Australia Helps Build on Progress in Tonga Transport Sector

Washington, December 13, 2010

Today the World Bank board approved the expansion of the Tonga Transport Consolidation Project. The expansion will build on the project’s successes to date by helping address crucial maritime issues. The project will also assist Tonga by financing road maintenance. Not only will this help preserve important infrastructure, but it will also create employment. These new activities have been made possible by a US$9.3 million grant contributed by the Australian government.

The Tonga Transport Consolidation Project has been working to improve the safety, quality and reliability of domestic air and sea transport. In particular, the project has been supporting the Government of Tonga to establish a sustainable transport sector policy, planning and legislative framework as well as the development and preparation of sustainable investment plans for the maritime, aviation and road sectors.

To date there has been significant progress, particularly in developing the all-important regulatory framework for oversight of the aviation sector, a sector critical for Tongan tourism.

“As almost one-third of all Tongans live on outer islands it is imperative that the country has access to safe, quality and reliable domestic air and sea transport,” said Ferid Belhaj, World Bank Country Director for Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea & Pacific Islands. “We are very excited that Australia is helping the World Bank and Government of Tonga to bring substantial infrastructure benefits to Tongans and helping improve access to markets, education and health services, as well as facilitating tourism. The economic and social benefits from investing in road maintenance will be significant.”

With its remote location, small size, dispersed islands setting and other geographical factors, Tonga faces many challenges in developing and maintaining sustainable internal, regional and international transport and communication linkages, all of which are crucial to the economic development and social well-being of its population. The country is faced with limited capital resources and asset deterioration, combined with financial and administrative constraints typical of a small country, as well as increasingly strict international transport security requirements.

ENDS

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