Australia’s support includes an AUD91.9 million financing package for the Laitim Hauslain project to improve national power infrastructure. This investment will connect 30,000 to 40,000 households, schools and clinics in Morobe and East New Britain provinces to electricity, many for the first time.

Australia’s financing forms part of the PNG Electrification Partnership, which supports a key Papua New Guinean Government priority to achieve 70 per cent electrification by 2030. Improved access to electricity will improve economic and development outcomes in Papua New Guinean, support economic development in local communities, and improve the delivery of vital services for the people of Papua New Guinea.

Australia has also invested AUD76.3 million to support the national road network, connecting communities and supporting improved access to markets. The investment will support the Papua New Guinean Department of Works and Highways to undertake long-term rehabilitation and maintenance of approximately 359 kms of roads along the Wau Highway in Morobe Province and the Sepik Highway in East Sepik and West Sepik (Sandaun) provinces.

Funding will contribute to designs for the proposed Trans-National Highway. This will assist the Papua New Guinean Government progress their priority Connect PNG Strategy, a plan to increase strategic connections across Papua New Guinea’s four regions over the next 20 years.

Both investments will provide employment for Papua New Guinean people and use local materials where possible, to help stimulate Papua New Guinea’s economy and recovery from COVID-19.

Laitim Hauslain Project

Wau and Sepik Highways 

For more information, contact aiffp@dfat.gov.au

*Updated AUD figure based on exchange rate: 1.0AUD/0.70USD

The upgrade, to be delivered by AIFFP in partnership with the Nauru Department of Transport, includes resurfacing of the runway and upgrade of some critical air traffic control equipment. The funding will also enable climate-resilient upgrades to sections of the Nauru ring road.

As a small and remote island-state, Nauru is heavily dependent on the airport to connect Nauruans with their families overseas and deliver fresh food, medicine and other critical supplies.

The airport upgrade is a major infrastructure priority for Nauru, and its people, and will ensure the airport continues to operate safely and meet international standards.

Joint statement: Australia-Nauru cooperation on critical transport infrastructure | Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Women (archived link)

Nauru airport refurbishment 

Australia, through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, is providing a USD22 million financing package to Solar Pacific Pristine Power for a landmark solar and battery energy storage facility in Palau.  

The financing was announced by the Minster for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Marise Payne during her visit to the Republic of Palau in December 2021. The agreements were signed on Monday 31 January 2022.

The project will deliver high-quality, renewable and sustainable energy infrastructure for Palau. It is anticipated to provide approximately 20 per cent of the country’s energy needs reducing dependency on imported diesel for power generation.

Palau Solar Plant Investment | The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP)

For more information contact aiffp@dfat.gov.au

The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (the AIFFP) is seeking an Independent Member to join the AIFFP Advisory Board (the AIFFP Board). You will bring extensive infrastructure or finance expertise to the AIFFP Board’s role in making formal recommendations to Australian Government Ministers on financing infrastructure projects in the Pacific and Timor-Leste. Pacific experience will be highly valued. 

About the AIFFP

The AIFFP is a $4.55 billion financing facility providing loans and guarantees (up to $3 billion) and Official Development Assistance (ODA) grants (up to $1.55 billion) to support the financing and delivery of priority infrastructure projects in the Pacific and Timor Leste. The AIFFP focusses on projects in key areas of: climate resilience; energy; transportation (with a focus on ports and airports); and telecommunications and digital infrastructure. The AIFFP is a part of the Office of the Pacific within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The role

Independent Members of the AIFFP Board work alongside senior executives from Australian Government agencies to oversee the AIFFP project portfolio, make informed assessments of potential AIFFP projects and provide high-quality advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Pacific Island Affairs. The AIFFP Advisory Board may also be asked to provide advice on other matters relating to the AIFFP.

Independent Board Members should demonstrate/possess the following: 

• expertise in infrastructure and/or finance gained from holding executive roles in these industries; experience in the Pacific and Timor-Leste is desirable;
• a proven ability to engage appropriately with and manage risk, work collegiately and transparently, and navigate complex issues;
• informed and independent judgement and ability to provide strategic advice informed by different perspectives, situations and environments;
• ability to gain a sound understanding of the legal, regulatory and policy environment in which the AIFFP operates;
• integrity in decision-making and a commitment to upholding ethical standards; and
• experience as a non-executive director, with qualifications from the Australian Institute of Company Directors or another relevant body desirable.  

