The US Government is
looking at areas of cooperation with Niue.

Two Officials from the
US Consulate in Auckland, Political – Economic Officer Ted Danowitz and Public
Affairs Officer Natalie Wilkins are currently on the island as part of the US
Government’s Pacific outreach.

Wilkins said the US has
engaged with the Pacific for over 70 years working with allies across the
region to support prosperity, security and transparency.

The two have been
meeting with various stakeholders from government and the private sector to
understand more about Niue and possible areas to assist in.

“ From the people we’ve spoken to just in the short time we’ve been here
so far , people seem very excited about the new manatua cable that’s coming
online and looking at the opportunities that can help to bring to Niue in terms
of economic growth or improving education , health care that sort of thing. So
we’ve just offered that if there’s anything that the United States can do in
terms of technology expertise or cyber security expertise or things like that
we can help to support , we’re happy to try and work on those sorts of things.”
said  Natalie Wilkins –
Public Affairs Officer

“We would love
to ensure that all of our partners in the Pacific have great capacity in every
way that they have a mixed economy that they’re strong in many ways and we’re happy
to help how we can.” said  Ted Danowitz- Political – Economic Officer

The two were also asked
about China’s growing influence and whether it was a factor to the US Consulate
stepping up engagement with its Pacific allies.

“I don’t think exactly
that, no. I mean China in terms of , if you look at the US Indo strategic
strategy it doesn’t exclude China at all , it just welcomes any country who are
willing to participate in a free and transparent and open Indo- Pacific so
anyone who plays by international standards 
is welcome  into multi lateral
vision for the Pacific.” said Danowitz

The US Consulate in
Auckland also engages with Cook Islands and Samoa.

“We’re just
really excited to be in Niue, my office in particular has a number of opportunities
for the people in the United States and people in Niue to come together and so I’ve
been out talking to people about some of those programs. One of the programs I’m
especially excited about is the young Pacific island leaders program which is a
leadership development program for people ages 25 to 35. It’s all across the
Pacific islands from Hawaii and Micronesia through Melanesia and Polynesia where
we bring young people together to talk about the regional concerns that they have
so I’m excited to be out here meeting young people and talk to people about
that programme and see if we can get some more people involved in that
programme in particular.”  said Wilkins

The two officials leave
the island this Friday.