20 January 2025
From January 14 to 20, 2025, a 7-member OISCA delegation headed by Ms. Nakano Etsuko, OISCA International President, visited the Republic of Palau. This visit was made possible after Ms. Nakano received an invitation from Palau President Surangel S. Whippers Jr. to attend the inauguration ceremony for his second term. She also had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Steven Victor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment, and to have discussions with Mr. Kalistres Ngirfurong, President of the Palau Chapter of OISCA, and its members.
The meeting with Agriculture Minister Victor on January 15 was arranged through coordination of Mr. Peter Adelbai, Ambassador of Palau in Japan, who has high expectations for OISCA’s agricultural training program. Mr. Victor said, “industry developed in Palau during the Japanese period. The Japanese work with us and grow with us”. Noting that OISCA had previously established a training center in the country to provide agricultural training to the youth, the minister expressed his desire to once again explore opportunities to train young people.
In response to this, the OISCA side decided to proceed with discussions with a view to concluding a MOU, on the grounds that the Palau government would be responsible for selecting trainees and supporting their activities after their return from Japan, and would bear some of the costs involved, so that they could be accepted as trainees in Japan.
Meanwhile, participating in the discussions with OISCA Palau Chapter on the same day was Mr. Trebkul Tellei, who studied at the OISCA Chubu Training Center in 1990 and now works for the country’s Ministry of Agriculture. The possibility of cooperation between the Palau Chapter and the government which is promoting new farmer training, was discussed.
The following day, January 16, the OISCA delegation attended the Presidential inauguration ceremony. In his inaugural speech, President Whippers touched on the relations with Japan.
On January 17, they visited the OISCA Palau Training Center. President Nakano expressed her appreciation for the facility which has been well managed by Mr. Kalistres and his team, and for their continued efforts in agriculture.
the gentleman is Mr. Peter Adelbai, Palau Ambassador in Japan
