Assistant Secretary of the Interior Esther Kia’aina visited the RMI in March to discuss a full range of issues. President Loeak and his Cabinet discussed the resettlement of Rongelap Atoll and Compact Impact. A/S Kia’aina also has a strong concern about climate change and sea level rise and would like to see the RMI become a model for the region for resilience efforts. Education is another key priority and A/S Kia’aina will tour the College of the Marshall Islands and meet with Minister of Education Hilda Heine. The United States provides approximately $100 million a year to the RMI through a variety of programs, many of them administered by the Department of the Interior. The Assistant Secretary, whose family roots are in Hawaii, knows the region well and is looking for opportunities to make progress in education, health and infrastructure, especially as Compact sector grants expire in 2023
