Aus AID to highways, ports, airports Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea on the Move – by Road, Air and Sea

Canberra, Australia – Australia will work closely with Papua New Guinea to improve its economic prospects through the maintenance and upgrading of key highways, ports and airports.

The Transport Sector Support Program announced 2007-10-04 will combine development projects in the road, maritime and air sectors under one umbrella program.

The move represents a major step forward in the management of PNG’s transport infrastructure.

The approach will ensure greater efficiency in and more effective use of Australia’s $280 million aid funding to be provided to PNG’s transport sector over the next four years.

The maintenance of essential public infrastructure is a key ingredient for sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. Transport infrastructure is especially important, providing crucial access to services and markets in rural areas for many Papua New Guineans.

The program will help rural communities to more easily reach markets via the continued maintenance of 4,000 kilometres of priority national roads and ultimately the entire PNG national road network.

The program includes the maintenance of 215 kilometres of the New Britain Highway in West New Britain Province to help smallholder oil palm producers and local communities better access mills and markets.

The ongoing upkeep of the Highlands Highway – a key link for imports and exports through the principal port of Lae – will allow PNG to take advantage of the current international commodities boom.

The program will strengthen PNG Government policies and systems while empowering the PNG Government to make significant progress in the management, upgrading and ongoing maintenance of transport routes.