The United States Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Ambassador Brian A. Nichols visited The Bahamas on May 22-24. His visit emphasized the high priority of The Bahamas within the region, and the importance of the enduring partnership between the United States and The Bahamas. Assistant Secretary Nichols discussed the concrete steps that will address Bahamian priorities such as improving access to healthcare, combatting climate change and increasing access to the internet at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, June 6-10.
Assistant Secretary Nichols met with Prime Minister the Honorable Philip “Brave” Davis in Nassau. Together with Acting Foreign Minister Alfred Sears, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Usha Pitts, and U.S. Director for Caribbean Affairs Nan Fife, they discussed key elements of the U.S.-Bahamas partnership, including shared security, mitigating the effects of climate change, addressing regional migration, and supporting economic prosperity. His overall itinerary reflected those priorities.
“We are not just friends, we are kin,” said Assistant Secretary Nichols while speaking to reporters just before departing for his next stop in Barbados. Nichols added, “We expect that to continue far into the future, and I expect that The Bahamas and the United States relationship will only grow closer and better as the years go on.”
Assistant Secretary Nichols visited the New Providence Ecology Park (NPEP) on Tuesday, May 24, one of several climate resilience investments the United States supports in The Bahamas. As a low-lying small island nation, The Bahamas will bear the brunt of the effects of climate change, as sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent and intense. The United States will work with The Bahamas to support projects that lower The Bahamas’ carbon footprint and increase resilience to the effects of climate change.
Also on May 24, Assistant Secretary Nichols visited the Royal Bahamas Defence Force base in Coral Harbour. He toured the many lasting investments the United States has made in its shared security partnership with The Bahamas. He rode on one of the three boats U.S. Northern Command provided to The Bahamas in 2021 as part of a $5.9 million dollar donation that included a $2.5 million dollar radar system that helps The Bahamas secure its vast maritime domain.
Assistant Secretary Nichols also met with key financial officials, development experts, and business leaders during his visit, exploring how the United States contributes to economic growth and development in The Bahamas and supports increased U.S. investment in the Bahamian economy.
Finally, Assistant Secretary Nichols visited one of the Embassy’s partners addressing the needs of local underserved populations at a local Learning Center. He met with educators striving to support some of New Providence’s most vulnerable populations by providing preschool through grade five instruction.
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