THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) committed $US679.8 million (approx. $F1.49 billion) to its Pacific developing member countries (DMCs) in 2025.
This, according to its 2025 annual report released last week, included $US214.4m (approx. $F471m) in grants from the Asian Development Fund (ADF).
And the top five sectors that received ADB commitments in the Pacific during the year were transport; water and other urban infrastructure and services; finance; energy, and public sector management.
The report, published last week, summarised the bank’s operational, institutional and financial highlights in 2025.
“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,” ADB’s Pacific Department director general Emma Veve said.
“Looking ahead, helping the Pacific to further deepen its resilience will be key to reducing the region’s vulnerability to further external shocks and a priority for ADB.”
Three companies from Fiji were beneficiaries of its new Frontier program, which helps smaller enterprises gain access to finance.
“With 2025 as its first full year of operation in the Pacific, the program has signed five cost-recoverable technical assistance agreements across the region,” ADB stated.
“Three of these are with enterprises in Fiji: a saltwater prawn producer helping commercialise the prawn industry and promote food security; a renewable-energy company installing on- and off-grid solutions for commercial and residential businesses; and a performance arts company creating jobs for local youth. “Another agreement has been signed with a bakery creating local jobs in Samoa, while the fifth involves an aerial mapping company that is improving coastal data collection and usability across the Pacific.” A similar program called Pacific Wayfinder was also launched to help support job creation and boost innovation in the private sector.
“The program provides tools, including concessional finance and technical assistance to help businesses access finance and scale up investment,” it stated.
The bank continued its investment in quality infrastructure across its Pacific member countries.
It committed a $US80m (approx. $F176m) ADF grant and expects $US40m (approx. $F88.19m) in cofinancing from the World Bank to build a 720-meter bridge across Tonga’s Fanga’uta Lagoon.
“The financing will also help construct approach roads and upgrade water supply and drainage systems.
“ADB is the project’s lead lender under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework (FMRF) with the World Bank Communities across the Pacific continued to face extreme weather events and disasters.
“In the aftermath of a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that shook Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila in late 2024, ADB in response disbursed $US5.5m (approx. $F12.13m) in emergency relief funding and committed a $US24.4m (approx. $F53.79m) grant from the ADF to rehabilitate a damaged road that serves as the main access to Port Vila’s wharves.
“In Papua New Guinea (PNG), where air travel over mountainous terrain is essential for remote communities, ADB is financing pre-delivery payments for six Airbus A220-100 aircraft to help modernise the fleet of PNG’s national airline, Air Niugini.
“Payments comprise two private sector loans; $US19m ($F41.89m) from ADB’s ordinary capital resources and $US16.9m (approx. $F37.26m) through Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund 2.”
The bank said it will continue to promote regional cooperation and invest in country collaboration as a core part of its Pacific operations.
