Micronesia summit today

Micronesia summit today

Dionesis Tamondong • Pacific Daily News • December 3, 2009

Promoting regional tourism, conserving marine resources and discussing the impact of the upcoming military buildup to the entire Micronesia region are some of the topics on the agenda for 12th Micronesian Chief Executives' Summit.

The gathering of Micronesia's leaders takes place today and tomorrow at the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort.

Since the Summit was established in 2004 by Guam Gov. Felix Camacho and Juan Babauta, who was governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands at the time, biannual meetings have been held to establish closer ties among the islands and promote initiatives beneficial to the entire western Micronesian region.

"As chief executives of the islands in our region, we recognize that maintenance of healthy ecosystems and sustainable resource management are critical to the livelihoods of Pacific people," Camacho said in a news release.

Renewable energy, invasive species and work-force development are among the topics on Summit's agenda today. Tomorrow, participants will get an update on the military buildup and its impact to the region from retired Marine Maj. Gen. David Bice, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, and Gary Kuwabara, Western Regional director for the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment.

Camacho will be joined at the summit by:

# Kenneth Kedi, minister of Transportation and Communication for the Republic of the Marshall Islands, representing RMI President Jurelang Zedkaia;

# CNMI Gov. Benigno Fitial;

# Republic of Palau President Johnson Toribiong;

# Federated States of Micronesia President Emanuel Mori;

# Chuuk Gov. Wesley Simina;

# Yap Gov. Sebastian Anefal;

# Kosrae Gov. Robert Weilbacher; and

# Pohnpei Gov. John Ehsa.