Mapping
Source: Reuters
Context: The United States signed agreements with Micronesia to extend economic assistance to the island state. The U.S. is also negotiating similar agreements with Palau and the Marshall Islands.
Aim: The agreements were part of a strategic pact that the U.S. is using to counter China in the Pacific
The Compact of Free Association (COFA) is an international agreement between the U.S. and the three Pacific Island states (Micronesia, Palau, and Marshall Islands). The COFA allows the U.S. to base troops in these countries in exchange for economic and migratory benefits. The COFA also denies military access to these countries by any outside party without U.S. consent.
