Tuvalu, Polynesia - A high-level U.S. government delegation comprised of senior officials from the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration will attend the 31st Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Session with Forum Dialogue Partners on August 16, 2019 in Tuvalu. The delegation will be led by Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt.

The visit will emphasize our enduring commitment to the Pacific Islands and our close partnership with this key part of the Indo-Pacific region on issues such as sustainable economic growth and prosperity, ensuring regional stability, and addressing global concerns.

The U.S. delegation will host a breakfast roundtable with Pacific Islands Forum leaders on August 16, 2019. Members of the U.S. delegation will also conduct bilateral consultations with heads of state of Pacific Islands Forum members and other senior foreign officials.

The PIF will provide a forum for the U.S., Pacific Islands leaders, and other Forum Dialogue Partners to discuss issues of regional and global importance including regional security cooperation, the global DPRK pressure campaign, building resilience to environmental security challenges, combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and sustainable economic development.

Follow Secretary Bernhardt on Twitter at @SecBernhardt and the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at @USAsiaPacific for updates on U.S. participation in the Pacific Islands Forum 2019.