27 Aug 2007

Pacific Partnership mission due in Marshalls

4:28 pm on 27 August 2007

An American military group is due to arrive in the Marshall Islands this week as part of US Navy mission to help Pacific countries.

The USS Peleliu warship and its crew of 1,700 will spend about 10 days in the Marshall Island completing their four month humanitarian trip, dubbed Pacific Partnership by the Navy.

They are setting up medical clinics and surgeries, school renovation projects, installation of solar power to remote health clinics and will play basketball games against local teams.

It's expected the US Navy visit will inject 140,000 US dollars into the Majuro economy.

The mission, which began in Vietnam and continued through the Philippines, Papia New Guinea and Solomon Islands, is due to start its final leg in the Marshall Islands on Wednesday.