Finding Balance 2019

This report profiles the roles, performance, market context, and regulatory frameworks of 13 state-owned banks in 10 Pacific countries. A key finding is the considerable business financing gap in the region, particularly for small-medium enterprises and sectors such as agriculture and fisheries. The report suggests that state-owned banks could address this demand, but would need to do so on commercial terms and without distorting local markets. These institutions would need to strengthen their balance sheets and risk assessment practices and operate under the same market disciplines as private banks. Finding Balance 2019 is the sixth comparative study of state-owned enterprises in the Pacific and the first to focus on the banking sector.