Photo By Staff Sgt. Angel Heraldez | Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, attends Papua New...... read more read more
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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, traveled to Papua New Guinea on Sept. 15–16, where he joined U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau for the celebration of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Day and the groundbreaking ceremony of a landmark fuel storage facility near Port Moresby.
To mark Papua New Guinea’s milestone 50th anniversary of independence, the U.S. delegation joined Prime Minister Marape and senior officials for the official flag-raising ceremony. The commemorative event honored September 16, 1975—the historic day when Papua New Guinea gained independence after nearly 70 years of Australian administration and raised its national flag for the first time at Independence Hill in Port Moresby.
During his visit, Paparo met with Prime Minister James Marape, senior government officials, and U.S. Embassy representatives, including Ambassador Ann Marie Yastishock.
As part of ongoing cooperation efforts, Paparo presented Yastishock with a PNG Disaster Management Reference Handbook, developed by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Center for Excellence in Disaster Management in collaboration with PNG and international partners. The handbook, derived from years of shared lessons learned through joint operations, provides guidance to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capabilities across the country.
Paparo participated in bilateral and multilateral talks with leaders from Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand, emphasizing shared priorities in maritime security and regional cooperation. Alongside Landau, he also took part in the U.S.-Pacific Islands Forum Roundtable, moderated by Ambassador Yastishock, where Pacific Island leaders discussed U.S. engagement in the region and identified common priorities for future collaboration.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the landmark fuel storage facility marked a significant step forward in the U.S.-PNG partnership, highlighting the shared benefits of the U.S.-PNG Defense Cooperation Agreement and reaffirming both nations’ joint commitment to regional stability.
USINDOPACOM remains steadfastly committed to enhancing stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, prevailing in conflict.
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2025 23:16 |
| Story ID: | 548349 |
| Location: | PORT MORESBY, PG |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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