Runway Groundbreaking Ceremony on Woleai

Paskal, Celo (2025-05-26). Runway Groundbreaking Ceremony on Woleai. LinkedIn.

• Has attachment: File:8UVR8EDI.pdf

Abstract: “Runway groundbreaking ceremony on Woleai” discusses the renovation of a deteriorated WWII-era runway on Woleai, an outer island in Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The runway, previously unusable, forced locals to undertake long journeys by boat for essential services such as healthcare and education. The reconstruction is being carried out by a Chinese company, with FSM President Simina attending the groundbreaking ceremony. This event is significant because the U.S. has focused its investment on the main island of Yap, neglecting the outer islands like Woleai and Ulithi Atoll, which historically held strategic importance during WWII and boast educational institutions like Outer Islands High School.

The post highlights the absence of U.S. representatives at both the runway ceremony and important local events such as high school graduations, in contrast to the presence of Chinese and Australian representatives, who provided practical support like transportation. This lack of U.S. representation is noteworthy given FSM’s strategic alliances, such as being part of the Compact of Free Association and its contributions to the U.S. military. The author suggests that greater engagement and understanding from U.S. officials could lead to more effective support in the region.