Honorable, Kitlang Kabua, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade,
Honorable Hirata Kabua, Mayer of Kwajalein Atoll,
Ms. Kino Kabua, Chief Secretary, Office of the Chief Secretary,
Mr. Noriyuki Nakamura, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan to the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
Ms. Abacca Anjain Maddision, Deputy Chief Secretary,
Landowners, Senior Government Officials of the RMI,
Colleagues and esteemed guests,

Iakwe Aerop and good morning to you all.

It is my privilege to join this groundbreaking ceremony of the Ebeye Emergency Operation Center with our important partners under the project funded by the Government of Japan: Enhancing Disaster and Climate Resilience in the Republic of the Marshall Islands through improved Disaster Preparedness and Infrastructure (EDCR RMI Project). 

Esteemed guests, this is my first visit to RMI after I was appointed as Deputy Resident Representative and Country Manager in the newly established UNDP Pacific Office in the Federated States of Micronesia, but not my first time here. UNDP has increased our presence in the Micronesian countries, after we established the office in Pohnpei last year to be closer to our partners and enhance partnerships. We are ready to support the RMI more efficiently for the achievement of SDGs by listening to your needs. 

The EDCR RMI project has been implemented, with the generous financial contribution from the Government of Japan since 2019, to improve the capacity for preparedness and mitigation of RMI to man-made, geo-physical and climate-related hazards and to climate change impact. 

Esteemed guests, the priority interventions we are seeing today is because of the choices you have made.  The project has faced various challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The detailed design was implemented fully remotely without conducting site visit and the revision of the scope have been made several times due to the sudden increase of the construction costs. However, we appreciate the continuous support and cooperation from the Office of Chief Secretary and Ministry of Works, Infrastructure and Utilities and Kwajalein Atoll Development Authority to make this EOC construction happened.  

We believe this Emergency Operation Center will provide the space for the Kwajalein Atolls Disaster Committee members and the Office of the Chief Secretary in Ebeye to coordinate, collect relevant information and make critical decision for the effective disaster response for the Kwajalein Atoll and other neighboring outer islands. 

In order to reflect women’s voice, we included women’s participation during the design stage of the facility. We will also continue discussions with our counterparts to make the facility inclusive of gender and people with disabilities. 

Finally, may I again take this opportunity to thank the Government of Japan for their generous contribution and partnership through this Enhancing Disaster and Climate Resilience (EDCR) Project.

Again, thank you all for your support and for being with us today and hope that we see you again when the construction is completed. 

Kommol tata.