By Associated Press - Thursday, January 16, 2020

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Gov. Doug Burgum sees progress in state government’s relationship with American Indian tribes in North Dakota, but he acknowledges there is more work to do.

Burgum talked about the accomplishments with the tribes since he took office in 2016 during a tribal conference in Bismarck Wednesday.

An oil tax revenue-sharing compact with the the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, updated agreements for child welfare services for Native American families and the display of tribal flags at the state Capitol are among the moves Burgum cited.

But Burgum said there’s more to be done.

“We know that there are serious gaps that still exist,” he said. “And we know that each of the tribal nations represented in our state have different challenges and different approaches and different starting points and different opportunities. Each has different needs, whether it’s transportation or employment or emergency services or addiction or health care or economic development.”

Tribal leaders discussed the need for understanding issues such as addiction, unemployment, youth engagement and the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census on reservations, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

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