COVID-19 and PSDI
While COVID-19 creates significant new economic challenges for Pacific governments, the private sector will play an important role in economic recovery.
The economic impacts of COVID-19 are widespread across the Pacific, threatening the survival of many businesses and raising unemployment across the region. The implementation of emergency fiscal responses will increase public debt while lower economic activity will reduce public revenue, creating additional economic constraints for Pacific governments.
PSDI’s long-standing work improving businesses’ ability to access finance; ensuring that legislation and policy make it easy for businesses to start and operate; increasing the efficiency and reliability of state-owned enterprises; promoting competition and protecting consumers; and continuing to develop competitive markets, will be critical to helping the private sector contribute most effectively to economic recovery.
More information about how each of PSDI's five focus areas is responding to COVID-19 is at the links below:
Financing Growth
Business Law Reform
State-Owned Enterprise Reform and Public-Private Partnerships
Competition and Consumer Protection
Economic Empowerment of Women
PSDI can provide crucial assistance to this recovery by drawing on our strong track record, regional experience, the complementarity of our work areas, and long-standing relationships with Pacific governments and private sector stakeholders, while continuing to boost the resilience of the private sector to protect against future economic shocks.
Latest News
The COVID-19 pandemic presents an exceptional threat to the emergence of competition in the economies of Pacific island countries (PICs). While both large and small businesses are facing very significant challenges, the threat will be acute for many micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses.
PSDI has supported the Cook Islands Ministry of Justice to make critical updates to the online Companies, Incorporated Societies, and Personal Property Securities Register to enable the implementation of the COVID-19 Economic Response Act.
COVID-19 is affecting countries throughout the Pacific region, bringing a range of direct and indirect consequences for many aspects of life. In this blog, PSDI considers the effects of COVID-19 on Pacific consumers and suggests appropriate steps to mitigate those effects.
COVID-19 is affecting countries throughout the Pacific region, bringing a range of direct and indirect consequences for many aspects of life. In this blog, PSDI considers the effects of COVID-19 on retail prices and suggests appropriate steps to mitigate those effects.
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