The19th
Micronesian Chief Executives’ Summit in Saipan ended on the 6th of
December after three days of meeting. The six Governors and three Presidents
from all the States, Territory, Commonwealth and National Governments in Micronesia discussed
a range of issues with guidance from selected professionals, practitioners,
academicians, leaders and high level staff members from within their various
jurisdictions.
At
the Summit, a total of fifteen (15) agenda items were presented to and
discussed by the Leaders with input and guidance from several presenters. Among
these items were:
Climate
Change: Climate Change
discussions highlighted the obvious fact that many of the islands in Micronesia
are already being drastically affected by various impacts of climate change.
This imminent experience explains why the Leaders agreed to continue exert
efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Under
the same subject, the Leaders congratulated Governor Eddie Baza Calvo of Guam
for his appointment to the Presidential Commission on Preparing the US for
effects of Climate Change. Governor Calvo was requested to assist other
Micronesian entities in the context of this newly appointed role to "gain
funding for appropriate adaptation projects".
The
Marshall Islands raised awareness of fellow Leaders to the existing Majuro
Declaration on Climate Leadership endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum countries
at the 44th Pacific Islands Forum in Majuro a few months back.
Micronesian
Challenge: Considered a
"success story" for the region, the Micronesian Challenge (MC) continues
to garner the support of the Chief Executives in its expanded efforts, which
now includes the development of the Micronesian Challenge Business Plan.
The
MC presenters indicated that $11 million is spent annually for the protection
of more than 6,800 square kilometers of conservation reserves in the region.
The MC hopes to achieve a total of 13,500 square kilometers of protected areas
by 2020. The MC Business Plan "establishes a commitment to raise an
additional $42 million across the region" ($7 million annually) to match
projected costs for meeting the initiative's conservation targets.
Regional
Health Insurance: The Chief
Executives viewed components of a proposed regional healthcare plan that
originates from the Association of Pacific Islands Legislators (APIL). Various
indicated benefits of contributing to a region-wide healthcare plan were
explored along with a recommendation for the need of a regional study to be
conducted to better situate its potentials based on the experiences of current
stand-alone plans in the MCES jurisdictions.
The
Leaders expressed interest in the concept of a regional medical insurance plan
and the prospects on the benefit of pooling resources for such plan.
Other Decisions
In
a separate side-meeting, the Presidents of the FSM, the Marshall Islands and
Palau agreed to extend the College of Micronesia Treaty, subject to legislative
approval, to September 30, 2023 as recommended by the COM Board of
Regents. "COM Land Grant federal
programs are operated through the 'Treaty Among the Governments of the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of
Palau Regarding College of Micronesia'". At the latest status, the treaty
was effective until September 30, 2013.
The
Chief Executives held a separate session that involved officials from the US
Department of the Interior that mostly concerned a report from the US
Government on the impact of an estimated 56,000 citizens of the Freely
Associated States residing in US jurisdictions. The Leaders had the opportunity
to express their view on the report. The Governor of Guam "indicated his
disappointment in the overall movement of the U.S. Government and the
Department of Interior on issues of Compact Impact, especially the failure to
develop a template for the measurement of impacts, failure to report in a
timely fashion to the U.S. Congress and the failure to respond to overall
health care, education, corrections and other impact issues". Other
Leaders expressed concern regarding data compilation in the process for
determining compact impacts.
The
Leaders also touched on the issue of the status of the Micronesian Center for a
Sustainable Future (MCSF), which is seen as a coordinating organ for the MCES.
The DOI suspended a grant in February 2013 and support for the Center were put
on hold.
As
one of the last actions for the Summit, the Leaders agreed to improve the
configuration of the MCSF to strengthen its secretariat function and be more
responsive to the MCES.
Additionally,
three resolutions also resulted from the Leaders' deliberations.
Resolution 19-01 pledges "expanded support of the Micronesian
Chief Executives for existing regional, national and local initiatives to
implement invasive species awareness, impact assessment and research,
management and biosecurity programs and the continued support for the
implementation of the Micronesian Biosecurity Plan".
Resolution 19-02 underscores the Chief Executives' recognition of and
support toward the "social and economic development of the region through
enhanced telecommunications capacity in the Republic of Palau and the Federated
States of Micronesia".
Resolution 19-03 stresses the Chief Executives' "recognition of
the accomplishments of Francis X. Solomon, an advisor of the Prior Service
Program and the first director of the
Technical Assistance Program at the Office of Insular Affairs and commemorating
his death of August 22, 2013".
The
Leaders also acknowledged the action taken by the Hawaii Invasive Species
Council (HISC) which adopted a resolution in support of the development of the
Micronesian Biosecurity Plan (MBP). A letter from the Leaders expressing appreciation
for the State of Hawaii’s supportive action was sent to Governor Neil
Abercrombie with request for Hawaii’s full participation in the development of
the MBP and inclusion in the Micronesian Invasive Species Council as a
non-voting member.
As
a tribute to a departed Statesman, the Chief Executives took time to honor the
passing away of President Nelson Mandela. A moment of silence was observed.
Before
closing, the Leaders expressed their gratitude to the Government and people of
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and announced that the 20th
MCES will be held in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. The
specific date for the next meeting will be determined and announced by Yap
State.
The following is a link to the 19th MCES communique ( the outcome of the meeting).
Feedback can be obtained via
fsmpio@mail.fm or by calling the Public Information Office at 320-2548.
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