Joint Media Statement: Australia, (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Federated States of Micronesia, (Department of Transportation, Communications and Infrastructure), Japan, (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Republic of Kiribati, (Ministry of Information Communications and Transport), Republic of Nauru, (Department of Communications), United States of America, (US Agency for International Development).

Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Japan, Kiribati, Nauru and the United States of America have advanced their partnership on the East Micronesia Cable by signing a joint Memorandum of Understanding for the project. The six-country Memorandum of Understanding sets out partners’ intentions to deliver timely, quality project outcomes.

The East Micronesia Cable is an ambitious project to deliver secure, transparent and reliable telecommunications infrastructure to connect Kosrae (FSM), Nauru, and Tarawa (Kiribati) with the existing HANTRU-1 cable at Pohnpei (FSM).

Through this collective arrangement, FSM, Kiribati and Nauru are committed to maximising the social and economic benefits from the project by enabling diverse, regulated telecommunications sectors as well as maintaining quality, secure infrastructure.

Australia, Japan and the United States are collaborating to facilitate effective funding arrangements to implement this transformational infrastructure investment in the Pacific region.

On 26 July 2022, senior officials representing the six countries met collectively for the first time at the inaugural Project Executive Board meeting. The meeting was held virtually. Officials discussed the importance of coordination and information sharing in order to deliver internet connectivity and improve access to digital technologies for sustainable development.