ADB, Pacific Islands Forum Sign Pact to Boost Regional Integration

The agreement underscores the growing emphasis on regional cooperation as a pathway to sustainable development in one of the world’s most geographically dispersed regions.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) have signed a historic Partnership Agreement aimed at deepening regional cooperation and accelerating collective action across the Pacific.

ADB President Masato Kanda and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa formalized the agreement today, establishing a comprehensive framework to align resources and expertise in support of a more resilient, sustainable and prosperous Pacific region.

Strengthening Pacific Unity

“The remote and geographically dispersed nations of the Pacific stand to benefit immensely from regional cooperation and integration,” Mr Kanda said.

“The strength of the Pacific lies in its unity. By standing together, we can achieve common objectives—from protecting shared ocean resources to building economic resilience—far more effectively than any country could alone.”

He described the agreement as a foundation for the two institutions “to think bigger and move faster” in responding to shared challenges.

Mr Waqa said the partnership reinforces Pacific-led solutions aligned with the region’s long-term development vision.

“This partnership strengthens our collective efforts to deliver Pacific-led solutions that build resilience, expand opportunity, and mobilize climate and development finance in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific,” he said.

Formalising Decades of Cooperation

Both ADB and the Pacific Islands Forum have more than 50 years of engagement with Pacific island countries. The new agreement builds on three decades of collaboration between the two organisations, formalising and expanding cooperation across priority areas.

The framework will focus on:

• Economic competitiveness

• Community resilience and empowerment

• Disaster preparedness

• Development of the blue economy

Climate Action and Fiscal Resilience at the Core

Under the agreement, ADB and the Forum will work jointly on high-priority regional initiatives, including:

• Regional Programmatic Approach for Climate Action

• Pacific Fiscal Resilience Initiative

• A proposed multi-donor trust fund for disaster risk financing

These initiatives aim to help Pacific nations pool resources, harmonise policies and improve access to climate and development finance.

The partnership is designed to accelerate regional integration by providing targeted technical assistance, financing coordination and policy alignment — enabling Pacific countries to address common vulnerabilities such as climate change, economic shocks and natural disasters.

Supporting a Resilient Blue Pacific

The agreement underscores the growing emphasis on regional cooperation as a pathway to sustainable development in one of the world’s most geographically dispersed regions.

By strengthening institutional collaboration, ADB and the Pacific Islands Forum aim to enhance economic resilience, safeguard ocean resources, expand development opportunities and mobilise the financing needed to meet the Pacific’s long-term goals.