Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 17 hours ago
On the Ground in Vanuatu:
Vanuatu is a country comprised of about 80 islands in the South Pacific. The United States established diplomatic relations with Vanuatu in 1986, with a non-resident US ambassador overseeing diplomatic interests in Vanuatu from the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea. Diplomatic engagement with Vanuatu deepened in 2024, when the United States opened an embassy in Vanuatu’s capital, Port-Vila. Instrumental in this effort was Navy Captain Mark Asuncion, who was the senior U.S. official in Vanuatu during this period. He joins The Debrief to reflect on this experience.
On the Ground in Vanuatu:
Vanuatu is a country comprised of about 80 islands in the South Pacific. The United States established diplomatic relations with Vanuatu in 1986, with a non-resident US ambassador overseeing diplomatic interests in Vanuatu from the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea. Diplomatic engagement with Vanuatu deepened in 2024, when the United States opened an embassy in Vanuatu’s capital, Port-Vila. Instrumental in this effort was Navy Captain Mark Asuncion, who was the senior U.S. official in Vanuatu during this period. He joins The Debrief to reflect on this experience.
