The Pacific Islands and the New Global Competition
Updated: Aug 18
Published: August 13, 2026
The World Affairs Council of Atlanta recently hosted a timely conversation exploring the geopolitical challenges facing U.S. engagement in the Pacific region.
In this public program, The Pacific Islands and the New Global Competition, Council President Rickey Bevington spoke with John D. Brewer, Jr., Director of the Office of Insular Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Drawing on decades of experience in government and a deep familiarity with the U.S. engagement in the Pacific, Brewer provided insight into the history of the Compacts of Free Association with Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. The conversation also examined the demographic, economic, and climate resilience challenges facing countries across the region, as well as the broader implications of growing geopolitical competition.
The Pacific Islands occupy a familiar place in America’s historical imagination, particularly as the site of some of the fiercest battles of the Second World War. Yet, the history of U.S. engagement did not conclude with the war.
For decades, the United States has maintained a significant presence across the Pacific through military facilities and deep diplomatic engagement. The COFAs signed with Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia provide the U.S. with an important strategic presence in the region in exchange for financial assistance and security commitments.
While these partnerships have evolved over time, they reflect the interests of both the United States and the Pacific Island nations themselves. As these relationships continue, and the COFAs are evaluated every twenty years, understanding the priorities of these states remains essential to effective U.S. engagement in the region.
Understanding this history provides crucial context for viewing the region as one made up of diverse nations with varying political, economic, and social priorities. As conditions change on the ground, so must the relationships between the U.S. and its partners.
Today, the Pacific region is receiving increased international attention as it becomes increasingly central to competition between the United States, China, and associated regional powers such as Australia. For the United States, this environment provides both challenges and opportunities, as it seeks to strengthen engagement while responding to the priorities of its partners.
As Brewer noted during the conversation, the populations of Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia number just in the tens of thousands while significant diaspora communities reside in the United States. Combined with underlying economic and climate change issues facing these island nations, these dynamics present complex challenges for these nations, their leaders, and partners like the United States.
Effective engagement therefore requires attention to the issues that matter most to communities in the region, including effective transport links, economic development, and more.
The program’s strong interest underscored the relevance of these questions and the Pacific region in general. Aidan Papke, Head Delegate of Model United Nations at Florida International University, remarked, “thanks so much for hosting on such an underdiscussed region!”
His comment reflects the reality that, while the Pacific region might receive comparatively less attention than regions such as the Middle East, developments across the region have important implications for U.S. foreign policy.
As global competition continues to evolve, understanding the history, relationships, and challenges facing the Pacific states is vital in building effective diplomatic engagement and intercommunal understanding.
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