Carmen Cantor @AsstSecCantor

It has been an honor to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs helping protect our ocean and strengthening our relationships with insular areas and international partners.

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onored to attend the presidential inauguration of President Whipps in Palau. Grateful to be part of the U.S. delegation to witness this important moment Palau’s history.

Thrilled to award Close Up Director Mia Charity with a grant supporting experiential civic education for nearly 500 students and educators from U.S. territories & freely associated states. It's an honor to help expand opportunities for civic engagement!

Celebrating 30 years of global impact! Since 1995, DOI-ITAP has partnered with ~100 countries to tackle wildlife trafficking, manage resources, and grow economies. See how DOI-ITAP strengthens communities worldwide and at home: youtu.be/AaQb61ux_K4

In a new op-ed, @SecDebHaaland and @AsstSecCantor outline in @GuamPDN how the Compacts of Free Association are “not just about economic assistance—they are about trust, cooperation, and shared goals” with our Pacific allies. guampdn.com/opinion/opinio…

Honored to have joined a special gathering between the U.S. and the three Freely Associated States celebrating the Compact of Free Association during the UN General Assembly High Level Week in NYC

It was an honor to attend the Communities in Action, Building a Better America event at the White House to highlight the historic investments from @POTUS Investing in America agenda to support territories, including the US Virgin Islands, in addressing ecosystem restoration.

Thrilled to have co-chaired alongside @USAsiaPacific the second meeting of the Interagency Group on the Freely Associated States today. Looking forward to continuing our discussions on implementing the Compact of Free Association.

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Last week I had a highly productive time in Honolulu, Hawaii chairing Joint Economic Committee meetings with the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. We made significant progress discussing approximately $190 million in FY25 economic assistance

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Had an incredible experience meeting study tour participants from the Philippines! It was a fantastic opportunity to share best practices and discuss how we build environmental law enforcement capacity in large-scale Marine Protected Area management.

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From Palau to the Marshall Islands & Micronesia, our @Interior team is administering funding from the recently negotiated Compacts of Free Association that will bolster priorities like public health, education and climate adaptation in these areas for generations to come.

It was a pleasure to meet with officials from Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry to discuss collaboration on wildlife law enforcement and protected areas management. Thank you for the tour of the incredible Tanjung Puting National Park.

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On Friday, @AsstSecCantor wrapped up a multi-day trip to Thailand and Indonesia, where she reaffirmed @Interior’s conservation partnerships across Southeast Asia. Read more about the visit here: doi.gov/pressreleases/…

I was honored to meet with ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn in Jakarta to discuss U.S. – ASEAN cooperation and @Interior’s new U.S. – ASEAN Alliance for Protected Areas Conservation. We look forward to collaborating with @ABiodiversity on this @USAID-funded initiative.

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Thanks to Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation and @TheWCS for great discussions and a tour of Kaeng Krachan National Park. @Interior is proud to support the conservation of Thailand’s incredible biodiversity and natural landscapes

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Great visit with the Royal Thai Police, Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, an important @USFWS partner on combating wildlife trafficking. Proud to see their U.S.-funded command and control center and learn how U.S. support aids their investigations.

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Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received a visit by the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior for Insular and International Affairs, H.E. Carmen G. Cantor. They discussed the implementation progress of the ASEAN-U.S. Environment and Climate…

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Honored to have joined U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert Godec in kicking off a “Virtual Jungle” workshop for young Thai conservationists. Amazing opportunity for students to learn new tech for wildlife conservation. Inspired by @FABCafe Founder and Director Kalaya Kovidvisith.

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Thrilled to announce technical assistance program grants allocated to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands government helping enhance various infrastructure projects, training, and public safety.

Excited to share that technical assistance and capital improvement grants have been presented to the Government of Guam! These grants will focus on addressing the needs related to data development, public safety, training, and local capital building.