Final answer:
The South Pacific has a high human development index but lacks important resources and economic activities that would make it central to the global economy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The South Pacific has a high human development index but is less central to the global economy due to several reasons. Firstly, the region lacks important resources that would attract attention from the developed world. Secondly, the main economic activities in the South Pacific are tourism, fishing, and subsistence agriculture, which do not contribute significantly to the global economy. Lastly, while some islands in the region have gained wealth from mining minerals and fossil fuels, this is not enough to make the South Pacific region a central player in the global economy.