▁of ▁emer gency . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁heavy ▁waves ▁once ▁again ▁bre ached ▁the ▁city ▁walls ▁of ▁Maj uro . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁northern ▁at oll s ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁experienced ▁dr ought . ▁The ▁dr ought ▁left ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁surv iving ▁on ▁less ▁than ▁ ▁of ▁water ▁per ▁day . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁failure ▁of ▁food ▁cro ps ▁and ▁the ▁spread ▁of ▁dise ases ▁such ▁as ▁di arr he a , ▁p ink ▁eye , ▁and ▁influen za . ▁These ▁emer gen cies ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁President ▁declaring ▁an ▁emer gency ▁in ▁the ▁islands . ▁This ▁declaration ▁activ ated ▁support ▁from ▁US ▁government ▁ag encies ▁under ▁the ▁Republic ' s ▁" free ▁association " ▁status ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁which ▁provides ▁human itar ian ▁and ▁other ▁vital ▁support . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁emer gen cies , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁Tony ▁de B rum ▁was ▁encourag ed ▁by ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁administration ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁turn ▁the ▁cr ises ▁into ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁promote ▁action ▁against ▁climate ▁change . ▁De B rum ▁demanded ▁new ▁commit ment ▁and ▁international ▁leadership ▁to ▁st ave ▁off ▁further ▁climate ▁dis aster s ▁from ▁batter ing ▁his ▁country ▁and ▁other ▁similarly ▁vulner able ▁countries . ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁hosted ▁the ▁ 4 4 th ▁Pacific ▁Islands ▁Forum ▁sum mit . ▁De