The 11th Micronesian Chief Executives meeting — involving governors from the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Presidents of Palau, FSM and the Marshall Islands — and the ninth Presidents Summit — involving heads of state from the three Micronesian area nations — will be held in two-day sessions starting Tuesday.
On the agenda for this gathering of leaders from five U.S.-affiliated islands: bulk fuel purchasing to lower costs for island utility companies; the Micronesia Challenge, a major marine and land conservation program that is an catalyst for climate change responses in the north Pacific; a proposal from Japan to establish a multi-national “coast guard” to ramp up fisheries surveillance in the region; and a host of other issues relating to tourism, shipping and telecommunications cooperation.
Marshall Islands Foreign Secretary Kino Kabua said governors from all the states in the FSM, as well as Guam and the Northern Marianas are expected for the first meeting that will run Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Presidents Summit, which will bring FSM President Emanuel Mori and Palau President Johnson Toribiong to Majuro, starts Thursday morning, with an afternoon retreat to a small island.
Marshall Islands President Litokwa Tomeing, Mori and Toribiong will be briefed by officials during a day-long plenary session on Friday.
Officials from the different islands were arriving here last week for meetings on Saturday and Monday to prepare reports and presentations for the two meetings of the leaders, Kabua said.
The theme for the meetings is “Climate change and the energy challenge: Pragmatic leadership for a resilient Micronesia 2010 and beyond.”
