Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands share special relationships with the U.S. through the Compacts of Free Association.
All three have an ongoing role in American defense policy and expect infrastructure hardening in their respective countries to include airfields and ports.
Ambassadors from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau met Feb. 1 with “U.S. officials” in Washington, D.C., to discuss recent policy changes affecting citizens of the Freely Associated States, according to the Office of the President of the FSM.
The meeting focused on the impact of recent Executive Orders, the 90-day pause on certain foreign assistance programs, and other mutual concerns.
The ambassadors clarified that immigration-related Executive Orders do not affect FAS citizens, as their rights are protected under the Compact of Free Association. U.S. officials acknowledged this point during the discussion.
Regarding the foreign assistance pause, the ambassadors assured that Compact sector grants would remain unaffected.
However, they emphasized the importance of minimizing disruptions in other aid categories. U.S. officials confirmed that they are taking these concerns seriously and committed to maintaining open lines of communication moving forward.
According to the Office of the President of the FSM, “The ambassadors raised the 90-day U.S. pause on some categories of foreign assistance and noted their understanding that the pause was not relevant to Compact sector grants, which are administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior and therefore not covered under the foreign assistance order. The ambassadors also noted the importance of having no or minimal interruptions in other categories of assistance that are administered by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (and therefore covered by the pause).
“The United States officials in attendance agreed to review the foreign assistance Orders with these concerns in mind and noted that the 90-day freeze on some categories of foreign assistance was, in any event, the subject of undergoing internal review.”
Meanwhile, the Office of the President of the FSM advised its citizens of their immigration rights to the U.S.
“As a reminder, your passport and I-94 serve as proof of your legal status in the U.S., regardless of any policy changes. Stay informed through our FSM Embassy in DC and ensure your documents remain valid.”
See https://www.mbjguam.com/us-suspends-foreign-aid-90-days-potentially-affecting-micronesia for details on US AID in the countries. mbj