U. S. offered to conclude deal to provide assistance to 3 island countries
2022.12.08 19:15
U. S. offered to conclude deal to provide assistance to 3 island countries
By Tiffany Smith
Budrigannews.com – A State Department official told Reuters on Thursday that the United States hopes to reach an agreement on “top line” numbers for aid to three Pacific island nations by the end of the year. These negotiations are crucial to protecting the United States’ strategic interests in a region that China is interested in.
In the 1980s, the United States of America signed Compacts of Free Association, or COFAs, with the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and Palau. These sovereign nations allowed the United States exclusive access to vast swaths of the Pacific and maintained responsibility for their defense.
The Marshall Islands, FSM, and Palau’s COFA provisions will expire in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Despite the island nations’ continued close ties to Washington, critics warn that if new terms for economic aid are not agreed upon, they may turn to China for funding or increased trade and tourism.
At a summit in September, President Joe Biden’s administration pledged to try to reach agreements by the end of the year, despite the nations’ complaints that assistance has not kept up with U.S. obligations.
A representative of the United States State Department stated to Reuters, “We’re not talking about signing final agreement texts by the end of the year.” We want to reach a good, unanimous agreement on what the top-line assistance would be.”
The official said that Washington hoped to reach agreements with all three nations by the end of the year or early next year, but he wouldn’t say how much money was being discussed.
According to a source with knowledge of the discussions, the figures may include hundreds of millions of dollars in annual assistance distributed among the three COFA nations, though the amounts may vary by year and purpose.
Even though the islands’ strategic value in light of China’s growing influence has significantly increased since the COFAs were last amended nearly two decades ago, this would be an increase from the funding that is currently in place.
Marshall Islanders are as yet tormented by the wellbeing and natural impacts of the 67 U.S. atomic bomb tests there from 1946 to 1958, which notwithstanding “Palace Bravo” at Swimsuit Atoll in 1954 – the biggest U.S. bomb at any point exploded.
A State Department official stated that Washington was “exploring a variety of areas in which the United States might provide broad assistance” to address ongoing needs, despite the fact that Washington has already reached a full and final settlement for the nuclear legacy under previous agreements.
The U.S. official responded that there had been long-term discussions about it within the U.S. government when asked if Washington would consider issuing a formal apology to the Marshall Islands for the effects of the nuclear tests.
The official stated, without providing additional details, “I think it’s something that we think about regularly and discuss internally.”
