US funding delays hurt the Pacific – but there are bigger worries

Pacific leaders are committed to the ‘Blue Pacific’ strategy, with an emphasis on self-determination, peaceful development and addressing climate change. Photograph: Kate Lyons/The Guardian

A delay by the US in providing crucial funding to Pacific Island nations is fuelling concern in the region – but questions about the competing visions held by the US and regional leaders are even more pressing.

The funding is part of longstanding agreements the US has with three nations in the north Pacific, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Marshall Islands and Palau. The agreements, known as the Compacts of Free Association (Cofa), provide a range of assistance to these nations, including visa-free entry to the US, grant assistance, trust fund contributions, and support for government services including the US postal service. In exchange, the US gets exclusive military access to large parts of the north Pacific.