Pacific Partnership 2023: Boosting Disaster Response and Strengthening Indo-Pacific Alliances

The Pacific Partnership mission team, comprised of 1,500 personnel from the U.S. and allied nations, aims to fortify relationships and enhance host nation capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. This initiative focuses on providing humanitarian aid and preparing for potential natural disasters.

“This mission enables us to come together to prepare and train so that we are ready when a humanitarian crisis occurs,” said Melson. “We’ll focus on training and regional interoperability to increase disaster-response preparedness while creating lasting bonds of friendship and trust amongst mission partners and host nations.”

Pacific Partnership 24.2 officially kicked off in Vanuatu and will extend to various parts of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific Islands. The mission’s scope is wide-ranging, addressing essential medical, dental, and veterinary needs while also offering community education and mental health activities.

Medical professionals are set to work side-by-side with host nation providers, enhancing medical capacity and expertise. Their focus areas include preventative medicine, dental care, adult and pediatric medicine, first aid, nutritional counseling, mental health activities, and basic life support. In addition, medical subject matter expert exchanges will be a critical component of these engagements.

“This enduring annual mission is such an integral part of maintaining the long-standing friendships we have with allies and partners in the region,” said Keeler. “We are excited to continue this legacy of cooperation and support for this iteration and many more in the future.”

The U.S. Pacific Fleet Band will be part of the mission, performing concerts for local communities at each stop. These cultural exchanges aim to strengthen ties and provide entertainment to the host nations.

Now in its 20th iteration, Pacific Partnership is the U.S. Navy’s largest humanitarian and civic assistance mission in the Indo-Pacific. At the request of host nations, the mission team addresses critical infrastructure concerns, often focusing on schools and health clinics. Collaborative engineering projects involving U.S. military engineers, partner nation engineers, and local community participants are also a vital part of the mission.