THE focus of infrastructure investment in the Pacific should not only be on the amount of funding provided, but on ensuring projects are sustainable, high quality and guided by clear principles.
Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Peter Roberts said infrastructure development in the region should be centred on delivering projects that are fit for purpose, avoid unsustainable financial pressures and support local industries.
Appearing on the Lens@177, Mr Roberts said there were many partners involved in infrastructure development in Fiji and the wider Pacific, including Australia, the Asian Development Bank, other countries and the private sector.
He said the priority should be ensuring communities received quality infrastructure that provided long-term benefits.
“One of the key principles for infrastructure financing was responsible lending,” he said.
“Australia only supports projects where countries were able to manage their financial commitments.”
He said while debt challenges were not an issue in Fiji, there had been situations elsewhere where countries had struggled to repay loans and faced financial pressures.
“Infrastructure projects also need to meet high standards to ensure they remain effective and do not deteriorate due to poor quality construction.”
He added that supporting local industries was another important consideration, highlighting Australia’s work following Tropical Cyclone Winston, particularly the construction of schools on Vanua Levu through local partners.
“I think it’s great to have lots of infrastructure investment in the Pacific, and there’s heaps of players who are keen to do it.
“But I think having those principles is really, important.”
