Australia’s support includes an AUD91.9 million financing package for the Laitim Hauslain project to improve national power infrastructure. This investment will connect 30,000 to 40,000 households, schools and clinics in Morobe and East New Britain provinces to electricity, many for the first time.

Australia’s financing forms part of the PNG Electrification Partnership, which supports a key Papua New Guinean Government priority to achieve 70 per cent electrification by 2030. Improved access to electricity will improve economic and development outcomes in Papua New Guinean, support economic development in local communities, and improve the delivery of vital services for the people of Papua New Guinea.

Australia has also invested AUD76.3 million to support the national road network, connecting communities and supporting improved access to markets. The investment will support the Papua New Guinean Department of Works and Highways to undertake long-term rehabilitation and maintenance of approximately 359 kms of roads along the Wau Highway in Morobe Province and the Sepik Highway in East Sepik and West Sepik (Sandaun) provinces.

Funding will contribute to designs for the proposed Trans-National Highway. This will assist the Papua New Guinean Government progress their priority Connect PNG Strategy, a plan to increase strategic connections across Papua New Guinea’s four regions over the next 20 years.

Both investments will provide employment for Papua New Guinean people and use local materials where possible, to help stimulate Papua New Guinea’s economy and recovery from COVID-19.

Laitim Hauslain Project

Wau and Sepik Highways 

For more information, contact aiffp@dfat.gov.au

*Updated AUD figure based on exchange rate: 1.0AUD/0.70USD

The upgrade, to be delivered by AIFFP in partnership with the Nauru Department of Transport, includes resurfacing of the runway and upgrade of some critical air traffic control equipment. The funding will also enable climate-resilient upgrades to sections of the Nauru ring road.

As a small and remote island-state, Nauru is heavily dependent on the airport to connect Nauruans with their families overseas and deliver fresh food, medicine and other critical supplies.

The airport upgrade is a major infrastructure priority for Nauru, and its people, and will ensure the airport continues to operate safely and meet international standards.

Joint statement: Australia-Nauru cooperation on critical transport infrastructure | Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Women (archived link)

Nauru airport refurbishment 

Australia, through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, is providing a USD22 million financing package to Solar Pacific Pristine Power for a landmark solar and battery energy storage facility in Palau.  

The financing was announced by the Minster for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Marise Payne during her visit to the Republic of Palau in December 2021. The agreements were signed on Monday 31 January 2022.

The project will deliver high-quality, renewable and sustainable energy infrastructure for Palau. It is anticipated to provide approximately 20 per cent of the country’s energy needs reducing dependency on imported diesel for power generation.

Palau Solar Plant Investment | The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP)

For more information contact aiffp@dfat.gov.au

Australia, through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), is at the forefront of driving renewable energy solutions in the Pacific, including Solomon Islands.

The Tina River Hydropower Development Project has entered the next phase with construction commencing on the main dam and powerhouse. 

The project is delivered by co-financiers, including the Australian Government, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Asian Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund, the Korea EX-IM Economic Development Cooperation Fund and the World Bank.

The AIFFP’s support for the broader Tina River Hydropower Project is via the Connecting Solomon Islands’ capital to electricity via transmission line project, which includes an investment of AUD32.4 million to support the construction of a 22-kilometre transmission line connecting the Tina River hydropower site to Honiara’s main electricity grid. 

The transmission line is a necessary component of the broader project as it will enable the electricity generated to be distributed to the main grid and on to consumers. The system will provide cheaper and more reliable electricity for residential, government and commercial customers, reducing the country’s exposure to volatile global fuel prices and dependence on diesel-generated electricity.

Earlier this month, to celebrate the start of construction of the hydropower facility, Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Mr Jeremiah Manele attended an official ceremony alongside the Australian High Commissioner, Mr Rod Hilton, Solomon Islands Government ministers and officials, senior representatives from the multilateral development banks, K-Water, Tina Hydro Limited and Hyundai Engineering Corporation. 

The Australian High Commissioner, Mr Hilton highlighted the importance of the broader project for both Australia and Solomon Islands and the enduring partnership between both countries. 

“Since the beginning, Australia has been a committed partner of this critically important project for the future of Solomon Islands. 

“It will bring affordable and reliable electricity to the capital and enable more people to access power, more businesses to grow, more jobs and economic growth,” High Commissioner Hilton added.

The broader project is a critical piece of infrastructure that will reduce Honiara’s reliance on diesel generation and enable Solomon Islands to meet the 100 per cent commitment for emissions reduction under the Paris Agreement. 

The state-of-the-art infrastructure will deliver affordable and reliable electricity to the Solomon Islands’ capital, including residential, government and commercial customers, reducing reliance on costly diesel generators and exposure to volatile global fuel prices.

Learn more about the project here.

At COP29 , the Australian Government announced a $75 million investment through the REnew Pacific program to support the Pacific transition away from fossil fuels, improve energy security, benefit from the global transition to renewable energy and drive climate resilient development in remote communities. 

