WB, ADB outline project offers
By EDDIE OSIFELO
SIX World Bank projects are still in the pipeline to be implemented in the Solomon Islands.
This comes after the Bank supported 8 active projects worth around USD$279 million (SBD$2.2 billion) mainly in transport, energy, water and sanitation and health sectors.
Alison Ofatalau of World Bank told the 2021 Infrastructure Symposium at the Forum Fisheries Agency yesterday that the six pipeline projects would be taken up to the Board by the end of the financial year in June 2022.
She said some of the projects are already in their advanced stage and some with the government before forwarding up to the Board for approval.
Ofatalu said the six projects target mainly agriculture, mining governance, fishery, rural development projects like climate and disaster risks and economic development.
In the meantime, Asian Development Bank says it has pipeline projects for 2021 to 2023.
Dalcy Tozaka, senior country officer said one of them is the Honiara Solid Waste Management Project.
She said it is a USD$3 million grant ($24 million) for 2022 and USD$7 million($56 million) grant and USD$6.5 million ($52.4 million) for 2023.
Furthermore, she said there are preliminary discussions for other projects for health and education.
Ms Tozaka said for education, it is a USD $5 million($40 million) grant and USD$5 million ($40 million) loan while for health it is USD$5 million grant and USD$5 million loan.
Both projects are targeted for 2023.
Solomon Islands Chambers of Commerce and Industries (SICCI) organized the two days symposium to create a platform that will bring together all key role-players in this infrastructure investment space, who have the common goal of accelerating an infrastructure-led economic recovery plan.
Solomon Islands government and development partners announced around SBD 9billion worth of infrastructure development projects for Solomon Islands in the next 5 years that is expected to impact the economy recovery.
Infrastructure is a critical driver of economy growth in the long term.