The AIFFP Board members must comply with all requirements related to serving on the Board, including gaining and holding as a minimum a security clearance of NV1 and declaring conflicts of interest with a mitigation strategy, if required.  More information about the opportunity and board member requirements can be found in the Information Pack and the AIFFP Board Charter.

Suitably qualified individuals can submit their expressions of interest by sending a two-page curriculum vitae, a 500-word pitch and contact information for two referees to aiffp.secretariat@dfat.gov.au.
Applications close 07.00am AEST 25 May 2026.

Students and teachers at two rural schools in Fiji’s Serua Province are now learning with clean, reliable energy and internet, following the launch of new solar energy systems and Starlink at Nuku Secondary School and St Peter Chanel Primary School last week.

Nuku Secondary School, which serves 121 students in Nuku and surrounding villages, and nearby St Peter Chanel Primary School, which serves 110 students, have both received new solar power systems, internet connectivity and digital learning equipment to support classrooms and teacher residences.

Delivered through a partnership between It’s Time Foundation, Fiji’s Ministry of Education and the Australian Government through REnew Pacific, 31 schools across Fiji, including these two, are receiving 24-hour solar power, internet connectivity and digital learning facilities, building on an earlier successful pilot on Rabi Island.

Fiji’s Minister for Education, the Honourable Aseri Radrodro, and Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, H.E. Peter Roberts, joined students, teachers and community members at Nuku Secondary School to mark the commissioning of this new infrastructure. 

Minister Radrodro said reliable electricity from solar systems can transform learning in rural communities, helping ensure students and teachers have the power, connectivity and opportunities they need to thrive.

High Commissioner Roberts said: “It was wonderful to join the Hon. Minister Radrodro, the school community and, of course, the students of Nuku Secondary and St Peter Chanel Primary schools to celebrate the commissioning of this project. It’s a powerful example of how renewable energy infrastructure can build resilience and strengthen education outcomes for remote and maritime communities. Australia is proud to partner with Fiji to help ensure schools have the energy and technology they need.”

Rob Edwards, CEO, It’s Time Foundation, said: “This project is helping close the energy and technology gap for rural and remote schools. With a long-term maintenance model in place, these systems are designed to support students and teachers for generations to come.”

REnew Pacific is Australia’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. In Fiji, REnew Pacific is also supporting a second project delivered in partnership between the Global Green Growth Institute, the Water Authority of Fiji and the Department of Water and Sewerage, which will install solar-hybrid and water pumping systems in seven maritime island communities, improving water reliability for nearly 5,000 people across Lakeba, Rotuma and Vanuabalavu.

REnew Pacific is part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, a $350 million Australian Government initiative delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).

Find out more.

More than 100 leaders from across government, industry, community and development came together in Suva, Fiji for the REnew Pacific Annual Forum this week.

The Forum opened with a reception at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva on Wednesday evening, as the Sustainable Energy Industry Association of the Pacific Islands (SEIAPI) Conference closed.

Fiji’s Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, the Hon. Ro Filipe Tuisawau, and the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, His Excellency Peter Roberts OAM, joined the reception to highlight the importance of collaboration in expanding clean energy access across the region, and the strength of the Fiji-Australia partnership. The evening provided a fantastic opportunity for attendees to connect across sectors and build momentum ahead of the Forum.

The following day, the REnew Pacific Annual Forum focused on sharing practical delivery experience and lessons to support more effective approaches to off-grid clean energy across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. The event began with opening remarks from Fiji’s Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport, the Hon. Ro Filipe Tuisawau, and Clair McNamara, Deputy High Commissioner at the Australian High Commission in Fiji, emphasized the importance of strong partnerships and sustained investment in off-grid energy delivery across Fiji and the region.

Nick Murphy, Investment Manager at the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), highlighted Australia’s support for off-grid clean energy across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, with REnew Pacific Team Leader Mohammed Angawi showcasing the program’s significant progress after only one year.

