Programs & Projects

The Pacific Islands Program

The Pacific Islands Program

A focus on Pacific Islands has been a central component of the Lowy Institute’s work for more than a decade. We research contemporary challenges facing the Pacific islands region in areas including geostrategic competition, sustainable economic development, governance and leadership challenges, poverty alleviation, and Australia’s relationship with Pacific countries and organisations. We also hold major conferences, workshops, dialogues and exchanges. We have produced influential work on Australia’s Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, the 2006 Fiji Coup, normalising Australia’s bilateral relationship with Fiji, Australia’s bilateral relationship with Papua New Guinea, the future development challenges of Papua New Guinea, the economic benefits of greater labour mobility between Australia and the South Pacific, security and resilience dynamics in the Pacific, and foreign aid flows in the Pacific.

The Institute manages four major projects focusing on the Pacific:

The Pacific Research Program (PRP) is a consortium partnership between the Lowy Institute and the Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs and Development Policy Centre, with the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The PRP is designed to be a globally pre-eminent centre of excellence for research on the Pacific. Read more details .

The program contributes to the Lowy Institute Pacific Aid Map which is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is designed to enhance aid effectiveness in the Pacific.

The Australia-PNG Network is a project supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, designed to foster people-to-people links between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Read more details.

The South Pacific Fragile States Project was a project supported by the Department of Defence to produce independent research and forward looking analysis on the key drivers of instability in the South Pacific and the associated security challenges for Australia and the wider region. Read more details.

The Mapping Foreign Assistance in the Pacific Project

The Lowy Institute Pacific Aid Map is an analytical tool designed to enhance aid effectiveness in the Pacific by improving coordination, alignment, and accountability of foreign aid through enhanced transparency of aid flows. The Pacific Aid Map has collected data on close to 13,000 projects in 14 countries supplied by 62 donors from 2011 onwards. All data has been made freely available on this interactive platform, allowing users to investigate and manipulate the information in a variety of ways. The Pacific Aid Map is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.


Country profiles from Pacific Islands countries can be found here.

The Chinese Aid in the Pacific map is no longer maintained, and the data can be found in the Acidic Aid Map.

Experts
Latest publications
News and media
Director, Pacific Islands Program
Project Director, Australia-Papua New Guinea Network
Senior Fellow, Pacific Islands Program
Deputy Director, Indo-Pacific Development Centre
Research Associate, Pacific Aid Map
FDC Pacific Fellow, Pacific Islands Program
FDC Pacific Fellow
Nonresident Fellow
Nonresident Fellow
Nonresident Fellow
Reducing the role of cash in Pacific Island economies
Reducing the role of cash in Pacific Island economies
In the Pacific Islands region, cash is king. But a transformation to digital financial services could unlock economic dividends needed now.The undertaking would be no small feat…
Women are underfunded in the Pacific Islands
Data Snapshot
Women are underfunded in the Pacific Islands
Development dollars are missing their gender equality target in the region
The Great Game in the Pacific Islands
Data Snapshot
The Great Game in the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islanders have found their region, previously undervalued by larger powers, now a focal point for strategic competition.
Western banks are vacating the Pacific, and Nauru is turning to China
Western banks are vacating the Pacific, and Nauru is turning to China
Nauru has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Bank of China “to explore solutions and options to its banking issues”. The China–Nauru MOU will cause further…
Pacific Engagement Visas: New developments but quotas unknown
Pacific Engagement Visas: New developments but quotas unknown
Australia is surprisingly low-key about the recent launch of its new subclass 192 Pacific Engagement Visa lottery that aims to welcome 3,000 new permanent migrants …
Solomon Islands: Democracy on the ballot
Solomon Islands: Democracy on the ballot
With a week to go before voters take to the polls on 17 April, election campaigns in Solomon Islands are in full swing with 334 candidates vying for 50 seats (only 21 candidates…
Australian Associated Press
5 August 2024
Pacific Islands News Association
6 February 2024
ABC's Saturday Extra
5 February 2024