Palikir, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia – November 2026
The Department of Finance and Administration (DoFA), through the World Bank-funded FSM Strengthening Public Financial Management Project (PFM II), is investing in government personnel to strengthen the management, security and sustainability of the country’s Financial Management Information System (FMIS).
The specialised training programme, taking place at the Central Facilities Building in Palikir, Pohnpei, commenced on 26 October 2026 and brings together personnel from the National Government and all four State Governments – Yap, Chuuk, Kosrae and Pohnpei.
Nine Trainees Receive Certificates
The first two training groups have successfully completed their sessions, with nine participants receiving certificates presented by Mr. Sohs John, Deputy Secretary of DoFA, representing the Secretary.
The completed training covered System and Functional Administration (26–28 October) and Technical Administration and Reporting Development (29 October–5 November), equipping senior IT administrators and technical officers with skills to manage, maintain and support the FMIS.
Congratulating the participants, Mr. John emphasised the importance of developing in-house expertise, stating:
“These trainings are important in strengthening our capacity to manage, maintain and support the FMIS.”
He further stressed the importance of system security and responsible administration, noting that administrators must ensure the system remains reliable, secure and accessible only to authorised users with appropriate credentials and access rights.
Training Continues Across Key Government Functions
The programme is now progressing to specialised training in Financial Accounting and Reporting, Budgeting, and Payroll and Human Resource Information System (HRIS). These sessions will equip selected finance, treasury, budget, HR and payroll personnel with the skills to support users, improve transaction processing and strengthen financial reporting.
An important objective is to develop a pool of government super users and trainers who can provide ongoing support, transfer knowledge and reduce reliance on external technical assistance.
Mr. John encouraged participants to apply their new skills in their respective institutions and provide effective support across the National and State Governments.
Supported by FreeBalance and the PFM II Project, the programme represents an important investment in building local expertise and ensuring that the FMIS remains reliable, secure and sustainable across the FSM.
#Building local expertise #Strengthening government systems #Improving public financial management across the FSM.
