Federated States of Micronesia and the United Nations

Micronesia

Membership	Full member
Since	1991
UNSC seat	Non-permanent (never elected)
Ambassador	Masao Nakayama

The Federated States of Micronesia joined the United Nations on September 17, 1991, five years after obtaining its independence from the United States of America.^[1][2] As of January 2010^[update] its ambassador to the United Nations is Masao Nakayama.^[3] Although de jure sovereign, the F.S. Micronesia is bound by a Compact of Free Association with the United States, which provides it with "substantial financial support".^[4]

Micronesia's voting pattern is uncommon, in that it systematically refrains from voting in favour of resolutions opposed by the United States, or against resolutions supported by the United States. Thus, the Heritage Foundation noted that, in 1997, Micronesia was the only country to have never voted against a resolution supported by the United States.^[5] That same year, the Jewish Virtual Library, citing U.S. Department of State figures, noted that Micronesia was the only country in the world to have matched the United States' voting pattern 100% of the time.^[6] That record was still 100% in 2000, but had dropped to 82% in 2003, and 65% in 2007, making Micronesia the 5th most supportive country towards the U.S. (behind Israel, Palau, the Marshall Islands and Kiribati). In 2008, Micronesia's votes on thirteen key issues identified as important to the United States by the State Department (including "resolutions relating to Cuba, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, North Korea, Iran, Belarus, Burma and the Human Rights Council") matched the United States' position 90.9% of the time; only Israel and the Marshall Islands' rates were higher (100%).^[7] Micronesia has also systematically supported Israel through its votes in the United Nations.^[8]

Micronesia's priority within the United Nations is to highlight issues relating to climate change, and its impact on small island states.^[9]

External links

• Permanent Mission of the Federated States of Micronesia at the United Nations
• Address by President Emanuel Mori to the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 25, 2009

See also

• Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
• Micronesia – United States relations
• Israel – Micronesia relations
• United States and the United Nations
• Marshall Islands and the United Nations
• Palau and the United Nations

References

1. ^ "Insular Area Summary for the Federated States of Micronesia", U.S. government, Office of Insular Affairs
2. ^ "Micronesia, Federated States of", UN data
3. ^ Welcome message from the Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the F.S. Micronesia to the United Nations
4. ^ "Micronesia", AusAID
5. ^ Statistics provided by the Heritage Foundation
6. ^ "Top Ten Countries that Vote with the United States at the UN (1997)", Jewish Virtual Library
7. ^ "Iran’s Security Council Bid Nears a Vote", CNS News, October 14, 2008
8. ^ "Countries that Supported Israel On UN General Assembly Votes", Jewish Virtual Library
9. ^ Address by President Emanuel Mori to the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 25, 2009

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