Press conference with Deputy Sec. Landau, at East-West Center.

Pacific journalists cover Investment Summit in Honolulu
The 10 journalists from 9 Pacific island countries and territories we hosted here at the East-West Center had their work cut out for them.

We brought them here to cover the two-day Pacific Investment, Security, and Shared Prosperity Summit this week. Problem is, because of the delicate trade and investment negotiations taking place, 90% of the Summit was closed to press. Fortunately, the journalists were able to overcome this handicap with their ingenuity, and by taking advantage of a couple of extra press availabilities we were able to set up for our journalists.

The first of these press opps was with Dan Petrie, acting chief of staff at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government entity that gives loans (“compacts”) to developing countries, including Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, and Vanuatu. The journalists quizzed Petrie on transparency and accountability of these projects, and also why small countries like the Marshall Islands and Cook Islands have been excluded from MCC compacts. I asked if they still are able to give climate change resiliency grants, given the Trump administration’s hostility to climate change initiatives. Petrie talked about disaster resiliency, but didn’t really address the climate change aspect of my question.

The second press opp was with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. He relayed his enthusiasm about the Summit, terming it a “great success” while touting the power of private investment. Several journalists questioned Landau about U.S. climate change policy and how that impacts investment in the region. He replied by responding that the U.S. is at the “cutting edge” of environmentally responsible economic development.

In addition to these, the journalists were able to attend opening and closing plenary sessions at the Summit. At the closing session, several investment deals were announced, including ones for a feasibility study for a new hospital in Palau, and two more to construct high speed cables to bring improved digital access to the Marshall Islands and American Samoa. The journalists were also able to arrange a number of interviews with their country delegations that were attending the Summit. 

Pacific Islands journalists visit Honolulu Civil Beat.

During their visit to here, the Pacific island journalists also visited the newsroom of Honolulu Civil Beat, an award-winning, not-for-profit online news organization. The journalists compared notes and best practices with journalists Marcel Honore, Nathan Eagle, and Jessica Terrell. The Civil Beat reporters imparted their wisdom about covering tourism, fisheries, and energy with the visitors, who identified these as key issues on their islands.

Next week: Reflections from the Pacific Islands journalists and myself on the Investment Summit and the initiative that brought them here to Hawaii, as well as links to articles produced by the journalists.