Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, who attended the meeting, said he “underscored the need for federal and regional collaboration to further address the needs of the islands.”
In an interview on Friday, Fitial said the meeting with the Federal Regional Council was “very successful.”
He added, “Now that they understand our issues, they are in a position to help us.”
The meeting concluded with Fitial, who chairs the Micronesia Chief Executives Summit, and U.S. Health and Human Services Region IX Director Herb Schultz, who chairs the Region IX FRC, signing a joint resolution on the need to “coordinate, collaborate and work in partnership as appropriate, to achieve progress on…issues and initiatives.”
Also attending the meeting were Guam Gov. Felix Camacho, American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono as well as foreign affairs officials of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.
“Now, we as leaders of the region must ensure that we capitalize in reaping the utmost benefits that may come about through this healthy working relationship,” Fitial said.
The Federal Regional Council is a consortium of 19 federal departments and agencies representing nearly 30 different program offices in Region IX — Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Outer Pacific Islands — working in partnership to better serve the public. Its goal is to work in a coordinated manner to make federal programs more effective and efficient in Region IX.
