15 November 2011

USA: Secretary Clinton's Meeting with Pacific Island Leaders

On November 12 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosted a meeting with Pacific Island leaders to discuss regional issues and ongoing United States engagement in the Pacific. She joined Representatives from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kingdom of Tonga, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Nauru, Niue, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Kiribati, Samoa, and Solomon Islands as well as Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands Forum, and the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency. Also attending the meeting were Senator Daniel Inouye, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, Pacific Command Commander Admiral Robert Willard, United States Coast Guard District Fourteen Commander Rear Admiral Charles Ray, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Affairs Tony Babauta, USAID Assistant Administrator Nancy Lindborg, and East-West Center President Dr. Charles Morrison.

This meeting underscored our whole-of-government approach to working together to address the challenges and opportunities in the region. Secretary Clinton and the leaders discussed a range of issues including the environment and climate change, renewable energy, fisheries, non-communicable diseases, and maritime security.