Jonathan Pryke

Director, Pacific Islands Program

Areas of expertise

Pacific economic development; Australia-Melanesia relations; Australian foreign aid and the Pacific

Contact

@jonathan_pryke

Biography

Publications

News and media

Jonathan Pryke is a former Director of the Lowy Institute’s Pacific Islands Program. Jonathan’s research is interested in all aspects of the Pacific Islands, including economic development in the Pacific Islands region, Australia’s relationship with the Pacific, the role of aid and the private sector in Pacific Islands development and Pacific labour mobility. Jonathan joined the Lowy Institute in 2015 from the Development Policy Centre at the Australian National University where he was a researcher, editor of the Development Policy Blog and a co-convener of the Australasian Aid Conference. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Sydney, a Masters of Public Policy (Development Policy), Masters of Diplomacy and Graduate Diploma in International and Development Economics from the Australian National University.

Kick-starting America’s Pacific diplomacy

Trying to force a “choice” with China would be a mistake. But US can win plenty of good will living up to its promises.

Commentary

Solomon Islands unrest not helped by foreign powers behaving badly

While geopolitics may have been a spark, the true drivers of this week’s unrest go much deeper than foreign policy. Originally published in the Australian Financial Review.

Commentary

Telstra’s Digicel Pacific challenge

The deal with the government insulates the telco from financial risk. But accepting the role of Australia’s lead business ambassador in the region makes it no set-and-forget…

Commentary

Far more than just the money, Digicel is a very big deal

Originally published in The Australian. By Jonathan Pryke and Mihai Sora. Jonathan Pryke

Commentary

PNG is back on the brink of a delta variant disaster

Complacency and vaccine hesitancy at all levels of society have left PNG wide open to delta infection. The country needs outside help – and very quickly. Originally published in…

China’s declining Pacific aid presence

Beijing is becoming less generous. New data suggests 2018 was a high water mark for China’s aid to the region.

Interactives

Beyond Fortress Australia

The reality of living in a pandemic has dawned on Australia. Covid cases at the time of writing are high and still climbing. The virus is here to stay. Equally clear is that ring…

Podcasts

Lowy Institute Conversations: Richard Marles on Australia in the Pacific

In this episode of Conversations, Jonathan Pryke speaks with Richard Marles.

Commentary

Australia buying Digicel hits two birds with one stone

On top of staving off a China telco monopoly, underwriting the purchase would show the government is putting big money on the table to get ‘blue chip’ companies to invest in the…