U.S. President Joe Biden poses with leaders from the U.S.- Pacific Island Country Summit, New Caledonia's President Louis Mapou, Tonga's Prime Minister Hu'akavemeiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr., Tuvalu's Prime Minister Kausea Natano, Federated States of Micronesia's President David Panuelo, Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape, Marshall Islands President David Kabua, Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, French Polynesia's President Edouard Fritch and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown at the White House in Washington, U.S. September 29, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will host a second summit with leaders of Pacific island nations in September, Joseph Yun, the U.S. official responsible to negotiations with three key Pacific island states said on Thursday.
U.S. official have said the summit is expected to take place around the time of the U.N. General Assembly meetings in New York in September.
Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said in May Biden would arrange another summit of Pacific island leaders this year after the disappointment caused by his cancellation of a visit to Papua New Guinea due to the domestic debt ceiling crisis. Biden hosted a first summit with the leaders last year.
"He has committed holding a second Summit in September this year," Yun told an event hosted by the Heritage Foundation think tank.
(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Trevor Hunnicutt)
