FSM Information Services
Press Release
President Panuelo Endorses the FSM Coconut National Export Strategy 2023 – 2028 (CocoNES), Amends Relevant Presidential Order
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On May 1st, 2023, His Excellency David W. Panuelo—President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)—was briefed by the Honorable Elina Akinaga, Secretary of the Department of Resources & Development (R&D), et al., for a discussion on the ongoing work of the FSM Coconut National Export Strategy 2023 – 2028 (CocoNES), and to formally sign off on it.
The FSM CocoNES began its development on November 1st, 2021, via the Presidential Order that formalized the institutional framework for the strategy design: the Advisory Body, the Sector Development Coalition, and the Secretariat. In the time since, there have been multiple bilateral stakeholders’ meetings and working sessions, and two rounds of stakeholders’ consultations in each of the FSM’s States. An extensive participatory process culminated into the first-ever sector-specific blueprint to develop the coconut sector into a stable industry for the well-being of the FSM’s communities.
The FSM is an aspiring newcomer to the global market for value-added coconut products. The FSM Government’s aim is to develop the coconut sector into one of its top export industries. The Department of R&D advised the President that the FSM’s potential revenue from coconut products can conservatively reach $10 million per annum, and implementing the FSM CocoNES is how the Nation can reach that.
After the briefing by the Department of R&D, the President signed his Foreword for the CocoNES and an Amendment to the Presidential Order establishing the CocoNES framework.
The Amended Presidential Order possesses two changes to the original Presidential Order, both with regards to the membership of the Coconut Advisory Body, and with regards to additional duties for the Secretariat.
An additional member of the Cabinet, the Secretary of the Department of Health & Social Affairs, and a representative of the Private Sector operating in the coconut supply chain, are now part of the Coconut Advisory Body.
In the original Presidential Order, the Secretariat was advised to be comprised of the FSM Petroleum Corporation/Vital, and had relatively generic text such as that the Secretariat would “provide operational and administrative support to the overall CocoNES framework” and be responsible for keeping meeting minutes, etc. In the Amended Presidential Order, the Secretariat’s duties are clarified with more explicit language, such as that the Secretariat shall “manage CocoNES tools—in particular, the Strategy Implementation Tool—for strategy management and communications,” that it shall track the progress of the CocoNES’ implementation and achievement of key milestones, and collect and archive all relevant documentation related to implementation, among other duties and responsibilities.
The November 1st 2021 Presidential Order may be found here: https://gov.fm/files/November_01_2021-Presidential_Order_CocoNES_1.pdf
The Amended Presidential Order signed May 1s 2023 may be found here: https://gov.fm/files/PRESIDENTIAL_ORDER_-_Amending_the_establishment_of_a_Coconut_National_Expert_Strategy_-_CocoNES.pdf
