Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — On the heels of American Samoa being granted observer status at the Micronesian Island Forum, the U.S. government has agreed to allow U.S. territories to join the Pacific Islands Forum as non-voting associate members, modifying an old policy that previously barred their participation in international organizations in "any capacity."

A news release published this week by the Pacific Islands Times in Guam is reporting that Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote to Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and CNMI Gov. Arnold Palacios informing them that the U.S. government has officially endorsed the U.S. territories’ application for associate membership in the Forum.

Guam, the Northern Marianas and American Samoa, which currently hold observer status, have sought active participation in the Forum instead of being silent on the periphery.

While supporting their bid for PIF membership, Secretary Blinken cautioned the territories against taking any action that may be inconsistent with their political status.

Under the U.S. Constitution and longstanding policy practice, the federal government “has full responsibility to conduct the foreign relations of all areas under U.S. jurisdictions," he said in the letter to the governors.

“U.S. states, territories and possessions are precluded from independently exercising foreign policy prerogatives of the U.S. federal government," Blinken said, reiterating the department's policy issued in 2011 but has since been taken down from its website.

Founded in 1971, the Forum is the region’s premier political and economic policy organization. It is becoming an influential bloc in the region caught in a tug-of-war among the world’s superpowers.

The Biden administration has twice hosted PIF leaders during the U.S.-Pacific Island Summit at the White House in 2022 and 2023.