Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell traveled to Vanuatu on August 29 to dedicate the U.S. Embassy in Port Vila. His visit underscored shared priorities and bilateral initiatives, including climate resiliency, healthcare, and cultural heritage preservation.

On August 29, Deputy Secretary Campbell participated in the dedication ceremony for the opening of Embassy Port Vila, the United States’ newest embassy. Senior ni-Vanuatu government officials, local alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, and members of the diplomatic corps attended the ceremony.

Deputy Secretary Campbell also visited Port Vila Central Hospital to tour its new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which opened in July 2024 following a $210,000 Peace Corps contribution and joint efforts by the governments of the United States, Vanuatu, Japan, and Australia. He met with Peace Corps Volunteers at the hospital who returned to Vanuatu in July 2024 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the Vanuatu Cultural Center, Deputy Secretary Campbell participated in an Artifacts Repatriation Ceremony commemorating the return of Vanuatu cultural artifacts facilitated by coordination between the Department of State, FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, and FedEx.

Deputy Secretary Campbell’s visit further strengthened U.S.-Vanuatu relations by building on momentum from events such as the September 2023 U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Summit in Washington D.C., the opening of Embassy Port Vila in July 2024, and his participation in the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting on August 28 in Nuku‘alofa, Tonga.

Follow @DeputySecState on X for more information.