New Partnership Between the World Bank Group and Pacific Island Countries Prioritizes Jobs and Resilience

SUVA, May 5, 2026- A new six-year partnership between the World Bank Group and nine Pacific Island countries will support country-led priorities to create more and better jobs, strengthen public services, and build resilience to climate and economic shocks. The partnership comes as global volatility, including disruptions affecting energy markets, continues to place pressure on small island economies.

The World Bank Group today released a new Regional Partnership Framework (RPF) for nine Pacific Island countries - Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Developed in close partnership with governments across the region, the framework will guide World Bank Group support from FY2026 to FY2031, aligned with national priorities for jobs, resilience, and economic growth.

"This partnership is about delivering real impacts for people across the Pacific," said Stephen N. Ndegwa, World Bank Director for the North and South Pacific. "By focusing on jobs, skills, and resilience, and by using regional solutions where they add scale, we are supporting practical reforms and investments that help communities thrive, enable businesses to grow, and strengthen the foundations for long-term growth."

Across the region, small and remote economies, including several with fast-growing young populations, and high exposure to climate risks make job creation both urgent and challenging. Turning growth into employment, particularly for young people and women, is central to sustaining long-term prosperity and stability.

The new partnership focuses on strengthening economic and fiscal management, improving physical and digital connectivity, investing in health and education, and building resilience to future shocks including external shocks, climate change, and disasters. These are critical foundations for sustained, private sector led job creation.

Investments in transport, energy, and digital infrastructure will support employment while connecting people and businesses to markets. Stronger health and education systems will help build the skills needed for productive work at home and abroad, while sound macroeconomic management will help countries manage shocks and create a more stable environment for investment and jobs.

The framework supports this approach through regional platforms and shared solutions that help overcome the constraints of distance and small scale. This reflects the World Bank Group's Small States Strategy, which tailors support to the unique challenges of small and remote economies. It also includes crisis preparedness and response tools designed to help countries respond quickly to shocks while protecting development gains.