Built for Solomon Islands, by Solomon Islanders

Together, Australia and the Solomon Islands are delivering infrastructure that supports Solomon
Islanders to live happy, healthy lives.

From road maintenance, market houses, community halls, bus shelters, WASH facilities and school
and clinic refurbishments, through to nation-building projects such as the Tina River Hydropower
Project, Coral Sea Cable, mobile telecommunication towers, major airfield upgrades and health
centres.

*_{Australian projects are increasingly being delivered by local companies, providing more skilled jobs for Solomon Islanders}*.

While infrastructure supports so many aspects of human development, it is also a key enabler of
economic growth. Since 2019, Australia has committed over $5 billion to an incredible 520+
infrastructure projects across every province – directly supporting jobs, businesses and
communities.

_{School students visit the Tina River Hydro project}.

The number one lesson we’ve learnt along the way is the value of local content. By local content, we
mean employing local contractors, local suppliers and local workers wherever possible. In fact,
Australia mandates high local content requirements in its infrastructure contracts.

Australia has created over 27,300 jobs in Solomon Islands since 2021, and over 10,500 of these
have been in the infrastructure sector. Prioritising local content not only creates jobs as
infrastructure is built, but it also upskills workers along the way.

Right now, on markets, health centres and school infrastructure worksites around the country, local
workers, site supervisors and engineers are receiving mentoring to safely build to a higher quality. In
addition to on-the-job training, we continue to deliver targeted training to uplift the capacity of local
industry, with 1,047 people trained since 2022.

Using a locally led approach to infrastructure design and delivery helps to ensure projects meet the
needs of the communities and can be maintained after handover. Quality materials, quality locally
led construction and hearing from the people who will ultimately use and maintain infrastructure
are the foundations of a good project.

The Solomon Islands – Australia Partnership has an exciting pipeline of infrastructure underway
across key economic and social sectors, all delivered by local companies or with majority local workforces.

^{Australia High Commissioner Rod Hilton shaking hands with some women vendors in Honiara}

Projects include:

Western and Eastern border outposts
Tina River Hydropower Development Project
Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre
Buala, Seghe and Malu’u Markets
Terminals at Seghe and Choiseul Bay airports, in collaboration with New Zealand
Six solar-battery hybrid and micro-hydro off-grid renewable energy solutions in Central, Isabel, Malaita and Western provinces
Choiseul Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, and
School refurbishments.

In addition to all this great work, the second phase of the Community Access and Urban Services Enhancement project (CAUSE II) is on track to create hundreds of local jobs and support the development of urban communities across Honiara, Auki, Gizo, Noro, and Munda.

*_{CAUSE II will deliver more local work on urban projects around the country, especially for women and youths}*.

Australia is very excited to be a CAUSE partner once again, committing over $160 million to CAUSE
II’s success. CAUSE II will invest in climate-resilient roads, drainage systems and waste management
services, deliver critical skills training, and provide much-needed employment opportunities.

I can’t wait to see what Solomon Islanders deliver throughout the year under CAUSE II, and on
infrastructure projects across the country.

Lukim iu neks taem!