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Marshall Islands to get $34M Compact funding for government operations
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs announced Thursday last week that $33,732,400 in Compact of Free Association funding for fiscal yearc2022 for the Republic of the Marshall Islands was approved by the bilateral Joint Economic Management and Financial Accountability Committee earlier this year. Comprised of U.S. and RMI officials, the JEMFAC annual meeting, as called for under U.S. Public Law 108-188, was held virtually this year.
“We are pleased to report that [fiscal year] 2022 funding provided for under the Compact has been made available to Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands,” said JEMFAC chair and OIA director Nikolao Pula. “For 35 years, the United States and the RMI have been partners under the Compact bringing mutual benefit to both the Marshallese and the American people and Interior is proud to carry out this important responsibility.”
The JEMFAC also resolved that the use of Infrastructure Sector assistance would be authorized for preliminary engineering, design, and development of a Project Development Plan for the Roi-Namur to Santo Electric Distribution System Project on Kwajalein Atoll.
The JEMFAC is composed of five members: Pula (U.S. Department of the Interior); vice chair Casten Nemra (RMI Minister of Foreign Affairs); Brenson Wase (RMI Minister of Finance); Dr. Richard Brostrom (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention); and Taylor Ruggles (U.S. State Department).
As required under the Compact of Free Association, U.S. Public Law 108-188, the JEMFAC serves to promote the effective use of funding under the Compact agreement. They meet annually to review Compact budgetary spending and determine final funding allocations for each fiscal year. Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs administers these funds on behalf of the U.S. government.
Certain financial provisions of the current Compact of Free Association agreement between the RMI and the United States are set to expire in 2023. Bilateral discussions that began in the last administration are continuing in the Biden-Harris administration. (PR)
