FSM launches first Millennium Development Goals Report

22 September (Kolonia, Pohnpei) – The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is on track to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on universal primary education (MDG 2), ensuring environmental sustainability (MDG 7), and strengthened global partnership for development by 2015 (MDG 8). While progress is expected on gender equality and empowerment of women (MDG 3), reduction in child mortality (MDG 4), and combating HIV/AIDS and other major diseases (MDG 6), FSM, however, is unlikely to eradicate poverty (MDG 1) and improve maternal health (MDG 5).

The FSM is a federation of four semi-autonomous island States – Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap. The FSM National MDG Report includes assessments of MDG progress at a state level which is a first for the Pacific. The state of Chuuk is progressing in maternal health and some aspects of gender and environment. The State of Kosrae is on track to achieving education, child health and environment, some aspects of gender, maternal health and HIV/AIDS and other diseases. The state of Pohnpei is on track for child and maternal health, environment and global partnership, and some aspects of education, gender, and HIV/AIDS and other major diseases. The state of Yap is on track to achieving education, gender, environment and global partnership, and some progress in poverty, child and maternal health, and HIV/AIDS and other major diseases.

These were the findings of the country’s first ever MDG Report launched this week by FSM’s Vice President, Hon. Alik L. Alik. In launching the report, Hon. Alik said that the report will allow national and state government’s representatives and key stakeholders to make better use of available data and qualitative information as a basis for evidence-based policy making.

“The main challenge is to develop a formal poverty alleviation strategy in accordance with our expected macroeconomic conditions in the medium and long term,” he said.

He said that the Government would facilitate the implementation of the MDGs by integrating their targets and indicators within its planning and budgeting process for continued monitoring and evaluation of our progress in achieving the goals by 2015 and beyond.

“The completion of this report is a milestone, but it also marks the beginning of more hard work. We must aggressively accelerate our efforts to move the FSM as far as possible towards achieving the MDGs in the five years remaining before 2015,” said Dr. Rufino Mauricio, Chairman of the MDG Task Force.

He recognized the need for aggressive simultaneous actions to expand the ownership of the MDGs beyond national governments to the state and municipal governments; further localization of the MDGs, increased public awareness, and enhanced monitoring of the MDGs.

Reflecting on the outcomes of the launch, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative, Mr Toily Kurbanov said that “UNDP and other organizations of the UN had the honor of working with FSM to develop its first MDG Report and are committed to further support the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia’s efforts in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.”

“The United Nations hopes that the Report’s insights will promote and guide further discussions and work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly those that are deemed unachievable,” he said.

UNDP, other UN agencies and development partners provided financial and technical support to FSM’s efforts to develop the MDG Report through the Millennium Development Goals Capacity Building Initiative project.

The Report can be accessed from: http://www.undp.org.fj/pdf/MDG%20Report/FSM_MDG.pdf

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