Diplomacy with the Pacific Islands at an event in washington, d. C. She talks about increasing u. S. Engagement to build longterm relationships with Pacific Island nations. And how the United Nations in congress can support programs in the region. This is 50 minutes. Just a word of introduction, but charlie is going to do that, really. Im glad to see all of you here. When i was talking with charlie i thought having a program on a monday afternoon that is about the Pacific Islands will we get anybody to come . He said, yeah, people are interested, and im most impressed that you, ambassador, are so interested. A welcome to every are enrolled for the assistant commandant for response policy for a by rear admiral for the city, not for response policy. Mario i hope i didnt pronounce that improperly. Charged a affairs for papa new guinea. The assistant Deputy Assistant ustr for Southeast Asia. And the staff director for the House Foreign Affairs committee. Thank you all for coming. I just have to share a little story. I was talking with ambassador thomasgreenfield, and she said something that i think is both true and an insight into her character. She said when im on the floor the general simply, im representing the United States, but everyone else sitting there is my equal. That is a testament to how she views her mission. She views them as equals, there is no superiority think in her mind. And that is very refreshing. I cant say that is typical among american foreignpolicy elites, but it is welcome, and its a testament to your character. I think it comes from 35 really distinguish years in the foreign service, becoming a master to liberia becoming ambassador to liberia. I dont know how the president talk to out of public life to go back and now you are representative to the u. N. That is the only ambassador that gets invited into the embassy outside of the secretary of state. Only the ambassador to the you and you to the u. N. Gets invited. Its a testament to her character. Let me turn to dr. Charles edel, who will build a formal introduction foot you will do the formal introduction. I didnt want to miss the opportunity to greet you and thank you for coming. Charlie. [applause] charles thank you very much, dr. Hamre, and thank you especially, ambassador thomasgreenfield, for joining us today. Im charles edel, australia chair at csis. Given the ambassadors wide range of experience in Foreign Policy and National Security, it hardly comes as a surprise that the president asked her to go to the Pacific Islands forum this past fall to represent the United States there and have presence for the United States in the pacific. Look, i should say that on the one hand, there is absolutely nothing new about that. For most of american history, the United States has been deeply engaged in the pacific. I wont give you too much of a history lesson, but starting in the 1780s, american commercial ships were plowing through and across the pacific. By the time you got to the 19th century, wed expended that commercial presence to include diplomatic and naval engagement across the pacific, and it hardly needs saying that americas presence and engagement in the pacific was felled deeply throughout the 20th century. But, and there is a but here, over the last several decades american focus on and attention to the pacific has atrophied. You can see signs that this is clearly changing. The Biden Administration believes its firstever pacific partner strategy. The white house has hosted leaders from all the Pacific Islands at the white house not once, but twice in 2022 and 2023. We are in the process of opening new u. S. Embassies across the pacific. We have pushed out the firstever u. S. Ambassador to the Pacific Island forum. Were seeing an increase in both coast guard and peace corps presence in the pacific where they had not been the previous several decades. And perhaps most significant, congress has no fund now fun ded are compacted for Free Association with the Marshall Islands and the federated states of micronesia. However, and this is the most important one, this is just the start. And to discuss the importance of u. S. Efforts, to walk us through what we should expect to come next, im thrilled to welcome ambassador thomasgreenfield to csis. The ambassador will offer initial comments come after which my colleague kathryn paik, senior fellow with the australia chair and former director of the pacific in Southeast Asia at nsc, will run her through a conversation, after which point we will open the conversation up. Ambassador, we know how extraordinarily busy your schedule is, and really want to think you not only thank you not only for taking the time to come to csis, but for taking the time to talk about an extremely vital and important part of the world. Ambassador . [applause] amb. Thomasgreenfield good afternoon, everyone. Its really great to be here with you. Let me start by thanking john and charlie for the warm welcome , and thank you to everyone at csis, the whole team for having me here today. Last november i had the privilege of leading a high level interagency delegation to the Pacific Islands meeting in the cook islands. I will admit here that i had to look at where the cook islands was on the map. I have a huge map in my office and it was actually off the map, because it is so far. But i learned that the largest and