Regional Partnership Framework

Abstract

This Regional Partnership Framework (RPF) outlines the World Bank Group (WBG) strategic program for nine Pacific island countries (PIC9): Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of Nauru, Republic of Palau, Independent State of Samoa, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Seven of these countries are IDA-eligible and have seen a substantial increase in WBG presence and engagement in recent years. The RPF builds upon the deepening engagement with Samoa, Tonga, and Kiribati, and the ability to channel significantly more resources to FSM, RMI, Vanuatu and Tuvalu following their recent reclassification as IDA eligible. The RPF also outlines options for engagement with Nauru and Palau, which are IBRD countries. In summary, this RPF will guide a WBG engagement in the Pacific which will build on what has been achieved so far but also seek to achieve further impacts in three main ways. First, increased IDA18 allocations will provide opportunities to finance projects that are larger in size and scope. Second, building on the results of the SCD and other recent analytical work, the WBG program will be highly selective and focused on helping the PICs make the most of a few key opportunities and effectively mitigate the main risks to incomes and livelihoods which they are facing. Third, the WBG program will put special emphasis on addressing the drivers of fragility in the Pacific (issues related to institutional capacity, growth in youth population and urbanization, climate change and natural disasters, as well as gender) to enhance the sustainability of the activities being carried out and of the progress being achieved.