Economic Development
Advancing economic well being and quality of life is core to the goals and aspirations of ECG.
Sustainability
Our services are designed to be able to contribute to economic growth, poverty reduction, innovation, business development, governance and leadership, enhancing the standard of living in our communities through our core services in engagement, evaluation and strategy. Under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), ECG through its experience and project work have contributed to:
At ECG we operate across a wide range of sectors and industries including:
​The Pacific Region is made up of different island groups with their own cultural practices, languages and differences in demographic characteristics, migratory experiences, socio-cultural belief systems and practices.
Despite our diverse cultures, the Pacific economy can be understood based on the region’s unique geography—extreme dispersion, small size, and remoteness from larger markets which has influenced our aspirations for economic development and migration patterns across the globe.
ECG’s approach to the Pacific Economy is an intimate understanding of these shared values and aspirations and being deeply rooted in the experiences of Pacific peoples and influences which drive their socio-economic aspirations and well-being.
The Pacific Region
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The Pacific Island Countries comprise of 25 nations and territories spread over more than 25,000 islands and islets of the western and central Pacific Ocean. Reflecting the great cultural diversity in the region, some 1,200 languages are spoken in the region, with English and French often being official languages. Pacific Island Countries have been traditionally grouped along racial and cultural lines as Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.
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The Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu have a combined population of about 2.3 million people, which is spread out over about 640 inhabited islands and atolls.
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Papua New Guinea, the largest Pacific Island country, has more than 600 islands with a population of over 10 million. ​​
The Pacific Economy
Pacific Peoples Across the Globe
In 1950, there were fewer than 15,000 Pacific-born migrants in developed countries. By 2020, Pacific-born migrants resident in OECD countries numbered approximately 434,000 (OECD 2020).
The majority of this Pacific diaspora is situated in three countries situated on the rim of the Pacific Ocean: the United States, New Zealand, and Australia. In the case of the northern Pacific Island states, migration to US territories such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands has also been significant.
​Source: World Development Report 2023
Pacific Peoples in New Zealand
Pacific peoples or Pasifika describes people living in New Zealand who have migrated from the Pacific Islands or are born in New Zealand and identify themselves as Pacific peoples based on ancestry or heritage. These islands include but are not limited to Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue, Fiji, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Rotuma, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific peoples make up 8.9% of the total population at a number of 442,632. While 56.7 of Pacific Peoples identify with one ethnicity, 43.3% identify having two or more ethnicities, reflecting a diverse multicultural Pacific community.
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What is the Pacific contribution to the New Zealand economy?
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Treasury reports that Pacific people contribute over 8 billion dollars to GDP annually. The Pacific Economy in Aotearoa is unique in the way it is influenced by broader measures of cultural capital, spiritual wellbeing and intergenerational factors.
Pacific peoples are the fastest growing young population with a median age of 22.1 years compared to the national average of 38 years. Workforce projections indicate that by 2026 one third of Auckland's total workforce will be Pacific.
​As a community, Pacific peoples' contribution to society and the economy is also supported by the values of service, where 27,000 hours per week of organised volunteer work is invested for community and church organisations.
