Executive summary

The Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles (PQI), endorsed by Pacific leaders in 2021, set out a bold vision for infrastructure that is resilient, inclusive and locally led. At the 2025 Pacific Infrastructure Conference in Brisbane, that vision was tested and, in many cases, realised. Across dozens of sessions, case studies, and bilateral dialogues, the region’s governments, contractors, financiers, and communities demonstrated how the PQI are being embedded in practice.

The following sections explore how the PQI are being operationalised across the Pacific, drawing on examples from infrastructure planning, procurement reform, climate finance, and delivery models. It also considers the legal architecture that enables and scales these efforts, positioning the law as a foundational enabler of PQI implementation, to support high-quality infrastructure across the region.

Local content and workforce development — from policy to practice

The PQI’s first principle — that infrastructure should build local capacity, beyond physical infrastructure is increasingly being realised across the Pacific. The shift from participation to empowerment is evident in the way governments, chambers of commerce and contractors are rethinking delivery models.

In Tuvalu, the Chamber of Commerce has articulated a clear vision for infrastructure that leaves behind skills, not just structures. With a small but resilient workforce and growing interest in trades and entrepreneurship, Tuvalu is seeking partnerships that embed training, subcontracting and supply chain inclusion. Similar sentiments were expressed by Niue, Kiribati, and the Federated States of Micronesia, where local businesses are eager to participate in logistics, catering and construction.

Fiji’s Commerce and Employers’ Federation (FCEF) highlighted a workforce of over 300,000, with 17,000 annual graduates and a proven track record in delivering donor-funded projects. FCEF is actively connecting contractors with skilled tradespeople, suppliers, and workforce development partners, demonstrating that local engagement is more than a social benefit, but a commercial advantage.

Contractors are responding. Reeves Envico’s work in Kiribati includes training women in carpentry, painting and site administration. Hatanga’s partnership with BY Group in Solomon Islands is delivering projects with 90% local procurement and workforce participation. Hall Contracting’s wharf project in Nui, Tuvalu, overcame extreme remoteness and corrosive conditions through pre-planning, prefabrication and local labour mobilisation.

Collectively, these examples illustrate that local content is no longer merely a compliance requirement, it is a strategic imperative. But to scale, it requires legal frameworks that embed local participation into procurement, contracting and performance management. This includes:

• Mandating local labour quotas in public procurement;
• Structuring joint ventures with local firms;
• Recognising local training and certification pathways; and
• Embedding local content into bid evaluation criteria.

Climate resilience and lifecycle planning — infrastructure that endures

The PQI place climate resilience at the heart of infrastructure planning and delivery. In a region where rising seas, cyclones, and extreme weather events are not hypothetical but lived realities, resilience is not a luxury — it is a necessity. At the 2025 Pacific Infrastructure Conference, this principle was not simply affirmed but demonstrated through a diverse array of projects, strategies and institutional reforms.

One of the most compelling examples came from Samoa, where the Green Ports Initiative has transformed Apia Port into a model of climate-smart infrastructure. Supported by the Asian Development Bank and technical experts from Haskoning, the initiative delivered 42 targeted upgrades across five domains: environmental management, operational efficiency, disaster preparedness, climate resilience and social sustainability. These included solar PV installations, smart lighting systems, rainwater harvesting and electrification of port operations. The initiative also produced a Green Ports Policy, a Practice Manual, and a Multi-Hazard Preparedness Plan; tools that are now being replicated in Tonga and Fiji.

In the Cook Islands, a quantitative adaptation planning framework was used to assess climate risks to critical assets such as Rarotonga International Airport and Avatiu Harbour. The methodology combined detailed asset-level data with multi-hazard modelling, including heat stress, sea level rise, storm surge and extreme rainfall. The result was a set of adaptation scenarios ranging from business-as-usual to maximum protection, each evaluated through multi-criteria analysis. This evidence-based approach is now informing national infrastructure strategies and investment prioritisation.

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has also made significant strides in climate resilient infrastructure. Entura, the consulting arm of Hydro Tasmania, has worked across all four FSM states to deliver renewable energy projects aligned with the country’s nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement. These included solar and battery energy storage systems (BESS), disaster-proof generation equipment, and feasibility studies for future investments. Entura’s work is notable not simply for its technical rigour but for its integration of climate risk assessments, stakeholder engagement and capacity building.

In Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Resilient Infrastructure Guide developed by the Economic and Social Infrastructure Program (ESIP) in partnership with the Government of PNG, provides a comprehensive framework for embedding resilience throughout the infrastructure lifecycle. The guide outlines principles for climate risk assessment, stakeholder alignment and whole-of-life value. It also includes practical tools for integrating resilience into procurement, design, construction, and maintenance. Case studies from Lae Market and Metoreia Health Centre illustrate how resilience can be built into materials selection, ventilation systems, water harvesting and maintenance planning.

Together, these initiatives reflect a broader shift in the region: from reactive adaptation to proactive resilience. Infrastructure is no longer designed solely for functionality, it is also designed for durability. This shift has profound implications for legal and institutional frameworks. Governments must move beyond minimum compliance and embed resilience into planning codes, procurement criteria and performance standards. Donors and financiers require climate risk integration as a condition for funding. Contractors must adopt lifecycle costing and resilience metrics in their bids and delivery models.

Community-led design and social inclusion — infrastructure that reflects local realities

The PQI emphasise that infrastructure must be designed not simply for communities, but with them. This principle, community-led design, is increasingly being recognised as essential to ensuring that infrastructure is inclusive, sustainable, and fit for purpose. At the 2025 Pacific Infrastructure Conference, this concept was not treated as a theoretical ideal but as a practical necessity, demonstrated through a range of projects across the region.

