The Asian Development Bank (ADB) unveiled a book titled "Taking the Helm -- A Policy Brief on a Response to the Global Economic Crisis" on Sunday at the 42nd ADB annual conference to urge an active response to the global economic crisis by pacific island nations.

"A one-size-fits-all response won't work in the pacific and this policy brief aims to support efforts by pacific developing member countries to assess and formulate country-specific responses to the global downturn," said S. Haffeez Rahman, Director General of ADB's Pacific Department.

He added that the bank predicted that the crisis will decelerate the economic growth of Pacific area to 3 percent in 2009 and 2.7 percent in 2010. "It may take until 2011 for Pacific economies to recover from the crisis," he said.

According to the book, ADB's assistance to the pacific economies against the global downturn will focus on monitoring, analytic and policy work, capacity building, budget support and donor collaboration.

(Xinhua News Agency May 3, 2009)