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5
Ground Breaking Ceremony for
Construction of National Emergency
Operation Centre
His Excellency President Manny Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia and Director of SOPAC, Dr. Russell
Howorth, officiated in the ground breaking ceremony to mark the commencement of construction of the new
national Emergency Operation Center (EOC) at Palikir, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia.
The new Emergency Operation Centre is being constructed by APSCO construction at a cost of about
US$220,000 which will assist the Office of Environment and Emergency Management in disaster preparedness
and coordination. The new EOC is funded by the European Union through the Disaster Risk Reduction project
(EU EDF 9 B Envelope project) implemented by SOPAC.
In his opening statement Dr. Russell Howorth, stated that “the objective is to build community resilience to
reduce the risks to natural or man-made hazards. This project will also supply early warning equipment to
National and State Governments including other key stakeholders to improve communication which will save
lives and better coordinate relief efforts. He also said that renovation of Disaster Coordination Centres in all
the States has recently been completed and assured the Government of further support “to help develop and
implement a Joint National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation”.
Mr. Andrew Yatilman, Director, Office of Environment & Emergency Management, after thanking the President
and other dignitaries to the ceremony, expressed his appreciation for the project highlighting the direct
benefits to the country.
The European Union provides a total of €1.4 million to the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia
in the area of disaster management through this project.