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
Pacific peoples have increasingly participated in global migration. In 1950, fewer than 15,000 Pacific-born migrants lived in developed countries. By 2020, approximately 434,000 Pacific-born residents were living in OECD countries, reflecting expanding transnational linkages between Pacific Island nations, Oceania and global economies (OECD 2020).
The largest Pacific diasporas are situated on the rim of the Pacific Ocean: in the United States, New Zealand and Australia. In the case of northern Pacific Island states, notable migration flows to US territories such as Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Source: World Development Report 2023
In 2025, the estimated mid-year population of the Pacific reached 14.3 million people.
This regional figure reflects very diverse demographic realities across Pacific Island countries and territories excluding New Zealand and Australia. It is worth noting that Papua New Guinea accounts for around 75% of the total Pacific population.
Source: Pacific Community (SPC)
Pacific Peoples in New Zealand
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the term ‘Pacific peoples’ or ‘Pasifika’ refers to individuals who have migrated from Pacific Island nations or were born in New Zealand and identify with Pacific ancestry or heritage. These communities include, but are not limited to, people of Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori, Niuean, Fijian, Tokelauan, Tuvaluan, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Rotuman descent.
In the 2023 census, Pacific peoples made up 8.9% of New Zealand’s total population, numbering 442,632. While 56.7% identify with one Pacific ethnicity, 43.3% identify with two or more ethnicities, reflecting the strong cultural and interwoven identity of Pacific communities in Aotearoa.
Pacific peoples are the youngest major ethnic group in New Zealand, with a median age of 22.1 years compared to the national median of approximately 38 years. This demographic profile positions Pacific communities as a critical driver of the future workforce, consumer base and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Source: Stats NZ 2023
In 2025 ECG was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Auckland Council to undertake research on the Auckland Pacific businesses export capability and capacity.
Source: Auckland Council Economic Development
Pacific contribution to the New Zealand economy
The New Zealand Treasury estimates the Pacific economy contributes over NZD 8 billion annually to GDP, underscoring the significant economic participation of Pacific peoples across sectors of the economy.
Beyond formal GDP contribution, Pacific economic participation reflects broader measures of value including:
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Intergenerational wealth building
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Cultural capital and social cohesion
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Community leadership and church-based networks
While Pacific labour force participation is strong, income levels and representation in higher-wage industries are at disparity. Closing these gaps represents a significant opportunity for inclusive growth and long-term national productivity gains.
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.
Auckland is home to the largest Pacific population outside of the Pacific Islands and is widely recognised as the largest Polynesian city in the world. With more than 60% of New Zealand’s Pacific population living in the region, Auckland serves as the primary economic hub for Pacific peoples in Aotearoa and is critical to understanding the Pacific economy in New Zealand. As a whole. Auckland’s weight in the national economy remains striking at 38% of New Zealand's GDP.
Auckland Pacific-owned businesses value of sales with employees in 2023 was $1.798 billion - about a third larger than the value of sales from Pacific-owned businesses with employees across the rest of New Zealand ($1.327 billion). Recent research in 2025 reinforces Auckland’s central role in shaping Pacific economic participation, contribution and future opportunity.
This research has proven that Auckland can improve its position for prosperity by closing the employment gap among Pacific peoples and ensure the benefits of efforts to increase productivity are widely shared.
Source: Stats NZ Census 2018; Teu Le Vā – Pacific Work Programme Research Report (Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, 2020; revised 2023); Glimpses into Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s Pacific Economic Future (Auckland Council, 2024).
Pacific workers are strongly represented in essential and service-based sectors. Increasing access to higher-skilled and higher-wage industries remains a key opportunity area. This will benefit Auckland prosperity by focusing on raising wages and productivity within high-value sectors to turn sectoral advantages into income gains.
Auckland will further increase its position as a small global city for knowledge by prioritizing education pathways and higher education participation for Pacific Peoples to reflect their share of Auckland’s youth.
New Zealand's prosperity is deeply connected to the Pacific economy, with the broader Pacific diaspora increasingly contributing to global economic systems. A growing body of research is providing placed based insights into Pacific economic engagement, identifying both structural challenges and new opportunities that drive economic growth for various communities, cities, and nations.
ECG's Pacific Economy narrative is built on a foundation of data-driven research, deep community knowledge, and culturally grounded development methods. This approach not only illustrates the significant scale of the Pacific's current contribution but also highlights its exciting future potential for growth.