KWAJALEIN, Marshall Islands - Col. Joseph Gaines, U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll commander, attended the inauguration of the new President of the Marshall Islands Christopher Loeak and his new cabinet in Majuro, RMI on Jan. 17.
Gaines attended the event as the representative from USAKA and the Army as a whole and was able to meet the new president, who replaced Jurelang Zedkaia and is the country's sixth president.
"The people of the Marshall Islands should be very proud of their election process and how far they've come since … 1986," Gaines said. "For me personally I felt that this inauguration was a historic event and was proud to represent USAKA and SMDC as part of this. I look forward to working with the new government of the Marshall Islands and continuing our special partnership."
Also representing the U.S were the Department of the Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Mr. Anthony Babauta and U.S Ambassador Martha Campbell. Representatives from the embassies of Japan, Taiwan, Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands were also in attendance.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also sent her congratulations to President Loeak and the people of the Marshall Islands, citing the "long history of close cooperation" between the two countries.
Prior to this national inauguration, on Jan. 13, Gaines, Sgt. Maj. Hohn Wolf and Kwajalein Range Services President Cynthia Rivera attended the inauguration of the Mayor for the Kwajalein Atoll Local Government Johnny Lemari and his new board of nine council members. The re-elected Mayor Lemari and his council members will serve four years.
- USAKA Public Affairs Officer Ruth Quigley contributed to this report
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