Looking through a Pacific Islands lens: Access, accountability, and alignment in global engagements

The Pacific Islands are on the frontline of intense geopolitical competition, where global interests clash and intertwine, profoundly reshaping local political systems.

Increased aid, infrastructure investments, military, economic and even sporting agreements, contribute to filling urgent development gaps in Pacific countries. But it can also distort fragile governance structures, in some cases turbo-charging corruption and rewarding narrow domestic political impulses.

A new report, Looking through a Pacific Islands lens: Access, accountability, and alignment in global engagements, co-authored by Lowy Institute Senior Fellow Dr Meg Keen and Director of the Pacific Islands Program Mihai Sora, examines the views of Pacific Islanders on how to shape and navigate these engagements to safeguard their sovereignty and development priorities.

The report is based on extensive field research in seven Pacific Island countries, comprising interviews with more than 150 Pacific Island leaders and stakeholders across government, civil society, and business.

“While Pacific Island countries benefit from new development opportunities arising from global competition, the influx of foreign aid and attention can magnify governance challenges,” said Dr Keen. “The key lies in strengthening domestic systems, ensuring accountability, and fostering deeper regional integration.”

Key findings include:

• The need for stronger accountability mechanisms and alignment between donors and Pacific governments to address governance gaps.
• The importance of integrating local security and development priorities to create sustainable benefits.
• A pressing call to address information asymmetries and improve access and transparency in foreign agreements and investments.

“Pacific leaders are acutely aware of the strategic value of their sovereignty, and the risks and rewards of external engagement,” added Mihai Sora. “This report calls for a greater focus on Pacific countries’ national interests, accountability, and transparency across larger powers’ activities in the region.”

The full report, Looking through a Pacific Islands lens: Access, accountability, and alignment in global engagements, is available to read and download on the Lowy Institute website: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/looking-through-pacific-islands-lens-access-accountability-alignment-global

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