DILI, Timor-Leste – The U.S. Navy-led Pacific Partnership 2026 mission stop in Dili, Timor-Leste, began on Aug. 12, 2026, and will run through Aug. 26, marking the mission’s eighth return to the country and bringing together service members from partner nations–Canada, Germany, and New Zealand.
While in Timor-Leste, Pacific Partnership personnel will work alongside the Timor-Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL), Timorese experts, and non-profit organizations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase regional security, and foster new and enduring friendships among countries.
“Pacific Partnership reflects America’s enduring commitment to Timor-Leste and the Timorese people,” said U.S. Embassy in Timor-Leste Chargé d’Affaires Bruce Begnell. “This year, we are proud to work with multiple ministries across the government of Timor-Leste to enhance professional medical services and strengthen disaster management capacity. We are honored to partner with Timorese counterparts across government, the private sector, and civil society to advance the government’s top priorities. Together, we are strengthening Timor-Leste’s disaster response capabilities, delivering essential services, and improving the quality of life for communities across the country. This mission demonstrates that our ongoing partnership with Timor-Leste is built to last.”
The start of the mission was commemorated with an opening ceremony on Aug. 13 at Democracy Camp Field, consisting of a cultural performance, a friendly soccer match, and remarks from F-FDTL Lt. Gen. Domingos Raul, F-FDTL chief of defence, and U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Aaron Taylor, commander of Logistics Group Western Pacific and Task Force 73.
“Pacific Partnership demonstrates what nations can accomplish when we invest in relationships before disasters occur,” said Rear Adm. Taylor. “Our return to Timor-Leste for an eighth iteration reflects more than two decades of friendship built on mutual respect and shared experiences. Every exchange during the mission provides an opportunity to learn from one another, strengthen our collective readiness, and build the trust required to respond together when our nations need us most.”
This mission stop consists of tailored engagements centered on four lines of effort: engineering, medical, disaster management, and host nation outreach. The U.S. Navy Seabees, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Five and Amphibious Construction Battalion One, will work shoulder-to-shoulder with Timorese builders on vital educational infrastructure, including the construction of a new two-classroom schoolhouse at Escola Básica Filial (EBF) Mota Ulun and classroom renovations and restoration of a handwashing trough at EBF Kasnafar. Medical efforts include various side-by-side and subject-matter expert exchanges ranging from optometry and dentistry to rehabilitation. The disaster management team will conduct a warehouse assessment, a simulation exercise, and two civil protection authority events. Additionally, the Pacific Partnership Band will perform at various locations, including Universidade da Paz (UNPAZ), Timor Plaza Night Market, and local schools.
"We are honored to be welcomed by the people of Timor-Leste as we continue Pacific Partnership 2026,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Al-Qumar Atkins, officer in charge of the Timor-Leste mission stop. “Every line of effort has worked tirelessly to prepare for this mission, and we are excited to work alongside our Timorese partners to strengthen the relationships that make our nations more resilient. At its heart, Pacific Partnership is about people–building trust, sharing knowledge, and fostering lasting partnerships that help our communities prepare for future challenges together."
The mission stop emphasizes broader regional integration, celebrating Timor-Leste’s recent accession as the 11th member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in October 2025. Pacific Partnership highlights the shared goal of preparing during peacetime to respond during crises, fostering cooperation that benefits the entire region.
Now in its 22nd iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the region. Pacific Partnership works collaboratively with host and partner nations to enhance regional interoperability and disaster response capabilities, increase security in the theater, and foster new and enduring friendships in the theater.
U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific.
U.S. Pacific Fleet delivers combat-ready naval forces to defend the homeland and U.S. interests, provide credible deterrence, and strengthen U.S. alliances and partnerships to ensure a secure and prosperous region.
For updates and multimedia from Pacific Partnership 2026, follow #PacificPartnership, #PP26, and #PacificPartnership26 on social media or visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/PacificPartnership