WASHINGTON, D.C. (Office of the American Samoa Delegate to the U.S. Congress) — On Thursday, U.S. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa joined Pacific leaders on Capitol Hill for a working luncheon hosted by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Pacific Islands Forum leaders were in Washington for their meeting with President Biden and other U.S. officials — the first time a Pacific Countries Summit was hosted in Washington, although the first such summit attended by a U.S. president was held in Honolulu in October 1990 where President George H.W. Bush gave concluding remarks. Amata participated in that summit as an adviser to and in support of the U.S. delegation.
“I’m delighted these leaders of our many friends in the Pacific were able to join key members of Congress today to emphasize their previous efforts in meetings with President Biden and the U.N.,” said Aumua Amata. “These are important U.S. partnerships with shared issues ranging from trade to security, and we all seek stability and prosperity throughout the Pacific. I am confident Pacific leaders will go back to their home islands knowing this was a productive trip.”
Amata, who is co-chai of the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, earlier this month also spoke at the Pacific Island Conference of Leaders or PICL, a three-day gathering held at the East-West Center in Honolulu that brought together heads of government of Pacific Islands Forum countries, French, American and New Zealand territories, and the state of Hawaii. These country leaders went on from Honolulu to New York City to speak to the U.N. General Assembly, then to Washington. In her address, she urged leaders to use their unprecedented leverage to hold China accountable on climate change and not to support Russia in its war on Ukraine.
While in Washington, President of the Federated States of Micronesia David Panuelo delivered the Peter Tali Coleman Lecture at the Georgetown University Center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies, which Amata attended and introduced President Panuelo. As a founding member, the late American Samoa Gov. Pete Tali Coleman was one of the driving forces in the creation of PICL, currently chaired by President Panuelo. In recent diplomacy, President Panuelo wrote a pivotal letter to his Forum colleagues cautioning against People’s Republic of China efforts to forge a regional security treaty.
Amata continues to support these leaders in their efforts to convey “whole-of-region” views on Pacific issues, while encouraging U.S. commitment and involvement in the region, including the completion of renewed Compacts of Free Association to the shared benefit of the U.S. and the Freely Associated States.
Joint statement
In related news, U.S. Reps. Ami Bera, M.D., D-CA, Ed Case, D-HI, Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen, R-AS, and Brad Sherman, D-CA, all co-chairs of the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, released the following statement on the U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit held in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 28-29, 2022:
“We applaud President Biden for hosting the first ever U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit in Washington, D.C. The Biden Administration’s continued high-level engagement with our allies and partners in the Pacific further demonstrates our commitment to jointly advancing the security and prosperity of this vital region.
“As a proud Pacific nation, the United States has a long partnership with Pacific Island countries rooted in our shared history, democratic values, and enduring people-to-people ties. We must continue partnering with the region to confront current and future shared challenges, including by strengthening climate resilience, enhancing maritime security, and promoting economic recovery.
“As leaders of the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, we will continue working in a bipartisan manner to elevate this crucial region in American foreign policy and to further strengthen ties with Pacific Island countries to advance a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
Australian Ambassador Arthur Sinodinos, Tongan Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni, U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio and U.S. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Samoan Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa, U.S. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata of American Samoa and Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo.
