Apart from the economic fault lines exposed due to recent exogenous coronavirus disease (COVID-19) impacts, Pacific Island Economies (PIEs) are regarded as amongst the 92 most vulnerable member states of the United Nations. The PIEs share many commonalties such as small size, remoteness and isolation from markets, high transportation costs, vulnerability to shocks and climate change and dependence on narrow range of exports. The vulnerability of the region arises from its unique geography and environment, the fragility of its economic structure, its distinctive demographics, and the interactions between these different factors. PIEs have also been identified as some of the most vulnerable worldwide to the effects of climate change and natural disasters.

In the current context, there is an increased urgency for the region to scale up research and capacity building for research in areas of pressing importance to PIEs, such as trade, infrastructure, tourism, digitalization, labor mobility, regional cooperation and others.

Within this backdrop, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), under its ADB-Asian Think Tanks Network (ATTN) platform, and in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji, and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) invite submission of original research papers under the theme Pacific Island Economies: Aiming for Sustainable Economic Development in Midst of Growing Uncertainties.[1] Authors of selected papers will be invited to join two event activities: a) a technical workshop to discuss their paper proposals at the University of the South Pacific in April 2023 and b) to present at a conference at the University of the South Pacific in September 2023.

The aim of the project is to promote policy relevant empirical research, thereby supporting the small economies to achieve better social, economic, and environmental goals. Papers should, thus, focus on development issues, identify gaps based on reliable quantitative and/or qualitative data and suggest policy actions that promote sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience. All paper submissions must be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Paper topics of interest include, but are not limited to: