The U.S. Department of State (DoS) announced this week that Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau and Commander of the U.S Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Adm. Samuel J. Paparo’s itinerary to Hawaii, Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa will co-host The Pacific Agenda: Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will travel to Hawaii, Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa from February 22 to March 2, 2026,” The State Department’s Office of the Spokesperson revealed in a statement.
Deputy Secretary Landau will meet with several “leaders from the Pacific Islands and U.S. business executives to encourage American investment in the Pacific Islands.” “He will also meet with like-minded partners and allies to coordinate regional investment efforts,” the statement adds.
The summit emphasizes the Trump administration’s "America First" approach by encouraging “commercial diplomacy, strengthening U.S. partnerships with Pacific Island countries and territories, and expanding collaboration in critical industries.”
After the Summit, Deputy Secretary Landau will go to the South Pacific for official conferences in the aforementioned nations, in which “he will highlight commercial initiatives and reaffirm the strong and enduring ties between the United States and Pacific island nations, including through meetings with traditional leaders.”
The Summit is billed as “a senior-level, invitation-only forum designed to advance viable investment across the Pacific.” It aims to bring together US government officials, private-sector representatives, and leaders from the Pacific Islands while promoting investment opportunities in the region.
According to the East-West Center in Hawaii, “The Summit is guided by the principle that lasting economic development and regional security are best achieved through private sector–driven growth, with governments playing a focused and enabling role.”
