A/HRC/61/49/Add.2 6. The Federated States of Micronesia became independent from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the United States of America, in 1979. Since then, it has remained in free association with the United States, a relationship which is governed by the Compact of Free Association. Under this agreement, last renewed in 2023 for a period of 20 years, the United States provides grant assistance and trust fund contributions totalling approximately $3.3 billion, which are channelled towards critical sectors of public policies. The United States has kept control of the defence of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Compact also grants citizens visa-free access to live, work, and study in the United States, and Micronesians are well represented in the United States military. The Compact-induced rise in migration has led to a negative net migration rate that the population growth rate does not compensate. Hence, the Federated States of Micronesia’s 2023 census estimated that there had been a 31% population decline since 2010. 7. The economy of the Federated States of Micronesia is characterized by a heavy reliance on subsistence activities, such as farming and fishing. Commercial activities within the federation, and even more so exports, are limited. Local commercial fishing is only done on a small scale and the sale of fishing rights, often to foreign companies, is regulated. The major source of income is the service sector, including government employment, employing two thirds of the workforce. Public projects and government employment rely heavily on foreign grants from Australia, China and the United States. Foreign grant income is estimated at 43% of the gross domestic product.1 Land ownership is protected from foreign acquisition, making the country less attractive to foreign companies. 8. Outside the main cities, many areas in the Federated States of Micronesia suffer from a lack of infrastructure and poor health and education systems. There are no organized transportation options between most of the islands, which impacts particularly young people, elders and persons with disabilities. As the economy depends to a great extent on external flows, it is vulnerable to the shortage of commercial flights, the costs of fuel, imported goods, including food, and business services. Climate change, particularly sea-level rise, further threatens food security and economic stability, necessitating urgent adaptation measures supported by donor funding. 9. The Special Rapporteur was happy to meet a lot of inhabitants who emphasized to her how content they are with their life in the Federated States of Micronesia and the special relationship they have with their communities and the environment. They repeatedly expressed their wish to protect their ways of life despite the possible challenges this entails. A. International human rights framework 10. The Federated States of Micronesia joined the United Nations in 1991 and is in favour of multilateralism. The country has ratified three of the nine main United Nations human rights instruments: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (in 2004); Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (in 2016); and Convention on the Rights of the Child (in 1993), including the two protocols thereto (in 2012 and 2015). The country has also endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and, although most Micronesians no longer fall under its protection, it continues to apply to the non-dominant and marginalized communities. 11. The Government indicated to the Special Rapporteur its willingness to become a party to the two International Covenants on Human Rights, but admitted that current institutional weaknesses would affect its ability to implement the associated obligations. Shortly before the visit, a four-day capacity-building workshop on economic, social and cultural rights had been organized in the country with the support of the United Nations multi-country office, an opportunity the Government was interested in repeating. The Special Rapporteur highlighted that steps towards the ratification of both Covenants should be prioritized. 12. Ratification of international law instruments is submitted to Congress. Following ratification, States are required to amend any relevant laws that would result inconsistent with the newly adopted international obligations or to adopt the additional legal instruments and 1 GE.26-01464 Department of Education, education sector strategic plan (2025–2029), May 2025. 3