Politics and society since 1979

Tosiwo Nakayama and Bethwel Henry petitioned the UN; the Congress of Micronesia was disbanded that year.

Voters elected all 14 members of the first FSM Congress (four at-large senators and ten two-year members), all as independents.

The FSM Constitution entered into force, now marked as Constitution Day.

Congress elected Tosiwo Nakayama (Chuuk) president and Petrus Tun (Yap) vice president on 11 May; both were inaugurated on 15 May.

By-elections filled the Congress seats that Nakayama and Tun vacated.

Total US federal assistance to the Trust Territory reached $138.7 million, about 60% of it for programs and capital projects.

Census counts 73,160 people: Chuuk 37,488, Pohnpei 22,081, Yap 8,100, Kosrae 5,491.

Only 5 of 17 Compact subsidiary agreements are finished by the US election.

Incoming Reagan administration begins a policy review of the Micronesian status talks.

Congressional elections held; all candidates run as independents.

FSM Supreme Court begins operations under first Chief Justice Edward C. King.

Reagan approves resuming status talks, led by Under Secretary James L. Buckley, at a Hawaii meeting proposed for 3 October.

US disaster declaration DR-647 for a “fire”, listed for the FSM “statewide”.

Reagan review conclusions presented at a multilateral session in Maui; talks resume, turning bilateral in 1982.

Janet J. McCoy becomes the last Trust Territory High Commissioner (served 1981–1987).

Nauru Agreement on tuna fisheries signed in Nauru (in force 4 Dec 1982); the FSM is a party.

Most Compact subsidiary agreements are signed in bilateral talks.

Compact of Free Association signed with the FSM; Ambassador Fred M. Zeder II signs for the US.

UN Trusteeship Council authorizes observer missions for the Compact plebiscites.

Congressional elections; Nakayama is then unanimously re-elected president and Bailey Olter defeats incumbent VP Petrus Tun.

FSM Telecommunications Corporation established.

Chuukese youths stab a Pohnpeian; Nakayama mediates the dispute.

President Reagan transmits the Compact to the US Congress.

WHO-backed leprosy programme starts; January counts were Ponape 852, Truk 317, Yap 41, Kosrae 40 cases.

Chief Executives sign the Internal Budget and Finance Procedures agreement, creating a Federated Development Authority for Compact funds.

Congressional elections; in Truk, Nick Bossy unseats Sasao Gouland; Peter Christian wins Pohnpei District 3.

Compact jointly introduced in the US House by the Interior and Foreign Affairs committees.

Nakayama’s fifth State of the Nation: “The development of our nation must be our Number One priority.”

US Congress enacts the Compact as Public Law 99-239.

UN Trusteeship Council approves the FSM’s new status.

Nakayama visits Japan, meets PM Nakasone and asks Japan to back ending the trusteeship.

First conference on the judiciary’s future; Chief Justice King says he will step aside in early 1988.

Compact enters into force and US administration ends; FSM–US diplomatic relations date from this day.

Leo Falcam warns “blood would run through the streets of Pohnpei” if Faichuk becomes a separate state.

All 14 Congress seats elected; a referendum on four-year terms for all members fails, 62.63% against.

Diplomatic relations with Tuvalu; New Zealand (30 Jun) and Australia (6 Jul) follow.

FSM sends 85 artists, mainly from Kosrae and Pohnpei, to the Pacific Festival of Arts in Townsville.

FSM and Papua New Guinea sign a communiqué establishing diplomatic relations in Nuku’alofa.

Reagan signs a bill with $10.3 million for the final War Claims installment and $15 million technical assistance.

Diplomatic relations with Japan take effect.

University of Hawai’i’s Trust Territory archives index goes online.

FSM and the Philippines sign diplomatic notes in Manila establishing relations.

President Haglelgam attends Emperor Showa’s state funeral in Japan, returning 27 February.

Congressional elections; voters approve holding a constitutional convention, 71% to 29%.

FSM embassy in Suva, Fiji, scheduled to open.

US and FSM exchange notes adopting the Vienna Convention; both liaison offices become embassies.

Voters elect delegates to the second Constitutional Convention.

Australia transfers the Pacific-class patrol boat FSS Independence to the FSM.

Typhoon Owen hits Chuuk and Yap; US declaration DR-886 on 14 Dec; Congress adds $500,000 relief.

UN Security Council Resolution 683 ends the FSM trusteeship; unscr.com gives 14–1, the newsletter 13–1.

Diplomatic relations with South Korea; Indonesia (16 Jul), Singapore (26 Aug) and Maldives (24 Oct) follow.

Referendum passes 4 of 26 proposed amendments, including state powers over education and social security.