In Solomon Islands, the Buala Market project exemplifies how infrastructure can be shaped by local needs. Designed to serve multiple villages, the market incorporated community input on layout, access and functionality. The result was a facility that supports local livelihoods, enhances food security and strengthens social cohesion. The project also demonstrated how market infrastructure can be climate-resilient, with design features that mitigate flood risk and support long-term maintenance.

In Kiribati, the redevelopment of Betio Hospital’s maternal and children’s wing was guided by principles of simplicity, durability, and cultural appropriateness. The design prioritised ease of cleaning, passive ventilation, and congregation spaces for families, all informed by local feedback. Importantly, the project also created employment opportunities for women in skilled trades, including carpentry, painting and site administration. This integration of design and workforce inclusion reflects a broader shift toward infrastructure that is socially embedded.

The Hatanga–BY Group partnership in Solomon Islands offers another compelling example. Their work on police and disaster infrastructure in Temotu Province involved local engineers in geotechnical investigations, concrete mix design and prefabrication. The partnership’s delivery model, combining Australian certifications with Solomon Islands labour and logistics, is now being scaled to Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Honiara. This approach demonstrates how community-led design can be embedded not simply in physical infrastructure but in delivery partnerships.

Social inclusion is also being advanced through workforce initiatives. The Meri Save Trades program, led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is helping firms recruit and retain women in construction. The program provides practical guidance on inclusive recruitment, workplace safety and gender-sensitive policies. Measures include providing PPE that fits women, menstrual health support and family-friendly workplace arrangements. Participating firms have reported improved retention, productivity and workplace culture.

Reeves Envico’s training programs in Kiribati further illustrate the integration of social inclusion into infrastructure delivery. Their initiatives include forklift certification, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) workshops, and career development pathways. These programs are not add-ons, they are embedded into project planning and delivery, ensuring that infrastructure investments leave behind skills, confidence, and opportunity.

From a legal perspective, community-led design and social inclusion require frameworks that go beyond consultation. Governments must embed inclusive design principles into planning codes, procurement templates, and performance standards. Contractors must be incentivised and required to demonstrate how their projects reflect community needs and support social outcomes. Donors and financiers must integrate social safeguards into funding agreements and project evaluations.

Community-led design goes beyond listening, it is also about co-creating. It is about recognising that infrastructure is not neutral, and that its design, delivery and operation must reflect the values, needs and aspirations of the people it serves.

Governance, standards, and procurement reform — enabling quality delivery

The PQI call for governance frameworks that support quality outcomes. This includes not simply the legal architecture of procurement and contracting, but also the technical standards, institutional capacity and performance management systems that underpin infrastructure delivery.

Across the Pacific, governments and regional bodies are working to strengthen these foundations. The South Pacific Engineers Association (SPEA), for example, is leading efforts to harmonise engineering standards across PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Vanuatu. Their partnership with Engineering New Zealand (ENZ) and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) aims to provide online access to New Zealand and Australian design codes, expand continuing professional development (CPD) pathways, and create accreditation routes for technicians and engineers. These efforts are essential to enabling regional labour mobility and ensuring consistency in infrastructure quality.

In PNG, the Business Council is advocating for reforms that would streamline procurement, clarify public-private partnership (PPP) guidelines, and digitise permitting systems. Their technical working groups, focused on macroeconomics, ESG, revenue and infrastructure, are producing policy papers that feed into government-business consultative forums. These forums are helping to align public and private sector priorities, and to create a shared understanding of what quality infrastructure entails.

In Tonga, the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) is implementing a Strategic Transport Infrastructure Advisory Program that spans six islands. The program includes surveying 500km of roads, inspecting six airports, and developing bespoke asset management systems. It also involves laboratory certification, training programs and sustainability analysis using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals platform. NTRO’s work is a model for how technical advisory can be embedded into national infrastructure planning.

These efforts demonstrate that governance is not just about rules, it is also about capability. Legal frameworks must support standards harmonisation, procurement reform, and institutional strengthening. This includes:

• Drafting procurement laws that embed the PQI;
• Creating bid evaluation criteria that reward quality, resilience, and inclusion;
• Establishing independent infrastructure commissions or technical panels; and
• Aligning national standards with international benchmarks (e.g. ISO, IEC, ASTM).

Financing and delivery models — matching vision with resources

SPEA’s efforts to harmonise engineering standards and expand accreditation pathways are critical to enabling regional mobility and technical consistency.

Regional integration also requires legal frameworks that support mutual recognition of qualifications, cross-border procurement and trade facilitation. This includes:

• Drafting mutual recognition agreements for engineering and construction professionals;
• Creating regional procurement platforms and standardised tender documents;
• Aligning customs and logistics regulations to support infrastructure delivery; and
• Supporting regional infrastructure corridors (e.g. undersea cables, aviation agreements).

Conclusion: from principles to practice

The PQI are no longer aspirational — they are being embedded in the region’s infrastructure landscape through community-led design, climate-resilient planning and inclusive delivery models. The 2025 Pacific Infrastructure Conference showcased a region that is not only committed to these principles but actively shaping its future around them.

But implementation is not enough. To sustain momentum, Pacific governments, development partners and the private sector must now focus on institutionalising these gains. That means embedding the PQI into legislation, procurement systems and performance frameworks — not as optional guidelines but as core requirements.

Legal frameworks will determine whether the infrastructure of tomorrow reflects the values of today. In the Pacific, those values are clear: resilience, inclusion and regional solidarity. The challenge now is to translate these values into enforceable standards, scalable models and enduring partnerships.

The PQI agenda is not just about building infrastructure — it’s about building trust, opportunity and shared prosperity. From principles to practice, the journey continues. For more information, visit the Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles online at https://www.pacific-pqi.org/principles.

See related article: Unlocking infrastructure potential in the Pacific: Challenges and strategic pathways