The Asian Development Bank and the Pacific Islands Forum have signed a partnership agreement aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and accelerating climate and development initiatives across the Pacific.
ADB President Masato Kanda and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Baron Waqa formalised the agreement on Thursday, setting out a framework to align the institutions’ resources and expertise in support of what they described as a more resilient, sustainable and prosperous Pacific region.
“The remote and geographically dispersed nations of the Pacific stand to benefit immensely from regional cooperation and integration,” 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. This agreement is our foundation to think bigger and move faster.”
Waqa said the partnership reinforces Pacific-led approaches to development and climate action.
“This partnership strengthens our collective efforts to deliver Pacific-led solutions that build resilience, expand opportunity, and mobilise climate and development finance in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific,” he said.
Both organisations have more than 50 years of engagement with Pacific island countries. The new agreement builds on three decades of cooperation and formalises collaboration on economic competitiveness, community resilience, disaster preparedness and the blue economy.
Under the pact, ADB and the Forum will coordinate on high-priority initiatives, including the Regional Programmatic Approach for Climate Action, the Pacific Fiscal Resilience Initiative and a proposed multi-donor trust fund for disaster risk financing.
The initiatives are intended to help Pacific nations address shared challenges through pooled resources, harmonised policies and collective action.
ADB, founded in 1966, is owned by 69 members, including 50 from the Asia-Pacific region. The multilateral development bank supports inclusive, resilient and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific through financing, technical assistance and strategic partnerships.