UN Security Council Resolution 703 recommends FSM membership.

FSM admitted to the United Nations (General Assembly resolution 46/2).

FSM’s Jesse Raglmar-Subolmar chairs the Parties to the Nauru Agreement.

FSM and Thailand sign a communiqué in Tokyo establishing ambassador-level relations.

Diplomatic relations with Germany; Spain (11 May), Austria (1 Jul) and the UK (31 Aug) follow.

At Rio, Olter signs the climate and biodiversity conventions; on 12 June he addresses the Earth Summit as South Pacific Forum chair.

Camillo Noket sworn in as the first Micronesian Attorney General.

College of Micronesia-FSM is created as a public corporation.

Diplomatic relations with France.

Congressional elections held; all candidates independents.

Olter writes to the governors restating the One China policy and limiting Taiwan contacts.

FSM and Guatemala establish relations in New York; Guatemala becomes the 36th diplomatic partner.

FSM joins the IMF and World Bank (176th IBRD member), after Public Law 8-3 funded $1.2 million in dues.

VP Jacob Nena leads the FSM delegation to the UN World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna.

High-level PRC delegation led by State Councillor Luo Gan visits the FSM.

COM-FSM becomes independent of the three-country College of Micronesia system.

Diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

Census counts 105,506 people: Chuuk 53,319, Pohnpei 33,692, Yap 11,178, Kosrae 7,317.

Germany’s first ambassador to the FSM, Karl-Friedrich Gansauer, presents credentials to Olter.

Diplomatic relations with Palau; the same day the government starts selling Bank of the FSM stock to citizens.

Vincent A. Figir becomes Yap governor and Moses T. Mackwelung Kosrae governor.

Olter sends the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to Congress for ratification.

Olter’s State of the Nation: Micronesian Maritime Authority has collected over $123 million in fishing fees.

Diplomatic relations with Portugal; Cambodia (2 May) and Vietnam (22 Sep) follow.

Olter keeps Pohnpei’s at-large seat over Falcam, 5,557–4,898; Nena beats Yosiwo George in Kosrae.

Amendment for four-year Senate terms fails in all four states under the three-quarters rule.

Olter re-elected president and Nena begins a second VP term; FSM Economic Summit held.

President Olter suffers a stroke; treated at Straub (Honolulu) and TIRR (Houston).

Congress Resolution 9-86 encourages about $15 million in ADB loans for government restructuring.

Congress (CR 9-93) declares Olter unable to serve and designates VP Nena Acting President.

FSM Telecom begins public Internet access at $19.95 a month for five hours.

South Africa becomes the FSM’s first African diplomatic partner and 47th overall.

US welfare reform law excludes Compact migrants from Medicaid (restored December 2020).

Acting President Nena presses governors for early-retirement laws, a condition of the ADB reform loan.

Congressional elections; amendment raising the states’ tax share from 50% to 80% fails the 75% bar everywhere.

Public Law 9-155 enacted for government restructuring.

Nena becomes the fourth president; Leo Falcam is elected vice president.

Acting President Nena declares 12 July a legal holiday, Micronesian Law Day.

Nena sends a restructuring bill cutting the national workforce 20%, using $3 million of an $18 million ADB loan.

El Niño drought; US major-disaster declaration DR-1213 dated 3 April (an FSM release says 27 April).

Diplomatic relations with Canada.

Nena announces an IMF Article IV consultation mission led by Chee Sung Lee.

Nena asks governors for drought data because the US declaration excluded Weno, Pohnpei and Kosrae main islands.

President Nena addresses the 53rd UN General Assembly.

Diplomatic relations with Russia.

Diplomatic relations with Ukraine; Croatia follows on 29 Sep (unmission) or 30 Sep (Wikipedia).

Falcam tells a UN special session that the Barbados Programme of Action for small islands is moving slowly.

FSM signs the UNESCO Constitution in London.

Referendum approves a third constitutional convention.

FSM’s Bernard Thoulag chairs the Parties to the Nauru Agreement.

Census counts 107,008 people: Chuuk 53,595, Pohnpei 34,486, Yap 11,241, Kosrae 7,686.

Eleventh Congress passes the budget and adjourns sine die.

US Interior proposes $2 million to upgrade the four state hospitals.

Falcam attends the 31st Forum in Tarawa; the South Pacific Forum is renamed Pacific Islands Forum that month.

VP Redley Killion signs the ACP–EU Cotonou Agreement in Brussels.

Public Law 11-57 renames the Micronesian Maritime Authority the Micronesian Fisheries Authority.

Falcam returns from a state visit to Israel at President Moshe Katsav’s invitation.

