Faleomavaega, is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Faleomavaega’s committee is a key panel for Palau which will be conducting hearings on the sought aid of the freely associated states from the United States government.
“I express my profound gratitude and that of the people of Palau for your support of our freely associated state. We look to you to provide leadership for our region,” President Johnson Toribiong said in his invitation letter to the U.S. congressman.
Faleomavaega will join other keynote and resource speakers during the summit who areHenk Brus, managing director of Atuna.com and Dr. Transform Aqorau, Executive Director of the PNA office.
A National Tuna Policy Symposium will be held this Monday Feb. 22, followed by a Tuna Fisheries Policy Reform Symposium and a PNA and World Tuna Processors meeting.
Pacific Island leaders will be brought together during the first ever presidential summit onFeb. 25to set in place an OPEC-style organization to ensure the long-term sustainability of the tuna resources in the region.
Palau will host the historic summit which will be a gathering of the head of states to make commitments in controlling the tuna industry which President Johnson Toribiong considers a “ new gold” of the region.
To attend the summit areToribiong, Republic of the Marshall Islands president Iroij Jurelang Zedkaia, Federated States of Micronesia presidentEmmanuel Mori, Nauru president Marcus Stephen, Kiribati president Anote Tong, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Dr. Derek Sikua and Prime Minister of Tuvalu Apisai Ielemia.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare will be represented by his Resources and Trade Minister Ben Semri.
These countries make up the PNA.
The goal of the summit is to establish an OPEC –type body; the OPEC is in reference to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