The spotlight then turned to real-world delivery experience from REnew Pacific and Business Partnerships Platform (BPP) partnerships, with speakers sharing practical insights from across the region:

• From sea to clinic: HELPR-1 powering Vanuatu’s remote health centres
  Dr Basil Leodoro, Director of HELPR-1 Operations | Respond Global
• Strengthening water access and resilience with hybrid energy for Fiji’s maritime islands
  Norbert Maass, Country Representative Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu | Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
• Securing access to renewable energy on Solomon Islands’ Savo Island
  John Marsh, Managing Director | Archipelago Energy
• Empowering local women and enabling greater access to clean energy and water in Kiribati
  Praveen Lata, Head of Program Operations | Action on Poverty
• Harnessing the circular economy to tackle solar e-waste in Vanuatu
  Dr Paul Munro, Associate Professor | University of New South Wales (UNSW)
• Powering a sustainable solar energy model for Fiji’s remote school communities
  Rob Edwards, CEO and Founder | It’s Time Foundation

A keynote address from Patrick Tuimalealiifano, Team Leader for Inclusive Growth at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), highlighted what it takes to scale solutions that work in complex and remote environments.

REnew Pacific’s Partnerships and Portfolio Lead, Ravinesh Nand, moderated a fascinating panel discussion exploring partnerships, maintenance models and the realities of delivering off-grid energy across remote communities and dispersed island contexts. Panellists included:

• Jen Ramamurthy, Co-founder | Sola PayGo
• Dr Komeri Onorio, Founder and Managing Director | EcoCare
• Skye Haigh, Practice Lead – Remote Development | Ekistica
• Vineil Narayan, Project Manager | United Nations Development Programme.

Attendees then took part in an energising interactive session to collaborate and reflect on shared challenges and identify opportunities to strengthen delivery across the region.

The Forum provided a valuable opportunity to share practical experience and strengthen connections across the clean energy ecosystem, helping inform future policy, investment and partnership approaches to expand off-grid energy access to communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

Thank you to all speakers, panellists and participants for being part of REnew Pacific’s inaugural Annual Forum!

REnew Pacific is Australia’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. It’s part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium. 

Find out more about the program.

Residents of the remote outer island of Aranuka in Kiribati recently celebrated the completion of a new solar-powered electricity and clean water project that is bringing reliable energy and safe water to more than 1,000 people.

Delivered by Action on Poverty through the Australian Government’s Business Partnerships Platform (BPP), the partnership with the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific Kiribati (FSPK) and local communities installed solar-powered battery systems and solar water pumps across all five communities on the island, powering three schools and five community halls. Six new communal freshwater wells fitted with solar pumps are also being installed to help address the island’s longstanding water access challenges.

For many families on Aranuka, access to electricity and safe drinking water has long been limited. With no connection to a power grid and scarce freshwater resources, many households collected water several times a day, a task often carried out by women. Before the new system, around two-thirds of households made more than two trips daily, while about a third did not always have access to safe drinking water.

Women’s leadership has been central to the project’s design. Twenty women now hold leadership roles across five community Infrastructure Management Committees, established to oversee the operation and maintenance of the systems. Committee members have received training in equipment maintenance, financial literacy and good governance, as well as gender equality and community leadership.

Action on Poverty’s Asia and Pacific Program Manager, Michiyo Yamada, said: “Empowering women to lead and manage the systems was central is the project’s long-term success. Women are already at the heart of water and energy management in their communities. By strengthening their leadership and technical skills, we are helping ensure these systems can be maintained locally and continue delivering benefits for many years to come,” Ms Yamada said.

Foundation for the Peoples of South Pacific Kiribati (FSPK) Program Coordinator, Ruiti Aretaake, said “Working closely with communities across Aranuka has helped ensure these systems respond to real needs on the island. Reliable power and water will support healthier and more resilient communities.”

This is a pilot for REnew Pacific, Australia’s $75 million investment to power off-grid communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste with renewable energy. REnew Pacific is supported through the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million Australian Government initiative delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).

Find out more.

Samoan families living in remote island communities will soon have access to clean, reliable electricity for the first time.

