![[RELEASE] Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General to Attend World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings](https://forumsec.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/IMFO_55151_704913.jpg "[RELEASE] Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General to Attend World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings")
12 October 2025, Washington DC.,United States: The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Baron Divavesi Waqa, will attend and support Forum members at the 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be held from 13 to 18 October in Washington, D.C., United States.
The Annual Meetings convene global finance and development leaders at a critical moment for the Pacific region, as Forum Members seek to strengthen partnerships for sustainable development, climate resilience, and inclusive economic growth.
The participation of the Pacific Islands Forum reflects the region’s continued commitment to shaping international financial discussions that impact the Blue Pacific Continent.
Forum Members will be represented at the Meetings and supported by the Secretary General in advancing key regional priorities, including deepening economic integration under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and championing innovative, Pacific-led financing solutions.
Central to these discussions will be the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), the region’s first international financing mechanism dedicated to community-level resilience against climate change and disasters. A PRF Partners Roundtable Talanoa will also be held on the margins of the meetings, bringing together multilateral organisations, development partners and global institutions to advance a shared commitment to climate and disaster resilience.
This side event will serve as an opportunity to highlight the Pacific’s leadership in designing a Pacific owned and led sustainable financing solutions that deliver direct benefits to Pacific people.
The meetings will also provide a platform for engagement on the Forum’s Correspondent Banking Relationships (CBR) Project, which supports eight participating Pacific Island countries to maintain stable and inclusive access to the global financial system.
In addition, a high-level Pacific Islands Roundtable, to be held at the IMF headquarters during the week will bring together partners and stakeholders to discuss strengthening economic resilience, improving access to finance, and developing innovative approaches that safeguard the Pacific’s financial systems.
“The Pacific will lead the conversation on resilience, inclusion, and sustainable financing,” said Secretary General Waqa. “Through initiatives like the PRF and our regional economic cooperation agenda, we are ensuring that the voices of Pacific communities are heard and that our priorities are embedded in the global financial architecture.”
The participation of the Pacific Islands Forum at the World Bank and IMF Annual meetings emphasises importance of the collective advocacy of Forum Members for a responsive and inclusive global financial system that recognises the unique vulnerabilities and development aspirations of Forum member countries.
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