REnew Pacific is part of Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, a $350million initiative for climate infrastructure in the region. Delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, the program will help deliver off-grid and community scale renewable energy in remote and rural parts of the Pacific and Timor-Leste. 

The program will enable lighting, access to water, improved agriculture, better food security, quality education and health services, reliable communications connectivity and enhanced incomes. 

This year alone Australia has supported 15 new off-grid renewable energy projects through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, two of which have been completed and handed over.  

The five-year REnew Pacific program aims to deliver projects that respond directly to the energy needs of remote communities of the Pacific and Timor-Leste and shows Australia’s commitment to bringing affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy to remote and rural communities in the Pacific region.  

To find out more visit the REnew Pacific page http://renewpacific.com.au

The Nauru Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology , in partnership with the Nauru Fibre Cable Corporation, marked a pivotal milestone on 1 November, launching the civil works for Nauru's first international submarine cable connection. 

The groundbreaking ceremony signals the start of construction needed to land the telecommunications cable in Nauru, including the installation of a beach manhole, duct work and foundational structures for the upcoming cable landing station.

Connecting the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati and Nauru to the internet via submarine cable  is an AUD135 million collaboration between Nauru, Kiribati and FSM, and funding partners Australia via the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), Japan and the United States. This includes an AIFFP grant of up to AUD65 million, with the six-country partnership aiming to bolster telecommunications across the Pacific, enhance connectivity and foster increased economic and social development opportunities.

By December 2025, the project will deliver faster, higher-quality and more reliable internet connectivity for over 100,000 residents across Nauru, Kiribati and FSM. 

This improved connectivity will enhance economic growth, enhance educational and healthcare access and support digital government services, providing communities with new opportunities for sustainable development.

Through the project, Australia is proud to support critical infrastructure development in the Pacific and the provision of resilient telecommunications assets, with the telecommunications cable to bring the Micronesian region closer together.

Learn more about the project.

Australia is powering sustainable energy and jobs for remote communities across Vanuatu, thanks to two Off-Grid Renewable Partnerships officially launched last week at a special event hosted by the Australia Government and ActionAid Vanuatu. 

More than 400 attended the Port Vila Convention Centre to celebrate the Vanuatu partnerships, officially launched by Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, Special Envoy on Climate Change and Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu H.E. Max Willis.

Local women from North Tanna’s Lawital community are gaining training, networks and technology to access safe and reliable energy in their homes and public spaces, making it safer for women at night, through a partnership with ActionAid, Powerwells, the Women I TokTok Tugeta (WITT) Federation and the Australian Government. This partnership will directly benefit more than 800 community members. Find out more about that partnership.

Up to around 55,000 people in communities across Aneityum, Pentecost, and Tanna have the potential to benefit from stronger local solar repair capabilities, leading to greener jobs for local people and businesses through a partnership between the University of New South Wales, Vanuatu Disability Promotion Advocacy Association, Vanuatu Institute of Technology, University of the South Pacific, the Vanuatu Department of Energy and Australian Government that is tackling the growing issue of e-waste from solar energy systems. Find out more about that partnership.

Speaking at the event, the Australian High Commissioner to Vanuatu, H.E. Max Willis said Australia is a genuine partner with Vanuatu on climate resilience and environmental sustainability.

“Climate resilience and environmental sustainability is fundamental to the way we deliver all our programs. I’m pleased it forms such a strong part of these two new projects. Not only taking the clean and affordable power of solar energy to remote communities, but also tackling e-waste and promoting the circular economy, so Vanuatu can stay beautiful and healthy for generations to come,” Mr Willis said.

Michelle Higelin, Executive Director of ActionAid Australia said: “One of the priorities that women have continued to raise is the need for access to electricity – for cooking, for their children to do their homework, and for lighting to improve safety in the community. Up to 90% of the population in rural areas of Vanuatu have no access to the electricity grid. Our goal with this project is to improve the livelihoods of women and their communities, by enhancing access to clean energy, improving women’s health and safety, promoting digital inclusion, and establishing a sustainable and scalable model.”

Dr Paul Munro, Scientia Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales, said: "Solar repair plays a crucial role in shaping Vanuatu’s energy future. Off-grid solar products are widespread across Vanuatu, particularly on Tanna, Aneityum and Pentecost islands, where most households rely on solar as their primary source of lighting. However, a common issue is that these products often stop functioning within a few years, which limits electricity access and contributes to waste. 

“The encouraging news is that these products are relatively easy to repair and we are exploring various opportunities to strengthen local repair practices. With our partners, we are especially focused on engaging women and people with disabilities in these initiatives."

The Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships are part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP) initiative to expand AIFFP’s climate infrastructure investments. It does this by partnering with businesses to deliver reliable and sustainable renewable energy to remote and rural communities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, implemented by the Business Partnerships Platform. 

