Regional : Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility Coordination Office-Leveraging Infrastructure for Sustainable Development

Energy / Energy sector development and institutional reform

Information and communication technology / ICT strategy and policy, and capacity development

Transport / Transport policies and institutional development

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Other urban services

The knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) will support the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) by continuing to resource the coordination and technical assistance activities of the PRIF coordination office for another 4 years, from November 2019 to October 2023. Cofinanced by multiple partners, PRIF is an investment coordination and technical assistance facility that supports the planning, prioritization, coordination, and management of infrastructure in the Pacific. PRIF aims to improve development effectiveness and the sustainability of infrastructure investments in Pacific island member countries by (i) strengthening coordination among PRIF partners, (ii) improving infrastructure policies and regulation, and (iii) improving infrastructure planning and management. A PRIF management committee provides strategic oversight of PRIF activities, based on governance arrangements in the PRIF charter. PRIF partners chair the management committee on a rotational basis. The PRIF coordination office is located in the Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The coordination office supports enhanced coordination and provides short-term TA to respond to requests from PRIF partners and member countries.

The TA is consistent with Strategy 2030's focus on infrastructure as a key development priority in its aim to tackle climate change, build disaster resilience, make cities more livable, strengthen capacity, and foster regional cooperation and integration. The TA is also consistent with ADB's Pacific Approach 2016-2020, with its focus on reducing costs, managing risk, and enabling value creation. The TA is included in the Pacific regional operations business plan, 2019-2021 as a 2019 nonlending activity.

PRIF member countries face several challenges in infrastructure planning, financing and management. Member countries are remote and have small populations, precluding economies of scale in infrastructure delivery and management. Given their narrow economic base, member countries rely heavily on development aid and remittances. They also face frequent natural disasters and climate change, resulting in additional unplanned costs. Policy, institutional, and capacity issues also negatively affect performance and sustainability of investment. Infrastructure investment and service delivery in Pacific island countries lag well behind global and Asian averages. ADB estimates that the Pacific region requires $3.1 billion annually to fully address its infrastructure needs. Development partners active in the Pacific have responded to the region's challenges by (i) establishing PRIF in 2008, to provide better coordinated support to PRIF member countries, (ii) significantly increasing available finance to Pacific island countries, and (iii) providing long-term capacity development.

Some of the key achievements of PRIF since its establishment in 2008 include: (i) facilitation of strategic engagement between development partners in the Pacific, (ii) helping member countries plan infrastructure investments and maintenance needs, (iii) providing a platform for technical experts from PRIF partners in sector working groups to develop common approaches to sectoral challenges, (iv) supporting regional organizations such as the Pacific Power Association and the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association, (v) leading applied research on engineering solutions for local Pacific conditions, (vi) rapidly mobilizing technical resources immediately after disasters, and (vii) providing COVID-19 response technical assistance. While the coordination effort of development partners has significantly improved over recent years, the recent and proposed scaling up of financial resources by development partners in the Pacific will require ongoing, long-term, and regionally focused coordination and support for infrastructure planning, financing and management.

Quality and coverage of infrastructure investments and service delivery in PRIF member countries improved

Comprehensive and coordinated project and TA support on infrastructure investments provided by PRIF partners

Coordination of PRIF partner infrastructure investments in the Pacific is further enhanced.

Technical advice on infrastructure development and sustainable infrastructure management provided to PRIF partners and member countries