President Surangel Whipps Jr. joins the other Micronesian leaders to attend the annual presidents’ summit and the Micronesian Islands Forum (MIF) in Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) which started yesterday, Feb. 13.
Whipps is attending the meeting with the Presidents of the FSM, Kiribati, Nauru, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
In an earlier press release from the office of the President in FSM, the meeting is supposed to discuss the implementation of the Suva Agreement, such as the location of the forthcoming subregional office of the Pacific Islands Forum, which Micronesian country will host the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner.
The presidents will then attend the Special Leaders Retreat of the Pacific Islands Forum, to be held in Fiji on February 24, 2023.
On the Facebook page of the Fiji government, Prime Minister and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka spoke virtually during the first day of the Micronesian Presidents’ Summit (MPS)
Speaking in his capacity as the PIF Chair, PM Rabuka assured the Micronesian presidents that he is “invested in resolving this impasse when it first transpired. Therefore, when I assumed the role of the Forum Chair last December, I undertook to do everything in my power, to find a resolution to the lingering impasse.”
Kiribati withdraw from the PIF last year but last week the country is reportedly returning to the Pacific Islands Forum.
Forum Chair Rabuka said his office has received a letter confirming this intention from the Kiribati President, Taneti Maamau. Rabuka visited Kiribati on his first official overseas visit since taking office.
Prime Minister Rabuka further elaborated that the Micronesian Region, “has much to showcase to the region and the world. You continue to be trailblazers and leaders in climate and ocean advocacy and collectively, you are the largest custodians of our Blue Pacific. This is why your voice is so important in our regional settlements.”