Returning to Vietnam for the 12th time and once again held in the coastal province of Phu Yen, the program will focus on providing medical and community education this year, the U.S. Consulate General in HCMC said.
Hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) arrives in Vung Ro Bay in the Phu Yen province of Vietnam for Pacific Partnership 2022, June 19. Photo by the U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brandon Parker |
American medical providers will be working with Vietnamese counterparts to perform a variety of subject-matter expert exchanges, hip and knee replacement, eye surgery, and pediatric care, said Consul General Susan Burns at an event to launch the program on Wednesday.
During their stay in Phu Yen from August 8 to 19, the U.S. mission team will build three classrooms and renovate three schools, conduct disaster response training, perform band concerts, and engage the community in outreach events, she said.
At the invitation of host nations, the Pacific Partnership’s mission partners conduct humanitarian civic action preparedness activities in areas such as engineering, disaster response, and public health.
This year’s mission will continue through this November to feature nearly 1,500 personnel with partner nations from Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and the U.K.
U.S. Navy Captain Claudine Caluori, Pacific Partnership 2023 Mission Commander, speaks at the event to launch the mission in Phu Yen Province, August 9, 2023. Photo by the U.S. Consulate General in HCMC |
U.S. Navy Captain Claudine Caluori, Pacific Partnership 2023 Mission Commander, said: "The U.S. Navy and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command are committed to advancing regional cooperation and economic prosperity for all nations.
"Right here in Vietnam, we commence this year's mission as we prepare to pursue the common interest of promoting a strong, prosperous, independent Vietnam and a stable Indo-Pacific region grounded in international law," she said.