Overview:
Palau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. will represent the Pacific at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in the UAE, advocating for small island leadership, global conservation, and stronger partnerships to protect the world’s oceans and biodiversity.
By Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau — President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. will travel to the United Arab Emirates this week to attend the 2025 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, the world’s largest gathering focused on nature conservation.
The congress brings together more than 1,400 organizations—including governments, NGOs, scientists, and Indigenous leaders—to address urgent global environmental challenges. As the leading forum for shaping international conservation priorities, the IUCN Congress provides a platform for frontline communities like Palau to ensure their concerns and solutions are heard globally.
During the event, President Whipps and his delegation will meet with UAE and international leaders to strengthen partnerships and advance initiatives that support Palau and the wider Pacific region. His schedule includes:
- Addressing global conservation leaders to highlight Palau’s environmental achievements and advocate for greater recognition of small island nations’ challenges.
- Participating in a roundtable on Pacific climate action, where he will discuss Palau’s role as the first nation to ratify the High Seas Treaty and stress the importance of regional collaboration under the Blue Pacific framework.
- Holding talks to finalize plans for opening a UAE embassy in Palau, deepening bilateral cooperation.
- Engaging Palau’s IT team with UAE counterparts to explore e-government systems aimed at improving border security, public information access, and fintech-driven economic diversification.
- Meeting with airline representatives to discuss expanding flight routes to Palau to enhance connectivity, trade, tourism, and economic growth.
President Whipps underscored the importance of Palau’s global engagement and leadership on conservation.
“Palau is small, but our efforts show bigger nations what’s possible,” he said. “We are proud to be a voice for Small Island Developing States and for the generations that come after us. Our story inspires others. By showing the world what Palauans do to protect the environment, we can help others make better choices for our shared planet.”