The United States Agency of International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power will be travelling to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in early August; she will be here from August 12-14, 2023. Her visit was announced by Prime Minister James Marape during a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin recently. Administrator Power leads USAID’s global efforts to respond to the world’s most pressing development challenges, such as the climate crisis, food insecurity, and extreme poverty, while strengthening democracies, furthering women’s empowerment, and bolstering economies. Marape also stated that Administrator Power also helps to advise and assist U.S. President Biden as part of the National Security Council, the President's principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters. “Administrator Power is the third high level American official to visit PNG this year, following U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s visit in May and Secretary Austin’s visit last week.” “These successive visits underscore the United States’ commitment to PNG.” “Delivering on President Biden’s promise at the 2022 U.S.-Pacific Islands Summit, Administrator Power will officially elevate USAID’s presence in Port Moresby to a Country Representative Office covering PNG, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.” Marape also added that in addition to the launch event, Administrator Power will visit USAID project sites and participate in a range of high-level meetings and public events with government officials, USAID partners, USAID staff and other U.S. Embassy personnel. “Power will also visit local leaders and communities including women and youth and will also visit private sector partners and meet with media representatives too.” USAID is significantly increasing their presence, programming, and partnerships in Pacific Island countries and deepening their engagement on shared priorities. Building on more than four decades of partnership, USAID works to advance the economic and social development goals of PNG, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.