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Biden announces to host Pacific island summit at the White House

US President Joe Biden will host Pacific island leaders at the White House in September, a senior American diplomat said Saturday (August 6), deepening a regional charm offensive to counter growing Chinese influence, the Arabnews reported, citing the AFP.
Visiting Tonga, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the leaders would be invited to Washington for a meeting and dinner late in the month.
Sherman said: “This meeting will be a historic opportunity with the United States and Pacific islands countries to hear and listen, the Pacific way.”
The move comes amid a flurry of US shuttle diplomacy looking to bolster alliances in the Pacific against a more assertive Beijing, according to the report.
It said that Washington has announced it will open a series of new diplomatic missions in the region, and has been more vocal and visible in recent months.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited and Vice President Kamala Harris recently made a landmark address to the Pacific Islands Forum.
On Saturday (August 6), Sherman will attend a series of events in the neighboring Solomon Islands, which is marking the 80th anniversary of World War II’s Battle of Guadalcanal.
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The Solomon Islands are at the center of a renewed South Pacific rivalry between Beijing and Washington.
China signed an undisclosed security pact with the island nation in April, alarming Western allies.
The deal, which critics fear could lead to China gaining a military foothold in the South Pacific, is likely high on the agenda for the US visit.
A series of decisions by Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare that appear to echo China’s authoritarian style of governance may also be up for discussion.
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Sogavare has moved to censor the public broadcaster, threatened other media and repeatedly floated delaying planned elections.
During the Tonga visit, Sherman highlighted the potential local impact of China’s recent decision to suspend climate talks with the United States, sparked by the visit of top Congressional Democrat Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
Sherman said: “For Tonga climate change is existential, and we understand that. And it’s just terribly disappointing that the world’s largest emitter right now, and a country who must be engaged for us to reach 1.5 degrees Celsius, has now withdrawn from that discussion.”
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Under the terms of the Paris climate deal of 2015, nations are seeking to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Rising sea levels are the top issue across a region where many countries sit only a few feet above sea level and are already feeling the impact of climate change.
Source: arabnews
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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