TELECOMMUNICATIONS and Internet revolution in Palau hinges on funding opportunities and political backing. Palau, with the Federated States of Micronesia earlier has formed a Micro-Pal Fiber Optic Joint Committee last year so Palau could start entering into a formal discussion with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a US$25 million loan to secure the fibre optic link. The Micro-Pal Fiber Optic Joint Committee was created under the joint project of the Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) to procure a fibre optic cable connecting Palau and Yap State of the FSM to Guam.
One of the requirements from the ADB is the passage of a measure that calls for the establishment of the Belau Submarine Cable Corporation, and the subsequent enabling of fibre optic cable connectivity which “will help promote economic growth, improve efficient use of resources and facilitate cooperation on transnational matters including the management and monitoring of natural resources and disaster mitigation.” Rhinehart Silas, Palau’s Co-Chairman of the Micro-Pal Fibre Optic Joint Committee said that joint project of the Republic of Palau and FSM will enable the two nations to obtain a fibre optic cable connecting Palau and Yap State of the FSM to the U.S. Territory of Guam, and the possibility of extending the cable connectivity project to include Chuuk State and Kosrae State of FSM.
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