Announced today, the project marks a major milestone for Samoa as the country’s first project through Australia’s REnew Pacific program and the first-ever investment by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) in Samoa. 

Led by the Electric Power Corporation (EPC), in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development (MWCSD), and supported by the Australian Government, the project will install solar and battery systems for 108 households and five community fales across Upolu and Savai‘i. It will also upgrade a mini-grid power network on Apolima Island to provide 24/7 renewable electricity to 11 households.

While Samoa has achieved high electricity access overall, some rural and island communities remain beyond the national grid, relying on wood fires and kerosene lamps for light and cooking. Replacing these with clean solar power will improve health and safety, support study and small businesses, and help communities better withstand climate impacts while contributing to Samoa’s goal of 70 percent renewable energy by 2031.

“This first-ever AIFFP-funded project for Samoa marks a milestone not only for EPC but for our nation’s journey toward universal access to clean energy. Through REnew Pacific, EPC will deliver reliable solar and battery systems to families who have waited the longest for safe power. This investment is a tangible expression of Australia’s friendship and shared commitment to Samoa’s sustainable and resilient future,” said Fesola’i Tau‘ili‘ili Faumui Iese Toimoana, General Manager of EPC.

This locally led project is the latest milestone for REnew Pacific, the Australian Government’s $75 million investment delivering off-grid renewable energy to rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste, including Samoa.

“Australia is proud to be working alongside Samoa to deliver clean, renewable energy to families and communities across the islands. This first REnew Pacific project in Samoa shows what true partnership looks like: local leadership driving lasting change,” said Will Robinson, Australia’s High Commissioner to Samoa.

REnew Pacific is a five-year program launched in November 2024, operating across eight countries in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, including through earlier pilot projects. It delivers locally led clean energy projects that improve lives and strengthen resilience in remote communities, responding directly to the Pacific’s call for urgent climate action and demonstrating Australia’s climate leadership in the region. 

REnew Pacific sits within the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership, a AUD 350 million initiative delivered through AIFFP and implemented by Palladium.

Find out more about the project.

Clean, reliable solar energy is now powering Sir Dudley Tuti College in Isabel Province, strengthening education, campus safety and essential services for one of Solomon Islands’ largest and most remote secondary schools.

The installation marks a major milestone for REnew Pacific’s first Solomon Islands project, led by local renewable energy provider Superfly.

Serving 820 students, including around 600 boarders, as well as staff and community houses, the College previously relied on costly and unreliable diesel generation. The new solar system will now provide dependable power day and night while significantly cutting fuel use and costs. 

The system was officially launched by the Honourable Trevor Hedley Mahaga, Member of Parliament for Gao/Bugotu together with the Australian High Commission leaders and the school community led by Principal Dudley Uata. 

Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, Jeff Roach, said Australia was proud to partner with Solomon Islands in delivering clean, affordable energy solutions that were locally led and sustainable.

“The solar hybrid system installation at Sir Dudley Tuti College demonstrates Australia’s commitment to supporting expanded access to renewable sources of energy in remote and rural areas,” said High Commissioner Roach.

Speaking at the launch event, Honourable Trevor Hedley Mahaga said the investment in Sir Dudley Tuti College was an investment in the future of Isabel Province.

“Reliable solar power will enable brighter classrooms, safer dormitories and dependable services across the campus, giving students and teachers more opportunities to learn, teach and live well after dark,” said Honourable Mahaga.

Sir Dudley Tuti College is one of three sites benefitting from the REnew Pacific project, which will support more than 81,000 people across Isabel, Western and Malaita provinces. In Eastern Malaita, Atoifi Adventist Hospital is receiving a hybrid solar system to power emergency care, maternity services and its nursing school, while Goldie College in Western Province is also installing a new solar hybrid system to support students, staff and surrounding communities.

Gavin Pereira, Director of Superfly, said: “We are proud to deliver this project alongside the Sir Dudley Tuti College community and our partners.”

REnew Pacific is the Australian Government’s $75 million investment in off-grid renewable energy for rural and remote communities across the Pacific and Timor-Leste. It’s part of the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership (PCIFP), a $350 million initiative delivered through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) and implemented by Palladium. 

Learn more.