Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF)?
- Why PRIF?
- What countries are eligible for PRIF assistance?
- What assistance does PRIF offer?
- How can countries apply for PRIF assistance?
- How will PRIF help strengthen private sector involvement in the infrastructure sector?
- How will PRIF help boost capacity and jobs in the infrastructure sector?
- How does PRIF affect current bilateral relationships?
- How will PRIF interact with donors who are not PRIF partners?
- What are some examples of activities supported by PRIF?
Click here to download our FAQ flyer which contains the information below.
1. What is the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF)?
PRIF is a multi-partner coordination and financing arrangement to support long-term infrastructure planning, development and management in Pacific island countries.
PRIF provides assistance in the areas of energy, telecommunications, transport, water, sanitation, and solid waste management.
The current PRIF partners are: the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the European Commission (EC) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), the New Zealand Government via the New Zealand Aid Programme, and the World Bank Group (WBG).
In some Pacific island countries up to 60% of the population has no access to safe drinking water, up to 70% has no sanitation services and up to 85% has no access to electricity. In response to this challenge, the PRIF aims to improve infrastructure services in the region and build expertise and capacity to ensure the ongoing sustainability of infrastructure services.
PRIF puts into practice recent commitments made by country governments and development agencies to improve infrastructure and development effectiveness in the Pacific such as the Pacific Plan and the Cairns Compact for Strengthening Development Coordination in the Pacific.
PRIF is about a new approach with a focus on:
- Strenthening infrastructure services – PRIF aims to strenthen the quality of infrastructure services in Pacific island countries based on new approaches to planning and implementing infrastructure development priorities.
- Country-led development – PRIF will respond to requests for support from Pacific island countries based on their plans and priorities.
- Sector-based approaches – PRIF aims to address the long-term challenges of maintaining and managing existing and new infrastructure to improve the efficiency and sustainability of service delivery.
- Harmonised support – PRIF will bring together support from multiple development agencies to make assistance go further and make a bigger difference.
- Long-term support – PRIF seeks to establish a long-term collaborative infrastructure support mechnism that helps achieve sustainable improvements in infrastructure services.
Through deeper coordination, PRIF will be better able to help countries maximise opportunities for improvements in infrastructure service provision.
PRIF assistance is currently available to the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
PRIF is about supporting and encouraging countries to take long-term, sustainable and cost effective approaches to infrastructure services.
PRIF aims to achieve better infrastructure outcomes by providing flexible and long term support to Pacific island countries. Support includes technical assistance, investment, capacity building and budget support where agreed as part of a sector-wide infrastructure strategy.
PRIF promotes a country-led approach where the priorities for infrastructure investment are set by each country and align with overall development goals and priorities.
Countries seeking assistance can channel their requests through their existing relationships with any of the PRIF partners. Alternatively countries can contact the Pacific Infrastructure Advisory Centre (PIAC) which has been established as a central point for technical assistance.
PIAC will assist countries to access on-demand advice and short-term technical assistance in a range of areas including sector planning and budgeting, policy, regulation, management, and activity preparation.
PIAC may be contacted by email at piac@theprif.org or by telephone +61 2 8270 9416.
PRIF’s long-term support will ensure a consistent and reliable platform which will help encourage the involvement of the private sector, both foreign and domestic.
In Vanuatu, PRIF has initiated the Vanuatu Transport Sector Support Program. This program will work with the Government to finance and manage infrastructure works as well as design and package contracts such that they can be delivered by the domestic private sector.
PRIF will assist Pacific island countries to undertake maintenance works that maximise the potential for local contracting.
At its core, PRIF is about building the capacity of Pacific island countries to better manage their infrastructure needs over the long term. This includes working with governments to improve systems for long term financing of maintenance, and working to strengthen the domestic private sector to provide these services. Capacity building assistance may be sourced through assistance from PIAC as well as through PRIF activities.
PRIF is not about replacing existing bilateral relationships and agreements, but rather helps to coordinate, integrate and enhance partner strategies and activities with the development goals of individual countries.
PRIF will actively seek to coordinate closely with development partners who are not currently involved in PRIF to improve the overall effectiveness of infrastructure assistance.
Activities supported by PRIF can be seen on the "PRIF Activities" page of this website.
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PRIF in action
Building and maintaining roads
Constructing bridges
Securing clean water supplies
Supporting sustainable energy