Last week I had the pleasure of hosting our inaugural Future Leaders of the Pacific Conference (#FPL13) in Pago Pago, American Samoa. Conceived here at the Embassy as a youth version of the annual Pacific Islands Forum of heads of government, the conference came to life in partnership with our friends at the East-West Center and the Government of American Samoa.

Working with our sister American Embassies in the region, we identified and brought together twenty-two young leaders ranging in age from 21 to 26 from the 16 Pacific Islands Forum member nations plus American Samoa. On the agenda for discussion were a wide variety of important regional and global  regional issues such as women’s empowerment, democracy and governance, climate change, sea bed mining, and non-communicable diseases. You can access the full daily agenda here.

The delegates were Eugene Amor (Federated States of Micronesia), Toai Bartley (Samoa), Luana Bosanquet-Heays (Cook Islands), Berrick Dowiyogo (Nauru), Mua Galea’i (American Samoa), Tarema Henry (Kiribati), Aldric Hipa (Niue), Joe Iosua (American Samoa), Hiku Jackson (New Zealand), Tina Kivalu (Tonga), Karl Laulu (Samoa), Vitalina Niroa (Vanuatu), Mele O’Brien (Solomon Islands), Grace Pace (American Samoa), Theresa Penn (Samoa), Shon Satele (American Samoa), Isabela Silk (Marshall Islands), Jone Tamanikaimoturiki (Fiji), Kasipo Teo (Fiji), Jewel Vaka (American Samoa), Naomi Woyengu (Papua New Guinea) and Demei Yobech (Palau). Our Australian delegate was unable to attend because of a family emergency.

As Ambassador I have attended the Post-Forum Dialogue sessions of three Pacific Islands Forums (in Vanuatu, Auckland, and Rarotonga). The meetings were interesting and at times productive. As with most such conclaves, though, my mind drifted to how much more interesting and productive the conversation might be if the younger voices of promising future leaders were mixed in with those of the older, current leaders. FPL13 was the result of that persistent daydream.

FPL13 opened in fine form. The Honorable Governor of American Samoa Lolo M. Moliga hosted a traditional Samoan ava ceremony to welcome delegates the evening everyone arrived in Pago Pago, followed by a banquet and impressive performances by the Leone High School Swing Choir and the Iakina SDA New Hope Singers. Miss Grace Pace of Teen Challenge American Samoa gave the opening invocation, and the Governor, a representative of the East-West Center, and I offered opening remarks.

The next morning Dr. Jerry Finin (co-director of the East-West Center’s Pacific Islands Development Program) and I welcomed the delegates once again. My good friend His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Taisi Efi, the Head of State of Samoa, then formally opened the conference with a powerful address on leadership titled “Transforming Intelligence into Good Judgment.”

The Honorable Toke Talangi, Premier of Niue, offered strategic thoughts on “Facing the Future: Where and How Oceania Should be Engaging.” He was followed by Dr. Sitiveni Halapua, Member of Parliament from Tonga and Co-Director of the East-West Center Pacific Islands Development Program, who spoke on democracy and good governance.

Over the course of the next two days we ran a series of leadership trainings and expert-led break-out sessions on specific issues. One of the highlights was a presentation by Women in Business Development Inc Executive Director Adimaimalaga (Adi) Tafuna’i. Other expert discussion leaders included Dr. Allen Clark on natural resource management and sea-bed mining issues, and Dr. Nancy Lewis on non-communicable diseases, the leading cause of death in the Pacific islands.

Among the other presenters and facilitators were Dr. Falai Taafaki from the Government of the Marshall Islands, Mr. Solomon Kantha from the International Office for Migration in Papua New Guinea, and Pa’u Roy Ausuage, Director of Youth and Women’s Programs for the Government of American Samoa. As you can tell, a truly impressive list of experts and officials engaged with the delegates, who in turn enthusiastically and confidently engaged right back.

Delegates even had the opportunity to take a field trip to see the only “Science on the Sphere” south of the Equator, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa.  Dr. Victoria Keener, a climate change expert from the East-West Center, used the Sphere to illustrate climate change data and projections, and led a dynamic discussion on climate change risk mitigation in the Pacific islands.

The real sphere struck back, in the form of an 8.0 earthquake in the Solomon Islands that provoked a tsunami watch throughout the Pacific, including for American Samoa. The heads of state and government in attendance were evacuated to higher ground, and we moved the delegates to the second floor of the hotel. We rearranged the agenda a bit and plowed forward in the 2nd floor hallway with our Deputy Chief of Mission from the American Embassy in Fiji, Jeff Robertson, leading the group through a Harvard Leadership Exercise.

Of course, the whole point of the conference was to help prepare the delegates for the leadership roles that they are likely to assume in the future. Near the end of agenda, I therefore circled back to share what I have observed and learned about leadership in my legal and diplomatic careers to date. I focused on the traits and approaches that I believe separate workmanly good leaders from impactful great leaders. The delegates jumped in with excellent questions, and another vigorous discussion ensued.

