President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 491, establishing the Coordinated Maritime Management (CMM) Working Group to strengthen interagency coordination and improve the Republic of Palau’s ability to respond to maritime security threats.
“The ocean is central to our shared future,” the executive order states. “Its health and safety is foundational to Palau’s economic prosperity, national security, environmental protection, and social cohesion.”
The CMM Working Group is tasked with developing and maintaining a Coordinated Maritime Response (CMR) framework that includes standard operating procedures, incident response flowcharts, joint enforcement protocols, post-incident evaluations and recommendations, and training and exercise schedules.
The executive order directs the Working Group to convene monthly meetings at the Joint Operations Center (JOC), beginning no later than 30 days from the signing of the order. At these meetings, the group is expected to conduct “structured reviews (‘hot washes’) of all maritime incidents since the last meeting, including boardings, interdictions, and engagements with vessels of interest.” These reviews aim to assess what went well, identify challenges and shortcomings, and recommend steps to improve future response efforts.
“Particular attention should be given to coordination among agencies, adherence to protocols, and any resource or training needs that could strengthen maritime enforcement efforts,” the order states.
The Working Group may also invite relevant state officials to participate in meetings when incidents involve state waters, personnel, or other resources. The order allows for the inclusion of additional representatives, including private sector stakeholders such as fishing enterprises, tour operators, shipping companies, commercial registries, and maritime salvage and export firms. Non-governmental organizations involved in environmental protection, maritime research and fisheries regulation may also be invited to contribute insight.
The order identifies government partners as including “other Palau agencies as well as partner nations and any entities and agencies thereunder.” Responsibilities include soliciting information and ideas from stakeholders, developing threat identification recommendations, compiling monthly Vessels of Interest Reports, and conducting training and annual exercises focused on current maritime threats and challenges.
Working Group members are authorized “to share information between them as necessary to facilitate implementation of this Executive Order,” within the maximum extent permissible. Where sensitivity or legal issues arise, the agency holding the information must notify the National Security Coordinator. The Attorney General and National Security Coordinator are to be informed of any legal or policy issues that prevent information sharing.
The order also encourages coordination with the Territory and Boundary Task Force, especially in discussions that may impact maritime boundaries, geographic features or jurisdictional claims.
“This Executive Order does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law against the Government of Palau, its agencies, personnel, or any person,” the order states. It also emphasizes that the order “does not impose any funding obligations.”
Although the new framework does not alter the authority of existing agencies, it “provides a coordination roadmap, and as such, directly contributes to Palauan operations, interagency alignment, and the protection of Palau’s interests in the maritime space,” the order adds.
The Working Group will report to the president of the Republic of Palau annually or upon request. It is set to operate for two years from the signing of the order, with the possibility of extension by the president.
The order repeals Executive Order No. 398, which had previously established the National Search and Rescue Committee. All functions of that committee are transferred to the new Working Group. “The responsibility for all active protocols overseen by the National Search and Rescue Committee are now to be overseen by the CMM Working Group,” the order states.
President Whipps signed the executive order on May 7 in Koror, formally establishing the Working Group and setting the coordination framework into motion. By: Eustoria Marie Borja