FSM Information Services
Press Release
President Panuelo Signs Executive Order Enhancing the Office of Overseas Development Assistance & Office of Compact Management
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On September 20th, 2019 His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) signed a Presidential Order “streamlining the functional duties and effective supervision and monitoring” of the Office of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) and the Office of Compact Management (OCM). The key idea is that the FSM National Government is committed to strengthening and centralizing all solicitation, use, and monitoring of overseas development assistance through ODA and OCM.
The FSM National Government is routinely humbled by the generous support from its development partners, friends, and allies, including the peoples and Governments of the United States of America, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Australia, and more. That said, it is the view of the FSM National Government that the utilization of overseas development assistance, including the coordination of such efforts, would be better served through a more rigorous and transparent enforcement of a centralized office whose primary reason to exist is to tap effectively upon suitable and viable sources of funding to support State projects and development programs, and implement long-term strategic planning and resources for national and state needs.
Thus, the President has ordered that ODA shall have the responsibility of actively carrying out solicitation functions and activities, in order to finance priority projects and programs under the ODA Policy. ODA shall monitor funding opportunities, and share information in quarterly reports to the Office of the President.
All ODA-related information, including the amount of grants awarded to the Nation, the usage of the grant funding, and allocation amongst the states, shall be relayed to the Office of the President, and in particular, to the new position of the Special Assistant on ODA Matters.
The role of this Special Assistant includes taking stock of the Strategic Development Plan, and handling overseas development assistance in a manner that would pursue greater cooperation and collaboration between the FSM National Government and the FSM State Governments, and in collaboration with all development partners.
OCM will maintain its current functions and responsibilities, including greater coordination of its activities with the Office of the President and ODA, but will be headed by the new position of Special Assistant for OCM. This is being done to increase OCM’s capacity to be transparent, effective, and accountable, particularly in light of the increasing importance for the review and negotiations regarding the Compact of Free Association, as Amended drawing closer.
Citizens and development partners are encouraged to read the Presidential Order in full, which can be found here.
