---

President Mori issued Administrative Directive on Information and Communication Technology

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): July 1, 2011 - On June 8, 2011, President Manny Mori issued an Administrative Directive to all departments, Offices, and Agencies of the National Government of the FSM, reaffirming as a policy direction for his administration the need for all departments, offices, and agencies to "proactively" collaborate in the area of Information and Communication Technology toward the achievement of these two main goals:

1. The establishment of a competitive and liberalized communication environment in the next 2 to 3 years in the FSM.

2. The implementation of a broadband submarine fiber optics capability for all States in the FSM within 4 years.

A Telecommunications and Submarine Fiber Optics Task Force has already been established comprised of high level members from the Department of Justice, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Statistics, Budget Economic Management, ODA and Compact Management (SBOC), Department of Resources and Development and the Chief of Staff.

The Directive was followed by a Presidential Memorandum on June 9 to all departments, offices and agencies outlining the on-going engagement between the FSM and the World Bank in the area of communication technology. The President also pointed out that the FSM and the World Bank are in discussions regarding a "Terms of Reference" for technical assistance from the World Bank. The technical assistance will target establishing policy and regulatory framework for competitive telecommunications, initiate technical assessment and business plan for Submarine Fiber Optics capacity enhancement to the three states not currently connected to broadband fiber optics, and assessing financial and technical improvements for the FSM Telecommunications Corporation. The FSM became one of the 187 member countries of the World Bank in 1993.

The Task Force will hold monthly meetings and report to the President on ways to move forward on the initiatives and priorities in Information and Communication Technology on a regular basis.

For more information, please contact the Department of Transportation, Communication and Infrastructure at 320-2865.