HONOLULU — The President of Nauru, Russ Joseph Kun, visited U.S. Coast Guard District 14 this weekend.
The Nauru President and his delegation visited United States Department of Defense agencies including the United States Indo-Pacific Command in addition to meeting with members from the East-West Center and the The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies during their 5-day visit.
During the meeting with Rear Adm. Michael Day, the commander of District 14, both parties discussed the importance of shiprider agreements in the effort to deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) that have potential in impacting Nauru. The Nauru President was given a tour of the Coast Guard Cutter William Hart and was later briefed on the U.S. Coast Guard’s area of operation throughout the Pacific and the possibility of expanding search and rescue capabilities by cross training with Nauru’s patrol boats.
“Our relationships with our partner nations like Nauru are more important than ever in the effort to maintain maritime sovereignty and security throughout the region,” said Rear Adm. Michael Day, commander of Coast Guard District 14. “We look forward to our continued partnership with the governments and people in the Pacific. We stand always ready to support each country’s autonomy and the advancement of their interests.”
The meetings and unit visits held on Oahu allowed opportunity for the exchange of information politically and socially in the effort to confront the significant challenges facing the global community, including the climate crisis, security, and economic prosperity.