Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 13 July 2026 – The Department of Works and Highways (DoWH) has convened an Inception Meeting for the proposed Trans-National Highway section between 9-mile in Lae and Bulolo Town Project, bringing together government agencies, development partners, and technical experts to advance preparations for climate-resilient infrastructure along the strategic Nine Mile–Bulolo Road Corridor in Morobe Province. 

The meeting marked a significant step in project preparation and reinforced a shared commitment to strengthening one of Papua New Guinea’s most important transport corridors through climate-resilient planning, engineering, and sustainable investment. 

Participants included representatives from the Department of Works and Highways (DoWH), the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), Morobe Provincial Government, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and the Transport Sector Support Program (TSSP), an Australian Government initiative supported through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea. 

The proposed project seeks to enhance the resilience of the Nine Mile–Bulolo Road Corridor against increasing climate-related risks, including flooding, landslides, erosion, and extreme rainfall events. The corridor serves as a vital economic artery connecting Lae with inland districts across Morobe Province, supporting the movement of people, agricultural products, goods, and services while enabling access to key industries such as mining, forestry, and agriculture. 

Secretary for the Department of Works and Highways, Mr. Gibson Holemba, emphasized the national significance of the initiative, noting that the road corridor is critical to the province’s social and economic development. 

“The Bulolo Road is a vital economic lifeline for Morobe Province and Papua New Guinea. Strengthening its resilience against climate change is essential to ensuring reliable access for our communities, businesses and industries. This project demonstrates our commitment to building infrastructure that is safer, more durable and capable of supporting sustainable development for generations to come.” 

The project will integrate climate risk considerations into road planning, engineering design, construction, operation, and long-term maintenance. Through these interventions, the project is expected to improve road safety, strengthen connectivity, reduce disruptions caused by extreme weather events, and support sustainable economic development throughout Morobe Province. 

Welcoming the initiative, Morobe Province Governor, Hon. Renbo Paita, said resilient infrastructure is critical to unlocking the province’s long-term economic potential. 

“The people of Morobe Province stand to benefit significantly from improved and climate-resilient road infrastructure. Better connectivity will support mining, trade, agriculture, tourism, and access to essential services. We welcome the collaboration between government and development partners in helping to fixing our road infrastructure that has affected the province’s economy and has affected people’s livelihoods.” 

Governor Paita added that the Morobe Province has been greatly affected by the poor state of the Wau Bulolo Menyamya Highway in terms of social and economic development and its impact on the business, social and economic services to the people. 

During the meeting, stakeholders reviewed the project’s implementation roadmap through December 2026, including planned activities such as LiDAR surveys, Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessments (CRVA), engineering design reviews, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) studies, and the procurement of technical consulting services. 

Representatives from AIIB highlighted the importance of ensuring that robust technical assessments underpin future infrastructure investments. Mr. Olivier Oudin, Investment Specialist at AIIB, noted that comprehensive preparation is essential to delivering sustainable infrastructure outcomes. 

“AIIB is pleased to support the Government of Papua New Guinea in financing its transport infrastructure priorities. Strong environmental and social assessments, combined with climate-responsive planning, are essential to delivering infrastructure that is sustainable, resilient and aligned with international best practices. We look forward to working closely with all partners as the project progresses.” 

As the technical assistance partner supporting project preparation, GGGI will work closely with stakeholders to ensure climate resilience and sustainability considerations are embedded throughout the project development process. 

According to Mr. Muhammad Ali Shaikh, GGGI Country Representative for Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the project presents an opportunity to demonstrate how climate resilience can be integrated into major infrastructure investments from the outset. 

“The Trans-National Highway section between 9-mile in Lae and Bulolo Town Project presents a valuable opportunity to demonstrate how climate resilience can be integrated into transport infrastructure from the earliest stages of planning and design. Through strong partnerships with the Government of Papua New Guinea, AIIB, DFAT and Morobe Province, we are supporting investments that not only improve connectivity but also strengthen communities’ ability to withstand climate impacts while driving sustainable economic growth.” 

Mr. Shaikh added that close collaboration between government and development partners will be critical to ensuring the project delivers long-term benefits for communities and businesses that rely on the corridor. 

The meeting also highlighted the importance of coordinated support from development partners. Representatives from Australia’s development program reiterated their commitment to supporting climate integration across infrastructure investments and welcomed efforts to align ongoing and future interventions along the corridor. 

Participants further explored opportunities for collaboration with other development partners, including the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) promote a coordinated approach to climate-resilient transport investment across Papua New Guinea. 

The successful inception meeting established a shared roadmap for the next phase of project preparation, with technical studies and procurement activities expected to commence in the coming months. The project will contribute to Papua New Guinea’s broader efforts to strengthen climate resilience, improve connectivity, and support inclusive and sustainable economic development consistent with Connect PNG 2020 – 2040 Programme and the country’s commitments under its Nationally Determined Contribution 2020 (PNG NDC 2020).