President Panuelo Launches the FSM Strategic Climate-Oriented Road Enhancements
(SCORE) Project; World Bank Funds Road Projects in Every FSM State, Also Addresses
Discarded Vehicles & Materials Testing
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On August 25th, 2022, His Excellency David W. Panuelo—President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)—launched the FSM Strategic Climate-Oriented Road Enhancements (SCORE) Project. Funded by the World Bank as part of the President’s Pave the Nation Program, the SCORE Project will result in twelve (12) miles of secondary roads across the FSM, as well as address the problem of discarded vehicles around the country, and provide funding for setting up a materials testing laboratory to improve the quality of road construction works.
The SCORE Project represents approximately $35,250,000 of funding, and is complementary with the FSM Priority Road Improvements & Management Enhancements (PRIME) Project, with one of the key distinctions between the two projects being that the SCORE Project focuses on secondary roads while the PRIME Project focuses on primary and/or arterial roads and bridges. Altogether, there is approximately $75,250,000 of World Bank funding for the road sector in the FSM.
The SCORE Project includes funding for each of the FSM’s States. For the State of Pohnpei, there is funding to construct the road access to Nan Madol, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the road between Kolonia Town proper and the Nanpohnmal power plant. For the State of Chuuk, there is funding to construct the East and West Pou Bay roads. For the State of Kosrae, there is funding for the road from Muntunennea to Sialat. For the State of Yap, there is funding for the road from Dugor to Bael (in Weloy Municipality).
One of the elemental goals of the Pave the Nation Program, including the SCORE Project and the PRIME Project, is to construct roads that can withstand the extreme weather events the Nation is experiencing with visibly increasing frequency. “Just three weeks ago,” the President said, “We experienced an extreme rainfall event here in Pohnpei which resulted in extensive damage to our road network, with some sections completely washed away, and residents unable to access their homes or to travel for their normal daily lives. Climate-resilient roads are one of the ways our country can ensure that citizens are able to access essential public services, including schools and hospitals, and so we extend our deepest gratitude to the World Bank for their kind attention to the
development needs of our country and People.”
In his remarks, President Panuelo explicitly thanked the World Bank for its generous support of the FSM, including the Pave the Nation Program. A special word of thanks was directed to Degi Young, the World Bank Resident Representative, and to Sean Michaels and Anita Shrestha, the World Bank Task Team Leaders, and that thanks is reproduced here to amplify the FSM Government’s gratitude to each of them.
With the States of Yap, Kosrae, and Pohnpei implementing fully open borders (with Chuuk State to open on November 1st), three consulting teams have arrived into the FSM, and are working on the assessment and design of the road program. President Panuelo has called upon the Department of Transportation, Communication, & Infrastructure (as the implementing agency), and the Department of Finance & Administration (as the executing agency) to ensure that relevant SCORE Project timelines are diligently followed and that all stakeholders work supportively to attain the Project’s goals and objectives.
“The FSM SCORE Project is now officially launched. Thank you,” the President concluded.
