Issue 1

As we launch the first issue of Pacific Business Review, we do so at a time when the Pacific region is navigating profound economic shifts. Growth remains steady but fragile. The Asian Development Bank projects a regional expansion of 3.9 percent this year, easing to 3.5 percent in 2026, underscoring both resilience and the limits of current capacity. Inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, and heightened climate risks continue to challenge policymakers and businesses alike.

At the regional level, the Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development 2025–2030 provides a framework for charting a more inclusive and sustainable path. With priorities spanning governance, private sector growth, labor mobility, and digital transformation, the roadmap reflects both ambition and collective determination. Its impact, however, will depend on effective execution and sustained cooperation across governments and institutions.

Resource industries remain central to many economies, yet the Fraser Institute’s 2024 global survey reveals persistent barriers to investment in the Pacific. While Fiji has improved its standing, other jurisdictions, including Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, continue to face investor concerns tied to governance, infrastructure, and regulatory clarity. The lesson is clear: natural endowment must be matched with strong institutions to attract and retain capital.

At the same time, digital advances are opening new opportunities. Fiji’s nationwide 5G rollout and the Oceania Customs Organisation’s participation in the Pacific E-commerce Alliance signal a determination to integrate with the global digital economy. For island nations, connectivity is not a luxury but a necessity—critical for trade, services, and inclusive development.

Moving forward, we at Pacific Business Review hope to bring you the latest of these economic shifts and all the Pacific Islands’ key issues and stories, as we seek to become your partner in showcasing the best that the Melanesia region and the whole of the pacific have to offer – just as we have already done in Papua New Guinea through our sister magazine PNG Business News.