personnel across the Pacific
- Reestablishing a USAID mission in Fiji
II. A UNITED PACIFIC ISLANDS REGION CONNECTED WITH THE WORLD
The Pacific Islands region is stronger united, with the Pacific Islands Forum at its core. The Pacific Islands Forum provides a platform for Pacific Islands to speak with a common voice to drive Pacific priorities and engage other partners, including the United States ‑ a proud Dialogue Partner of the organization. We will coordinate with other nations and do so according to principles of Pacific regional cooperation, transparency, and accountability. We will:
- Bolster Pacific Regionalism and Elevate the Pacific in the Regional Architecture: The Pacific Islands are stronger when regional institutions are strong. The United States will continue to support the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), ensuring it remains at the center of the regional architecture. The U.S. will elevate its commitment to Pacific regionalism by:
- Appointing the first-ever U.S. envoy to the PIF
- Encouraging connectivity with existing multilateral groupings, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Quad
- Supporting other regional organizations
- Coordinate with Allies and Partners, within and beyond the region: The United States will continue to closely coordinate with our Allies and Partners to ensure our support for the Pacific Islands is effective and meets the needs of the people. We will prioritize consultation and coordination with the Pacific Islands and the PIF, including by:
- Bolstering the Partners in the Blue Pacific, an initiative among Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to better meet the needs of people across the Pacific
III. A RESILIENT PACIFIC ISLAND REGION PREPARED FOR THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND OTHER 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES
The Pacific Islands region faces daunting and mounting challenges. Chief among these challenges is the climate crisis, an existential threat to many Pacific Islands. The United States is committed to maintaining its global leadership in combatting the climate crisis, while partnering with the Pacific Islands in adapting to and managing the impacts of climate change on lives, health, and livelihoods. The region also faces challenges to security and sovereignty, including in the maritime domain. The Biden-Harris Administration will work in partnership with Pacific governments and people to ensure they have the autonomy and security to advance their own interests. We support the Pacific Islands as they guard against corruption and protect the dignity of Pacific Islanders. We will:
- Combat the Climate Crisis and Build Climate Resilience in the Pacific: Of all the 21st-century challenges we face, none is more pressing for the Pacific Islands region than climate change. We will collaborate with the Pacific Islands to tackle the climate crisis and limit its effects on the Pacific, including by:
- Striving to enhance the adaptive capacity and build upon the resilience of Pacific Islands to the devastating impacts of climate change through the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE)
- Collaborating with partners and international institutions to improve Pacific Island countries’ access to adaptation finance from multiple sources
- Driving action and supporting investment in climate mitigation in the region
- Support Marine Conservation, Maritime Security, and Sovereign Rights: The United States will support the Pacific Islands as they continue to shoulder the great responsibility of stewardship over the Blue Pacific Continent, including by:
- Increasing United States Coast Guard (USCG), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Department of Defense (DOD) presence
- Coordinating security cooperation and training with likeminded partners and with civil society
- Developing sustainable, climate resilient “blue” economies to sustainably manage Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), including fisheries and protected areas and coordinate security cooperation and training with other partners
- Support good governance and the human rights of all people: The Pacific Islands region is home to diverse democracies and participatory governance. The United States will continue supporting democracy, human rights, and good governance, including by:
- Building capacity among Pacific Island stakeholders in government, private sector, media, academia, and civil society
IV. EMPOWERED AND PROSPEROUS ISLANDERS
To fully empower the Pacific to capitalize on the opportunities of the 21st century, the United States is committed to increasing trade and investment with the Pacific Islands, including through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment; expanding people-to-people ties, including through the Peace Corps; increasing English-language programming and overall professional advancement; bolstering health architecture in the Pacific; and providing educational and development opportunities for Pacific Islanders, with a particular focus on women and youth.
- Create Economic Opportunities and Forge Connectivity: The United States will partner with the Pacific Islands and partners and allies to drive economic growth and prosperity regionally and globally. We will focus on key logistics, transportation, and technologies to enhance connectivity within the Pacific Islands region and with the world, including by:
- Collaborating with partners on submarine cable implementation and upgrades and other connectivity options
- Working with Pacific Island leaders to leverage private sector solutions to advance strategic projects and commercial priorities in the region.
- Bolster Health Architecture to Promote Health Security: The United States will partner with public-health experts and networks to improve how the region effectively prevents, detects, and responds to infectious disease threats, including by:
- Working to meet the COVID-19 vaccination needs of the region to lift the Pacific Islands out of the emergency phase of COVID-19
- Strengthening regional health security in preparation for future outbreaks
- Partner with Pacific Islanders to Strengthen People-to-People Ties and Seize 21st Century Opportunities. We will support Pacific Islands in their objective to ensure that everyone can realize their full potential including by:
- Offering enhanced educational experiences through student and professional exchange, enhanced curriculum, and the establishment of Pacific Studies programs in the United States
- Empowering Pacific youth through leadership development opportunities
- Returning Peace Corps volunteer presence to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and Vanuatu this year and actively exploring options for opening missions in other countries
The 16 page full partnership strategy PDF can be found here.
