Photo credit: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
The Australian Government have been vibrant in providing economic and employment opportunities for locals in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville through its Papua New Guinea-Australia Transport Sector Support Program (TSSP) and their Community Work Arrangements for the past three years.
Supported by Australia, the Bougainville roads program has generated employment for local construction businesses and communities, with local companies benefitting from close to K40 million in funding available for new business opportunities over the past three and half years.
A spokesperson for the program stated "Australia’s transport infrastructure projects are about more than just bitumen and concrete. It assists the Department of Transport in Policy and planning to improve the transport sector".
Through the Community Work Arrangements, Australia collaborates with community leaders in AROB to engage local labour who undertake road maintenance works in the region. Since 2018, more than 63,000 community members have been involved in their Community Work Arrangements in Bougainville in which 44 per cent are women.
The Papua New Guinea-Australia Transport Sector Support Program commenced in 2007 as a long term commitment by the Australian Government to support the Government of Papua New Guinea to achieve a well-maintained transport infrastructure network.
