Amata Takes Part in Speaker’s Luncheon with Pacific Leaders at US Capitol
Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata joined Pacific leaders in the U.S. Capitol for a working luncheon hosted by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Pacific Islands Forum leaders are 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.
Speaker Pelosi, Samoan PM Fiame, CW, Micronesia President David Panuelo
“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.”
Australian Ambassador Sinodinos, Tongan PM Siaosi Sovaleni, Rep. Steve Chabot, Amata
Amata, who is co-chairman of the Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus, earlier this month also spoke at the Pacific Island Conference of Leaders (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 this week, 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, Governor 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.
See more photos here.
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