Globalisation, Development and Poverty in the Pacific Islands: The Situation of the Least Developed Pacific Island Nations

Under pressure from external forces, involvement of Pacific Island nations in processes of globalisation and associated structural adjustment policies is being accelerated. Conditional aid and financial assistance from Bretton Woods' institutions and their 'relatives' such as the Asian Development Bank, as well as advice from donor countries, have played a significant role in these processes. these processes combined with reduced foreign aid and internal socioeconomic dynamics have resulted in major social conflicts and tensions in the Pacific Islands. Poverty in some Pacific Island nations, such as in the Solomon Islands, is already more serious than in Asia, including Bangladesh, and the situation is deteriorating with proportionall school enrolments falling and health services endangered. In fact, in some of the least developed nations in the Pacific 'de-development' is occurring.