The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) showcased its commitment to resilient, inclusive and locally driven infrastructure during the recent Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) Week 2024. 

Held virtually from 8 to 11 October, PRIF Week brought together Pacific government representatives, development partners, private sector stakeholders and regional organisations to discuss priorities and solutions for regional infrastructure development. 

The PRIF is a multi-partner coordination and technical assistance (TA) facility that aims to improve the quality and coverage of infrastructure and service delivery in the Pacific.

AIFFP Local Content Lead, Ms Emma Tiaree, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Advisor, Ms Tait Brimacombe, and Telecommunications Unit Director, Ms Suzanne Bent, emphasised the critical role of local content and digital resilience in advancing sustainable growth across the Pacific.

Ms Tiaree highlighted the AIFFP’s strategic commitment to enhancing Pacific economies by mandating local content planning in infrastructure projects. 

The AIFFP’s approach centres on prioritising Pacific jobs and industry participation in all aspects of project delivery to strengthen local and regional economies. This includes delivering social impact beyond the value of the infrastructure by providing participation opportunities for disadvantaged people most commonly excluded from the industry. 

This strategy includes designing projects to optimise the use of local materials and construction capabilities, which not only cuts costs but also drives sustainability.  

Importantly, where skills, goods, and services are not available locally, the AIFFP requires all projects to develop innovative solutions to grow the next generation of Pacifica skilled workers and suppliers by the end of the project. The AIFFP structures projects’ construction sites as ‘learning sites’ to local graduates, trades trainees, and engineering students to gain industry experience on high-value construction projects built to international standards. 

This initiative exemplifies the AIFFP's dedication to strengthening local skills, enhancing the quality of the construction sector, and fostering inclusive economic opportunities in the Pacific.

During PRIF Week, Ms. Bent’s presentation highlighted the AIFFP's role in improving Pacific connectivity. Focusing on undersea cable infrastructure, she emphasised the priority of regional funding and delivery partnerships, the importance of quality, reliable, and resilient connectivity, and forward planning to provide future options for branching systems to bolster regional digital inclusion and economic advancement.

Ms Brimacombe outlined the AIFFP’s emphasis on digital resilience with a focus on GEDSI. The AIFFP’s approach, beginning with a regional scoping report to identify digital resilience gaps, includes a pilot in Palau testing GEDSI integration in digital infrastructure, aimed at making digital resources accessible to all. 

Findings reveal that social norms, including high gender-based violence rates, impact digital inclusion for women, underscoring the need for online safety and digital literacy. By addressing these issues, the AIFFP aims to support a digital ecosystem that reduces inequality and prioritises local, community-driven solutions for long-term sustainability.

Through its focus on local content and digital resilience, the AIFFP is advancing an infrastructure agenda that aligns with the Pacific’s unique needs and is designed to support inclusive, sustainable development across the region.

PRIF Week 2024 also covered climate resilience, financing, infrastructure upkeep and boosting public-private partnerships. Sessions highlighted digital transformation and gender equality as essential to developing Pacific infrastructure.

Learn more about the PRIF Week. 

School children on the remote Rabi Island community in Fiji can now benefit from more reliable, renewable energy and internet in their classrooms thanks to a newly-installed solar system and satellite internet connection that was officially launched this week.

It’s made possible through a partnership between Its Time Foundation and the Australian Government through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships. The two-year partnership will see the design and development of an effective model of monitoring and maintenance for solar energy systems installed by Its Time Foundation within remote Fijian school communities, starting with Buakonikai Primary School on Rabi Island. 

Australian High Commission in Fiji’s Counsellor, Infrastructure & Climate Resilience, Louise Scott, said: “The new solar system at Buakonikai Primary School will have a transformational impact on students’ learning outcomes as they can now benefit from sustainable, renewable energy that keeps the lights and computers on. 

“This is one of the ways this partnership is contributing to closing the technology and education gap for rural communities across Fiji, acting as a blueprint for other off-grid communities wanting to improve outcomes for their young people.”

Katarina Tubekoro, Headteacher, Buakonaki Primary School, said: “Our young people deserve to have every opportunity to reach their full potential, and I’m excited to see what new opportunities are now available to them as their access to energy and the internet improves.”

Its Time Foundation’s Founder, Rob Edwards OAM, said “In just six months, we’ve demonstrated what can be achieved by enabling children and young people in remote communities to access all the benefits of a modern education that increasingly relies on computers and other electronic resources, while improving the quality of life for the wider community and reducing carbon emissions.”

“This is just the beginning. We’re excited to build on our record of installing 30 remote school solar systems in Fiji to develop a sustainable maintenance and funding model that will keep the lights on for remote school communities in Fiji and beyond, now and into the future. 

The Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships are part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP) initiative to expand AIFFP’s climate infrastructure investments. It does this by partnering with businesses to deliver reliable and sustainable renewable energy to remote and rural communities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, implemented by the Business Partnerships Platform. 

Find out more about the partnerships.