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Her Excellency Ms. Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, visits the Federated States of Micronesia

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): April 5, 2012 - A 13-member delegation led by Her Excellency the Governor-General and Head of State of the Commonwealth of Australia Ms. Quentin Bryce, visited Pohnpei on April 2, 2012 in the late afternoon and departed the next day shortly after noontime. Upon arrival, a welcoming party comprised of the Vice President Mr. Alik, Foreign Affairs Secretary Mr. Robert and Chief of Staff Mr. Churchill Edward, and were joined by Australian Embassy staff led by Ambassador Martin Quinn, and an assortment of administrative and logistical staff including mwarmwar girls. The highlight of the welcoming formalities held on the grounds of the airport tarmac was the inspection of the FSM Honor Guard by the Governor-General and the rendition of the Australian National Anthem as the Governor-General took her stand on a decorated dais with the Australian flag fluttering in the wind behind her. Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce and members of her delegation were ushered into their vehicles for a motorcade to the Ambassador of Australia's residence for debriefing and a short rest.

In the evening of the same day, a dinner reception was hosted by President Manny Mori in honor of the Governor-General and the distinguished members of her delegation including Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Richard Marles, who had visited the FSM twice earlier this year. With close to one hundred invited guests in attendance from the FSM and Australian communities in Pohnpei, the dinner program began by showcasing the well-known Pohnpei Sakau Ceremony as a traditional form of welcome to the visiting dignitaries. This conveyance of welcome was underscored by Governor John Ehsa of Pohnpei State during his remarks to welcome the Governor-General and her delegation.

In his remarks, President Mori also reiterated the sentiments of welcome and gratitude to the Governor-General for honoring the FSM and its people with her historic visit to our humble shores. The President also stated that the visit by the Governor-General was indicative of Australia's desire to strengthen its relationship with its neighboring islands in the Pacific region, given Australia's leadership and privileged position and status in regional affairs. President Mori commended her for the pioneering role she has played as the first woman to be the Governor-General of the Commonwealth and alluded to her active and superb job in the service of her country, a true model for all women.

The Governor-General responded by thanking the President for the dinner reception hosted in her honor and for the warm welcome extended to her and her delegation, especially through the partaking of the welcoming sakau ceremony. She indicated the gratitude of her government for the support given to Australia's regional and international roles and expressed her personal desire to promote the friendship that Australia has towards the region, particularly at the people-to-people level as fundamental to the political and economic relationship. Governor-General also remarked by pointing to the warmth and hospitable manner that she and her delegation have received on their journey, and indicated that these gestures of warm sentiments would be kept in her heart when she returns home.

The next day, the Governor-General paid courtesy calls on President Mori in his temporary office where the President expressed his regrets for any inconveniences. The Governor-General expressed her gratitude for the meeting and commented on the beautiful ride to the Capital.

President Mori took the opportunity to reiterate his gratitude for the historic visit by the Governor-General given that it is the first ever singular visit of a Head of State and first Governor-General to visit the FSM. In response, the Governor-General also reiterated her personal delight to be visiting Pohnpei and said she was looking forward to an enjoyable and meaningful visit to the Island Food Community of Pohnpei and the site of the Patrol Boat Program later on the day. The Governor-General thanked the President and extended an invitation to President Mori to visit Australia, details of which will be worked out in time.

The President further prevailed on the opportunity to reiterate FSM's support for Australia's United Nations Security Council bid for a non-permanent seat. President Mori further expressed FSM's gratitude for the various assistances that Australia has provided to the FSM, including grassroots assistance for community development. The Governor-General acknowledged these sentiments and took pleasure in pointing out that development assistance that touches the lives of ordinary people at the community level is what she deeply cares about, and it is this people-to-people friendship that underpins all levels of government including the promotion of peace which is fundamental to economic and social development.

In connection, the President thanked the Governor-General for Australia's support for the human resource development needs of the FSM including the technical assistance provided through the Pacific Partnership for Development between FSM and Australia and mentioned his personal preference for technical skills and knowledge which is seriously lacking. The Governor-General responded by expressing her support and appreciation for these technical and vocational needs and mentioned Australia's willingness to share its technical expertise. It was also pointed out that the Government of Australia is providing a$3 million assistance on the occasion of the Governor-General's visit to be used in the FSM and Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) under activities of the International Organization for Migration.

The call on the President was followed by a coconut tree planting, which took place outside the President's residence in Palikir to memorialize the historic visit.

For more information, please contact the Department of Foreign Affairs at 320-2641.