FSM Information Services
Press Release
65 FSM Citizens Stranded in Guam to be Repatriated to the FSM’s State of Pohnpei on June 7th, 2021; Per C.R. 22-06, the Declaration of Public Health Emergency is Extended to September 30th, 2021
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On May 27th, 2021, the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) announced that on June 7th, 2021, it intends to repatriate sixty-five (65) citizens presently stranded in the U.S. Territory of Guam back to the FSM’s State of Pohnpei.
The repatriating citizens include stranded medical patients and their respective attendants, students, essential personnel, and families accompanying human remains. Without exception, all repatriating citizens’ purpose of travel is consistent with the Declaration of Public Health Emergency. With limited exception, such as U.S. citizens who are otherwise part of a Micronesian family, and essential personnel—such as medical doctors, whose citizenship is of a foreign country—all repatriating persons are citizens of the FSM. Without exception, all repatriating persons are full-time residents of the FSM.
The 65 citizens and residents will enter into a designated pre-quarantine site in Guam on May 31st, 2021. To enter into pre-quarantine, all repatriating persons, with limited exceptions (e.g. minors, pregnant women), will demonstrate possession of documentary evidence showing they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Additionally, all repatriating persons will demonstrate evidence of a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test prior to entering the pre-quarantine site. All repatriating citizens will be tested again prior to departure to the FSM.
Consistent with the requirements imposed upon FSM citizens to be fully vaccinated, with limited exception, and tested negative for COVID-19 prior to departure to the FSM, all crew on the international commercial carrier will also be fully vaccinated, and able to demonstrate documentary evidence of a negative PCR-based COVID-19 test seventy-two (72) hours prior to travel.
Upon return into the FSM, all vaccinated repatriating citizens will undergo an additional seven (7) days of quarantine at the Pohnpei State quarantine facility in Dekehtik; the citizens who arrive unvaccinated, such as minors, will stay a total of fourteen (14) days. All repatriating persons will undergo testing upon arrival into Pohnpei and prior to exiting the quarantine facility.
All repatriating persons will undergo the same COVID-19 testing and security protection regimes. All preventative and protective measures necessary to effectively complete this repatriation effort successfully are being implemented and put into effect both in Guam and in the FSM. Access and visitation to designated pre-quarantine and quarantine facilities is restricted.
The FSM National Government is highly cognizant of the many citizens who wish to come home at the nearest opportunity. The Government is committed to implementing a fair and transparent repatriation regime. The only way to get onto the Master List for Repatriating Persons is to speak with your nearest Embassy or Consulate, the Department of Foreign Affairs, or the Department of Health & Social Affairs; the former sends the relevant information to the latter.
The FSM COVID-19 Task Force, specifically via the Department of Health & Social Affairs, and with the aim to ensure equity and limit nepotism or the perception thereof, is solely responsible for managing the repatriation list. No single or specific representative of the Government, to include elected officials, is able to unilaterally guarantee to a specific person or group of people that their repatriation, or first-time entry, will occur on a particular date or in a particular manner.
Although the FSM National Government is not able to provide a definitive timeframe for future repatriation efforts in this release, the dates of June 17th and June 26th, 2021, are tentatively scheduled for this purpose, presuming that all previous repatriation efforts are successful and without incident.
Also on May 27th, 2021, the Office of the President became in receipt of Congressional Resolution (C.R.) 22-06, which extends the Declaration of Public Health Emergency to September 30th, 2021. Beyond the extension of the Declaration of Public Health Emergency, C.R. 22-06 offers no change from the status quo of the past several months and is thematically similar to the previously enacted C.R. 21-252, C.R. 21-245, C.R. 21-228, C.R. 21-185, and C.R. 21-175. Citizens interested in reading C.R. 22-06 may find it here: https://gov.fm/files/RESO_22-06_CD1_-_Re-_Amendment_to_Emergency_Declaration_on_COVID-19-min.pdf