Falcam visits Japan (also 2001).

Falcam elected chair of the Standing Committee of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders.

Elections for the 10 two-year Congress seats; four candidates unopposed.

Falcam signs the agreement establishing the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

FSM and Mexico sign a joint communiqué in New York establishing diplomatic relations.

FSM becomes the sixth of 14 Pacific countries to sign the International Waters Programme coastal-resources MOU.

Fourth round of US–FSM Compact renegotiation held in Honolulu.

Falcam changes the referendum plan so all 14 convention amendments go to voters on 27 August.

US major-disaster declaration DR-1427 for Chata’an covers Chuuk and Pohnpei, the day Falcam requested aid.

All 14 constitutional amendments fail; just over 15,000 of 67,000 registered voters turn out.

Sixth round of Compact II negotiations ends in Honolulu.

Australia funds a computerized voter registration system for the FSM.

FSM bids to host the permanent secretariat of the new Pacific tuna commission.

US and FSM negotiators initial the economic provisions of the amended Compact (joint communiqué posted 4 November).

Congressional election for all 14 seats; 28 independent candidates, four unopposed.

Urusemal’s Presidential Order No. 23 creates an Interim JEMCO to prepare the FY2004 Compact budget.

ADB evaluation rates the 1990s Public Sector Reform Program loan “successful”, though two states and the national government missed targets.

The United States ratifies the amended Compact.

Congress unanimously adopts CR 13-27 ratifying the amended Compact; Compact II takes effect.

The FSM makes its initial $30M contribution to the Compact Trust Fund.

The FSM establishes diplomatic relations with Ireland.

Urusemal calls a special session of Congress.

FSM adopts a new immigration regulation; the European Commission ambassador presents credentials.

Micronesia Challenge announced at CBD COP8 in Curitiba; the speech does not name the FSM explicitly.

Weightlifter Manuel Minginfel wins 62 kg silver at the world championships in Santo Domingo.

State elections: Sebastian Anefal elected Yap governor; Kosrae heads for a gubernatorial run-off.

Former first president Tosiwo Nakayama dies in Honolulu, aged 75.

Mori makes a state visit to China, meeting Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao, and opens the FSM Embassy in Beijing.

Mori meets Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and has an audience with the Emperor of Japan.

Mori visits his ancestral home of Kochi, marking 20 years of Japan–FSM relations.

Mori declares a national emergency over the tidal surges; patrol boats carry relief.

Election for 10 two-year congressional seats. Close races in Chuuk District 5 and Pohnpei District 2; observers note irregularities.

FSM and Mauritius propose bringing HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, the proposal that became the Kigali Amendment.

Presidential order ratifies a 2008 agreement with the PRC; Mori addresses the Copenhagen climate summit.

An Integrated Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Policy is adopted; it is later given force by the 2014 Act.

FSM requests a transboundary environmental review of the Czech Prunéřov coal plant and is granted “affected state” status.

The census counts 102,843 people, the baseline for the later fall to 75,817 in 2023.

Over Seas and Time, the first national history textbook, reaches 9th–10th graders.

Congress re-elects Manny Mori as president for a second term.

Mori sends Chuuk and Kosrae advance notice that a national–state MOU will end.

At an open forum in Honolulu, Mori cautions citizens about what follows the 2023 end of Compact grants.

Team FSM competes at the London 2012 Olympics; the 12th Micronesian Presidents’ Summit meets in Majuro.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori visits the FSM.

Mori attends the 2nd China–Pacific Islands Economic Development and Cooperation Forum and visits Shenzhen.

Japan provides about $1.9M in non-project grant aid; FSM sends typhoon relief to the Philippines.

Mori signs the FSM Climate Change Act (PL 18-34), making the 2009 disaster and climate policy binding on government departments.

Measles outbreak: 393 cases and one child death, mostly among adults; mass vaccination follows.

FSM ratifies the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol.

Congressional election: Simina (Chuuk) and Christian (Pohnpei) win at-large seats with about 60% each; Urusemal is unopposed in Yap.

Kigali Amendment adopted, growing out of the FSM’s 2009 HFC proposal; the FSM is among the first ratifiers.

Election for the two-year seats of the 20th Congress; incumbents Nethon (Chuuk) and Martin (Pohnpei) are unseated.

Dual-citizenship amendment fails again; only Kosrae (85% yes) passes 75%, Yap 48%.

20th Congress holds its 2nd Regular Session, a presidential special session, and funds a new department and consulate.

Typhoon Wutip flattens 106 homes and causes about $2M damage. One later article gives 11 Mar instead.

Christian declares a national emergency (25 Feb), later converted to a national disaster to seek US Compact assistance.

