US Department of State: Biden administration confident in reaching a strategic agreement with the Marshall Islands

During a testimony to the US Congress on Tuesday, a senior official from the Department of State expressed confidence in reaching a strategic agreement with the Marshall Islands. The foreign minister of the Pacific island nation had called for increased financial support from the US to address the aftermath of extensive US nuclear testing, which would enable the extension of the Compact of Free Association (COFA) that governs bilateral relations between the two countries.

Assistant Secretary Daniel Kritenbrink assured a subcommittee of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee that the Biden administration was fully committed to reaching an agreement with the Marshall Islands. He emphasized the importance of such agreements, stating that they are central to the US position in the Pacific. However, he refrained from providing further details about the ongoing negotiations, only expressing confidence in their successful outcome.

COFAs cover the Marshall Islands and two other Pacific island nations, granting the US responsibility for their defense and providing economic assistance while allowing exclusive access to strategically important areas in the Pacific.

In May, the US announced the finalization of COFA terms with Micronesia and Palau. However, negotiations with the Marshall Islands are still ongoing and have yet to result in an agreement.

The renewal of the COFA, contingent upon approval from Congress, has become a crucial aspect of US efforts to bolster its influence in the region. China’s assertive actions to gain influence in the traditionally Australian and New Zealand-dominated region have alarmed Western powers, including the US, prompting them to intensify their engagement with Pacific Island nations.

Under memorandums of understanding reached this year, the US has committed to providing a total of $7.1 billion over 20 years to the three nations.

The people of the Marshall Islands continue to face health and environmental challenges resulting from the 67 US nuclear bomb tests conducted from 1946 to 1958, including the “Castle Bravo” test in 1954, which was the largest US bomb ever detonated, conducted at Bikini Atoll.