GOVERNOR ATTENDS PACIFIC ISLANDS CONFERENCE OF LEADERS

May 9 - To strengthen ties with island nations around the Pacific, Governor Lingle was in Washington, D.C. for the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PIC), hosted by the East-West Center, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State.

The PIC is comprised of 20 heads of government from nations in the region and meets every three years. This year’s conference will allow leaders to devise strategies for strengthening relationships and to discuss challenges and opportunities in the region with U.S. officials.

Governor Lingle delivered an address at the opening reception Sunday and explained that although Hawai‘i is part of America, it is also united with nations around the Pacific through geography, cultural history and common issues. The Governor added Hawai‘i can play a key role in facilitating the relationships between Pacific islands and the U.S. government.

The conference also featured a program at the State Department, highlighted by a speech by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a day with lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol, and numerous meetings and panel discussions.  

• Read a fact sheet on U.S. support in the Pacific.