The summit is sponsored by France and will address issues that were considered in the second such summit in 2006 in Paris relating to global warming and sea level rise that threatens every Pacific island country and also relations between France and its Pacific territories of New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis Futuna and the independent island countries of the Pacific except New Zealand and Australia.
French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, will host the 2009 French-Oceania Summit standing in for President Nicolas Sarkozy who is unable to attend. As result, several island countries will be represented only by their foreign ministers. Palau President Johnson Toribiong will not be able to attend also due to the visit of the 10-member US Congress Delegation next week. FSM President Emanuel Mori is attending while the Marshalls is represented by its foreign minister, John Silk leading a 4-member delegation.Other members of the Palau delegation are Foreign Affairs Director Jeffrey Antol, Ombudsman Moses Uludong, and State AO John Baptist Rechesengel. The delegation on its return, will join Palau delegation that will attend the annual 2009Summit of the Pacific Island Forum to be hosted by Australia in Cairns, Queensland from July 4-7, 2009.
