Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel and Fiji’s ambassador to the US, Ilisoni Vuidreketi, are participating in the two-day US-Pacific Investment Summit underway at the East-West Centre’s Auditorium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The summit, themed “The Pacific Agenda: Investment, Security and Shared Prosperity,” officially began yesterday and is co-hosted by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
This important meeting aims to foster collective economic priorities in the Pacific region while fortifying strategic ties with the United States. Pacific leaders are set to engage in roundtable discussions with senior US officials and private sector executives, focusing on unlocking new investment opportunities, enhancing economic collaboration, and reinforcing regional resilience.
In his opening address, Solomon Islands Prime Minister and Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) chair Jeremiah Manele emphasized the importance of transparent, respectful, and long-term commitments to achieving impactful, people-centered development in the region. Manele stated, “We seek targeted, effective, and sustainable partnerships that can drive the advancement of our regional priorities as outlined in the Leaders Policy on Partnerships.”
He further noted that the future prosperity of the Pacific region will increasingly rely on not just governmental efforts, but also on the dynamism, innovation, and resilience fostered through collaborative investment and security initiatives.
Additionally, ten Pacific island journalists are attending the summit as part of the East-West Centre’s fellowship program, highlighting the event’s focus on inclusivity and the importance of varied perspectives in discussions about the Pacific’s future.
The summit is set to conclude tomorrow, leaving an optimistic outlook for strengthened partnerships and opportunities for growth in the Pacific Islands.