Officials from the Federated States of Micronesia (or Micronesia as it is commonly known), who were in Australia earlier this year, confirmed their continuing relationship with Note Printing Australia with the order of additional passports to be produced in the last quarter of 2018.
With a population of just 105 000 people, Micronesia is spread out across 600 islands in 2.6 million square kilometres of Pacific Ocean, just north of the equator and located north-east of Papua New Guinea. The four states of the country each feature a dominant high island, with the capital city of Palikir located on Pohnpei.
Micronesia, which has a seat at the United Nations, achieved independence in 1979 and since that time has been a sovereign state working in free association with the United States. One requirement in this friendly and enduring association was the requirement for Micronesia to have an ICAO-compliant passport so that the nation could remain aligned with advances in US travel document policy.
“In an essentially diplomatic move and as part of our nation’s foreign relations activity throughout the Asia-Pacific, Australia offered support to the United States and Micronesia to supply these compliant passports,” says NPA CEO Malcolm McDowell.
“NPA has the expertise needed to supply these books. Between the attractive design and the advanced printing and binding processes we offered, Micronesians have enjoyed a fit-for-purpose high quality passport for the last decade. Given the country uses US currency, the passport makes a significant contribution to the national identity.”