Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

President Mori to Attend 2009 Conference on Business Opportunities in the Islands

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): March 20, 2009 - President Manny Mori is scheduled to be a speaker at the 2009 Conference on Business Opportunities in the Islands, sponsored by The U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs. The conference will be held at the Waikiki Sheraton in Honolulu April 6-8, 2009.

Among those speaking will be Dr. Richard Kelley, Chairman of the Board, Outrigger Enterprises Group; Lt. General Wallace "Chip" Gregson, USMC (Ret.), former commander, Marine Forces Pacific; Maj. General David Bice, USMC (Ret.), Director of the Joint Guam Program Office; and Dr. Stephen Schneider of Stanford University, who has authored many papers for the prestigious Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In 2007, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and several other IPCC contributors, including Dr. Schneider, received the Nobel Peace Prize.

They will be joining the leaders of the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands and business and government officials at the conference, including President Manny Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia, Governor Felix Camacho of Guam, Governor Togiola Tulafono of American Samoa, Governor Benigno Fitial of the Northern Mariana Islands, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa, Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo of Guam, and Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The conference is the Department of the Interior's primary event to promote economic development in the U.S. territories and freely associated states and will feature discussions of new developments in renewable energy, infrastructure projects, and tourism opportunities. Attendees will have the opportunity to develop their networks, while learning about the growing business sectors and investment opportunities in American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Featured topics at this year's conference will include:

  • Renewable Energy: Energy is a prime concern in the islands, and projects or solutions to increase energy efficiency and decrease dependence on expensive imported oil represent major business opportunities. For the first time, a full track of breakout sessions will be devoted to these projects.

  • Large-scale public infrastructure work, especially construction projects associated with the military construction on Guam: As part of the historic realignment of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, 8,000 Marines and their dependants will be relocated from Okinawa to Guam. This will require over US$14 billion in new construction and procurement for infrastructure, as well as services to support the enlarged base. Construction is slated to begin in 2010.

  • Tourism of all kinds: These areas are among the most pristine and beautiful islands in the Pacific and Caribbean, if not the world. They offer a wealth of opportunities for small and large-scale hotel/resort development aimed at a wide range of clientele in both regions. The Pacific Asia Travel Association is helping plan the tourism track at the conference with the goal of increasing tourism opportunities on the islands and attracting more visitors.

The conference will also include several networking events and, most importantly, prearranged one-on-one meetings, offering participants an opportunity to meet directly to discuss joint ventures. FSM hopes to meet with potential foreign investors and inform them of the benefits of investing in business opportunities in the FSM, especially in light of the military build-up in Guam, which will bring thousands of more potential tourists to the FSM in the near future.