The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign island nation consisting of 4 states and 607 islands, with a population of around 106,000.

Like many other Pacific island states, it has few natural resources except fisheries.

The EU's partnership with FSM began in 2000 and is currently guided by the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement.

Key issues

• Climate change:
  • deterioration of coastal zones
  • sea-level rise
  • changing weather patterns, increased storms and disasters
• Sustainable energy supply
• Need for clean water, particularly in the outer islands.
• Disaster risk reduction

Past assistance

EU funding concentrates on energy supply, especially renewables and energy efficiency.

Some funding also targets disaster risk reduction and environmental protection (over €31m since 2000).

In total, €17 million in 2013 was allocated to sustainable energy, disaster risk reduction and conservation and environmental protection.

Energy

The EU sustainable energy programme for FSM aims to increase access to electricity in targeted islands where the needs are most urgent, for about 2,500 households (about 20% of the population).

Climate change

EU funding helped pay for:

• water tanks for harvesting rainwater
• the refurbishment of a community well
• assessments of ground water sources for communities in the outer islands of Yap State. 

Disaster risk reduction

The EU has provided funding for:

• renovation of emergency operations centres in each of the 4 states
• a control centre in the capital Palikir in Pohnpei State
• the installation of early warning systems

Future assistance

Energy – especially renewable energy and energy efficiency – will remain the priority for EDF funding in 2014-2020.

Funding in 2014-2020 under the EDF