The Asian Development Bank (ADB) committed $679.8m to its Pacific developing member countries in 2025, including $214.4m in grants from the Asian Development Fund, according to its Annual Report 2025 released on 23 April.
The report outlines the bank’s operational, institutional and financial performance over the year, with a focus on economic sustainability, structural reform and climate resilience across the Pacific.
“ADB’s engagement in the Pacific in 2025 prioritised ongoing economic sustainability while advancing structural reforms, managing climate-related risks, and building an enabling environment to increase private sector activity,” said Emma Veve, director general of ADB’s Pacific Department.
She added that strengthening resilience would remain central to reducing the region’s exposure to external shocks.
ADB highlighted efforts to crowd in private sector investment through initiatives such as the Pacific Wayfinder programme, which provides concessional finance and technical assistance to support business expansion, job creation and capital market development. Its Frontier programme also aims to deepen local capital markets and improve access to finance for smaller enterprises.
Infrastructure investment remained a core priority. In Tonga, ADB committed an $80m grant from the Asian Development Fund and expects a further $40m in co-financing from the World Bank to construct a 720-metre bridge across the Fanga’uta Lagoon, alongside associated road, water and drainage upgrades. The project is being implemented under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework.
Disaster response also featured prominently. Following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in late 2024, ADB disbursed $5.5m in emergency assistance and committed a further $24.4m grant to rehabilitate a key road linking the capital to its main wharves.
In Papua New Guinea, ADB is supporting aviation connectivity by financing pre-delivery payments for six Airbus A220-100 aircraft for national carrier Air Niugini. The financing package includes $19m from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and $16.9m from Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund 2.
ADB also expanded its regional footprint with the opening of its Solomon Islands Resident Mission in February 2026, signalling deeper country-level engagement.
The largest share of ADB commitments in the Pacific in 2025 went to transport, followed by water and urban infrastructure, finance, energy and public sector management.
Across Asia and the Pacific, ADB committed $29.3bn in 2025 to support resilience and reform, as the region navigates economic and climate-related challenges.
Established in 1966, ADB is a multilateral development bank owned by 69 members, including 50 from the region, and focuses on sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth.
