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Pacific Community Maritime Boundaries Officer selected for International Leadership Program

Friday, 19 August 2016 12:02
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17 August 2016, Suva

The Pacific Community’s Emily Artack is representing Fiji in an international delegation participating in the prestigious International Visitors Leadership Programme on Law of the Sea and Maritime Security in the United States.

The three-week programme, which starts this week in Washington D.C., will include exploring how customary law applies in the South China Sea and the Pacific, assessing the roles of international stakeholders, observing interagency coordination and approaches to maritime security operations, and discussing multilateral policy and cooperative efforts in South China Sea territorial and maritime disputes.

The international programme will also take the 12-country delegation to Baltimore, New York, Florida, Seattle and Honolulu to meet with professional counterparts and explore various perspectives on the impact of the Law of the Sea Convention.

“This visit is an exciting opportunity for me to meet with representatives from the various organisations based in the United States and learn more about their approaches to law of the sea and maritime security operations, as well as learn more about the role of various organisations based in the cities we will be visiting and I will establish close networks between them and the Pacific countries,” Ms Artack said.

Each year over 4,500 participants from all over the world are selected by U.S. embassies to travel to the United States through the U.S. Department of States premier professionals exchange program.

In her professional capacity as SPC’s Maritime Boundaries Technical Officer, Ms Artack has actively assisted Pacific Island countries to negotiate 14 maritime agreements and treaties in the region and to formalise their maritime boundaries and deposit this information with the United Nations, with a recent example being the Republic of Marshall Islands who officially declared their maritime borders to the United Nations in April this year.

“This in an incredible opportunity for Emily and we congratulate her on this well deserved assignment,” Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga said.

“Ms Artack is a valuable member of our team, and is also a recipient of SPC’s Jimmie Rodgers Emerging Leader Award which recognises the significant contribution and leadership she has demonstrated in the realisation of SPC’s vision and mission in serving our Pacific members,” Dr Tukuitonga added.

The International Visitors Leadership Program will run from 15 August to 3 September this year.

Media contact:
Lauren Robinson   SPC Media Relations, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or +679 337 9250 [Appeler : +679 337 9250]

 

Last Updated on Friday, 19 August 2016 12:06  

Newsflash

Almost 52% of nearly 10 million people living in the Pacific island countries continue to face threats from unsafe drinking water resulting from water-borne diseases.

Unsafe drinking water has been the primary cause for the 2800 deaths per year (most our children under the age of 5) from diarrhoea and related illnesses, and poor sanitation and hygiene are major contributing factors.

Additionally periods of drought that is currently being experienced in many island countries have aggravated the situation.SOPAC, working with the World Health Organization has introduced a plan into the region that has shown positive results in combating water carrying diseases.

“It’s no miracle drug, but a common sense approach to educate people throughout the region of how to determine if their drinking water is safe, how to clean it, and protect it so that that there is no danger that the water can continue to cause illness,” said SOPAC Director, Dr Russell Howorth.