Palikir, Pohnpei — January 28, 2026 — His Excellency Jackson T. Soram, Ambassador of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to the United States and now cross-accredited to Canada, formally presented his Letters of Credence to Her Excellency the Right Honorable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada. The official ceremony was held at the Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s official residence and working place in Ottawa on January 22, 2026.
The presentation of credentials officially accredits Ambassador Soram as the first FSM Ambassador to Canada, marking the beginning of his diplomatic duties in strengthening FSM-Canada relations.
The Federated States of Micronesia and Canada established diplomatic relations in 1993 and have since maintained cooperative ties founded on mutual respect, shared democratic values, and collaboration on regional and global priorities. Ambassador Soram’s accreditation underscores President Simina’s continued commitment to expanding and deepening engagement with other development partners including Canada.
While extending the special greetings of Kamorale from the government and the people of the FSM, Ambassador Soram also reaffirmed his dedication to advancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including sustainable development and climate change, education, and people‑to‑people exchanges.
Specific to the issue of people-to-people exchanges, Ambassador Soram referred to the growing diaspora of FSM citizens in the United States, specifically on the need for citizens to move freely when crossing U.S.-Canada borders to visit places in Canada. Both sides see the merit of an arrangement in place and agreed to continue the dialogue in pursuit of a suitable arrangement that can be mutually beneficial and acceptable to both sides.
In response to the Ambassador’s request for educational opportunities, the Government of Canada also shared the launching of its SEED Phase II scholarship opportunity available to Pacific Islands countries including the FSM. (The details of this scholarship opportunity are forthcoming and will be available later).
Ambassador expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the Government of Canada to him and his delegation during his visit.
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