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Mission personnel for Pacific Partnership 2026 arrived in Sibolga, Indonesia, on July 20 aboard the Royal Australian Navy’s Bay-class landing ship dock HMAS Choules (LSD 100), the second stop of the U.S. Navy-led multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster preparedness effort in the Indo-Pacific.
It is the seventh visit to Indonesia since the initiative began in 2006 and brings together participants from Australia, Canada, Germany, and Singapore. Activities in Sibolga and the surrounding Central Tapanuli Regency are centered on preplanned engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation among host and partner nations to improve rapid disaster response.
“Sibolga’s recent history tells a story of resilience in the face of natural disasters and reminds us that disaster preparedness is a collective endeavor to build resiliency today for what could arise tomorrow,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Robert Reyes, mission commander of PP26. “As the Indonesia mission stop prepares to commence, we celebrate the resiliency of this community and the opportunity to collaborate and exchange expertise for mutual learning.”
An opening ceremony on July 21 featured Sibolga Mayor Akhmad Syukri Nazri Penarik; Central Tapanuli Regent Masinton Pasaribu; Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) Rear Adm. Sarimpunan Tanjung, commander of Naval Sub-regional Command Two, Indonesia Fleet Command; TNI Brig. Gen. Hadi Juanda, chief of the TNI Surgeon General Office; TNI First Admiral Tjahja Nurrobi, deputy chief of the TNI Surgeon General; Rear Adm. David Buzzetti, vice chief of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery; and other senior U.S. and Indonesian officials.
“Pacific Partnership demonstrates the enduring commitment of the United States and Indonesia to strengthening regional resilience through practical cooperation,” said U.S. Embassy in Jakarta Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, Joy M. Sakurai. “Together with our Indonesian and multinational partners, we are building relationships and capabilities that improve preparedness, save lives, and promote a more secure Indo-Pacific.”
The mission stop runs through Aug. 1. Planned work pairs mission, partner-nation, and Indonesian personnel on four lines of effort: engineering, medical, disaster management, and host-nation outreach. Projects include constructing a new classroom and renovating classrooms at two schools; a hands-on workshop to develop and refine skills for responding to natural disasters; disaster planning at two hospitals; and medical subject-matter exchanges. The Pacific Partnership band is slated to perform at community events.
Now in its 22nd iteration, Pacific Partnership is the region’s largest recurring multinational mission focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness. It seeks to improve interoperability and disaster response capabilities, bolster regional security and stability, and strengthen relationships across the Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, regularly trains and operates with allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific. U.S. Pacific Fleet provides ready naval forces to defend the homeland and U.S. interests, deter aggression, and reinforce alliances and partnerships for a secure and prosperous region.
Updates and multimedia for Pacific Partnership 2026 are available via #PacificPartnership, #PP26, and #PacificPartnership26 and at https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/PacificPartnership.
