Last updated: July 20, 2008 | News from Washington | Previous highlights

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Visit Apia Following attendance of the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial, Secretary Rice will briefly visit Australia nd New Zealand before crossing the International Date Line and arrive in Apia, Samoa on July 26. While here she will participate in a working lunch with her counterparts from Pacific Island Forum states to emphasize U.S. commitment to strengthening cooperation within the region. She will also meet with Head of State Tufugu Efi and Prime Minister Tuila'epa to underscore U.S. support for Samoa’s commitment to democracy in the region. The Secretary will depart Samoa for the United States on July 26, stopping in Hawaii for consultations en route to Washington, DC. (State Department Announcement)

Visa Week 7-11 July. Visa Interview Week And Appointments At U.S. Embassy Apia The United States Embassy in Apia, Samoa, will open its on-line calendar at 2:00pm on Monday, June 23, 2008, to apply for a non-immigrant visa interview appointment during the next interview week from July 7-11, 2008. The United States Embassy has implemented a new biometric fingerprinting system for visa applications. To prevent delays during the interview week, we strongly encourage all applicants to come to the Embassy by July 3 to submit their application forms, passports, and photos, and to have their fingerprints taken. This will ensure that the interview process moves as quickly as possible. For information on how to apply for a visa interview during this week, please follow this link.  Do not call the Embassy for an appointment; appointments must be made on-line only according to this process.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Annual Human Rights Reports Released Secretary Rice (Mar. 11): "I am pleased today to announce the publication of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2007. In every region of the world, men and women are working peacefully, and often at great risk to themselves and their families, to secure human rights and fundamental freedoms, to follow their consciences and speak their minds without fear, to choose those who would govern them and to hold their leaders accountable and to achieve equal justice under the law." These aspirations, though common to all of us, are unfortunately still denied to millions worldwide, often by their own governments. In too many countries, champions of human rights are denounced and persecuted, vilified as traitors or targeted for repression – just for insisting upon the freedoms enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights… (More)  (Country Report Samoa)

U.S. Embassy Approves Visa For “Baby Miracle” The United States Embassy in Apia today approved visas for Miracletina Juliemaryame Mikaele Nanai, (widely known as “Baby Miracle”) and her parents Mikaele Nanai and Sefulu Sulu Nanai. The visas will allow them to travel to Miami Children’s Hospital, one of the most well-known pediatric institutions in the United States, to seek treatment. Estimates suggest that the family may spend three to six months in the United States “The Embassy is pleased that our requirements were met and that these visas could be accorded. We wish Miracletina and her family all the very best,” said U.S. Charge d’Affairés George Colvin … (more)

Sailors man the rails of the USS Peleliu sailing from San Diego for Pacific Partnership, a humanitarian mission including medical, construction and engineering projects. Navy Photo MCS 2nd Class J. Hudson. Year of the Pacific just the beginning The Pacific is a vast and important region. However, it is much more than that to us. The United States is a Pacific country, by geography and by history. So we believe it is critical to work with our Pacific neighbours to promote domestic stability, good governance and economic development. To that end, we provide about $290 million a year in assistance to Pacific Island countries. The US Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation is also working with Vanuatu on a separate assistance package of more than $65 million … (more)