most populous of the islands, no building can be taller than a coconut tree. And that is a true fact. I gained a new appreciation of the vastness and the isolation of the pacific and the Important Message it sends when we take the time and make the effort to actually show up. Most of all, i learned of the stories of so many extraordinary Pacific Islanders, leaders and Community Members who like all of us want to build better lives for their children and benefit from Sustainable Development in the region. Who are worried about clement change in how i Climate Change and how it might wreak havoc on their livelihoods and their childrens futures. And you have already felt the effects of this exit and who have already felt the effects of this existential global challenge. Im proud i was able to tell them facetoface that the United States is standing with them, we are standing for them, and that we have their backs. My visit was the first of its kind since the u. S. Established diplomatic relationships with the cook islands and recognized them as a sovereign, independent states. During my time there i was able to reaffirm the United States plan for empowering communities like the ones i met with and the 2. 3 million Pacific Islanders in the region. After all, the United States is a pacific nation as well. We share unique, longstanding history with the Pacific Islands. We have robust peopletopeople ties that span generations. In our Economic Prosperity and nationals equity are inextricably linked. And our economic asperity and National Security are inextricably linked. The Biden Administration realizes we cannot take these vital relationships for granted. Since day one we have worked to strengthen the ties that bind us. That includes passage of the context of Free Association amendment act. This amendment will fully fund 7. 1 billion in new assistants over the next two decades, helping the nations to provide essential Government Services like health care, education, infrastructure, and Capacity Building. We will continue to make good on our commitment to strengthen our relationships in the pacific and invest in the people. Of course, cofa is one aspect of a broader approach. We also developed the first ever u. S. Strategy for the Pacific Islands and continued to strengthen our support for the regions priorities outlined in the Pacific IslandsForum Strategy for the blue pacific continent. We are extending our diplomatic and developing presence in the region with new embassies, expanded usaid footprint, and the return of peace corps volunteers to a number of islands in the region. In fact, when i took my trip, the head of peace corps and a usaid representative for part of my delegation. We are deepening highlevel engagements including with President Biden himself we are bolstering the pacific regional architecture and deepening our cooperation with the Pacific Island forum, because we know this region is strongest when it is united for. And we are working closely with likeminded partners to enhance digital connectivity in the region. Since the first summit, the u. S. Has announced more than 8 billion u. S. Dollars in new funding for the Pacific Islands, and robust new programs to address Climate Change, maritime security, gender equity, and more. Together these actions reflect incredible progress we have made together, deepening our diplomatic relationships, development of partnerships, and Security Cooperation with the pacific. And they paint a picture for the future of the u. S. Pacific relationship. Over the next year our goal is to continue implementing and delivering on the commitments we have made in the past three years, to demonstrate through our words and action are Enduring Partnership with the region and its people, and our commitment to elevating the voices of the pacific as we address share challenges. Meeting this moment takes a Robust Network of partners, and i am proud of the network we have created to that end. Later this month i will headed to east asia to meet with stakeholders in person, where we will discuss among other things our shared priorities around nuclear nonproliferation, closing digital divides, and our work in the Security Council including to support the region. We also look forward to supporting Pacific Island countries throughout preparations and through our preparations and bit his omission fourth conference on small developing island states at the end of may. This will be a once in a decade opportunity to bring together diverse stakeholders, to build partnerships, and make new commitments. In the meantime im excited to have the opportunity to sit down with all of you, with kathryn today, and talk about where we have been, where we are going, and how we get there together. I think you offer your attention, and i look forward to our conversation i thank you all for your attention, and i look forward to our conversation. [applause] kathryn thank you, ambassador, for your work. As a reminder for our audience here and online, you can continue to submit questions via the submit questions now button on our event webpage, csis. Org under the australia chair on the event page. Ambassador, thank you so much for talking through some of the major muscle movements that have been made over the last couple years under this administration. As dr. Edel said, there has been a ramp up in u. S. Engagement