For two years, Micronesian leaders prepared for their long-awaited turn to lead the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
When they met on the margins of the 2019 74th UN General Assembly, Micronesia’s upcoming decision to appoint a new PIF secretary-general was one of the most pressing subjects of discussion.
The President of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr Photograph: The Guardian
The selection of the PIF secretary-general is a consensus decision, and by longstanding agreement, PIF’s three sub-regions – Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia – take turns putting up a candidate.
Other candidates are sometimes nominated, but in the end, “consensus” has historically prevailed. In the last cycle, other candidates were withdrawn in favour of Dame Meg Taylor, the consensus candidate from Melanesia.
2021/01/20 18:17 Foreign Minister Joseph Wu departs for Palau on Jan. 20 (MOFA photo) Foreign Minister Joseph Wu departs for Palau on Jan. 20 (MOFA photo) TAIPEI (Taiwan News) Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) departed for Taiwan’s Pacific ally Palau on Wednesday (Jan. 20) with a group of tourism agency personnel and the aim of exploring business possibilities under a travel bubble. The Taiwanese envoy will take part in the presidential inauguration on Thursday (Jan. 21). He will also meet with current President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. and the new president, Surangel Whipps, Jr., separately during the trip, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) statement.
The Palauan president-elect has vowed to stand up to Chinese “bullying” in the Pacific, saying that the archipelago nation is set to stand by its alliances with “true friends,” Taiwan and the US.
Surangel Whipps Jr, 52, a supermarket owner and two-time senator from a prominent Palauan family, is to be sworn in as the new president tomorrow, succeeding his brother-in-law, Tommy Remengesau Jr.
In a forthright interview, Whipps said that the US had demonstrated over the years that it was a reliable friend of Palau, most recently shown by its delivery of 6,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
“It’s important for
Foreign minister to attend inauguration of Palau s new president
01/12/2021 09:10 PM
Taiwan s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) CNA file photo
Taipei, Jan. 12 (CNA) Taiwan s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) will attend the upcoming inauguration of Palau s President-elect Surangel Whipps Jr. on Jan. 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.
Wu will travel to the Pacific ally Jan. 20 and return two days later, ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou (歐江安) said at a regular press briefing in Taipei.
Given the strong friendship between Taiwan and the Pacific island nation, which has not recorded a single coronavirus case to date, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) appointed Wu to head Taiwan s delegation to the inauguration of the new president and vice president, Ou said.