Pacific Islands

About Our Work in Pacific Islands

In the Pacific Islands, we support Pacific solutions to Pacific challenges. We partner with respected leaders, local civil society organizations, and government agencies and officials to amplify citizen voice and accountability in public decision-making, advance women’s leadership on climate action and disaster management, strengthen regionalism, counter trafficking in persons, and lay the groundwork for the future of work. We also promote children’s literacy and civic education and support research and knowledge exchange on key issue areas for the Pacific. In addition to our regional hub in Fiji, we have presences in Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tonga. 

Contact Information

Sandra Kraushaar

Address and Contact

The Asia Foundation – Pacific Islands Level 3, Provident Plaza 1, 33 Ellery Street Suva, Fiji

[email protected]

What We Do

Cyber Resiliency

To improve cyber resiliency and knowledge sharing, the Foundation organized the Pacific Cyber Dialogue in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea’s Department of ICT, the Asia-Pacific Network Centre, and the Australian and New Zealand Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with 15 Pacific Island countries represented. The Foundation also produced The Pacific Covid-19 Infodemic report which outlines the state of online information ecosystems in Pacific Island countries and territories and includes the risks and challenges these ecosystems have faced during the pandemic. The report includes potential actions by government, and private sector, and civil society to respond to them.

Read the report

Let’s Read in the Pacific

In cooperation with the U.S. embassy in Suva, the Foundation began providing books to schools, nongovernment and government agencies in Fiji. Working with local partners, we also launched our Let’s Read program to develop local-language digital and print children’s books. In late 2020, we partnered with Bilum Books to translate, digitize, and deliver books in three Papua New Guinea languages.

Let’s Read programs across our offices

The Future of Work for Women

In 2020, the Foundation supported the research project and publication The Future of Work for Women in the Pacific Islands to better understand key economic challenges and other obstacles women face in the context of the pandemic, climate change, and the impacts of technology. The study provides recommendations for policy measures and reforms to support women’s equitable economic participation and leadership in the region’s transition towards greener, more resilient and inclusive economies.

Read the report

Staff in Pacific Islands

Mission-driven and multidisciplinary, our staff bring a broad range of talents and backgrounds to their work every day.

View all Asia Foundation staff

Amelia Makutu

Communications Advisor, Pacific Islands
Cynthia Ramirez

Senior manager, Operations, Administration, and Finance, Pacific Islands
Ellen Boccuzzi

Chief of Party, Pacific-RISE CTIP
Krystelle Lavaki

Program Officer, Pacific Islands
Lavenia Rokovucago

Senior Program Officer, Pacific Islands
- Senior Leadership
Sandra Kraushaar

Regional Representative, Pacific Islands