What Kind of Aid Does the Pacific Need (Part 4) – Infrastructure

It’s hard to get ahead in life if you can’t access information and you can’t physically get where you want to go.

Which is why infrastructure, whether it’s communications infrastructure for internet access, or transport infrastructure that is reliable and well maintained, like ports, airport and roads, is so critical. This is particularly so in a region that has so many geographic challenges to overcome. The problem is that the return on investment is not instant like we see in geographically centred countries like in Europe or parts of Asia. Infrastructure investments are super expensive in the Pacific, and require significantly more maintenance due to climatic conditions.

However, that does not mean that it should not be a priority for both government AND donors. Gains in human development need to be locked in by ensuring that people and communities can continue to flourish by accessing markets and information, and being able to get to necessary services such as police, health centres and schools. Moreover, often times, infrastructure investments are not accompanied with sufficient operations and maintenance budgets, which means they quickly fall into disrepair and are unusable.

The case to be made to donors on infrastructure investment, and budget support for operations and maintenance is this: there is a very narrow economic base in the Pacific upon which national and local governments can raise revenue through taxes and liscensing. But the other side of the coin offers some potential carrots for donors: community infrastructure maintenance schemes can significantly reduce the costs of maintenance (if not operations) in the short and medium terms.

Moreover, if we are going to talk about climate change, because even if we don’t want it to be the central issue all of the time, it is an issue that needs to be addressed, we need to think about ensuring that infrastructure investments are climate-sensitive. That is, infrastructure needs to adapt to the rapidly on-set of climate impacts in the Pacific. Roads and bridges that can withstand flooding. Ports and airports that can be brought back online quickly following a cyclone. Donor support and expertise is critical in this respect. ‘Climate-proofing’ is an added cost that pays off in the long-term, but requires significant up-front funding.

Development gains need to be sustained and further improved upon in the Pacific. A key factor in this regard is quality and reliable infrastructure. It underscores everything.