GIFF JOHNSON
There were three major outcomes of the high-level United States government visit to Majuro last week.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo led a delegation for an overnight visit to Majuro that included talks with President Hilda Heine and her Cabinet, tours of fisheries operations, and an interview with Power 103.5FM radio.
The major outcomes:
- The State Department said, working with the US Congress, it will provide $13 million for rebuilding Nitijela and partnering with Taiwan, which had earlier committed over $30 million for a new capital building. “This investment reflects the US commitment to helping RMI rebound from this tragedy,” said the US Embassy in a statement.
- The State Department plans to provide a state-of-the-art firetruck to address major safety concerns in Majuro, which had only the airport fire truck in operation for many months, including during the Nitijela fire. In addition, the US Department of Agriculture will fund repairs to existing equipment and purchase safety gear for first responders, the Embassy’s release said.
- In coordination with Taiwan and the RMI, the State Department is providing $8.3 million to help replace Air Marshall Islands’ aging fleet and provide disaster relief capacity and connectivity to outer islands, including Kwajalein Atoll, where the US has critical military assets.
“The United States reaffirms its enduring partnership with the RMI, grounded in shared values, mutual respect, and a commitment to regional security and prosperity,” said the US Embassy statement wrapping up the visit by Landau and Paparo.
The US statement emphasized that the “US-RMI relationship is reflected by the Compact of Free Association (COFA), which has helped both nations deepen a close bilateral relationship based on shared values and strong ties. Implementation of the recently amended COFA is underway, with notable benchmarks reached in recent months such as jointly approving trust fund distributions for Marshallese citizens and working towards a strategic plan for the use of Compact-related grants in sectors such as health, education, and infrastructure.”
Through joint work, the US and RMI governments developed “plans for the use of approximately $100 million in economic assistance grants and Trust Fund distributions in a major step towards ensuring that the Compact will support and benefit the people of the Marshall Islands and the United States,” the US said.