in the pacific. Part of this rampup has been a plethora promises from this administration, new embassies, as you said, banking, investment, Climate Change. Having been out to the pacific and heard from the pacific leaders and talked to them, where do you think the u. S. Should be prioritizing as we look ahead . Amb. Thomasgreenfield thats an excellent question, and the question i was asked by the Pacific Islanders when i was there, because what they said to me as we are used to you guys showing up once. We are used to you paying a moment of attention to us. But what we need to know is is this is this a commitment . Are we going to see you again . Is it more than just showing up . Are you going to honor all of the commitments that you have made . I was able to assure them that we were, that our intention was for a longterm relationship. The cofa funding is i think the first indication of that, because its funding for two decades. That was just passed through congress, and for members of congress and staff who are in the audience, i want to thank you for that, because that was an extraordinary commitment that actually showed the Pacific Island nations that we are in this for the longterm. Kathryn absolutely. One of the key tenets of the strategy mentioned is to amplify pacific voices on the international stage, something you are uniquely positioned to see. The Pacific Island nations are very vocal at the United Nations, promoting issues that are very critical to them, such as maintaining maritime boundaries with Sea Level Rise damage due to Climate Change. Can you give us a little of your thoughts on where those subjects lie in the u. S. System, and how we can best work through the u. N. To amplify those voices . Amb. Thomasgreenfield its a high priority for us and its a high priority at the highest levels of the was government. The president has been engaging on pacific and issues during his administration, i think is a clear representation of how committed we are to amplifying their voices. In new york, i have a very unique purge, because i can meet unique perch, because i can meet with all of these countries all at once. Ive had several meetings with groupings of the Pacific Island countries. Ive met with other groupings where we have committed as a group to meet with Pacific Island countries. We have the quad that includes japan, australia, and india. We met recently and agreed that it was important that as a group we also engage, because they are equally engaged on these issues. And i think this is a commitment that will be reflected in all of the work that we do in the future. We recognize it is about their sovereignty as sea levels rise, that they will still exist as a nation regardless of what happens to their islands because of Climate Change. Weve made a commitment to the 1. 5 celsius increase, and they have heard us and they are holding us to that commitment, and we are continuing to maintain our commitments to all of them. So, we have a long way to go, but we have gone a long way already, and i think that that commitment is showing in the efforts we are making right now. Kathryn one of the concerns that the United States and likeminded partners often express is that chinese efforts in the pacific are going against many of Pacific Island equities that they may have. Of course, u. S. Interests in the pacific is not just because of global competition, but that is a factor that the Pacific Islands are very aware of. Im curious your thoughts from the u. N. Perspective, what you see on the ground in terms of chinese and other efforts to countermand the international rulesbased order that benefit the pacific, and how you work with the Pacific Island and other countries to combat that. Amb. Thomasgreenfield its a huge problem that we have encountered specifically in new york, but i think its a global problem as well, where the chinese have made a very concerted, forceful effort to kind of rewrite the rules of the road to reflect its own vision of what they see as the future, and including putting in inserting in u. N. Documents issues that go against the core values that we have and the core values that many of these countries have. But what we have been clear on, and i made that statement as well when i was in the cook islands, is that we are not trying to force countries to choose between us and china. What were are doing is giving them a choice to make. Many countries will say we are forced into these relationships because we dont have other choices. We are giving them those other choices, and those other choices mean having the u. S. Have their backs, having the u. S. Standing with them sidebyside as they address the challenges that china is forcing upon them. Kathryn thank you. I would like to go to some of our audience questions that have come in. People can continue to submit those during the conversation. Jessica stone from voa news asks , some Pacific Island leaders would say there is a trusted deficit when it comes to the United States in terms of attention to the region. How are you using your role at the u. N. To improve relationships between washington and the Pacific Islands and to prepare u. S. Diplomats who are heading to the region to understand the priorities of the region . Amb. Thomasgreenfield you know, thats, again, a question i was asked by leaders when i met with them. Our comm