Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, Dr. Joseph H. Felter, arrived in Port Moresby, today for a two-day visit in support of APEC 2018 and to underscore the importance of the United States’ long-term relationship with PNG.
During his visit, Felter will meet with PNG government officials and military personnel from the PNGDF to reaffirm U.S. commitment to the defense and security of Papua New Guinea within the Indo-Pacific region.
Dr. Felter is the principal advisor to senior Department leadership for all policy matters pertaining to the development and implementation of defense strategies and plans for the region. He is responsible for managing the bilateral security relationships with nations of the region and guiding Department of Defense engagement with multilateral institutions.
This visit is the third in a series of high-level visits by U.S. military officials in recent weeks, to emphasize United States’ intention to develop longer-term plans to partner with and support partner capacity as part of the recently announced Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Dr. Felter received a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in negotiations and conflict resolution from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Graduate Certificate in Management from the University of West Australia, and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Stanford University. He is a graduate of the Singapore Armed Forces Senior Service College and was a US Army War College Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
Source: Press Release
