Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel, along with Fiji’s ambassador to the US, Ilisoni Vuidreketi, are currently participating in a two-day US-Pacific Investment Summit at the East-West Centre’s Auditorium in Honolulu, Hawaii. This event, themed “The Pacific Agenda: Investment, Security and Shared Prosperity,” commenced yesterday and is co-hosted by US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command.
The summit aims to enhance economic priorities within the Pacific region and strengthen ties with the United States. Leaders from across the Pacific are engaging in roundtable discussions with senior US officials and executives from the private sector, focusing on unlocking new investment opportunities, enhancing economic collaboration, and reinforcing regional resilience.
In his opening remarks, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, who chairs the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), underscored the necessity of transparent and long-term commitments for achieving sustainable, people-centered development in the region. He called for targeted and effective partnerships that align with regional priorities, as delineated in the Leaders Policy on Partnerships.
Manele emphasized that the future prosperity of the Pacific depends not only on governmental actions but also on the dynamism, innovation, and resilience that come from collaborative investment and security initiatives.
Moreover, ten Pacific island journalists are attending the summit as part of the East-West Centre’s fellowship program. Their involvement underlines the summit’s commitment to inclusivity and the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping the discussions about the Pacific’s future.
As the summit approaches its conclusion tomorrow, it leaves participants with a hopeful outlook for enhanced partnerships and growth opportunities in the Pacific Islands. This gathering signifies a significant step towards fostering collaboration and investment that could benefit the region in the years to come.