Regional : Strengthening Domestic Transport Connectivity in the Pacific

Transport / Rail transport (non-urban) - Road transport (non-urban) - Transport policies and institutional development - Urban roads and traffic management - Water transport (non-urban)

The Pacific island countries of Tonga, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu (target countries) share similar characteristics. By regional standards, they are mid-range in terms of size and population. They are smaller in size and population than the larger Pacific countries such as PNG, Timor Leste, and Fiji although significantly larger than other micro states of the Pacific. The target countries are geographically isolated and far from main commercial centers. The countries share similar geographic traits as archipelagos, with rural communities typically living in remote islands that can only be accessed by costlier transport modes such as aviation or maritime transport. Transport connectivity is critical to provide essential services, improve trade and tourism, and access to domestic and international markets. However, the delivery of efficient transport infrastructure and services is hampered by characteristics shared throughout the region. These include constrained capacity of institutions responsible for infrastructure delivery, constraints to fiscal budgets to allocate adequate finance for recurrent maintenance and rehabilitation, vulnerability to natural disasters and anticipated climate change, and limited policy and legislation environment in the sector.

Road transport is an important subsector in the region, especially on larger islands where the road network provides access to key economic links such as tourism and agriculture. Roads also provide access to essential government services including health and education. They also serve as an important intermodal link, providing access to ports and airports, thereby facilitating the movement of people and goods for inter and intra island travel. A significant proportion of the road network in the participant countries is in poor condition, due to their age, or a history of neglect which has led to a lack of maintenance or rehabilitation to sustain the assets at a maintainable standard. To achieve the full intended service life of road assets, adequate routine and periodic road maintenance is necessary and these activities should be prioritized through sound asset management systems. There is a need to strengthen maintenance and asset management activities in the participant countries, especially where frequent natural disasters and a general lack of adequate maintenance generally leave the road network in a state of disrepair, and increase the time and cost of travel. Road conditions can also be undermined by overloaded vehicles where forestry, agriculture, construction, and other heavy industries operate with improper regulation and enforcement of weight limits.

Maritime transport is also an important subsector in the region, providing essential domestic maritime services within the country. In Kiribati, there is a need to improve the transport connectivity for communities in selected outer islands of the country through provision of sustainable, safe and resilient universal basic access transport infrastructure. In Tonga, there is an opportunity to replan the Nuku'alofa Port to handle future growth and expansion, since the existing domestic island ferry terminal is currently being transferred to a new domestic harbor.

Strengthened economic and social connectivity through sustainable and resilient transport infrastructure investments in Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Updated transport sector plans and investments that strengthen economic and social connectivity through transport infrastructure are endorsed by participating Pacific DMC governments

Vanuatu National Transport Sector Investment Policy and Plan.

Endorsed investment proposals to strengthen transport connectivity.

Roadmap to strengthen transport institutions.

ADB engaged a consulting firm effective January 2018, recruited via quality and cost-based selection (QCBS) method to undertake project preparatory activities in Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

In Solomon Islands, project preparatory support for the Guadalcanal Road Rehabilitation Project is ongoing.

In Tonga, a detailed traffic economic analysis is scheduled to be completed by September 2018 and full project preparation will follow.

In Vanuatu, two individual consultants (transport policy and maritime transport consultants) were recruited to prepare the Vanuatu Transport Plan 2030. The government has requested additional TA support to implement the Transport Plan, a high priority of the government.

Individual experts were engaged in Kiribati and Tonga to undertake scoping activities and preliminary social and environmental assessments.

Change in scope, extension of completion date, change in implementation arrangements, and increase in TA amount were approved in September 2018.

Recruitment of consultants is ongoing for the below business opportunities on consulting services.

In Tonga, a consulting firm package for the project preparation of the Nuku'alofa Port Upgrading Project will be engaged using QCBS method with a quality-cost ratio of 90:10.

In Kiribati, a maritime institutional development specialist (4 person-months) will also be required and will be selected by ADB using individual consultant selection and will use an input-based contract.

The consultants will be engaged by ADB in accordance with the Guidelines on the Use of Consultants (2013, as amended from time to time).