Palikir, Pohnpei – November 7, 2024 – His Excellency Wesley W. Simina, President of the Federated States of Micronesia, formally received the Letter of Recall and Letter of Credence from Her Excellency Kristin Iglum, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to the FSM, in a ceremony held at the Office of the President in Palikir.
In her remarks, Ambassador Iglum expressed Norway’s commitment to shared global priorities, emphasizing the Kingdom’s dedication to multilateralism and climate action. She highlighted Norway’s leadership in initiatives such as the Ocean Panel, co-chaired with Palau, which aims to promote sustainable ocean stewardship. She also noted Norway’s recent pledge of $270 million to the Green Climate Fund to support climate-vulnerable nations, reflecting Norway’s commitment to addressing climate impacts on the most affected countries.
President Simina warmly welcomed Ambassador Iglum and acknowledged the strong partnership between the FSM and Norway, grounded in shared values like freedom, human rights, and environmental protection. He highlighted the historic ties between both nations, strengthened through the establishment of diplomatic relations on April 12, 2018, and emphasized FSM’s appreciation for Norway’s cooperative spirit on global issues.
Addressing climate change as the most pressing threat to the FSM, President Simina stressed the need for decisive action at COP29, stating, “We are no longer in a period of global warming, but a period of global boiling.” He expressed confidence that Norway, in its role as Chair of the Arctic Council, would continue to advance sustainable development and environmental protection in the region.
President Simina conveyed the FSM’s gratitude to the government and people of Norway for their ongoing partnership and looked forward to working together on both bilateral and multilateral fronts. He extended an invitation to Ambassador Iglum and her delegation to visit other states within the FSM, furthering the bonds between the two nations.
The ceremony was attended by the Honorable Aren B. Palik, Vice President of the FSM, Mr. Bob Rust, spouse of the Ambassador, Ms. Stine Thomassen, First Secretary of the Embassy of Norway in Japan, along with Cabinet members, the Diplomatic Corps, and staff from the FSM National Government.
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