WBG Governor's Statement No. 2 - October 14, 2021 - Statement by Eugene Amor

Jul 19, 2026

This statement by the Hon. Eugene Amor, Governor for the Federated States of Micronesia on behalf of several Pacific countries, addresses the broad impacts of COVID-19 on Pacific economies and societies. It highlights how border closures and travel restrictions severely harmed tourism, employment, remittances, exports, and essential commodity supply, while also worsening budget deficits and delaying infrastructure projects. It calls for continued World Bank and IMF support through fast-track and funding channels, improved implementation, and cooperation to manage social and psychological effects, while also identifying opportunities in fisheries, clean energy, and digital economies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

Impact of COVID-19

Vaccination

Funding and partnership requests

Opportunities and recovery priorities

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized WBG Governor's Statement No. 2 October 14, 2021 Statement by the Hon. EUGENE AMOR, Governor of the Bank for THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA, ON BEHALF OF KIRIBATI, MARSHALL ISLANDS, NAURU, PALAU, SAMOA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, TUVALU, AND VANUATU Statement by the Hon. Eugene Amor, Governor of the Bank for the Federated States of Micronesia, on Behalf of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu Mr. Chairman, Fellow Governors, Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of the Pacific countries of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu – and my own country, the Federated States of Micronesia – it isan honor to deliver this 2021 Pacific Statement to the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors. It is the second time the Forum has been conducted in a virtual format, and I want to thank the World Bank Group and the IMF for their efforts to organize this, despite the logistical challenges presented by COVID-19. Impact of COVID-19 I want to start by talking about the impact of COVID in the Pacific. Preventing and minimizing exposure to the virus has been quite manageable for most Pacific countries. We are very remote, and there are no land borders. However, shutting down those borders and restricting travel has profoundly affected Pacific economies and Pacific societies. Actions that were necessary to protect our people have, at the same time, almost destroyed tourism, which is such an important industry for many countries in the region. The loss of tourism jobs has pushed many people into poverty. In addition, the recruitment of seafarers and seasonal workers ground almost to a halt, interrupting the remittances many families relied on. Transportation disruptions have restricted exports and incoming essential commodities and inflated the cost of living. Shortages of medical supplies, for example, are a threat to the wellbeing of Pacific peoples. Day-to-day government operations have been affected by reduced mobility. Budget deficitshave increased as governments scale up expenditure but see declining revenues. Important infrastructure projects have been suspended, delaying their anticipated benefits. Budget deficits, and a sluggish economic outlook, mean that vaccinating our combined 1.5 million citizens against the virus is very much a distant prospect without external support. The social effects of the COVID-19 response are as profound as the economic effects. Prolonged mask-wearing, social distancing, reduced freedom of mobility, and a perception of being isolated and neglected, means that many people in the Pacific are overwhelmed. Others remain frustrated and irritated. Thinking about my own country, we have nationals stranded overseas, away from their loved ones, for prolonged periods with no end in sight. This is a difficult situation. Yet, despite the gloomy context, Pacific members appreciate the timely assistance they have received from the Bank’s Fast-Track Facility, which has been effective in addressing many of the problems thrown up by the pandemic. We have greatly benefited from the Facility's financial and technical resources and the IDA19 pipeline. We also acknowledge the Bank’s $12 billion financial COVID response and the additional $8 billion recently allocated for low-to middle-income countries. Pacific countries ask the Bank to continue these programs. We also ask it to strengthen implementation through closer engagement with recipient governments to boost recovery and realize the Bank’s policy of ‘Build Back Better.’ We fear that more serious psychological issues may emerge among our nationals if the pandemic persists for much longer. In this regard, we would also like to see increased financial assistance, policy and technical advice from the Bank and IMF, and collaboration with relevant UN agencies in managing these issues. D

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this WBG Governor’s Statement No. 2?

It presents a 2021 Pacific statement to the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors, delivered by Eugene Amor on behalf of multiple Pacific countries.

How has COVID-19 affected Pacific countries according to the statement?

It explains that travel restrictions and border shutdowns disrupted tourism, remittances, exports, essential supplies, government mobility, and increased budget deficits while delaying infrastructure projects.

What vaccination and support actions does the statement request?

It thanks the Bank for funding vaccine access, urges better delivery and tailored communication to address hesitancy, and calls for continued support for equitable distribution and strengthened health services, alongside WHO and UN partnership.

Jul 19, 2026

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