The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) has awarded the University of South Carolina’s Rule of Law Collaborative (ROLC), in partnership with The Asia Foundation,  a three-year cooperative agreement to strengthen the capacity of prosecutor offices in three Pacific Island countries- the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (together, commonly referred to as the Freely Associated States.) In 2025, ROLC will conduct capacity assessments and facilitate Strategic Planning exercises with the Attorneys General Offices of these to identify areas where operational improvements can be made to bolster recruitment and retention of prosecutors and to coordinate on transnational criminal prosecutions, especially in the areas of illegal fishing, wildlife exploitation, and trafficking of persons and contraband. Following the development of the strategic plans, ROLC will design and implement a series of online and in-person trainings for the prosecutors and their support staff  and will also conduct a tri-national strategic planning exercise for all three Freely Associated States to enhance cooperation and coordination across the region.