Governance in the Pacific: Focus for Action 2005-2009

Abstract

The term governance has various meanings, but in broad terms the concept describes the institutional environment in which citizens interact among themselves and with government agencies. Good governance is concerned directly with the development process, involving both the public and private sectors. Indeed, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) considers it as an essential element in achieving its overarching objective of poverty reduction in the region. All members of the aid community, from their own experience, recognize that in countries with effective governments, strong oversight institutions, an independent judiciary, and a vibrant civil society—i.e., countries with good governance—development assistance helps reduce poverty; without it, such assistance is mostly ineffective.