Her Excellency Dr. Hilda C. Heine and First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr., departed Majuro to lead the Marshall Islands delegation to the Island States Ocean Summit (ISOS 2026) in Tokyo, Japan, from June 3–4.
Convened by The Nippon Foundation in partnership with the Government of Japan and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the Summit brings together heads of state, ministers, and international partners from approximately 30 countries and organizations to advance sustainable ocean action, climate resilience, and ocean governance for island nations. The Summit is expected to strengthen cooperation and support science-based approaches to sustainable ocean planning and management.
While President Heine is on duty travel, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hon. Kalani Kaneko will serve as Acting President
