CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE

UNCLAS STATE 023533 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV ETRD CVIS XV SUBJECT: CONFERENCE ON BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS ¶1. This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4. ¶2. The Department of the Interior (DOI) will hold its fifth Conference on Business Opportunities in the Islands on April 6-8, 2009 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The conference will provide businesses from around the world with opportunities to learn about investing in the U.S. Territories of Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, as well as the sovereign Freely Associated States of Palau, Marshall Islands, and Federated States of Micronesia. DOI has encouraged businesses from Asia to attend the conference as part of its effort to promote economic development in the U.S.-affiliated insular areas. ¶3. DOI's Business Opportunities in the Islands conferences are high-level events hosted by the Secretary of the Interior. Three heads of state, the governors of the U.S. territories, and other high-ranking officials from various governments and multilateral agencies participated in last year's conference. We expect senior-level U.S. participation again this year, though the final composition of the U.S. delegation has not been determined. Action Request: ¶4. Posts are requested to disseminate information concerning the conference to appropriate government agencies, companies, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and others, as appropriate. Information on the conference and instructions for registration are available at www.islandbusinessopportunities.com. Posts are also requested to alert Consular sections about the conference as participants in some countries may require visas to visit Hawaii. CLINTON