The move will enable the US to provide research, technical assistance and advisory services to support 13 Pacific island countries in delivering infrastructure improvements across the energy, transport and utilities sectors.
Nicholas Dean, State Department Director of East Asia Pacific and Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island Affairs, said: “We recognize the PRIF Charter, which outlines principles and the partners’ commitment to increasing the quality and effectiveness of infrastructure assistance in the region.”
With the US coming on board, the facility now has the commitment of eight members, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the governments of Australia, New Zealand and Japan, the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the World Bank.
Dean added: “We are excited to be fully involved in PRIF activities and look forward to working with our partners on strategic infrastructure development priorities in the Pacific region.”
Carmela Locsin, ADB director general for the Pacific, said: "The strong cooperation between PRIF partners allows all of us to leverage each other’s experience and knowledge to help Pacific countries improve infrastructure services and development outcomes for their people."
Last month, the US signed a memorandum of understanding with Australia for the Trilateral Partnership for Infrastructure Investment in the Indo-Pacific.