US Under Secretary of State to visit Australia and South Pacific.
The U.S. Under Secretary of State, Liz Allen, is embarking on an exciting journey to Australia and multiple Pacific nations over the next week.
Get ready for an adventure as she visits Nadi, Fiji; Port Vila, Vanuatu; Sydney, Australia; and Santiago, Chili.
Ms. Allen’s mission is to strengthen U.S. ties with key Pacific Island partners during her visit to the region.
“The Under Secretary’s visit will demonstrate the United States’ ongoing commitment to key partners in the Pacific and South America; support open and free media environments; counter foreign malign influence; and strengthen and expand people-to-people ties,” a spokesperson for Ms. Allen said.
Prepare to join Under Secretary Allen on her journey, starting in Fiji, where she plans to meet with local partners and alumni of U.S. exchange programs.
Ms. Allen, a former communications director to Vice President Kamala Harris and a distinguished member of the Obama administration, was appointed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the position of Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs on April 4, 2022.
After Fiji, Ms. Allen’s next stop is Port Vila, Vanuatu, where she will engage with government officials to strengthen the U.S. and Vanuatu relationship ahead of the opening of the new U.S. embassy.
In Sydney, Australia, get ready for an exciting lineup of events as Ms. Allen provides the opening remarks at the launch of a Digital Communication Network (DCN) hub, meets with foreign affairs officials, and connects with the National Indigenous Culinary Institute.
“She will also meet with senior Australian public diplomacy officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, local subject matter experts, and students to discuss methods for countering foreign malign influence, opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, and increasing research partnerships and collaboration in AUKUS-related cutting-edge fields,” a spokesperson for Ms. Allen said.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) this morning, Ms. Allen expressed her excitement about engaging with Pacific friends from Oct. 11-18.
“We’ll discuss our shared efforts across the region to boost press freedom, counter foreign malign influence, and strengthen our exchange alumni networks,” Ms. Allen said.
Significant Experience
Ms. Allen brings a wealth of experience to her current role, having worked for seven years in the Obama-Biden administration and as a partner at strategic advisory company FGS Global.
During the 2020 presidential campaign, Ms. Allen served as communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Strengthening Pacific Ties
U.S. officials have been actively building ties with the Pacific region this year, with multiple senior officials paying visits to the region.
The current tour of the region follows Mr. Blinken travelling to the Pacific Islands in May.
“We’re strengthening our partnerships on public health, the climate crisis, economic growth, and other key regional priorities that respond to people’s needs and expectations,” Mr. Blinken said at a Pacific Islands Forum Dialogue in Papua New Guinea.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin also made his eighth trip to the Indo-Pacific region in July, including his first-ever visit to Papua New Guinea.
The visits from U.S. officials come after Beijing has been actively building ties and exerting its influence in the Pacific, including Solomon Islands signing a security pact with Beijing in 2022.
E and Role of Liz Allen
Liz Allen, the Under Secretary of State in the United States, is embarking on an exciting journey to Australia and multiple Pacific nations over the next week. Her mission is to strengthen U.S. ties with key Pacific Island partners during her visit to the region. Ms. Allen, a former communications director to Vice President Kamala Harris and a distinguished member of the Obama administration, was appointed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the position of Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs on April 4, 2022. With her extensive experience in communications and public affairs, Ms. Allen is well-equipped to fulfill her role in enhancing diplomatic connections between the United States and its Pacific partners. Prepare to join Under Secretary Allen on her journey, starting in Fiji, where she plans to meet with local partners and alumni of U.S. exchange programs. This visit will serve as a demonstration of the United States’ ongoing commitment to key partners in the Pacific. It will also support open and free media environments, counter foreign malign influence, and strengthen and expand people-to-people ties. After Fiji, Ms. Allen’s next stop is Port Vila, Vanuatu, where she will engage with government officials to strengthen the UMs. Allen’s Journey
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