I provided examples of outside dynamics and personal characteristics that can impede or defeat a leader, and I emphasized the importance of cultivating leadership potential in others if you really want to effect positive change and make a durable difference in your environment. I ended with a favorite quote of mine from Jack Welch:  “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”

Of course, we didn’t work the delegates around the clock. There was time to relax, bond, and network, which are essential elements of professional and leadership development.  In addition to a couple of field trips and casual dinners, one evening we held an impromptu talent show in which each delegate shared a bit of home country culture.

Even though no one had time to prepare, there were too many great performances — from graceful Cook Island siva, to fierce Niue haka, to exuberant Nauru hula, to hip modern dance moves from Palau and a very American Samoan Harlem Shake – for me to pick a favorite. To help represent my current home country, I joined New Zealand delegate Hiku Jackson for a rendition of the All Blacks haka.

On the final evening of the conference the Hon. Governor Lolo Moliga graciously invited delegates and presenters to dinner. There were moving prayers, great local entertainment, another grand meal, and gifts from the Governor including lava lavas, commemorative shirts, and cans of American Samoa’s famous Wahoo tuna. To thank the Governor for his generosity and support, two of our Samoan delegates presented him with a siapo on behalf of the group. The evening concluded with a special performance of the taualuga by the First Lady of American Samoa.

While everyone seemed to have fun, the heart of the conference was the serious, substantive engagement – treating folks under age 25 as meaningful players, facilitating detailed discussion of complex issues, and listening to what the youth had to say. To me, it’s obvious that educating, empowering, and amplifying the young voices of the Pacific are not only the right things to do, but the smart things to do. No doubt about it.

And the delegates proved my point. They engaged in an intense, confident, and sophisticated manner, and made full use of the resources that we assembled. They quickly forged strong bonds with each other, forming what I hope will remain a vibrant pan-Pacific leadership and support network that further expands over time. The network is off to a good start — I’m told that the private Facebook page that we established for the delegates to continue their conversation has been heavily trafficked.

In my view, the conference was an unequivocal success. I was so impressed that we’ve asked the #FPL13 delegates to select two spokespersons whom I will take with me to this year’s Pacific Islands Forum in Majuro, Marshall Islands so that they can observe the proceedings, participate in the Post-Forum Dialogue, and hopefully engage directly with additional island leaders.

I see no better investment in our shared Pacific future than convening, mentoring, and empowering our future leaders. So, we are going to continue the conference as an annual event. In fact, we have already started planning #FPL14. Stay tuned …

As you know from my tweets and instagrams, I had the great pleasure of spending last week on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands for the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). For me, the highlight of the trip came Thursday evening when Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna, his Cabinet, dozens of performers, Dr. McWaine, and I greeted Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the airport. It is always an honor for an Embassy to welcome a Secretary of State, but we were particularly delighted to receive a second visit in less than two years.

The Secretary and I weren’t the only Americans in town for the Forum. I welcomed the largest and highest-level U.S. delegation ever to attend the gathering in its 41-year history. I made the same statement at last year’s PIF in Auckland, but this year our presence was even more extensive. With the Secretary and me were the U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Pacific Islands Forum (Frankie Reed); U.S. Ambassador to Australia (Jeff Bleich); U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu (Teddy Taylor) …

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The November 2011 issue of Foreign Policy carries an insightful article by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on America’s policy and place in the Pacific and Asian regions. It is an excellent read. I won’t reprint it in its entirety, but you can access the piece by clicking here.

In her usual direct and nuanced way, the Secretary articulates the mutual benefits of an active and engaged America, and clearly lays out the tenets of US strategy. She grounds her points in historical context often overlooked in much of today’s sound-bite-driven, faddish popular discourse:

“Just as Asia is critical to America’s future, an engaged America is vital to Asia’s future. The region is eager for our leadership and our business — perhaps more so than at any time in modern history.

“We are the only power with a network of strong alliances in the region, no territorial ambitions, and a long record of providing for the common good. Along with our allies, we have underwritten regional security for decades — patrolling Asia’s sea lanes and preserving stability — and that in turn has helped create the conditions for growth.

“We have helped integrate billions of people across the region into the global economy by spurring economic productivity, social empowerment, and greater people-to-people links. We are a major trade and investment partner, a source of innovation that benefits works and businesses on both sides of the Pacific, a host to 350,000 Asian students every year, a champion of open markets, and an advocate for universal human rights.”

The Secretary then proceeds to discuss in detail the Administration’s “multifacted and persistent effort to embrace fully our irreplaceable role in the Pacific, spanning the entire US government.” She notes that “[i]t has often been a quiet effort. A lot of our work has not been on the front pages, both because of its nature — long-term investment is less exciting than immediate crises — and because of competing headlines in other parts of the world.”

