The Center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Studies hosted the Pacific Islands Roundtable, bringing together participants from the US Congress, Oceania embassies, international organizations and the US Departments of State, Defense, and Interior, as well as representatives from academia and think tanks. Participants focused on the interplay between security and development.
Both H.Res.1157 – Reaffirming the strong commitment of the United States to the countries and territories of the Pacific Islands region, and the address by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters (cosponsored by the Center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Islands Studies and the New Zealand embassy) raised the dual concerns around security and development in the Pacific. At the Pacific Islands Roundtable participants followed up these concerned as they canvassed a wide range of issues. Central to the discussions was a concern with building robust partnerships that can create opportunities and overcome obstacles.