The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $12.6 million grant to strengthen urban resilience and disaster preparedness in Vanuatu’s Greater Port Vila area.
The financing is the third ADB grant for the Greater Port Vila Urban Resilience Project and is funded through the Asian Development Fund. It is complemented by a $5.6 million grant from the Green Climate Fund through the Community Resilience Partnership Program Investment Fund and a $700,000 in-kind contribution from the Vanuatu government.
“Vanuatu is highly exposed to disasters caused by natural hazards which are becoming increasingly frequent and severe,” said Jyotsana Varma, regional director of ADB’s Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office.
“This additional financing will build on the strong foundation already established through the project in providing shelter during such emergent situations,” she said.
The new financing will support the construction of three multipurpose emergency shelters in Agathis, Freshwind and Nambatri.
The shelters will provide safe and resilient facilities for vulnerable communities during disasters, while serving as community gathering spaces and markets during normal periods.
The financing will also support the development of an emergency shelter strategy to regularly assess shelter capacity, identify service gaps and guide the planning and prioritisation of future shelter investments.
ADB said the project is expected to directly benefit at least 23,400 people, including 11,700 women, by 2031 through improved access to resilient urban assets and services.
ADB began financing the project in 2020 with a $9.6 million grant to support urban service delivery, climate resilience and disaster preparedness in Vanuatu.
A further $2.9 million grant was provided in 2022 to expand urban resilience planning and infrastructure investments and launch nature-based coastal protection measures in Greater Port Vila.
Varma said ADB was working with the Vanuatu government and local communities on arrangements to use and maintain assets created under the project.
“We are pleased to be working closely with the government and local communities, including on arrangements to use and maintain the assets already created, so that these investments continue to serve people well into the future,” she said.
