About PRIF

The Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) is a multi-partner coordination and technical assistance (TA) facility that aims to improve the quality and coverage of infrastructure and service delivery in the Pacific.

Overview

Launched in 2008, PRIF provides an interface between development partners and its Pacific member countries. Its aim is to enhance the coordination of partner investments in the Pacific and provide technical advice on infrastructure development and sustainable management.

PRIF’s operations cover 13 Pacific member countries: the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Papua New Guinea is an associate member country.

PRIF’s development partners include the Asian Development Bank, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, European Union, European Investment Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, United States Department of State, and the World Bank Group.

Overall Goal

PRIF’s overarching goal is improved quality and coverage of infrastructure investments and service delivery in member countries.

To achieve this, PRIF delivers two major outputs:

1. Enhanced coordination of PRIF partner infrastructure investments in the Pacific;

2. Technical advice on infrastructure development and sustainable infrastructure management provided to PRIF partners and member countries. This includes TA on infrastructure plans and planning frameworks; infrastructure policy and regulatory advice; strategies and research, such as performance benchmarking, innovative technologies, and private sector participation; and infrastructure management advice, including asset management, maintenance, and budget frameworks.

Organizational Structure

PRIF Management Committee

In line with the PRIF Charter, the PRIF Management Committee (PMC) provides overall direction, management and strategic oversight of the PRIF work program and activities. The PMC comprises senior representatives from each development partner.

Working Groups

PRIF working groups bring together development partner technical specialists in key infrastructure sub-sectors, including energy; transport (air, land and marine); information, communication and technology, water and sanitation, urban development, sustainable infrastructure management, and environment and social safeguards. Working groups provide a forum for information sharing and coordination of activities and are responsible for championing a PRIF response to priority and emerging infrastructure-related development challenges in the region.

PRIF Coordination Office

The PRIF Coordination Office is hosted by the Asia Development Bank’s Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office, based in Sydney and is responsible for the implementation of the PRIF work program and activities, including donor coordination and technical assistance for Pacific island member countries and PRIF partners. PRIF CO comprises nine staff based across Australia and in the Pacific.

Partner Funding

PRIF Phase IV was initially approved in October 2019 and revised in August 2020, with $12.5 million of financing over five years. Four PRIF partners provide financial contributions, others provide in-kind contributions.

PRIF Funding - Phase IV

United States

Australia

New Zealand

ADB