Today, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer spoke with Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso to express condolences for the tragic loss of life resulting from a landslide last week in Papua New Guinea. Reiterating President Biden’s condolences in his statement on May 24, Mr. Finer pledged continued support from the United States, noting USAID contributions of emergency shelter, water, sanitation, and other critical assistance being provided through the International Organization for Migration to those affected by the disaster, as well as USAID’s humanitarian expert working with government officials and humanitarian organizations on the ground. Deputy Prime Minister Rosso thanked Mr. Finer for the U.S. support, and provided updates on the disaster response. The two discussed priority areas of cooperation in the deepening U.S.-Papua New Guinea relationship, including the Defense Cooperation agreement, energy resilience, governance, and humanitarian assistance, and recognized the need to accelerate the partnership further.

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