Fiji, May 9 -- The Asia Development Bank (ADB) is stepping up its presence in the Pacific to be closer its 12 Pacific Developing Member Countries.

Apart from Suva, Port Moresby and Sydney, ADB will set up a fully fledged office in Solomon Islands later this year.

And, a possible office to serve the North Pacific is also on the cards, according to the ADB's new Director General overseeing its work in the Pacific, Emma Veve.

"Solomons is now the ADB's second largest portfolio. The value of the ongoing projects in Solomons is second only to Papua New Guinea until Fiji.

"At the moment, we don't have a resident mission there, just what we call a Pacific Coordination Office with two locals looking after the office. They have been amazing in...