Infrastructure

Sustainable Economic Development

See our initiatives and Global Partnership Agreements

Indonesia

Results in 2011

• Under the Eastern Indonesia National Road Improvement Program (EINRIP), Australia supported the major reconstruction and improvement of 110km of road.
• Under the Indonesia Infrastructure Initiative, a total of 1,368 public servants (1,032 male and 336 female) were trained on transport and connectivity related activities in 2011.

Timor-Leste

Results in 2011

• Australia rehabilitated 50km of roads and maintained 292km of roads.

Vietnam

Results in 2011

• The detailed design of the Cao Lanh Bridge commenced in late 2011.
• 60km of rural roads were constructed during 2011 under the Mekong Transport Infrastructure Development Project (MTIDP). A total of 96km has now been constructed over the life of the project, enabling 96,000 people in poor communities across the Mekong Delta to have better access to markets and essential services.

Philippines

Results in 2011

• Through AusAID's continued support to the Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF), an additional 70km of roads were completed in 2011. This benefitted at least 51,000 people and lowered transportation costs on select routes by 30-40 per cent in the provinces.

Papua New Guinea

Results in 2011

• In 2011, 2,310km of PNG national roads were rehabilitated or maintained under the Transport Sector Support Program (TSSP). Australia also assisted the PNG Department of Works to plan and prepare a major annual maintenance program for the national road network.

Solomon Islands

Results in 2011

• Australia supported the Solomon Islands Government to reform the telecommunications sector which strengthened regulations and increased competition. As a result, mobile phone use had a massive uptake in the country going from 57,000 users in 2009 to 275,000 users in 2011, with costs reduced by almost 50 per cent.
• In 2011, Australia supported the maintenance of 369km of road ensuring access to essential services and markets for people in rural areas.
• In April 2011, 50 per cent of the Solomon Islands Water Authority water samples were contaminated with bacteria. With AusAID assistance, this figure had fallen to 30 per cent by November 2011. At the same time, the potential collapse of the urban water supply system was averted.

Vanuatu

Results in 2011

• In 2011 the new Energy Roadmap in Vanuatu was launched and a Department of Energy created. Australia supported the government to conduct a competitive tender for the Luganville electricity concession, the second largest grid concession, resulting in a new service provider (the first such change in 70 years) which provided immediate cost savings to grid users of 4.7 per cent across all consumer categories. Savings for low-income consumers were even greater – up to 49 per cent for all the four grid concessions (Port Vila, Luganville, Tanna and Malekula).
• In 2011, Australia supported the rehabilitation of 128km of priority road. In total, 150km was rehabilitated in the past two years, almost 10 per cent of the rural road network.

Australian ODA ($million)

View larger version of graph.

The graph above shows Australia's historical funding for infrastructure.

The exact values are as follows:

• 2009-10: $281.5 million.
• 2010-11: $285.8 million.
• 2011-12: $381.7 million.

Other Australian Government funding contribution

*Preliminary statistical data will be confirmed and amended if necessary

Research overview

As part of AusAID's research program, we fund research into infrastructure related aspects of development, such as improving access to services, and ensuring that infrastructure development contributes directly to reducing poverty.

One Goal, Two Paths. Achieving Universal Access to Modern Energy In East Asia and the Pacific

The Report, One Goal, Two Paths [external website] is one of a number of analytical pieces developed through an AusAID - World Bank partnership that helps to inform the debate around infrastructure provision in East Asia and the Pacific Region (EAP).

Access to both electricity and modern cooking solutions is essential to address the enduring impacts of poverty. Approximately 170 million people, or 34 million households, in EAP countries do not have electricity connections in their homes. This equates to approximately nine per cent of the region's total population, and 30 per cent of the region's population excluding China. Approximately six times that number, or over 1 billion people, still lack access to modern cooking solutions. Indoor pollution from solid fuels using traditional and inefficient cooking methods is a leading cause of health problems for women and children in the region. However with the right policies and approaches, universal access to energy is within the reach of the region within the next two decades.

The report shows that EAP countries have two steep paths to climb to achieve universal access to modern energy: the first is universal electricity access. This requires supporting both grid and off-grid programs through applying appropriate policies and innovative technical solutions. These solutions can reduce the cost, improve reliability, and provide energy access to all EAP households by 2030. On the second path, a major breakthrough is needed to increase access to modern cooking fuels (natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and biogas) and advanced (clean and efficient) cooking stoves, particularly those utilising biomass in poor rural areas.

Green Infrastructure Finance

The Report, Green Infrastructure Finance is one of a number of analytical pieces developed through an AusAID – World Bank partnership that helps to inform the debate around infrastructure provision in East Asia and the Pacific Region (EAP).

Increasing concerns over the effects of climate change have heightened the importance of accelerating investments in green infrastructure. Despite global efforts to mobilise required capital flows, the investments still fall far short. Multiple factors affect green investments, making them financially unattractive. Private investment flows, therefore, depend on public sector support. As in many countries, public sector resources are scarce and spread across many competing commitments and can be best used to leverage private funding. However, many governments are unfamiliar with the international funding sources available. To address this challenge, the World Bank, with support from AusAID, conducts work on improving the financing opportunities for green infrastructure investments among countries in East Asia.

This report provides a compilation of important initiatives and activities designed to accelerate private investment flows in green growth. It summarises current investment challenges of green projects as well as proposed solutions, financing options, and initiatives that have set the stage for promoting green growth.

Infrastructure statistics