In the Secretary’s rubric, the strategy is one of forward-deployed diplomacy, which means engaging actively on the ground throughout the region and adapting in real time to the rapid and often dramatic shifts occurring in today’s interconnected world.

She reviews in detail the six key lines of action in American strategy: strengthening bilateral security alliances, deepening working relationships with emerging powers, engaging with regional multilateral institutions, expanding trade and investment opportunities, forging a broad-based military presence, and advancing democracy and human rights.

The views that the Secretary expresses are not theoretical or philosophical. They are practical, tangible, and operational. Just one excellent example was the nature and scope of US participation in this year’s Pacific Island Forum in Auckland.

The US sent its largest and highest-level delegation ever to attend the PIF’s Post-Forum Dialogue. Led by Deputy Secretary of State Thomas Nides, the contingent included senior officials from the Department of State, USAID, White House, Department of Commerce, Peace Corps, Department of Defense, and Coast Guard.

Playing key roles along with Deputy Secretary Nides were Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell, making his third visit to New Zealand in the past 12 months, and the Governor of American Samoa, the Honorable Togiola Tulafono, as well my fellow American Ambassadors from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Palau, and Australia.

Our visitors came to work. The delegation split into several teams based on subject matter focus, and almost two dozen of my colleagues from the Embassy and Consulate General provided support and squired the teams through more than 110 separate meetings with their counterparts from the Government of New Zealand and/or other PIF attendees.

Our visitors also came to pony up, commit, and execute. Progress was made on a variety of matters including disaster preparedness, climate change, sustainable development, and fisheries. Several MOUs and agreements were signed.

For example, we signed partnership agreements with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme to advance climate change adaptation in the Pacific Small Island States. Those agreements are part of a larger, two-year US$ 21 million package to address climate change impact in the region.

We also signed ship-rider agreements with Nauru and Tuvalu, bringing the total number of those agreements in the Pacific to eight. Under those successful agreements, the US Coast Guard extends the reach and power of island nation law enforcement officers by hosting them on our vessels and aircraft to patrol national Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). Such joint activity is essential to the economic health as well as the security of partner nations, given the large amount of illegal commercial fishing in the EEZs.

Such collaboration is a natural part of our uninterrupted, generations-long engagement in the region. The United States is itself a Pacific nation with deep, enduring, and historic ties to our Pacific friends and neighbors. And that isn’t going to change. On that note, I’ll give the Secretary the final word:

“I’m well aware that there are those who question our staying power around the world. We’ve heard this talk before. At the end of the Vietnam War, there was a thriving industry of global commentators promoting the idea that America was in retreat, and it is a theme that repeats itself every few decades. But whenever the United States has experienced setbacks, we’ve overcome them through reinvention and innovation.

“Our capacity to come back stronger is unmatched in modern history. It flows from our model of free democracy and free enterprise, a model that remains the most powerful source of prosperity and progress known to humankind … So there should be no doubt that America has the capacity to secure and sustain our global leadership in this century as we did in the last.”

I am pleased to be back in Samoa for the second time in a month … this time to meet a high-level US delegation arriving from Washington. Leading the delegation is my good friend Dr Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. With him will be Admiral Patrick Walsh (Commander of the US Pacific Fleet), Nisha Biswal (Assistant Administrator of USAID), Brigadier General Richard Simcock (Principal Director of the Office for South/Southeast Asia), and several others.

During the trip the team will meet with government officials, NGO leaders, entrepreneurs, veterans, scientists, and members of the general public in Samoa and seven other island nations.

Discussions will focus on the full range of issues of concern to those of us whose homelands touch the waters of the Pacific … including fisheries security, climate change, sustainable economic development, disaster planning, humanitarian relief, support for civil society, renewable energy R&D, regional political issues, and donor nation coordination.

Also on the agenda will be the Pacific Island Forum (to be held in Auckland just before the Rugby World Cup this September), as well as American business investment in the Pacific and ways to increase mutually beneficial business opportunities.

The composition of the delegation and the diversity of the agenda illustrate America’s “3D” commitment to robust engagement in the Pacific … through Diplomacy, Development, and Defense. We already have strong bilateral political, economic, and security relationships in our shared Pacific neighborhood. The current trip will take a broad inter-agency approach to building further on that firm foundation.

The journey started yesterday in Kiribati, where the delegation met with President Anote Tong for discussions focused on climate change and economic development prospects. There were wreath-laying ceremonies at a World War II monument and cemetery to commemorate the immense sacrifices made by Americans during the Battle of Tarawa and elsewhere in the Pacific in the service of peace, stability, and self-determination.

As I write this, the delegation is en route from Kiribati to meet me here in Samoa, arriving in time for dinner. We will launch the visit with an outdoor banquet for senior officials and other community leaders, so that the American team can get a sense of the diversity and vibrancy of Samoan society in a festive, casual environment.

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