The NOS2 was a three-day event that brought in respective Local Government Mayors/Representatives, Fishermen and Women Leaders from each of the 24 Atolls/Islands scattered across the Republic of the Marshall Islands, centered around four key thematic areas: Climate Change, Sustainable Fisheries, Marine Pollution, Coral Reefs, and Marine Protected Areas.

Across the Freely Associated States ( the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Palau), decades of development assistance have poured into the education sector. Budgets have grown, partnerships have expanded, and reform plans have been drafted. And yet learning outcomes are stagnating or, in most cases, getting worse.

The World Bank’s recent report, Future Jobs: Robots, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Platforms in East Asia and Pacific (EAP), explores how technologies are reshaping employment across the region. For the Freely Associated States (FAS) - the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau (ROP)- conversations about robots and digital platforms may feel distant. But automation is already changing the nature of work, especially in the U.S. – our main migration destination.

The Pacific gathered in one place an illustration of unity to strengthen a chorded voice calling for ocean equity, robust area-based management tools, and meaningful benefit-sharing mechanisms. Speeches, photo ops, and official statements reinforced the narrative of solidarity, underscoring the "Blue Pacific Continent" as a single, powerful bloc. But this dome of harmony deserves a closer appraisal.