By Pacific Island Times News Staff
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs has allocated a total of $119 million in grants under the Compacts of Free Association for the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands for fiscal 2023.
The DOI announced the new grants following the appointment of
Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor as the new chair of the Joint Economic Management Committee on Aug. 30.
The federal government has allocated $82.5 million in compact grants for the FSM.
“Funding through the Compacts of Free Association has provided important, reliable support for both the health and education sectors in the FSM, just as the compacts themselves have provided a solid foundation for democratic governance, peace and security in the larger Indo-Pacific region,” Cantor said.
The total amount of grant for the FSM is broken down as follows:
$28,290,115 for education
$25,372,332 for health care
$24,983,712 for infrastructure
$1,636,282 for enhanced reporting and accountability
$1,382,982 for public-sector capacity building
$797,000 for environment
$76,000 for private sector development
The JEMCO further authorized the infrastructure sector assistance for the design, engineering and construction of the Tonoas and Uman Health Centers in Chuuk State.
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For the Marshall Islands, the grants are allocated as follows:
$11,090,526 for infrastructure
$ 9,121,057 for education
$6,880,797 for health care
$2,845,850 for Ebeye special needs in education
$2,369,620 for Ebeye special needs in health care
$1,590,990 for Ebeye special needs in capital
$2,535,740 for Kwajalein impact fund
$266,740 for Kwajalein environmental fund
$266,920 for the disaster assistance emergency fund
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The Joint Economic Management and Financial Accountability Committee or JEMFAC, also agreed that a contribution of $500,000 from the supplemental education grant and $214,100 from the education sector grant would be made available for the Public School System’s lunch program, with a $2.3 million contribution from the Marshall Islands government general fund.
Cantor has also been appointed as chair of the JEMFAC, a bilateral committee consisting of U.S. and Marshall Islands representatives.
The U.S. is currently negotiating the economic provisions of the compacts with the FSM and the Marshall Islands.
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