President Biden’s remarks are scheduled for 12:45 p.m. D.C., time.
His remarks from the U.S. Pacific Island Country Summit is Scheduled for 3:00 p.m. D.C., time.
There doesn’t seem to be a press briefing for today on the schedule. *shrug*.
When Wednesday’s post was posted, President Biden had tweeted 1 time. He added 9 tweets giving him a Wednesday Tweeting Total of 10 tweets and 0 retweets.
The YouTube is 34 minutes and 57 seconds long. President Biden begins his remarks at the 12 minute and 7 second mark. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden: (31:16) So just last week at the United Nations, I talked about the commitments we’re making to tackle food insecurity worldwide. Because in every country in the world and in every state in this country, no matter what else divides us, if a parent cannot feed a child, there’s nothing else that matters for that parent. If you look at your child and you can’t feed your child, what the hell else matters? (Applause.) I really mean it. Worldwide.
President Biden: (17:49) And here today we have advocates and activists — José Andrés — you’ve heard of him, haven’t you? (Applause.) La- — last time we hung out on the Ukrainian border in Poland. And leaders of business, labor, agriculture, faith, and philanthropy and — to achieve ambitious goals that I know we can do if we work together — I really do know we can do this: End hunger in this country by the year 2030 and lower the toll — (applause) — lower the toll that diet-related diseases takes on for too many Americans.
President Biden: (31:16) So just last week at the United Nations, I talked about the commitments we’re making to tackle food insecurity worldwide. Because in every country in the world and in every state in this country, no matter what else divides us, if a parent cannot feed a child, there’s nothing else that matters for that parent. If you look at your child and you can’t feed your child, what the hell else matters? (Applause.) I really mean it. Worldwide.
President Biden: (33:07) The task before us at this conference is the important work that follows and meeting this inflection point by nourishing the soul of America. America — in America, no child — no child should go to bed hungry. No parent — (applause) — no parent should die of a disease that can be prevented. (Applause.)
Semi-related to remarks:
President Biden: (18:35) Thirty years ago, as was referenced, 1 in 4 children lived below the poverty line. Today, 1 in 20 live below the poverty line. So I know we can take — tackle hunger as well. And I’ve released a national strategy to meet that bold goal. The strategy that — has three key — three key principles. First, help more Americans — I’ll say this again — help more Americans access the food that will keep their families nourished and healthy. A lot of food deserts out there. Second, give folks the option and information they need to make healthy dietary choices. Thirdly, help more Americans be physically active. People want to be; lots of times of times there’s no places to go to be active from where they live.
Not related to his remarks but related to ending hunger in America…
The fact-sheet on the; Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $8 Billion in New Commitments as Part of Call to Action for White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health can be found here.
The YouTube is 18 minutes and 17 seconds long. President Biden begins his remarks at the 8 minute and 16 second mark. His full remarks can be found here. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden opened the event, her remarks can be found here.
President Biden: America simply wasn’t built for all Americans. But we changed that. And now, for one in four Americans living with a disability in America, we changed the law. You know, it’s the key to equality, opportunity, and independence.
The White House posted the following readout:
The President met with members of his economic team – including the Secretaries of Treasury, Energy, and Labor and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers – for an update on global financial and energy markets. They reported that the United States economy remains resilient in the face of global challenges, thanks in part to the President’s economic plan, which has helped spur a historic recovery. The team discussed the need to continue to making progress in reducing prices and implementing the Administration’s once-in-a-generation fiscally responsible public investment plan in our infrastructure, manufacturing, and the clean energy transition. The President directed his team to stay in frequent touch with partners, allies, and key market actors, and to brief him regularly as conditions evolve.
White House.gov. 09/28/2022.
President Biden has tweeted…
He’s tweeted 2 times so far for Thursday.
The White House posted the following; President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Florida Disaster Declaration on September 29th.
Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Ian beginning on September 23, 2022, and continuing.
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and
Sarasota.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
Federal funding also is available to State, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal in the counties of Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota and emergency protective measures statewide. For a period of 30 days from the start of the incident period, assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, is authorized at 100 percent of the total eligible costs.
Lastly, Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.
Deanne Criswell, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Thomas J. McCool as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.
Damage assessments are continuing in other areas, and additional areas may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT THE FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV.
The White House posted the following readout:
The President spoke this morning with Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida to discuss the steps the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to support Florida in response to Hurricane Ian, including the issuance of a Disaster Declaration this morning. The President told the Governor he is sending his FEMA Administrator to Florida tomorrow to check in on response efforts and see where additional support is needed. The President and Governor committed to continued close coordination.
White House.gov. 09/29/2022.
This is an Open Thread.
And with that I’m out for a week…
I’ll catch y’all in the comments (not tomorrow) but after that…
Have a great Friday and Weekend everyone!
