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The DebriefAuthor: U.S. Naval War College
The Debrief is a production of the faculty of the National Security Affairs Department of the U.S. Naval War College examining critical topics and highlighting the important discussions surrounding U.S. national security and international engagement. Language: en Genres: Education, Government Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 19: On the Ground in Vanuatu: How One Navy Captain Helped Establish a New U.S. Embassy
Episode 19
Thursday, 29 January, 2026
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.
