United States Undersecretary of State for arms control and international security Bonnie Jenkins is due to arrive in Manila next week, according to the U.S. State department.
In a statement released on Saturday, State department spokesman Ned Price said Jenkins will travel to Manila on Sept. 5-7.
She will meet with officials and civil society partners “to discuss civil nuclear energy cooperation, strategic trade control, and global health security,” Price said.
The visit is part of Jenkins’ agenda to meet with allies and partners and expand cooperation on global health security, counter-proliferation, conventional weapons destruction, civil-nuclear partnership, export controls, and strategic trade.
Jenkins’ mission also includes the implementation of the women, peace, and security agenda. The State department said these are “all key elements of the U.S. commitment to regional security in a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
After Manila, Jenkins is scheduled to visit Hanoi and Quang Tri in Vietnam, as well as Singapore.
Jenkins previously served as special envoy and coordinator for threat reduction programs in the U.S. Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation from July 2009 until January 2017, according to the State Department.
She also oversaw diplomatic initiatives to advance the Global Health Security Agenda, a coalition that helps increase countries’ capacity to prevent, identify, and respond to infectious disease threats like Ebola and Zika.
