The recent Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting highlighted the region’s crowded and complex geopolitics. And as more partner states jostle to carve out their own roles, the ‘Statecraftiness’ project from the University of Adelaide offers a way for policymakers to keep track of how various actors are using tools of statecraft to expand their influence in the region. Through resources such as an interactive online map and in-depth interviews, the project presents an expansive look at what tools of statecraft are being deployed, where they are being targeted, and what impact they are making on the frontlines of geopolitical competition in the Pacific Islands.

President Joe Biden with Pacific Islands Forum leaders during a family photo at the White House in Washington, Monday, September 25, 2023. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)
President Joe Biden with Pacific Islands Forum leaders during a family photo at the White House in Washington, Monday, September 25, 2023. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)

Join USIP for a conversation about the major lessons from the Statecraftiness project and what they mean for the United States, Australia, and other states seeking to exercise influence in the Pacific Islands region. 

Speakers

Dr. Gordon Peake, moderator
Senior Advisor, Pacific Islands, U.S. Institute of Peace

Dr. Joanne Wallis 
Professor of International Security and Director of the Security in the Pacific Islands Research Program, University of Adelaide; Non-resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution

Dr. Henrietta McNeill
Research Fellow, Department of Pacific Affairs, Australian National University

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