TAMUNING, 01 MAY 2017 (PACIFIC NOTE)— Three presidents and six governors of island states and territories —  Palau, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ­ and the Federated States of Micronesia and its states of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae — will gather in Tamuning starting Monday for the annual Micronesian Islands Forum (MIF).

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The MIF, formerly known as the Micronesian Chief Executives Summit, is underway this week in  Guam.

The agenda includes climate change, Micronesia Challenge, Invasive Species Council, regional health, transportation, regional labor development, public safety and recycling initiative.

The Micronesian Chief Executives Summit was first hosted in Palau in 2003.

President Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., arrived on Guam Sunday  for the meeting. Remengesau will be joined by President Peter Christian of FSM and President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands. Others expected to join includes Governor Johnson Elimo, of Chuuk; Governor Tony Ganngiyan, of Yap; Gov. Lyndon Jackson, of Kosrae; Governor. Marcelo K. Peterson, of Pohnpei; and Governor. Ralph D. Torres, of the CNMI. Governor Eddie Baza Calvo of Guam will formally assume the chairmanship of the 22nd MIF at the start of the first day.

The two-day event provides an opportunity for the regional governments to establish arrangements and regional cooperation on various issues that of mutual interest to the region.

Last week, representatives from the respective governments met ahead of the summit to review the progress of their assignments from their last meeting in Palau, and to formulate recommendations for the Chief Executives’ support and endorsement.

One major result of the meeting in Palau last  year was to  rename the MCES and the Micronesian Presidents’ Summit into a one organisation.

Remengesau said the renaming of the organization would put more strength in the Micronesian region will all leaders collaborating to voice out their issues.

In the 2016 meeting, leaders agreed that the workforce development is a critical issue in both the public and private sectors. …PACNEWS [/restrict]