Special election: Christian wins Pohnpei’s vacated at-large seat and Aren Palik wins Kosrae’s.

Delegates elected to the 4th Constitutional Convention; sources give 4 Nov or 5 Nov.

Panuelo meets Xi Jinping in Beijing; they sign several deals, including a visa exemption, and discuss Belt and Road.

Panuelo issues a public health emergency declaration with a travel ban on arrivals from coronavirus-affected places.

National COVID-19 public health emergency declared; borders stay closed for about 2.5 years.

All schools nationwide close because of COVID-19.

A US law signed 27 Dec restores Medicaid eligibility for Compact migrants, lost since 1996.

The Pacific Islands Forum elects Henry Puna 9–8 over Micronesia’s candidate Gerald Zackios.

Panuelo and four other Micronesian presidents agree to begin withdrawing from the Forum; sources differ by a day.

Election for 10 two-year congressional seats; no women elected.

Patrol boat FSS Independence decommissioned and replaced by Australian-supplied Guardian-class boats.

FSM suspends diplomatic relations with Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.

The 4th Constitutional Convention disbands after proposing eight amendments.

Suva Agreement brings the FSM and other Micronesian states back into the Pacific Islands Forum.

First community transmission of COVID-19 confirmed; Panuelo says “thousands” are already infected.

Borders reopen to vaccinated travelers with a negative PCR test from Hawaii or Guam.

Charles Chieng becomes Yap governor (9 Jan) and Tulensa Palik Kosrae governor (10 Jan).

Merlynn Abello-Alfonso becomes the first Pohnpeian woman senator; Konman is re-elected.

Outgoing President Panuelo’s 13-page letter accuses China of “political warfare” and floats recognizing Taiwan; Beijing calls it “smears”.

Simina ratifies the nine amendments.

The 2023 census counts 75,817 people, about 26% fewer than in 2010.

Biden signs Public Law 118-42, enacting $3.3B in Compact III funding through FY2043.

Simina declares a state of emergency over nationwide drought.

Simina and a US Deputy Secretary of State exchange notes bringing the renewed Compact into force.

The 26th Micronesian Islands Forum ends in Guam with a joint communiqué.

Akihiko Tanaka is the first sitting JICA president to visit the FSM.

India’s Minister of State for External Affairs makes the first visit to the FSM at that level.

Ambassadors of the three Freely Associated States meet US officials over the executive orders and the pause in foreign assistance.

Simina makes an official working visit to Japan and meets Prime Minister Ishiba.

FSM submits its Strategic Development Plan; GAO later says it lacked key performance indicators and baselines.

VP Palik represents the FSM at the opening of World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

24th Congress convenes: Moses stays Speaker, Romolow Vice Speaker, Marar Floor Leader.

Simina attends the UN Ocean Conference in Nice and signs a treaty there.

Simina attends the 27th Micronesian Islands Forum in Majuro and meets a US Interior official.

World Bank-supported National Revenue Management System launched.

FSM presents its second Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals at the UN.

Simina calls on Emperor Naruhito; FSM National Day at Expo 2025 presents “KAMORALE.”

Tsunami watch issued for the FSM.

Interior warns it may withhold Compact funds over late audits; FSM agrees to redirect $1M to audit capacity.

Simina leads the delegation to the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara.

Simina addresses UNGA80 and meets President Trump on the sidelines.

Akillino Susaia is accredited as the FSM’s first ambassador to the European Union.

New Financial Management Information System launched.

Compact Trust Fund balance reaches $1.98B.

Compact Trust Fund reaches $2 billion; Simina meets the trust fund committee.

High-level consultations with a US delegation (21 Jan); countdown marks the cable that will link all four states (22 Jan).

Proclamation of mourning for former Speaker Nelson Pelep; government monitors fuel prices and supply.

Simina visits Australia: meets Albanese, dedicates the FSM embassy in Canberra (24 Mar), signs security MOUs (29 Mar).

GAO-26-107778 reports late audits, slow Compact III disbursement and construction bottlenecks.

FSM–US Joint Committee on defense and security meets in Guam.

FSM and Timor-Leste establish diplomatic relations by joint communiqué.

Third Special Session of the 24th Congress convenes; Simina outlines priority matters.

Simina vetoes Congressional Acts 24-119 and 24-103, then signs other priority legislation.

At the Forum meeting in Palau, Simina chairs the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders talanoa, signs for an ADB North Pacific office, and joins leaders restoring the Peace Corps.

Simina makes an official working visit to Japan and holds a summit with Prime Minister Takaichi on 23 Oct.

UN Day statement reaffirms the FSM’s UN membership since 1991.