Vanua Levu BRI Project Starts 2025

The China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project for Vanua Levu is expected to commence in 2025.

This was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary for Office of the Prime Minister, Pita Wise on Thursday.

“The project is to be funded by a grant from the Peoples’ Republic of China through the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA),” Mr Wise said.

He said the Fiji Government thanked the Government of the Peoples Republic of China for their continued assistance and support.

It is anticipated that the road upgrade would stimulate development of tourism, renewable energy projects, including hydro power facilities and the transport and movement of people including through the planned Nabouwalu township which is the main transport link to Viti Levu.

The project is estimated to cost FJ$300million.

Mr Wise said the project was anticipated to be completed within 24 to 36 months after completion of necessary technical work.

DISCUSSION CONTINUES

Mr Wise said they continued to have discussions with the Chinese Ambassador to Fiji, Zhou Jian.

Their discussions are on the prospects for future co-operation in the areas of socio-economic development.

“We are discussing with them to have more local workers to be involved when we look into human resource area,” Mr Wise said.

“We are also in discussion to have our roads, according to the Public Works Department and Fiji Roads standard and also have them involved to see how the work is done.”

He said the roads must be of good standard and system.

NAMES OF THE ROADS

Vanua Levu has an area of 5,587.1 square kilometres and a population of 135,965 as confirmed by the 2019-2020 National Household Income and Expenditure Survey report.

The China Aid project will improve the following roads in Vanua Levu:

(i) part of the Nabouwalu-Makolei Road in Bua;

(ii) Natewa-West Coast in Cakaudrove,

(iii) Nabalebale-Naviavia/Dawara Roads in Cakaudrove

PEOPLE IN THE NORTH PLEA HEARD

Minister for Public Works and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau said the discussion of the project was ongoing.

“We have started working with the Fiji Roads Authority,” Mr Tuisawau said.

“While visiting some of the communities in the North last year and this year, they expressed the challenges they face daily.”

He said the plea of the people in the North has been heard by the Government and work has started.

UPDATE ON THE PROJECT

During the Parliament sitting last week, the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, who is from the province of Cakaudrove, said the project would also facilitate better access to health facilities for those in the districts of Vaturova, Koroalau, Wailevu, Solevu, Vuya and Nabouwalu with a population of approximately 10,000.

“The upgrade and sealing of these rural roads will also enable better access to banks and financial institutions to boost the culture of saving as well as to micro and small businesses,” Mr Rabuka said.

“Further, the provision of good quality roads would ensure better transportation and linkages of quality farm produce to markets, middle-men, traders and processing plants for export purposes.”

He said rural communities residing along the roads being upgraded would also have better access to Government services and offices – in fact there are 12 health facilities and 15 Government stations along these three roads currently.

As part of the project, he said a feasibility study was carried out earlier this year by a technical team from China.

The team conducted a thorough investigation on road traffic and conditions.

“Mr Jian and I visited the team during the study to discuss their preliminary findings and the feasibility report is now being finalised and will be studied by the China International Development Co-operation (CIDCA) before work commences,” Ro Filipe said.

He said Fiji would continue to promote co-operation with China under the framework of the BRI in areas such as infrastructure construction, renewable energy, agriculture and fisheries.

INITIATION OF BRI

BRI is designed to foster economic connectivity, trade, and cultural exchange, particularly through infrastructure development.

The BRI aligns with Fiji’s agenda, emphasising shared goals of policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation and financial integration.

Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2018, bilateral and economic co-operation and people-to- people exchanges have yielded fruitful results.

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