The US will open its Embassy in Port Vila, Vanuatu on Friday, July 19, 2024, according to DailyPost. The opening of embassy is a historic milestone in US-Vanuatu relations.
The United States currently maintains diplomatic relations with the Government of Vanuatu but does not have an embassy in Vanuatu since 1986. The Charge d’Affaires, ad interim, in Port Moresby is accredited to Vanuatu and regularly travels to Vanuatu.
In March 2023, the State department announced intent to open US embassy in Port Vila, to further strengthen the bilateral relationship, the U.S. Department of State has conveyed the U.S. intent to the Ni-Vanuatu Government to open an embassy in the Republic of Vanuatu, subject to Congressional notification.
“Consistent with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, a permanent diplomatic presence in Vanuatu would allow the U.S. Government to deepen relationships with Ni-Vanuatu officials and society. Establishing U.S. Embassy Port Vila would facilitate areas of potential bilateral cooperation and development assistance, including efforts to tackle the climate crisis.”
– State Department
The U.S. and Vanuatu established diplomatic relations in 1986, six years after Vanuatu’s independence from France and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea is also accredited to Vanuatu. U.S. representation is handled by the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea.
Peace Corps maintains a country office in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The U.S. and Vanuatu share a commitment to strengthening democracy, enhancing security, and promoting development. In 2016, the U.S. and Vanuatu signed an historic law enforcement accord that includes a ship rider agreement, providing our two countries a critical mechanism for cooperation on the reduction of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the enhancement of maritime law enforcement. U.S. military ships regularly call on ports in Vanuatu to engage in training and exchanges with the Vanuatu Police Force.
