Addressing Income Gap Between Kiribati Islands

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (10 October 2002) - ADB will help address the income gap and regional disparities between Kiribati's outer islands through a technical assistance grant of US$350,000.

More than half of Kiribati's population of nearly 84,500 is scattered throughout the outer islands, where they are heavily disadvantaged in terms of income and employment opportunities. This puts increasing pressure on the main island of South Tarawa as people from poorer areas head there in search of a living.

In the pipeline for 2003 is an ADB program loan to help the Government improve living conditions in the outer islands. This will include boosting local governance in the island communities, promotion of island autonomy through the provision of sustainable finance, and delivering support services.

The TA grant, for Capacity Building to Support the Outer Island Development Program, will build capacity to support the program as well as provide institutional support. It is designed to mobilize resources to develop rural communities and help the Government, nongovernment organizations, and island communities undertake community planning and programs under the program loan. The TA is expected to last a year to October 2003.

Read the full TA report.