Trust Funds in the Pacific: Their Role and Future

Abstract

Public trust funds hold some potential for serving as effective development mechanisms. While a few such funds are already in use in the Pacific, they are still relatively new to the development arena. The primary objective of this book is to provide an introduction to trust funds, how they function, how they differ from other financial modalities, what their comparative advantages and disadvantages may be, how they are structured, and how they have fared so far in the Pacific. Looking forward, as Pacific governments and development partners strive to improve development effectiveness, this analysis can help to identify and prioritize resource gaps and to determine whether and where trust funds may be appropriate.