President Surangel Whipps Jr. will be meeting United States President Joe Biden next week in Washington D.C., the first meeting of Pacific Island leaders called for by the President of the United States.
The meeting indicates the level of priority the United States Government places on the Pacific island countries.
The United States demonstrated its interest and commitment to the Pacific at the recent Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders held recently in Hawaii by bringing in a high-level delegation reporting on the multitude of engagements conducted with Pacific Island countries.
Palau, along with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, has a special relationship with the United States through the Compacts, which is noted and specifically addressed within the US Indo-Pacific Strategy.
In the address given at the 77th UNGA, Minister of State Gustav Aitaro reported the ongoing Compact Review with the United States, saying that Palau needs better financial and programmatic assistance from the United States for the term of the Compact.
At the meeting, it is expected that the United States will highlight ongoing engagements in the Pacific with Pacific Island countries. The United States will also announce plans to increase its engagement and support within the Pacific in the coming years.