The Solomon Islands has officially ratified the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), advancing the establishment of a significant climate and disaster financing mechanism tailored for the region. On January 27, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele handed over the ratification instrument to Baron Divavesi Waqa, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum.
As a pivotal supporter and signatory of the PRF Treaty, which was formalized at the 54th Forum Leaders Meeting in Honiara in September 2025 while Manele served as Forum Chair, the Solomon Islands plays a crucial role in this initiative. Currently, 15 Pacific leaders have endorsed the treaty, putting the region on track to make the PRF legally active by 2026.
In conjunction with this progress, the 6th PRF Legal Co-Drafting Workshop is taking place in Nadi, Fiji. Senior officials from Forum member countries have gathered to strengthen the legal framework of the facility. This workshop is being led by Esther O’Brien, Minister Counsellor for the Solomon Islands High Commission to Fiji, and will be succeeded by the inaugural Financial Rules Co-Design Workshop, focused on establishing the necessary institutional structures for the financing mechanism.
The Pacific Resilience Facility is envisioned as a climate and disaster resilience financing initiative that is led by Pacific nations, emphasizing regional ownership and long-term sustainability.
In a related initiative, a mission from the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) visited Tuvalu, which included Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles Adviser, Titi Tutuvanu-Schwalger. This mission aimed to engage the Tuvaluan government in incorporating the Seven Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles into national infrastructure planning. This effort complements PRIF’s ongoing support to update Tuvalu’s National Infrastructure Investment Plan, ensuring that future infrastructure investments remain sustainable, resilient, and aligned with the country’s development priorities.
This series of initiatives underlines a proactive approach to enhancing climate resilience and infrastructure sustainability in the Pacific region, reflecting a commitment to long-term development and regional cooperation.
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